Digital Commons Network^™

Tortious Interference Revisited, Danielle D'Onfro, Cathy Hwang

Scholarship@WashULaw

Tortious interference with contract has bedeviled legal commentators for over a century. It can provide relief in some situations where straightforward contract breach cannot reach. But these claims have also been derided for threatening competition, at-will employment, free speech, and important guardrails on other private law claims. The doctrine is also difficult to square with theories of efficient contract breach and the long-held view that contracts on their own are not property interests.

Perhaps because of its intellectual awkwardness, tortious interference claims were relatively rare until the twenty-first century. In the last twenty years, the doctrine has exploded in popularity, …

Academic Freedom Under Attack: How Faculty And Students Can Protect Their Rights Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Emma Hansen

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

This thesis project challenged me to apply my learning to the larger community and accomplish something that would make a lasting impact at Roger Williams University. When I was attempting to come up with my topic, I tussled with how my project could accomplish my main goal, to help people. With the current threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy from the Trump Administration, I recognized that the faculty were expressing concern about the permanence of their jobs. The general feeling on campus and in the news was fear. So, I thought to myself, “How do I put these fears …

“Fixing” Settler Capitalism: Un/Sustainability In The Former Fort Ord, Clare M. Beer, Sara Salazar Hughes

Urban and Environmental Studies Faculty Works

California's former Fort Ord Army Base is located on the unceded Indigenous territory of the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation. After seven decades as a training ground for foreign wars, the decommissioning of the base triggered an economic, demographic, and cultural crisis for greater Monterey. The solution to this crisis, the Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan, promised sustainable development in the form of local environmental protection, public higher education, and economic growth. We argue that the Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan illustrates a settler sustainability fix, which the state deploys to secure settler capitalist futurity on the Monterey Peninsula at the …

Ba Theatre, Theatre

Program Revisions/Additions

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program, 2025, Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice

Reports and Publications from John Jay College

Commencement Programs are handed out at each graduation. They include information on honorary degrees, awards and prizes and candidates for degree. However, they cannot be considered an official record of conferring of degrees.

Theatre For The People: Exploring The Need For A New National Theatre, Kai Yamanishi

Theatre and Dance Honors Projects

The Covid-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the theater industry that have seen dozens of venues across the country laying off workers, shortening seasons, and even closing altogether. Costs have risen, audiences have been slow to return, and traditional sources of funding have dried up. What then, are theaters to do? By conducting an economic analysis and examining published and original interviews with theater practitioners, this essay explores this crisis as it has affected the regional nonprofit theater sector, specifically the members of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT). It concludes that LORT’s model is no longer sustainable because of its …

Digital Recess, Screen Time Split: The Impact Of Online Schooling On Recreational Screen Time And Their Dual Impact On Anxiety, Meagan Allender

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the influence of online schooling, anxiety, and recreational screen time in college aged students. Previous studies have shown a positive correlation between screen usage and anxiety scores, assessing either online school or total screen time on anxiety. However, no study had looked at the correlation between online schooling and recreational screen time, nor had any study assessed both their effects on anxiety at the same time. Using a sample of 71 participants, a bivariate regression was conducted to evaluate the correlation of each type of screen time with one another, then another regression was run to assess …

The Medea Effect: The Binary Terror Of Women Existing In The Liminal Space, M. Nance

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze the Medea character as a liminal figure. Taking a metaphorical approach to Victor Turner’s ideas on liminality, this study will deconstruct different binary oppositions—villain/victim, agent/object, Dionysian/Apollonian. The Medea character does not fall neatly to one side of these binary oppositions; therefore, this thesis argues that Medea instead inhabits the space between the binary oppositions in the realm of the liminal. The thesis then analyzes the same binary oppositions within a survey of theatrical and non-theatrical texts that feature characters that embody archetypes that originated within the Medea character—the she-devil, the murderous mother, …

Perezhivanie In Practice: Exploring Affective Memory And Imagination Through The Stanislavski System, Paige E. Mason

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis explores the enduring significance of The Stanislavski System in modern American actor training, addressing why it remains essential over a century after its creation by Konstantin Stanislavski. While studying the history of how The Stanislavski System was introduced and adapted in America, I identified a fundamental divide that shaped actor training: Lee Strasberg emphasized affective memory to generate emotion, while Stella Adler advocated for imagination to connect with character. Their public dispute has had a lasting impact on American theatre pedagogy, often leaving actors caught between methodologies without a clear understanding of the System’s original intent. At the …

