Digital Commons Network^™

A Psychogeography Of The Lower Colorado River Basin, Arren L. Kimbel-Sannit

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Dried-up canals. Superheated strip malls. Proliferating data centers. Infinite appetite for growth despite its apparent circumstances. Arizona may well be the state of the American future. This multi-genre series of essays from Arren Kimbel-Sannit offers a personal, political-economic and ecological critique of growth and accumulation in Arizona — from the perspective of someone who grew up in its suburban expanses, reported on its politics, and long sought to clarify his relationship with home.

The Split Child: Fragmented Temporalities And Selves In Post-Francoist Horror Cinema, Harper A. Denniston

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis interrogates the prolific figure of the spectral child in post-dictatorial horror cinema in Spain. During the renaissance wave of the horror boom (a period between the late 1990s and early 2000s that experienced a surge in horror films), narratives of haunting often presented the ghost in child form, blending childhood and horror. This thesis examines the spectral child as depicted in the seminal horror films The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and The Orphanage (2007). First, I establish the historical context behind these films, exploring the traumatic history of children during the Spanish Civil War and Franco dictatorship, Spain’s cultural …

When In Doubt, Dream: A Media Ecology Approach To How Presidential Campaign Ads Structure The American Dream, Amit Sewnauth

Honors Program Theses

This thesis examines how presidential campaign advertisements construct and reshape the American Dream. Drawing on Jim Cullen’s understanding of the Dream as a flexible and evolving concept and media ecology scholarship, particularly Neil Postman’s writing on television and public discourse, the project analyzes selected campaign ads from 1964 to 2024 provided by The Living Room Candidate. Through close readings of these advertisements, this project finds that the American Dream is actively reconstructed by presidential campaigns as an ideal that must be protected, extended, or restored. The analysis pays attention to how television and visual media structure these messages through pacing, …

The Zaporizhzhia Gambit: Great Power Conflict, Nuclear Hostage-Taking, And The P5'S Accountability Crisis, Arete Tsoukalas

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

In a troubling precedent for modern warfare, Russian forces seized Europe’s largest nuclear facility, converting the delicate infrastructure of the Zaporizhzhia plant into a fortified military garrison rigged with explosives. Inside, Ukrainian engineers were reportedly held hostage, forced to operate the controls at gunpoint while enduring torture and the psychological terror of impending meltdown.¹ This is known as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (“ZNPP”) Crisis.²

Within the reactor itself, the processes of producing nuclear energy cannot be abandoned, and constant custodianship is paramount.³ The intricacies and vulnerabilities of the fission process must be safeguarded, even during a …

Outsourcing Migration: A Comparative Analysis Of Border Externalization And The Future Of International Refugee Law, Shawn Yousefelahi

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

The contemporary international refugee protection regime is formally anchored in the principle of non-refoulement (the prohibition against forcibly returning refugees and asylum seekers to the territories where their fundamental rights would be threatened) and the right to seek asylum at or near territorial borders. These principles have been increasingly undermined by state practices that relocate border enforcement and asylum processing beyond their territorial borders. This Article examines how the United States, the European Union, and European states operationalize a global non-entrée regime through safe third country removals and border externalization agreements that purport to comply with international law while functionally …

More Than Meets The Eye: Operation Blue Star & Us-India’S Deadly Exchange, Jannat Verma

Scripps Senior Theses

Operation Blue Star is often memorialized as an independent action carried out by India's Congress Party. While such an understanding is not entirely historically inaccurate, it fails to account for the role played by US influence in the operation. An examination of CIA files and America's involvement in the subcontinent during the Cold War calls for a re-interpretation of Operation Blue Star, not as a solo campaign, but rather as a product of counterinsurgent and deadly exchange between the US and India.

From South Korea To South Central: The 1992 Los Angeles Uprising And The "Rooftop Korean", Mina Althea Lamson Jung

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the historical formation of the "rooftop Korean," the racial figure of the armed Korean American shopkeeper that emerged during the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising and has since been mobilized repeatedly in service of anti-Black counterinsurgency. Drawing on the framework of racial capitalism, this thesis argues that the rooftop Korean was not a spontaneous product of the Korean-Black conflict in South Central Los Angeles but the culmination of decades of U.S.-Korea relations, South Korean militarization, and the racial geography of capitalist development on both sides of the Pacific.

