Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Schulz's Religion: Exploring Faith In The Mainstream Media Through The Peanuts Franchise, Stephen James Lind

All Dissertations

This dissertation is an exploration of various theoretical and cultural issues surrounding depictions of religion and spirituality in mainstream entertainment media properties. Such portrayals cultivate particular cultural norms that dictate the conditions of public and private discourse on religion, and in this study, these issues are approached through a mixed-method study guided by the Peanuts franchise. The Peanuts franchise is a provocatively rich launching point for analysis of dominant media cultures, given its colossal success in the secular mainstream entertainment industry and its explicit references to and even affirmations of Christian theology. Throughout the study, the references to religion manifested …

A Need For Green: An Approach For Motivating Environmentally Sustainable Practices At The University Of Rhode Island, Alyssa Mason, Mary Vidal

Senior Honors Projects

“Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade

Colin Beavan’s No Impact Man details his yearlong experiment to live without creating any environmental impact. As sophomores we were inspired by Beavan’s journey but also skeptical of living a completely no-impact lifestyle as college-students. Although we were motivated to try to live sustainably, our efforts were dormant until our junior year. That year we decided that we would attempt to live up to the standards set forth by Beavan--understanding that some practices would be harder …

Zombies As A Generational Metaphor: Connections Between George A. Romero, Zombies And Fandom -- A Critical Study, Alfredo Torres

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

Since the creation of the modern day zombie by George A. Romero in his directorial debut with the genre altering film Night of the Living Dead in 1968, zombie have been associated with becoming a metaphoric representation of social and cultural issues surrounding the times these films were released, with Romero's films being at the forefront of this phenomenon. A review of Romero's career including his influences was examined as well as the film history of the zombie subgenre, the connections it has to its fans and how the fans influenced the development of the genre. A survey was connected …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 52, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Harrison, Taylor. Regents OK Land Purchase, Discuss Council on Postsecondary Education’s Tuition Decision
• Pratt, Elliott. Three WKU Players Sign with NFL Teams – Quanterus Smith, Jack Doyle, Adam Smith
• French, Jackson. Phase One of Downing University Center Renovations to be Complete by the Fall Semester
• Reinfelde, Monta. Dress for Success – Fashion
• Vogt, Darren. Editorial Cartoon Student Not Allowed to Carry Flag
• WKU Should Open Its Arms Wider to International Heritage – Commencement
• People Poll: Do You Think International Students Are Well Represented at WKU?
• WKU Celebrates Sustainability on …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 51, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Boyd, Kayla. Y Is for Yuck – WKU Farm, Agriculture
• Matchen, Quiche. Earth Day Festival to Encourage Being Green – Sustainability, GreenToppers
• Holloway, Kaely. Chinese Tea Ceremony Brings Culture to Campus – Chinese Club
• Grogg, Mitchell. Students Give Blood During Greek Week – Blood Drives
• Pait, Ryan. Veep is Parks & Recreation Painted Black – Television
• Hunley, Tom. WKU Needs to Prioritize – Construction, Tuition
• Stukenborg, Sarah. Rejection Against Annual Increase Sets Precedent for Future Automatic Fees – Student Government Association
• Prochazka, Tyler. Students Build Structures Out of Canned …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 50, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Parker, Jacob. Greek Week Begins with Spring Sing – Fraternities and Sororities
• Harrison, Taylor. Board of Regents to Discuss Council of Postsecondary Education’s 3 Percent Cap on Tuition Increases
• Koch, Cameron. Faculty, Administration Disappointed Over Tuition Decision – Budget
• French, Jackson. Big Red Bikes Gets State Grant for Expansion
• French, Jackson. Gary Ransdell’s Office Could Potentially Move to Old Alumni Center – Craig Alumni Center
• Vogt, Darren. Editorial Cartoon Big Red Shopping for Tuition Rates
• Some Students Might Unfairly Shoulder the Budget Burden – Tuition
• People Poll: Do You …

