Digital Commons Network^™

Ziyyarah: Ethical And Intra-Active Space For Conducting Interviews With Muslim American Students, Wesam M. Salem

The Qualitative Report

Conducting research with Muslim American participants, who have non-Western roots and are bound to their cultural, linguistic, and religious practices, the prescribed, Eurocentric, and power-laden interviewing practices appear to be unfit and essentializing. This paper extends the argument to de/colonize research practices to create realities that are inclusive of participants' ways of knowing and culture. It also draws from the call for an intra-active and entangled approach to research that emphasizes how researchers and their subjects mutually co-constitute knowledge through their entanglement in the research process. It is also rooted in postcolonial theory, and the concept of the nomadic subject …

Site-Specific Nurseries: Reconnecting Nurseries To Time And Place Through Ecotypic Bare-Root Production, Tryn Collins

Masters Theses

We surround ourselves with empty landscapes, landscapes that are stagnant and decorative. Lawns edged with cultivated non-native species are inert spaces, devoid of complexity and serve little function beyond their appearances. These spaces that symbolize wealth through controlling nature are in fact the end of nature. Most of us are completely unaware of the intricate webs of life, the ecologies, that are our real habitat, hidden under the concrete and turf, pushed to the edges of our developments. They are relationships established over thousands of years between plants, insects, animals, weather and soil. This kind of complexity scares us, it …

The Limits Of Knowing: Determinism, Uncertainty, And What’S Beyond The Human Gaze, Xilong T. Zhang

Masters Theses

This essay traces a personal philosophical and artistic journey from rigid belief in scientific determinism to an evolving embrace of uncertainty, subjectivity, and computational perception. Raised in an atheist, scientifically grounded household in China, the author initially adopted Newtonian determinism and Laplace’s thought experiment of a fully predictable universe as guiding principles. These beliefs informed early artistic practices rooted in Constructivism, geometry, and rule-based aesthetics. However, a failed attempt to fully optimize life through deterministic control led to physical and mental collapse, prompting deeper exploration into Cartesian dualism, quantum mechanics, and the limits of reason. Through Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and …

Building Ecologies: Maintaining Land, Working With Wood, Taylor Jais

Masters Theses

This thesis critiques contemporary architecture and building practices for their fundamentally unsustainable and place-less assemblies that rely on extracting finite resources that generate significant emissions while simultaneously neglecting to consider the needs and existence of humans and non-human species with in the built environment. Through experimental material research that diverts “wood” waste streams and integrates land and multispecies care, this work demonstrates how maintenance-based approaches to construction can transform built assemblies into ecological systems. By deconstructing wood to its cellular components and recombining these elements in novel ways, this research reveals possibilities for collaborative, materials-driven, place-based building practices. This thesis …

Space, Life And Capital: The Metabolic Rift, Zhongsu Cheng

Masters Theses

The recent avian influenza crisis exposes the fundamental contradictions of capitalist spatial production. By compressing life into optimized enclosures, industrialized poultry farming has effectively transformed these spaces into "laboratories of viral evolution" breeding grounds for zoonotic diseases in the pursuit of maximum efficiency. This crisis is not an isolated event but rather a spatialized metabolic rift: the logic of capital disrupts natural cycles, accelerating ecological and systemic collapse. At the heart of this crisis lies a critical architectural question: If capitalism organizes and encloses life within space to maximize value, can architecture be reimagined not merely as an instrument of …

Ib-Adat, Anum Naseer

Masters Theses

.

Unnatural Nature: A Visual Artist’S Reflection On Myth, Medium, And Feminine Being, Rong Xu

Masters Theses

My artistic journey has been guided by a childhood fascination with mythology and how our ancestors interpreted the natural world. As my practice evolved toward digital media, I began questioning what "nature" truly means—is it an objective reality or a construct filtered through cultural lenses and personal experience?