Tracing a transnational arc from the Korean War through the …

Just War Theory In The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins’S Critique Of Violence, Power, And Rebellion, Laila Hannum

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis applies just war theory to Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy, arguing that while the districts' rebellion satisfies the principles of jus ad bellum (justice in going to war), it systematically violates jus in bello (justice in the conduct of war) and jus post bellum (justice after war), and ultimately replicates the oppressive structures of the Capitol it sought to overthrow.

Drawing primarily on Michael Walzer's Just and Unjust Wars and on Brian Orend's ideas on post-war justice, this thesis traces the rebellion's moral arc across all three novels. Chapter One shows that the rebellion meets the criteria …

Fear, Memory, And Deterrence: Reassessing Nuclear Peace In The 21st Century, Nathan H. Schroeder

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research investigates the paradox of nuclear peace theory: the idea that nuclear weapons, despite their destructive capacity, have contributed to a more stable global order. By tracing the historical development of nuclear arsenals and the strategic logic of deterrence, the project examines whether the post-1945 decline in large-scale wars between superpowers and wartime deaths can be attributed to the threat of mutual annihilation. It also explores the psychological and cultural consequences of this deterrence-based peace, including the normalization of fear and its potential link to desensitization toward violence in younger generations. From Cold War-era school drills to modern apocalyptic …

15-Last Lecture, Heinrich Blücher

Bazelow Transcripts

Heinrich Blücher’s Last Lecture, transcript edited by Alexander Bazelow, presents a sweeping philosophical reflection on meaning, freedom, nihilism, and the unfinished task of humanity. Confronting the modern experience of meaninglessness—especially among the young—Blücher argues that philosophy’s enduring task is the transformation of life into meaningful existence through conscious thought and responsible action. He traces the historical development of nihilism and metaphysical belief from ancient myth, through Greek philosophy, Christianity, and modern systems culminating in Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche, whom he treats as prophetic figures of the modern crisis. Blücher criticizes the deification of history, science, power, and ideology, insisting …

Analyzing And Understanding America’S Involvement In The Global War In Terror Through The Oral Histories Of Its Veterans And Other Sources, Bryce Edwards

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

From 2001 to the early 2020s, the United States and its allies have consistently engaged in political, military, counterinsurgency, and nation building operations in nations such as Afghanistan and Iraq. The efforts of this coalition first rallied to combat the threat of global terrorism after September 11th, yet it would then develop in decades-long assignment to rebuild these countries and their institutions with fundamental (and foreign) western values. This thesis intends to examine the conflict by conducting oral histories of its many veterans, to better understand their lived experience. These interviews will be supported by scholarly works from those involved …

Development Of An Active Heave Compensation System On A Cost Effective Microcontroller For A Fiber Optic Tether Management System, Frances Truong

Open Access Master's Theses

Fiber optic tether systems are used for real-time data transmission to remotely operated vehicles (ROV) due to their ease of deployment and light weight, but are prone to damage from tension loads. An active heave compensation system applied to a fiber optic tether system can address these challenges by actively managing the tether payout to reduce peak loads. Tether management systems with active heave compensation have been in use for larger systems such as work class vehicles and offshore oil rigs, but few are developed for small maritime systems. This work focuses on the development and incorporation of an active …

Why Are Executions Becoming Crueler?, Deborah W. Denno

Faculty Scholarship

Since the modern death penalty era, this country’s six execution methods have become crueler over time. This article details the execution procedures adopted across death penalty states up to the end of 2025, analyzing their societal and cultural underpinnings and explaining how they were implemented, including their shared flaws, unscientific origins and protocols, and reliance on untrained, unqualified, or unknown executioners. While legislatures and courts claim that states move from one technique to the next to enhance greater humaneness, history shows that such switches are primarily propelled by constitutional challenges to a state’s particular technique. In theory, rendering a state’s …

