Digital Commons Network^™

Budget Tradeoffs Shape Food Insecurity Among U.S. Older Adults, Madonna Harrington Meyer, Colleen M. Heflin

Population Health Research Brief Series

For low-income older adults, it may be difficult to meet basic needs on a fixed monthly income. Stretching resources can be difficult, especially if unexpected expenses arise, leading many older adults to face difficult budget tradeoffs. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes how budget tradeoffs between food and other essential expenses—housing, utilities, medical care, transportation, and personal and cleaning supplies—shape food insecurity among older adults.

From The Editor In Chief, Antulio J. Echevarria Ii

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Autumn 2025 issue of Parameters. We open with two In Focus commentaries. The first, “A Case for Military Proportionality: Disabling Nuclear Plants” by Henry Sokolski, offers practical ways in which military planners can disable civilian targets, such as nuclear infrastructure, without undermining operational goals, alliance cohesion, or long-term political objectives. Our second commentary, “The Consequences of Declining Patriotism in the United States” by Neil N. Snyder, presents findings from a national survey showing a decline in patriotism, especially among Generation Z nonveterans. His article highlights a growing civil-military values gap with implications for recruitment and national …

The Political Theories Of The Legal Realists, Dan Priel

All Papers

A popular view about the legal realists is that, either knowingly or inadvertently, they advanced ideas inconsistent with traditional values, democracy, and the rule of law. Another view about them suggested that the realists had no political theory: they only offered a descriptive (empirical) theory of adjudication, albeit one that has normatively “quietist” implications. In this essay, I challenge both views. I argue that there were two legal realist camps whose jurisprudential ideas presupposed two quite different political theories. One group of legal realists consisted of public utilitarians who were consciously inspired by Bentham, wanted to turn legal and political …

The Consequences Of Declining Patriotism In The United States, Neil N. Snyder

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Patriotism, an important determinant of American civil-military relations, is in decline among many Americans. This article analyzes the results of an extensive national survey fielded to assess Americans’ attitudes and finds that more veterans value patriotism than Generation Z nonveterans, that Americans’ trust in their military is correlated with their value for patriotism, and that members of Generation Z are more likely to consider serving in the US military if they value patriotism. Although patriotism is normally a source of national unity, it may now be a source of division between veterans, nonveterans, and Generation Z.

Russian Arctic Land Forces And Defense Trends Redefined By Nato And Ukraine, Troy J. Bouffard, Lester W. Grau, Charles K. Bartles, Mathieu Boulègue

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

This article argues that Russia’s Arctic land forces have been weakened by the Russia-Ukraine War and NATO’s northern expansion, creating a strategic window for Western militaries to bolster their Arctic capabilities. Unlike existing studies that focus on maritime operations and the Northern Sea Route, it integrates technical assessments of ground-based Arctic platforms with analysis of military-district reforms. Using a mixed methodology that incorporates equipment specifications, Russian government documents, media reports, and NATO strategic-response evaluations, this article constructs a comprehensive baseline understanding of Russia’s Arctic land-force potential and readiness. Policy and military practitioners will benefit from actionable insights into Arctic force-design …

Parameters Autumn 2025, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Full Issue - Englishusa, V. 12, English Usa

EnglishUSA Journal

No abstract provided.

“Feels Like Being The Stepchild”: Surfacing The Boundaries And Borders In A Dual Language Program, Melody Zoch, Analía Wells

EnglishUSA Journal

No abstract provided.