The transition from traditional to digital tools—from physical brushes to Apple Pencil and Wacom stylus—removed much of the spontaneous dialogue with materials that once mirrored nature's own randomness. While I initially celebrated my ability to simulate traditional techniques digitally, I now recognize this transformation demands a fundamental reconsideration of how artists connect …

Exploring Al Balad, Danah Alqunfuzi

Masters Theses

Al Balad is a well-known destination for Jeddah’s visitors. With its inclusion in UNESCO World Heritage, the site has been transforming to fit the standards and become a more tourist destination. The reason the site is included in UNESCO is due to its diversity and unique architecture and sense of place. Preservation of this type is problematic because it threatens to suppress the dynamics that gave rise to Al Balad, freezing it in time. This thesis asks: How can landscape representation capture agents of change, the present moment, and the past so that the forces that breathe life in historically …

The Risk Of Marginal Inclusion In The Fortune 500: A Quasi-Replication Of Lewis & Carlos (2023), W. Chad Carlos, Yasir Dewan, Ben W. Lewis, Brian P. Reschke, S. Isaac St. Clair

Faculty Publications

Conventional wisdom suggests that being included in an exclusive ranking leads to positive external evaluations. However, Lewis and Carlos (2023) found that firms situated near the threshold for inclusion on the 100 Best Corporate Citizen ranking were devalued by investors. To assess the generalizability of this surprising finding, we quasi-replicate and extend this finding by applying the same regression discontinuity design to the Fortune 500 ranking. We find corroborating evidence: firms near the bottom of the Fortune 500 receive lower external evaluations, not only from investors but also from industry peers. Our findings therefore quasi-replicate and extend Lewis and Carlos’ …

Assessing Lexical Proficiency In Russian As A Second Language Using Indices Of Lexical Sophistication, Diversity, And Fluency, Olesya Kisselev, Mihail Kopotev, Anton Vakhraney

Faculty Publications

Lexical proficiency in a second language (L2) has long been effectively assessed through the measurement of various lexical indices, or textual characteristics that act as observable indicators of such conceptual categories as lexical richness, diversity, sophistication, and fluency. While many studies have established links between these lexical characteristics and levels of overall language proficiency, languages other than L2 English rarely feature in such research. The current study addresses this gap by investigating a less commonly studied language, Russian, while paying specific attention to the operationalization of proficiency through an American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines-based procedure. …

Framing The Sudanese Refugee Flows To Egypt Across Traditional And Social Media., Ghada Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the framing of Sudanese refugees in Egyptian media during the first year of the Sudanese conflict (April 2023–March 2024). Employing a content analysis framework, the research investigates content from three Egyptian newspapers—Al Ahram, Al Masry Al Youm, and Al Wafd—alongside tweets from the social media platform X. The study identifies recurring frames, themes, and narratives, highlighting differences between traditional media and social media platforms in their portrayal of Sudanese refugees. Key findings reveal that neutral tone dominate traditional media, focusing on factual reporting, followed by negative, then positive tones. Conversely, social media predominantly features negative narratives, such …

Analytical Approaches For Identification Of Essential Genomes Of Plasmodium Knowlesi And Babesia Divergens, Sida Ye

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Apicomplexa constitute a large phylum of single-celled, obligate intracellular protozoan parasites. Notably, Plasmodium spp. and Babesia spp. are apicomplexan parasites that infect red blood cells. Plasmodium species are the causative agent of malaria and are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, affecting large human populations, whereas Babesia spp., transmitted through the bite of Ixodes ticks cause babesiosis.

In this dissertation, we investigate the essential genome of these parasites using high-throughput transposon mutagenesis. Identifying the essential genome is key to finding new drug targets and understanding resistance mechanisms, a crucial pursuit given the rising resistance to frontline antimalarial drugs and the challenges …

The Activists’ Choice: Ballot Initiatives As A Step Towards Pro-Choice Efforts, Levi C. Mahler

Culture, Society, and Praxis

Following the overturn of Roe V. Wade, many U.S. state legislatures failed to implement abortion rights that satisfy the general population. When the public disapproves of legislative law, some U.S. states allow citizens and activists the right to pursue a ballot initiative. With enough voter signatures, these ballots can turn into new laws. However, with ballot initiatives being a multi-step, lengthy process, what ultimately pushes activists to pursue this path? My research analyzes this novel intersection of political science and sociology fields to contribute to the current lack of literature on activists' decisions to pursue ballot measures for abortion rights. …

The Relationship Between The Perception Management Approaches Of School Administrators And Social Capital In School, Mehtap Şi̇mşek Gürkan, Sabri Çeli̇k

i.e.: inquiry in education

The Relationship between the Perception Management Approaches of School Administrators and Social Capital in School

Author¹, Author²

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the level of relationship between school administrators' perception management approaches and social capital within schools, based on the perceptions of teachers in Turkey. In our study, we applied a descriptive correlational survey model and obtained opinions from 450 teachers working across different districts. Results indicate that perception management strategies implemented by school administrators based on honesty and persuasion have a positive impact on the social capital of the school. Our findings …