Ua12/2/1 Best Of The Hill Winner's Book 2013, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special award edition of the College Heights Herald for best restaurants, businesses and housing in Bowling Green.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 49, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Harrison, Taylor. 5 Percent Increase Denied – Tuition
• Koch, Cameron & Taylor Harrison. WKU Reacts to the Boston Bombings – Boston Marathon Bombing
• Boyd, Kayla. X Marks the Spot: Students Find Favorite Places Around Town – Sterling Franklin, Chad Cown
• Massa, James. Smokers: Pick Up Your Butts – Tobacco
• Boyd, Kara. Students Prepare for Fourth Annual Rip the Runway Show – Fashion, Black Student Alliance
• Holloway, Kaely. WKU to Offer Opportunities to Serve During National Volunteer Week
• Greek Week 2013 Schedule
• Lanter, Austin. WKU Heads to South Alabama with …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 48, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Grogg, Mitchell. Alumni Celebrate the Opening of the Augenstein Alumni Center
• Holloway, Kaely. LifeSkills Run for Autism Exercises Awareness – Kelly Autism Program
• Vogt, Darren. Editorial Cartoon Construction List
• New Alumni Center Might Benefit More Than Just Alumni
• People Poll: What Do You Think About the New Augenstein Alumni Center?
• Honeycutt, Josh. Student’s Hunting Skills Take Him to New Heights – Clayton Solise, Relive Outdoors
• French, Jackson. Annual Campus Safety Walk Helps Bring More Lights to WKU
• Matchen, Quiche. Rapper Wale Brings Hip-Hop to WKU Again – Concerts
• Marnon, …

Media Bias Through Facial Expressions On Local Las Vegas Television News, Jessica Zimmerman

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Trust in news media has been considered an important base for social order and cohesion in society and is a crucial variable for evaluating news media. Media credibility has been questioned by the audience for some time and the audience’s trust in the media has been slowly diminishing over the years. When a news broadcaster communicates a story on local television news, it is possible for his own opinions and beliefs to leak through nonverbal communication, specifically facial expressions. This presentation explores the four main local Las Vegas television news stations’ anchors and reporters to visually analyze whether facial characteristics …

Does Movie Viewing Cultivate Unrealistic Expectations About Love And Marriage?, Lauren Galloway

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

The present study investigated the connection between romantic movie viewing frequency and endorsement of dysfunctional beliefs for romantic relationships in a university-based sample of 228 participants. Respondents completed a questionnaire in which they reported demographic information as well as responses to the several scales that measure endorsement of romantic ideals. I base this investigation of Segrin and Nabi’s (2002) examination of television viewing habits and proclivity for unrealistic expectations of sex, love, and marriage. Both the current study and the investigation conducted by Segrin and Nabi (2002) support the supposition that media play a part in reinforcing beliefs about coupleships. …

The Other September 11th: El Mercurio Media Coverage After The Chilean Coup Of 1973, Valeria A. Gurr‐Ovalle

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

This thesis provides an exploratory overview of the role the El Mercurio newspaper played along with the military after the Chilean coup of 1973. The study reviews the contents of the newspaper’s front pages, including their coverage of the events during the coup. The thesis will show how the paper revisited its coverage each year on the September 11th anniversary, beginning with the years dominated by the military government, from 1973 through 1990, and continuing through the transition to democracy, from 1991 through 2007. The primary method used in the course of this examination is a content analysis, which will …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 47, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Harrison, Taylor, Anna Anderson & Sarah Stukenborg. Student Government Association Drama Settled – Elections, Keyana Boka
• Geiman, Liz. Club Members Learn the Benefits of Beekeeping – Big Red Beekeepers, Agriculture
• Koch, Cameron. WKU Police Department Makes Emergency Plan in Case of a Shooter on Campus
• Vogt, Darren. Editorial Cartoon Howard Bailey’s Vote Outweighs All Student Votes
• Administration Shouldn’t Have Spoken for Student Body – Student Government Association
• Scott, Suzanne. Student Government Association Not True Representation of Federal Government
• Prochazka, Tyler. Augenstein Alumni Center Grand Opening Today
• Grogg, Mitchell. Students …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 46, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Harrison, Taylor. Provost Gordon Emslie Is In Running for Same Position at University of Alabama
• French, Jackson. Six-Year Building Wish List Calls for 75 Projects Costing More than $673 Million
• Anderson, Anna. Up All Night – Up ‘til Dawn, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Charities
• Vogt, Darren. Editorial Cartoon Winter Term Snowman
• Winter Break Isn’t to Blame for Low Retention Rates
• People Poll: Do You Support a Shortened Winter Break?
• Young, Kreable. Taking Care of Ginna Greer – Best Buddies, Handicapped Persons
• Grogg, Mitchell. Groups Surrender Touches of a Real …