Expanding The World Of Themed Entertainment Through Choice-Based Narratives: How Video Game Design Principles Inspire Immersion In Attractions, Layla R. Mccarthy

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Within most traditional theme park attractions, guest interaction does not directly impact the unfolding of the narrative. While there are many examples of encouraged interaction, guests still lack agency. Within this research, the goal is to develop a hypothetical theme park attraction (titled The Library of Worlds) where guests will be met with various choices that influence the trajectory of the story. Drawing inspiration from non-linear storytelling and interactive gaming, this study explores integration of choice-based narratives into themed entertainment, questioning the ways in which agency can enhance immersion and connection within attractions – as well as what elements …

Macabre Therapeutics: An Exploration Into The Cathartic Nature Of Splatter Utilizing The Saw Franchise As Corpus, Rosalind E. Rohrbaugh

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This project positions splatter (a subgenre of horror films that centralizes gore) as applicable for sociopolitical critique and emotional catharsis, disrupting the narrative of splatter as a solely shock-based enterprise. The project utilizes the Saw franchise as a corpus, which reignited audience interest in extreme horror in 2004, rejuvenating splatter film releases since their stagnancy throughout the 1990s. This research seeks to answer why Saw captured the attention of audiences and returned the splatter subgenre to the 21st century, utilizing psychoanalytical film analysis, sociopolitical analysis, semiotics, content analysis, and archival research as methodology and drawing on Aristotle’s Catharsis and Rhetorical …

Application Of Multi-Branching Narratives And Cooperative Gaming For Theme Park Rides, Jon Bryan Salvador

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis examines the opportunities to combine video game concepts such as branching narrative games and cooperative games with interactive theme park rides or attractions. With the state of the contemporary themed entertainment industry explicitly defining the guest’s role to the context of the ride or attraction’s storyworld, there is a need to reassess the conventional forms of theme park ride interactivity to create a more dynamic narrative, gameplay experience, and guest or audience engagement. Through a brief analysis of relevant themed experience and video game references, this research proposes a cooperative theme park ride that utilizes a modified version …

Sketching Towards Character: An Actor's Process Of Reclaiming The Mind-Body Connection, Lauren E. Schulke

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The human body is capable of incredible things. It completes vital functions autonomically, can instinctively protect us from harm, helps us sense, process, and respond to the world we inhabit, and can even heal itself when necessary. But what happens when an actor, who is dependent on their body to express their artistry, has lost awareness of their material? With the help of this thesis and the crafting of a personal methodology, I have developed a process that works towards healing this fracture and encourages the initial crafting of character through embodiment.

This thesis details the evolution of a personal …

Reimagining Main Street: Themed Experience Design As A Tool For Small Town Revitalization, Carrie L. Schweiger

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The idea of the American main street is deeply embedded in popular culture, often seen through layers of nostalgia that can obscure the real-world conditions of today. While an idealized nostalgia may benefit some towns, decades of change have left many struggling to fit the mold. This thesis explores how core principles of themed experience design can be integrated into existing American main streets, reimagining the way residents interact and identify with these spaces.

Examining historical upheavals alongside decades of media portrayals brings insight into the different stories embedded in America’s small towns, many of which remain focused on the …

Drag In Theme Parks: An Application Of Queer Theory And Intergroup Contact Theory, Corey D. Clancy

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The intent of this paper is to evaluate whether the artistic expression of Drag can be understood and appreciated by its critics when employed at Theme Parks. This will be accomplished through the lenses and applications of Queer Theory and Intergroup Contact Theory by researching what the art of Drag is, defining its different expressions, interviewing members of the Drag community, and creating clear guidelines and “Criteria for Drag in Theme Parks.”

With such passionate feelings on Drag in culture today, this research will aim to take subjectivity out of the matter and focus objectively on the impacts that Drag …

Utilizing Recommendation Systems To Achieve More Personalized Themed Experiences, Bryan P. Mcgowan

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Digital platforms such as Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube demonstrate the effectiveness of recommendation systems to personalize content and drive revenue, yet themed attractions have historically offered limited personalization. This thesis explores how recommendation systems can enhance adaptive themed experiences, focusing on branching narratives and dynamic environments that respond to guest behavior. Research from literature relevant to recommendation systems, along with analyses of successful attractions and digital experiences, informed the creative solutions developed for The Nexus. In this immersive walkthrough attraction, guests pass through a magical portal into a multiverse that adapts to their preferences and actions. This research shows how …

Designing Into The Woods: An In-Depth Analysis, Jackson Berhow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis is intended to provide insight into the costume design process for West Virginia University’s production of Into the Woods. This thesis will document the entire process, starting with a close reading of the musical exploring its symbols, themes, and characters with some theory crafting thrown in for good measure. This will be followed by the early stages of the show’s production, as well as a full explanation of the development of each character’s design throughout the show’s conceptual evolution. The show’s production process will also be explored, highlighting notable instances and how this impacted the costume design.

Haven: Viewing The Concept Album Through The Classical Lens, Maria Keane

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research project analyzes the album Haven by Canadian pop-rock band Marianas Trench and compares it to the seminal song cycles of Franz Schubert, Winterreise and Die schöne Müllerin, as well as those of Robert Schumann, Dichterliebe and Frauenliebe und Leben.

Haven is a concept album that is based on the hero’s journey framework outlined in Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Josh Ramsay, the lead singer of the group, crafted his hero’s journey by drawing on his own life experiences. The songs on the album represent different plot points from Campbell’s framework, telling a cohesive story over …

The Effects Of Operatic Voice Type On Singer Identity, Adelaide J. Mcdonald

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Within Western art music, voices are typically classified using the Fach system, which is based upon vocal characteristics and separates singers into the categories of soprano, mezzo soprano, contralto, counter tenor, tenor, bass, and baritone. Over time, these categories have become embedded with social and cultural meaning within the operatic world, leading to the development of stereotypes and expectations surrounding singers, as well as social categories and identities, referred to in this study as “sociocultural vocal categories” and “sociocultural vocal identity,” respectively. Currently, there are limited explorations of the sociocultural vocal categories and their associated stereotypes, with research on singer …

Scenic Design For Jen Silverman’S Phoebe In Winter, Jess A. Ford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document is a narrative of the Scenic Design process for Jen Silverman’s Phoebe in Winter, designed by Jess Ford. The process includes a detailed summary and analysis of the script, the stages in the creation of the design, the final design, build, technical rehearsals, and the final product. This production was produced by West Virginia University’s School of Theatre & Dance during the Fall 2024 semester, presented in the Gladys G. Davis Theater at the Canady Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, WV.

Commissioning And Recording Project Of New Works For Saxophone Focused On Promoting Mexican Composers And Educating Future Commissioning Saxophonists, Andres Efrain Santana

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document chronicles my process of commissioning and recording five new works by Mexican composers. To contextualize this experience, I provide a brief introduction of Mexican contemporary music history, an overview of second-hand accounts of the commissioning process, my personal experience of this process, and my assessment of the impact these works could have on the classical saxophone repertoire. As I have reflected on my own experience with historical and contemporary accounts of the commissioning process, it has become clear that personal connections between composers and performers and the patronage or funding linked to those relationships are just as important …

Apostrophes And Archimedes, Evan J. Clough

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis explores how digital collage and printmaking can be used to develop images through acts of subjective response, intentional and unintentional acts of appropriation, and parodic re-use and comparison pushed to absurd extremes. It looks at the history of creating art for parodic re-use and examines “Pataphysics”, developed by and for art appropriation of pattern, form, and process. These concepts are explained and related to visual artwork that was made for the thesis exhibition Apostrophes and Archimedes Cast Shadow Puppets. The exhibition invites viewers to experience the phenomenon of observation, automatic transformation, and creation using multiple modalities of exaggerated …

Whose Decolonization? Prospects For Decolonizing African Art Music, Kofi Agawu

Publications and Research

Although they date back to the 1960s—the decade of African independence—decolonization discourses have gained a new visibility in today’s academies and social media. Targets of decolonization include universities (and numerous practices within), archives, museums, political and economic systems, and individuals from previously colonized nations. Questions remain, however, about what, why, and how to decolonize. This article explores the prospects for decolonizing African art music, a repertoire formed from the twin forces of missionization and colonization. Eschewing a big-picture approach, the author focuses on samples of African choralism, African pianism, African opera, and African symphonism to show that the dividing lines …