The Architectonic Frames: Dialogic Leadership, Surveillance And The Problem Of Invisible Pedagogies, Jeremy Dennis

i.e.: inquiry in education

Scholars and practitioners seldom consider pedagogy as a starting point in their appreciations of the role of leadership in education. However, the rise of invisible pedagogies may warrant a revaluation of this practice. Invisible pedagogies are enabled by cloud-based learning management platforms and their data-driven algorithms and protocols, which incentivize opaque practices and the monetization of dialogism in the form of surveillance textualism or shadow texts. As such, some scholars predict that the future growth of invisible pedagogies is inevitable. Even though dialogic leadership is positioned to calibrate the trajectory of invisible pedagogies and explicate surveillance textualism, it is …

Practices Of Maintaining Academic Research Quality In Higher Education Institutions (Heis): Quests And Upheavals, Firdissa J. Aga Dr.

i.e.: inquiry in education

Maintaining academic research quality in HEIs has become a crucial demand of the day due to the need for advancing knowledge, standing answerable to the public, safeguarding institutional credibility, and pacing with the changing academic environments. This study, therefore, investigated the practices of maintaining academic research quality at three HEIs in Ethiopia. A blend of both qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to collect data using a questionnaire and interview guide questions.

The results revealed that the major practices across the three universities include: prioritizing the quantity of research outputs (reports/publications), focusing on researching quality (during the process), ensuring theoretical/conceptual …

Fleas Of The Norway Rat In The Superior, Wisconsin, Harbor Area (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae, Hystrichopsyllidae), Darol L. Kaufmann, Norman D. Radtke

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The occurrence of the fleas of the Norway rat, Rattus noruegicus (Berkenhout) was monitored in Superior, Wisconsin, for 12 months. A total of 441 fleas was recovered from 300 rat hosts. Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bosc), the northern rat flea, was the most abundant species found (94.1%) while Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes pseudagyrtes Baker (5.4%) and Megabothris asio asio (Baker) (0.5%) were also present. The flea index was highest (4.8) in July and lowest (0.2) in February and March. Forty-four percent of the rats examined were infested.

Etiological Diversity And Enhanced Diagnostic Accuracy In Cutaneous Fungal Infections: Insights From A Tertiary Care Hospital Laboratory, Shilpi Gupta, Nitya Vyas, Aarushi Nagori

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Background: Cutaneous mycoses is a public health problem globally with significant rates in developing countries. These infections are predominantly caused by dermatophytes and non-dermatophyte fungi, with distinct clinical manifestations, epidemiological patterns, diagnostic intricacies, and treatment modalities.

Objective: The study aimed to determine the spectrum of fungal agents causing cutaneous infections in our region and adoption of comprehensive diagnostic approach for accurate identification of the causative agents of cutaneous fungal infections.

Methods: This observational study was conducted on 145 cutaneous samples received in Mycology laboratory of Mahatma Gandhi medical college and hospital from patients clinically suspected of dermatophytosis in the duration …

An Old Law With New Tricks? The Prospects And Pitfalls Of Using The Antiquities Act Of 1906 To Shape Climate Policy On Federal Lands, Chick Hallinan

Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc

The Antiquities Act of 1906 empowers the president to declare a national monument on federally owned land, subject to constraints. As physical hazards enhanced by climate change endanger historically or biologically valuable objects and places, the Act can shape climate policy on federal land—extending the designation to new tracts and enhancing protections on existing monuments. This Note contends that climate change qualifies as a threat to federal public lands sufficient to trigger presidential authority to proclaim a national monument. Still, any such proclamation must account for the constitutional and statutory restraints that have some gravity on the president’s power to …

The Power Of Storytelling: Creatively Facilitating Conceptual Change In The Classroom, Mackenzie S. Rose, Marcus Johnson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Conceptual knowledge encompasses understanding the interrelationships among multiple pieces of information. Misconceptions of these interrelationships illustrate the need for effective educational strategies to facilitate conceptual change, with the goal of facilitating changes in learner understanding to appropriate, accurate, and complete concepts. Strategies, such as refutation texts, have proven effective in addressing science misconceptions, yet there is a prominent gap in research on conceptual change in nonscience subjects and the use of storytelling to facilitate such change. Storytelling, presented in a range of educational subjects, invites learners to engage in social discourses and problem-solving exercises. Prompted by classroom storytelling practices, creativity, …