Seeing Candidates Through A Gendered Lens: How Differential Media Coverage Serves As A Barrier To Women's Political Participation, Shelby Bremer '10

Honor Scholar Theses

1992 was a banner year for women in politics, even earning the moniker “Year of the Woman,” thanks to the election of four women to the United States Senate at one time, an unprecedented feat in the realm of female political representation (‘Year of the Woman’). Twenty years later, in November 2012, that record was shattered, when more women ran for, and were elected to Congress than ever before. “Not since the so‐called Year of the Woman in 1992 have we seen such a leap in the number of women stepping forward to contend for Congressional seats, “ said Debbie …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 45, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Matchen, Quiche. The Problem with Gas – Economy
• Stukenborg, Sarah. New Student Government Association Officers Planning for Fall
• Crumbie, Trey. V Is for Volley – Tennis
• Dassow, Amy. Students Engage in Feminist Issues On & Off Campus – Abortion, Pro-Life Movement
• Conniff, Ben. Holy Motors A Perplexing Masterwork – Movies
• Holloway, Kaely. Community College Transfer Students Recommend Money Saving Method
• Marnon, Christian. New Hardin Planetarium Show Explores a Rover on Mars
• Goodan, Allison. Bad to the Bottle – Wine
• Grogg, Mitchell. Upcoming Festival at WKU to Show French Films …

Female Athletes In The Media: Under Representation And Inadequacy, Jessica Shaller

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

A content analysis of Sports Illustrated covers determined there is an under representation of female athletes in print media. Also, because of the sexualized manner in which female athletes are portrayed, they suffer from inadequate depiction. Women in sports suffer from insufficient media coverage, not only in regards to their lack of presence in major sports publications but also in their stereotypical depiction in print journalism.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 88, No. 44, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Aulbach, Lucas. WKU to Move to Conference USA – Athletics
• Koch, Cameron. Decreased Spring Enrollment Puts $880,000 Hole in WKU’s Budget
• French, Jackson. Give It All to Change A Life – St. Baldrick, Omega Phi Alpha
• Stukenborg, Sarah. Student Government Association Vice Presidential Candidates Debate
• Vogt, Darren. Editorial Cartoon Spring Sports Ignored
• Fans Have An Angsty Relationship with Spring Sports
• Garland, Hannah. Keyana Boka Is Best Choice in Student Government Association Presidential Election
• People Poll: What Sporting Events Do You Attend at WKU?
• Stukenborg, Sarah. Student Government Association Works …

Update From The International Resource Network, Kalle Westerling

Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS)

The International Resource Network (IRN), the global network of researchers, activists, artists, and teachers sharing knowledge about diverse sexualities, hosted by the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies, as so far had a time of reorganization and applying for future funding. Meanwhile, the local organizations and projects associated with the network continued to grow and expand.

5th Annual Rainbow Book Fair, Sarah Chinn

Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS)

Each year, the Rainbow Book Fair grows larger and more exciting: as the largest LGBT book expo in North America, the RBF is the place to learn about new trends in queer publishing. Exhibitors at the Fair range from academic presses to romance and erotica, from trade presses to art books and literary journals and beyond: it’s the Fair’s goal to represent the amazing variety of queer and trans writers and publishers.

Letter From The Executive Director: An Accidental Protester, James Wilson

Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS)

This past January, I spent a cold, wet, and fabulous week in Paris. One evening while strolling along the Left Bank, sauntering in the shadows of the imposing grandeur of L’Hôtel national des Invalides, I found myself caught up in a massive wave of protesters, who were dispersing from a demonstration in front of the Eiffel Tower. The crowd moved like a protean organism through the narrow Parisian streets, growing in immensity as other protest groups siphoned into the throng from criss-crossing thoroughfares.