Decolonial Constitutionalism, Richard Albert

Chicago Journal of International Law

The American Declaration of Independence kindled the first successful decolonial movement in the modern world, culminating in the enactment of the United States Constitution. From colony to sovereign state to great power, the United States modeled for subordinated peoples abroad how to win their own battles for sovereignty. Since the end of the Second World War, however, America’s eighteenth-century precedent of revolutionary self-determination is no longer the prevailing path to decolonization. The traditional warmaking toolkit for winning independence—revolution, illegality, and violence—has been replaced by more orderly tactics consonant with the rule of law. Evolution, lawfulness, and continuity are the touchstones …

Editorial Insights: Reflections On The Volume And Charge To The Field, Heather Howell, Meghan Shaughnessy, Barbara Stengal, Carrie Wilkerson Lee, Liza Bondurant, Bima Sapkota, Gregory Benoit, Yvonne Lai

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this, the final chapter of Section 3, the authors document an interview that took place in June of 2024, as the editorial team wrapped up reviews of the chapters submitted to this volume. The interview was led by two of the advisory board members, Meghan Shaughnessy and Barbara Stengal, and included the editorial group, Heather Howell, Carrie Wilkerson Lee, Liza Bondurant, and Bima Sapkota, and other members of the advisory board, Greg Benoit and Yvonne Lai. The motivation to create this interview-based chapter was to capture some of the authors' own learning and reflection as they brought the volume …

Essence Of Esther: Finding And Understanding Power Of Voice Through Exploration Of The Archive, Ashley C T Cesiro

Dance (MFA) Theses

Language is how we communicate, but language does not always show up in the literal sense of spoken words. This thesis examines how the human body archives experiences to fuel the voice, enabling it to show up and fulfill a purpose and passion that life has led to. In this thesis, the book of Esther is used as an example of how one can draw on the roots of their past and the challenges of life to discover and understand the source of their inner voice and how to utilize it effectively. This research highlights many artists who lean into …

One Man Show/ Who Am I, Devin Baker

Dance (MFA) Theses

Historically, stereotypes of ideal masculine physiques and attributed qualities have led to discriminatory and exclusionary practices that adversely affect black queer men and how they show up in various performance and social spaces. As a result, black male bodies in these spaces have employed the alter ego as a tool to imagine themselves inside/outside these constructed masculinities. How can the alter ego aid in transcending dated notions of race and gender, beholden to black male bodies within concert dance? Through the intertwining of personal narrative and research rooted in psychology and gender studies, this work examines the alter ego as …

Uri Undergraduate And Graduate Course Catalog 2025-2026, University Of Rhode Island

URI Course Catalogs Archive

This is a downloadable PDF version of the University of Rhode Island course catalog.

Potential Competitors’ Antitrust Standing Against Preemptive Acquisitions, Frank Lior, C. Paul Rogers Iii

SMU Law Review

This Article revolves around potential competitors’ “antitrust standing” rights in private merger litigation, especially against preemptive acquisitions. It builds upon various cases in which courts had explicitly recognized that a potential competitor has standing to challenge an allegedly anticompetitive merger that foreclosed it from entering the market dominated by an incumbent firm. Such mergers can be categorized as “strategic preemptive acquisitions.” Specifically, the courts held in these particular cases that the potential competitor’s “antitrust injury,” that is—exclusion from the relevant market—stems from the incumbent’s intentional and strategic acquisition of a company or set of assets that were required for the …

Teaching The Twenty-First Century: A Pedagogical Approach To Contemporary Violin Repertoire From Beginner To Advanced, Holly Workman

Theses and Dissertations

Violin pedagogy has largely ignored the last century of repertoire. Students finish their training with very few of the technical or musical skills required for the successful performance of contemporary music. This document discusses why newer repertoire should be added for all students and how teachers may introduce it to the traditional program of study without excessive disruption to the existing methods of teaching. Finding appropriate repertoire can be very difficult so this document includes a series of appropriate works which encompass beginner, intermediate, and advanced ability levels. Contemporary techniques must be taught in a guided manner and each chapter …