Epidemiological Status And Diagnosis Of Leptospirosis —A Review, Pooja Palla, Gudikandula Krishna, Dasari Thrimothi

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Numerous investigations carried out in impacted countries have enhanced our knowledge of the leptospirosis epidemiology, a serious zoonotic illness that has spread throughout the world. Reliable global incidence numbers are unavailable, and the infection is underreported. According to a thorough analysis and modelling exercise, there are over a million human cases and about 60,000 fatalities worldwide each year. Although temperate countries can also experience it, tropical locations are where it is most common. Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, Oceania, South and Southeast Asia, and sections of Latin America have the highest infection rates. Even though leptospirosis is a tropical zoonotic disease …

Electricity Affordability In Context, Troy A. Rule

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

Recent residential electricity price increases in California have caused some to suggest the state is experiencing an electricity affordability crisis. Although the typical household in California and across the country spends less than three percent of its income on electricity, California’s soaring electricity rates can impose substantial burdens on some of the state’s lowest-income households. Why have retail electricity prices rapidly risen in California over the past decade while remaining relatively stable in others? What are the potential downsides of overly fixating on electricity affordability concerns in the context of energy policymaking? And what principles should guide policymakers in California …

Navigating Utility Liability In A Changing Climate: A Comparative Analysis Of State Utility Failures And Legal Reforms In Response To The Maui Wildfires, Danielle S. Comstock

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

This Comment will analyze the history of utility liability in climate-related disasters and examine instances where utility companies caused and mitigated damages. Drawing lessons from other states, it proposes several key solutions: clarifying legal standards for utility liability, enhancing regulatory frameworks, and leveraging federal support to drive proactive measures. This Comment aims to provide a comprehensive framework for improving utility preparedness and resilience in the face of climate-related disasters by examining how these solutions could have altered past outcomes and addressing the obstacles to their implementation.

Beneath The Surface: Unearthing Legal, Cultural, And Environmental Challenges To Resource Extraction On Indigenous Land, Danara Greer

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

Much of the world’s natural capital lies on or beneath lands occupied by Indigenous peoples. Since the advent of colonialism, Indigenous communities have tirelessly safeguarded their land from encroachment by extractive industries. The contemporary consequences of resource extraction on Indigenous lands include environmental degradation and cultural heritage destruction. Rather than providing a legal pathway to self-determination, the United States Supreme Court has eroded tribal sovereignty and undermined the trust relationship between tribes and the federal government. American Indians and Alaska Natives are prohibited from tapping into their resource wealth by an intricate bureaucratic framework that dictates how resources may—and may …

National Report Of United States (2024), Christine Speidel

Research Reports & White Papers

The Observatory on the Protection of Taxpayers’ Rights (OPTR) identifies principles, minimum standards and best practices for the effective protection of taxpayers’ rights. It allows for the permanent monitoring of global compliance with such minimum standards and their amendment and development in different regions of the world.

Claude Townsend, Jr. V. County Of Mercer

2025 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

Alexander Smith V. City Of Atlantic City

2025 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

Reigning In Rushed Recruiting, Jamie Abrams

Presentations

This presentation will survey the timeline shifts that have occurred in the large firm hiring market in the Capital Area region, the collateral consequences of these compressed timelines in LRW classrooms, and the role of the LRW community going forward.

Anticommandeering Climate Action: Defending The Necessity Of Subfederal Planet-Saving Legislation, Tyler Hall

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

Humanity is on the defensive against climate change, and state and local governments are the front line. Regrettably, Americans have waited too long for air cover in the form of federal climate regulations despite an established history of federal environmental action only emerging from the ashes of headline-grabbing catastrophes. Americans cannot wait on federal legislation to tackle the global and unprecedented problem of climate change. It will come far too late.

State and local governments’ historic police power includes protecting environmental health and public welfare, but decades of successful federal regulation have atrophied its use. Delayed by federal success, state …

Assessing Willingness To Pay For Parking Fees Among Residents: Evidence From Malang City, Damas Dwi Anggoro, Aleyda Farihatus Shofwah

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

This study aims to investigate the willingness to pay (WTP) for user charges imposed by the local government using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Viewing the local government as a service provider, the construct of perceived value is incorporated to determine behavioral intention toward user charges, marking a novel contribution of this study to the literature. Specifically, this study analyzes (1) the effect of each TPB construct—attitude toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC)—on WTP, (2) the effect of perceived value on WTP, and (3) the indirect effect of perceived value on WTP mediated by …