There Are No Words: What Do You Call A Parent Who Has Lost A Child, Sandra K. Cesario

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: There is no commonly used English word to describe a parent whose child is deceased. A child who has no parents is an orphan and a person who has lost a spouse is a widow(er). Absence of terminology to describe parents after the death of a child may contribute to difficulty in adapting to a new identity and alter societal expectations for grieving. Vilomah, a word borrowed from the Sanskrit language meaning "against the natural order," has emerged in non-nursing literature to describe a parent whose child has died. It is derived from the concept that parents …

#Falseflag: Exploring Themes In Conspiracy Theory Tweets Regarding The Robb Elementary School Active Shooter Event, Madison K. Doyle, Carolyn Willis

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Little is known about the content of conspiratorial posts on social media, specifically regarding active shooter events. This study explores the content of conspiracy theory tweets during the six months following the active shooter event at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. 194 tweets were analyzed. The analysis resulted in two main themes: False Flag and Hypothesized Reasoning. These themes represent the similarities and variations in content among the tweets. In line with research suggesting that people are most vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking when trying to explain unusual and unsettling events, results indicate that many posts were attempting to provide …

“Oh, Are You Gay?”: An Exploration Of Lgbtq+ Students’ Lived Experiences With Microaggressions And Finding Safety On A University Campus, Christina Policastro, Courtney Crittenden, Jadon Clark, Rileigh Arrington

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Studies demonstrate that LGBTQ+ college students experience explicit and covert discrimination with research documenting various microaggressions reported by university students whose gender and/or sex identities are minoritized. Building off existing models of LGBTQ microaggressions, the current study adds to this literature by utilizing focus groups to explore campus safety perceptions among a sample of U.S. undergraduate students who identify as LGBTQ+. Findings highlight the diverse microaggressions experienced by students at the interpersonal and environmental level. Moreover, the results displayed the mechanisms students employed to avoid or disengage from situations where microaggressions may be encountered, as well as underscored ways in …

Are Cyber-Investigators Resilient In The Face Of Adversity? An Inductive Qualitative Analysis Exploring Investigators’ Perceptions Regarding The Challenges And Successes In Online Crime Police Investigations, Julien Chopin, Camille Faubert, David Décary-Hétu, Benoît Dupont, Jerry Ratcliffe, Aili Malm

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Cybercrime investigations continue to pose a significant challenge for most law enforcement agencies. Specifically, these investigations present knowledge, legal, and forensic challenges that hinder police officers’ ability to successfully complete their tasks and develop a sense of well-being on the job. Studies have shown that in the face of such adversity, individuals exhibit a positive coping capacity known as the resilience process. In this research, we set out to improve our understanding of both the difficulties police officers face when investigating online crimes and their ability to cope by analyzing their perceptions of success. To do this, we conducted interviews …

Prosecution In The Eyes Of The Justice-Involved: A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach, Belén Lowrey-Kinberg

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Community based participatory research (CBPR) centers the voices of community members in the research process. Long used in the field of healthcare, criminal justice researchers have employed CBPR only in limited contexts, and never in the context of prosecution research. This paper reports on findings from a CBPR study that employed focus groups with justice-involved individuals to identify their perceptions of the pre-trial process, prosecutors’ priorities, and recommended directions for research. The findings from these focus groups were used as the basis for developing interview questions for prosecutors, which were subsequently implemented in two larger research projects examining prosecutor discretion. …

Communication Inhibitors: Dilemmas In Community Partnerships Amidst Mental Health Crises In Texas, Alessa Juarez, Kendra N. Bowen, Johnny Nhan

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Community partnerships between police departments, social services, and healthcare providers continue to struggle in various ways, with mental health crisis response remaining a primary yet fragmented service delivery. Using the nodal governance perspective, this paper provides qualitative insight into the existing communication and resource barriers between law enforcement personnel and social service providers in a large urban county in Texas. Four key themes are presented: staff and resource availability, continuity of care, staff personnel and characteristics, and communication efficiency. Policy implications are also discussed, with the study’s findings supporting the prioritization of building stronger communication between existing social service providers, …

Access To Algorithmic Justice Working Paper: Introducing The A2aj’S Canadian Legal Data: An Open-Source Alternative To Canlii For The Era Of Computational Law, Simon Wallace, Sean Rehaag