Language Shift And Development: A Case Study Of Zhongdian Southern Khams Language Vitality, Simon Peters

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The fields of language endangerment and maintenance address language shift overwhelmingly in the context of a local language being replaced by that of a surrounding oppositional dominant cultural group. There are, though, situations in which a local language is competing with the dominant variety of the wider cultural group to which it belongs. How a situation like this is dealt with by linguists and language planners depends largely on the recognition of participant tongues as their own languages or one as a dialect of another. Reversing language shift for a “dialect” is difficult to garnish institutional and financial support for …

“La Voz De Los Sin Voz:” Teatro Político En Los Movimientos Sociales Chilenos 1973-2013, Dan Katz-Zeiger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación analiza el uso del teatro político en los dos movimientos sociales más grandes en la última siglo, el movimiento contra la dictadura desde 1973 hasta 1990 y los movimientos estudiantiles, empezando en su forma masiva en 2006 y continuando hasta hoy. Con las medias de comunicación en los manos del gobierno, a lo largo de la historia Chilena, el teatro político se usó como una herramienta para propagar una conciencia política en la gente y se hizo un vinculo entre los problemas actuales y la política del gobierno. Muchas instituciones teatrales (facultades, compañías) han existido desde el periodo …

Review Of “Conversational Rhetoric: The Rise And Fall Of A Women’S Tradition, 1600-1900" By Jane Donawerth, Emily B. Paup

Strategic Communication Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reading, Writing And Resources: The Conditions Of Creativity, Mariclaire O’Neill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper addresses the question of whether young Samoans are adequately encouraged to pursue creative fields, specifically writing. It examines relevant literature on the role of libraries and catalysts for early-learning reading as well as the benefits of creative writing, uses interviews with professors, editors, authors and librarians in surveying the current state of creative writing among young Samoans and how the roles of the culture, resources and the curriculums impact this, utilizes surveys to gauge student interest in writing, and finally culminates in a creative writing workshop held to expose university students to writing. The findings point to a …

A Historical And Analytical Study Of Feminization In The Field Of Public Relations, Taylor U. (Flumerfelt) Beatty

Selected Honors Theses

The origin of the public relations field can be traced back more than 1,000 years. The use of its basic concepts can be seen throughout history, and increased in the 19th and 20th centuries. Until the mid-1900s, the field was largely comprised of men. World War II spurred the beginning of the feminization process, which caused public relations to experience a large influx of women. The number of female practitioners has since continued to increase. Even though feminization occurred and the field is now largely female-dominated, female practitioners experience a wide variety of gender inequalities in social, professional and economic …

Elder Selection: Engaging The Monterey Church Of Christ In A Collaborative Elder Selection Process, Benjamin D. Pickett

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the outcomes of a project intended to foster greater collaboration at the Monterey Church of Christ in its selection of elders. The intervention involved the engagement of the Monterey Church in a process that involved multiple steps. These steps involved engagement with teachers in the context of a teacher training seminar, with Bible classes in a series of Bible lessons, and with elders, elder nominees, and their spouses in order to discern the perceived degree to which Monterey members participate in the elder selection process. The Bible lessons presented an alternative model for theological …

Disease, War, And Famine In The Sudan And Haiti: A Crisis Noticed And A Crisis Ignored, Melissa Whalen

Masters Theses

The media acts as a gatekeeper and decides what material to cover and what not to cover. In order to better understand why one disaster receives media coverage and another crisis is virtually unnoticed by the media, the motives behind covering one story over another is analyzed in this study. Three major American newspaper articles concerning the Haitian earthquake and the crisis in Darfur are examined in order to discover the media's motives for covering Haiti over Darfur.

The Tweet's The Thing: Exploring The Intersection Of Social Media And Broadway, Hilary Sutton

Masters Theses

In 2009 the little known Broadway musical Next to Normal rose to fame through the aid of an unprecedented Twitter campaign conducted by Situation Interactive, a digital marketing agency. The Next to Normal Twitter account gathered over one million followers throughout a six-week campaign in which the Situation Interactive team joined forces with the book writer and lyricist of Next to Normal to recreate the plot in one hundred and forty-character snippets. By analyzing the data collected the researcher cultivates a collection of best practices for running a successful Twitter marketing campaign for a live experience.

Multimedia Use In Small News Organizations, Robyn K. Keriazes

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.