More Than A Seat At The Table: Examining How Psychological Safety, Identity Representation, And Leadership Accountability Impact African American Women In Global Workplace Environments, Shelbi Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of African American women working in corporate technology environments, with particular attention to psychological safety, representation, and systemic barriers to advancement. Despite increased organizational commitments to equity and inclusion, research continues to demonstrate that Black women encounter persistent intersectional barriers shaped by race and gender within professional settings (Erskine et al., 2021; Field et al., 2023; Roberson, 2019). Guided by Du Bois’s (2008) theory of double consciousness, Goosby Smith’s (2014a) Ubuntic inclusion framework, and appreciative inquiry (AI; Cooperrider & Whitney, 2005), this study explored how African American women interpret, navigate, and respond …

Digital Emblems In Cyberspace: A Deterrent Or A Target?, Fatemah Albader

Emory International Law Review Recent Developments

In 2022, the ICRC proposed a digital emblem to identify and protect medical and humanitarian digital assets during armed conflict. While this initiative marks a pivotal evolution of IHL into cyberspace, its effectiveness depends on whether states can ensure accountability, attribution, and compliance. This article argues that digitalizing IHL’s distinctive emblems, such as the red cross, is not optional but mandatory under both conventional and customary law. Once developed, states must adopt and regulate the digital emblem to protect hospital networks and medical personnel online as they are protected offline. However, emblem digitalization alone cannot deter deliberate cyberattacks or unintentional …

How International Law Failed To Minimize U.S. Use Of Burn Pits During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sophia Mcwilliams

Emory International Law Review Recent Developments

No abstract provided.

How Neutral Is Switzerland: Theories Of Neutrality In The Post-War Era, Paulo Frank

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has forced Switzerland to reassess its long-standing policies on neutrality, highlighting the overall evolution of state neutrality occasioned by modern geopolitics. Since the end of the Cold War, collective security regimes, integrated economies, and multinational alliances have risen to prominence as vehicles for global prosperity and peace, as neutrality’s role in the international system has diminished. In place of traditional conceptions of neutrality, new theories of the practice have emerged allowing for countries to claim neutral status despite a lessening of their obligations and increased integration into global affairs. This note recontextualizes Switzerland’s status …

The 1923 Hague Rules Of Air Warfare: Can Interwar Aerial Bombardment Rules Work In A 21st Century War?, Alec R. Casey

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

No abstract provided.

The David And Goliath Phenomenon: When Small Powers Win Big Wars, Vivian Pettigrew

2026 Research Poster Competition

After over a decade of war, hundreds of thousands dead, and twenty-four years of power, Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria collapsed in November of 2024 in just twelve days. The success of fragmented Syrian rebels against such a long-standing and powerful government challenges widely held assumptions about power and stability. This research addresses these challenged assumptions by examining the so-called “David and Goliath phenomenon," or cases in which smaller states or rebel groups come out victorious against greater powers. Understanding these cases is crucial to explaining predictability in war and regime vulnerability, while also having important implications for modern international …

Implications Of Substrate Differences In Gunpowder Pattern Analysis: Skin Versus Blotter Paper In Forensic Reconstruction, Faith Duggan

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Tattooing, also known as stippling, is a phenomenon that occurs from excess gunpowder being discharged from a firearm into the skin, and presents as reddish-brown or orange lesions surrounding an entrance wound on the skin. Distance determination is a practice used in many forensic laboratories to establish possible ranges of distances between the muzzle of a firearm and a target, and stippling is commonly used for this comparison. Conclusions are made by comparing the unknown pattern to known distance patterns, and determining which one is most similar. In one case, a firearm was discharged at an unknown distance and there …

The Long Shadow Of The Boys In Blue: Civil War Memory & The Evolution Of Veteran Identity In Twentieth Century Pennsylvania, Alexander L. Barbolish