Commissioned Reports, Studies and Public Policy Documents

The Access to Algorithmic Justice project (A2AJ) is an open-source alternative to the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII). At a moment when technology promises to enable new ways of working with law, CanLII is becoming an impediment to the free access of law and access to justice movements because it restricts bulk and programmatic access to Canadian legal data. This means that Canada is staring down a digital divide: wellresourced actors have the best new technological tools and, because CanLII has disclaimed leadership, the public only gets second-rate tools. This article puts CanLII in its larger historical context and shows …

Will Anyone Play With Me? Building Resilience Through Community Play With Transgender And Gender Diverse Young Adults, Lee Lebeda

Expressive Therapies Theses

The recent increase in anti-trans legislature in the United States has negatively impacted the mental health of transgender young adults nationwide. Current research suggests that creative expression in a group setting may be uniquely suited to help transgender people combat the negative mental health effects of internalized anti-trans messaging. Based on this research, a community engagement project was designed for transgender young adult participants to explore resilience building through drama therapy-informed community play. Three play-based support groups, facilitated by a drama therapy graduate student who identified as a peer to the participants, were offered to transgender young adults in their …

Disaster Resilience And Normalization: Facing Facts, Naomi Zack Phd

Publications and Research

Disaster resilience requires acknowledgment and preparation to be normalized or integrated into normal life. But denial without preparation normalizes disaster by  leaving it out of normal life. In Disaster Resilience and Normalization: Facing Facts, Naomi Zack explores the normative and factual dimensions of a Climate Change Paradigm, through a global scope. Apart from the normative issues of who is responsible and who should pay for mitigation, the facts of Rising Average Earth Temperatures and more Intense and Frequent Disasters must still be faced.

But facing those facts has always been voluntary for powerful signatories to the 2015 Paris Climate …

Crow's Nest, September 15, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The September 15, 2025, issue of Crow's Nest.

Black Somatic Liberatory Practices: The Africanist Aesthetic In Psychotherapeutic Movement Observation, Ebony Nichols

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

This critical ethnographic qualitative study explored Black body-based healing practices and coping strategies used to resist and titrate the impact of racism and oppression. It also examined how Black individuals use their bodies to regulate their nervous systems to heal and cultivate liberatory practices. Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as Black Psychology, African Indigenous Healing Systems, Liberation Psychology, and Critical Race Theory, this research investigated the intersections of Black Aesthetics, Psychology, and the body through the lens of the Africanist Aesthetic. The study employed interaction analysis and reflexive thematic analysis to analyze non-verbal and verbal data collected from two focus …

Synthesis Of Mindful Inspiration, Syncretism, And Unionism Yields The Mind Method For Alleviating Public School Teacher Burnout, Walt Durand

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Public school teachers face the risk of burnout. Mindfulness has been suggested for addressing the chronic stress that can lead to teacher burnout. However, criticisms have been raised regarding the sometimes problematic nature of mindfulness programs (MPs) for public school teachers. For example, MPs may be perceived as religious and therefore not appropriate for secular public schools. Additionally, MPs may not be designed with enough of an ethical framework and may not do enough to authentically help teachers address the systemic challenges they face. In response to these limitations, this paper suggests the synthesis of the following MP enhancements to …

The Changing Nature Of International Trade And Its Implications For Development, Pinelopi Goldberg, Michele Ruta

Discussion Papers

This paper revisits the relationship between international trade, trade policy, and development in light of the structural, policy, and geopolitical shifts that have transformed globalization over the past decade. While trade has historically supported development through both static and dynamic channels, we argue that the latter—those inducing structural transformation and institutional change—have been far more consequential for long-run development. Through access to global markets, participation in global value chains, and knowledge and technology transfers, and by providing an anchor for reform, trade and trade agreements have contributed to productivity gains, technological progress, quality and skill upgrading, and institutional change in …

The Changing Nature Of International Trade And Its Implications For Development, Pinelopi Goldberg, Michele Ruta

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This chapter revisits the relationship between international trade, trade policy, and development in light of the structural, policy, and geopolitical shifts that have transformed globalization over the past decade. While trade has historically supported development through both static and dynamic channels, we argue that the latter—those inducing structural transformation and institutional change—have been far more consequential for long-run development. Through access to global markets, participation in global value chains, and knowledge and technology transfers, and by providing an anchor for reform, trade and trade agreements have contributed to productivity gains, technological progress, quality and skill upgrading, and institutional change in …

Financial Behaviors And Their Predictive Power On Stress: A Neutrosophic Qca Approach, Suly Sendy Pérez-Castañeda, Blanca Estela, Dorie Cruz-Ramírez, Beatriz Sauza-Ávila, Gisela Janeth Espinosa-Martínez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Educational Reforms In West Africa: Push And Pull Factors Analysis Of Student Mobility In Ghana, Nigeria, And The Ivory Coast, Aya Kouao

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

The interconnectivity of global capitals has led to the increasing movements of people across borders for political, social, and economic reasons. However, there has been an increased interest in countries located in the West. This paper focuses on the context of student mobility in West Africa, especially in the countries of the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria for a better understanding of students’ attitudes toward pursuing their higher education in Western countries. Drawing from the push and pull theory, the purpose of this study is to explore the drivers of migration intentions among West African students while looking at the …

The Psychological Impact Of Systemic Factors On Maternal Mental Health Outcomes, V Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal mental health disparities in the United States continue to impact reproductive-age women, especially those from underserved populations. In this quantitative study, how healthcare accessibility and socioeconomic status (SES) influenced psychological stress and maternal mental health outcomes was examined. Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model and critical race theory guided the theoretical framework. Secondary data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to analyze three research questions related to the predictive relationships between systemic factors and mental health outcomes, and differences in stress across age groups. Key variables included insurance coverage, access to a personal doctor, cost-related barriers, income, employment …

Staff Education About Cultural Awareness In A Healthcare Setting, Phylis Titty Tarawally

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This quality improvement project was carried out to address a practice gap in culturally responsive care among nursing staff working in a skilled nursing facility. African-American residents often face disparities in healthcare due to staff’s limited knowledge of cultural health beliefs and confidence in engaging with diverse populations. To improve this, an educational intervention was designed using the ADDIE instructional model and evaluated to see if it could enhance staff knowledge and confidence related to African-American cultural practices. The project was guided by the practice-focused question: Will a structured African-American cultural awareness program improve staff knowledge and confidence to …

Pentingkah Pekerjaan Ibu Dalam Literasi Anak Di Indonesia?, Dien Amalina Nur Asrofi, Muhammad Salahudin Al Ayyubi

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study aims to analyze the impact of maternal employment status and job type on children's literacy skills in Indonesia, using data from the 2023 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) and a binary logistic regression approach. The results show that working mothers, particularly those in the formal sector, are positively and significantly correlated with children's literacy, especially in non-poor households. These findings highlight the important role of maternal employment contribution in strengthening educational investment within families. In contrast, among poor households, formal employment of mothers does not significantly influence children's literacy, indicating that economic constraints remain a major barrier. In addition, …

Modeling Intertwined Humanity: Neutrosophic Complete Graphs, Ubuntu, And The Logic Of No, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Professional Identity Formation In Traditional Chinese Medicine Students: An Educational Perspective Using Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Set, Hongxin Wang

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Emphasizing A Student-Centered Process: Open Pedagogy Course Assessments Across Disciplines, Angela M. Mcgowan-Kirsch, Kelly Soczka Steidinger, Christina R. Hilburger, Heather J. Hether, Jean Hertzberg, Amanda Lohiser

Milne Open Textbooks

Emphasizing a Student-Centered Process: Open Pedagogy Course Assessments Across Disciplines showcases how Open Educational Practices (OEP) empower students as active contributors to knowledge creation. Grounded in constructivist principles, this collection highlights student-centered assessments—from collaborative course design and renewable assignments to generative artificial intelligence—that foster critical thinking, active learning, and inclusivity. Through practical examples and reflective discussions, the book provides educators with actionable strategies to integrate open pedagogical practices across disciplines while addressing challenges such as institutional support, professional development, and resource accessibility.