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a case study of the transformation of veteran identity and civic culture in Northeastern Pennsylvania, tracing the profound shifts in the way Americans remembered war, commemorated sacrifice, and defined what it meant to be a veteran, from the turn of the twentieth century to the dawn of World War II. By examining the complex interactions and relationships between three distinct and overlapping generations of veterans—those of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World War I—this study argues that veteran identity was neither static nor monolithic, but was continually renegotiated through commemorative practice, organizational culture, and public …

Edward C F Vosper - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Edward C.F. Vosper

Biography of RAF cadet Edward Claude Frederick Vosper who was killed in a plane crash on August 8, 1943, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Illuminating Those Who Lurk In The Shadows: An Examination Of The Use Of Psychological Profiling In Identifying Violent Criminals In The Modern Age, Skylar R. Holmes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the role of psychological profiling in apprehending violent criminals. Psychological profiling involves analyzing behavioral patterns at crime scenes, exploring the relationships between victims, and identifying characteristics and tendencies of offenders. It is currently used by many law enforcement agencies across the country to narrow down a pool of potential suspects and direct researchers, making the most of the limited manpower available. There is, however, a significant limitation in the literature and available evidence that suggests its tenets may be based on intuition and anecdotal evidence purported by investigators, subject to internal bias and thus should not be …

Anti-Muslim Rhetoric In The Trial Of The Templars (1307-1312), Samantha J. Froemming

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis investigates the existence of anti-Muslim rhetoric within documents produced by the French monarchy and papacy during the Trial of the Templars (1307-1312). When French King Philip IV accused the Templars of heresy in 1307, he issued orders for their arrest in an unofficial document which employed anti-Muslim rhetoric against them, even though they were an order of Latin Christian warrior-monks who fought against Muslims in the Middle East. Pope Clement V later reflected this rhetoric in his papal bull Pastoralis praeeminentiae, an official order to arrest the Templars­— evidence of Philip IV’s influence over the papacy during …

The Impact Of Digital Surveillance On Workers In Conflict Zones: A Case Study Of Kashmir, Sana Paul

Emory International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Wright State University Magazine, 2026, Wright State Alumni Association And Wright State Foundation

Wright State University Magazine

Fifty-two page issue of the Wright State University Magazine. This magazine is published once a year and focuses on news related to Wright State alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the university.

An Indigenous Sovereign Approach: Developmental Strategies And Guidelines For The Berger-Patawomeck Preserve Trail Network, Lauren N. Usher

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This planning document serves the Patawomeck Tribe's cultural, environmental, and sovereign needs by providing research and recommendations to sustainably steward ancestral lands through integrated Indigenous and Western practices. The plan adapts sustainable design strategies to guide trail maintenance and activities within the Berger-Patawomeck Preserve, examining Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) alongside Western practices. A decolonized, sovereign lens guided the mixed research methods drawing on legal, regulatory, planning, and ethical frameworks to strengthen tribal health, education, and sovereignty. The research explores local ecology, Indigenous culture, and implementational strategies. The ecological findings document the Preserve's sensitive resources, including the Coastal Piedmont transition zone, …

Summoning Firms: Promoting Democratic Stability And Economic Prosperity In Times Of Constitutional Crisis, Jon D. Michaels

Emory Business Law Review

No abstract provided.

Modern (Networked) Warfare: Its Concepts, Evolution, And Issues, Ramesh Subramanian

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The on-going Russo-Ukraine war (February 2012-present), the recent India-Pakistan war (May 7-10, 2025), and the Israel-US attacks on Iran (June 13, 2025) have become interesting for a variety of reasons, and garnered a lot of attention in international defense publications and weapons manufacturers. To many defense analysts and defense industry professionals, these wars have become real-life testing platforms to examine and evaluate various present-day war technologies. They have opened up discussion on the future of war, the increasing use of inter-connected networks in warfare, and the increasing use of remote-operated drones in conducting surveillance and in offensive actions against …

Overture: Journal Of International Affairs

Overture: Journal of International Affairs

Full issue of Overture: Journal of International Affairs vol. 6. Editors-in-Chief: Sydney Pascal '26 & Anavi Khanna '27. Sponsored by the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs.