Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Caught In The Midwife’S Hands: A Black Feminist Exploration Of Reproductive Health And Justice In Massachusetts, Nina Bakum

Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality Studies Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

Reframing Latina Incarceration: An Exploration Of Intersectional Identity, Mass Incarceration And Criminalization In The United States, Melia Lorch

Hispanic Studies Honors Papers

This thesis examines the incarceration of Latina women in the United States through an intersectional lens that centers ethnicity, gender, and class, among other factors. While mass incarceration has been widely studied, Latina experiences are often overlooked or reduced to statistics, making their specific pathways into and through the criminal legal system largely invisible. This project argues that Latina incarceration is not simply the result of individual behavior, but is shaped by overlapping systems of structural inequality. Drawing on the interdisciplinary research of an array of scholars, recent government data and report, as well as observations from York Correctional Institution …

Imagining The Inuit: Myth, Market, And The Making Of The Contemporary Inuit Sculpture Canon, Kristen Sara Davidson-Schwartz

MA Theses

This thesis explores how qallunaat institutions used sculpture to shape and define Inuit life. I argue that contemporary Inuit sculpture, as conceived of by outsiders to support Inuit economic enfranchisement and modernization, became a vessel through which qallunaat institutions circulated ideas about Inuit culture and Arctic lands. Although purported to reflect the voice of Inuit, the meanings attached to Inuit sculpture rarely reflected Inuit intention and consistently aligned to qallunaat priorities: a performance of primitive, ancient, and authentic Inuit life; a gesture of indigenous gratitude and cheerful participation in state-designed development programs; or a masterful expression of the formal concerns …

Inked Mobilities: Tattoos As Embodied Visual Narratives Of Youth Migration Between Italy And Australia, Giulia Marchetti

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article examines tattoos as embodied visual narratives within a broader study on youth transnational mobility (2019-2023). Focusing on recent Italian migration to and from Australia, 13 tattoos were documented among the 36 participants, acquired shortly before departure, during the stay in Australia, or upon return to Italy. Methodologically, the article proposes tattoo-based interviews as a participatory visual method that mobilises permanently inscribed images as sites of visual elicitation, enabling forms of reflection and storytelling. Tattoos thus operate as relational spaces of dialogue, co-interpretation, and reflexive meaning-making between researcher and participants. Epistemologically, tattoos are approached as visual narratives through which …

Taking A Seat In The Circle: Decolonizing Gender Roles That Argue Against The Participation Of Feminine Bodies At The Big Drum, Juli Suzukawa

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The origins of the Big Drum can be traced back to the 1860s when Tail Feather Woman, a Dakota woman, had a vision of its creation as a tool of resistance. The Big Drum has since expanded and can now be seen at various Indigenous ceremonies and social events. However, there has been controversy regarding the participation of feminine and queer bodies. While reasons for this vary, it has also contributed to harm amongst Indigenous youths that have a more fluid stand on gender identity and may not conform to colonial “gender norms”. In this paper, I will explore how …

Voices Of The Silenced, Frank E. Dobson Jr., Madison Borowicz, Cedar Carden, Nick Clark, Kenneth Fischer, Selah Gitonga, Ray Harvey, Tanasia Cunningham, Max Lewis, Gretchen Schneider, Raymond Shellow, Destiny Sexton, Isaiah Siaway, Awo Warsame, Aashvi Soni

Undergraduate Publications

Voices of the Silenced is a collection of creative work produced by the students of English 1192 at Otterbein University (Fall 2025). This booklet brings together prose, poetry, visual art, and multimedia expression centered on themes of activism, self-advocacy, identity, resilience, and social change.

Table of Contents:

• Preface by Dr. Frank Dobson
• Are You Becoming Who You Want to Be? by Madison Borowicz
• Agree to Disagree by Cedar Carden
• A Seriously Unserious Nation by Nick Clark
• Closeted Courage by Kenneth Fischer
• The Philosophy of an Activist by Selah Gitonga
• The Price We Pay by Ray Harvey & TaNasia Cunningham
• The …

Representation In Black Media And How It Affects Generational Mental Health, Amiya Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This article examines how negative media portrayals of Black Americans have harmed their mental health. It traces the impact of persistent stereotypes and the lack of recognition for Black achievements in the media. Each chapter explores how media—from social media to movies—reinforces outdated stereotypes originating in the antebellum era and discusses how Black Americans have challenged these narratives to assert their identity. The article also highlights positive shifts in representation within the media industry, as well as research on how racial discrimination and media depictions influence the mental health and self-esteem of Black adolescents.

Ode For An Empath, Reginald Bess

The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.

No abstract provided.

The Suppression Of The Opelousas Massacre Of 1868: The Blackleg Hunt Or “La Chasse A’ La Jambe Noire”, August Malveaux

The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.

This article examines the suppression of the 1868 Opelousas Massacre—also known as “la chasse à la jambe noire” or the Blackleg Hunt—and situates it within the broader landscape of Reconstruction-era racial violence in Louisiana. Malveaux argues that the massacre was not an isolated riot but a premeditated act of political terrorism designed to eliminate Black electoral participation and reverse Reconstruction gains. Triggered by Black political mobilization and white supremacist resistance, the violence unfolded over several days in September 1868 and resulted in widespread murder, intimidation, and property destruction. The essay challenges the historiographical minimization of the event, emphasizing how organized …

From Voice To Noise: Accented Speech, Constructed Languages, And Subtitling Practices As Markers Of Difference, Alice Alonso Limongi

Course Work

This monograph explores three main strategies of vocal exotification in Anglophone film: representations of accented speech, inclusion of constructed languages, and non-subtitling of snippets of other languages. Using Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding framework, I approach these practices as rhetorical devices that both construct and are constructed by the complexity of our social landscapes. Portrayals of accented speech, constructed languages, and subtitling practices form a gradient of abstraction, where the denotative meaning of words gradually loses importance to the sonic characteristics of the voice. Combining broader cultural scholarship from Edward Said, sound studies writings on power and language from Nina Sun Eidsheim …

Below The Rows, Beyond The Roots: An Art Exhibition Depicting Agriculture Across The Globe, Maggie Enoch

Honors Theses and Capstones

In Below the Rows, Beyond the Roots, artist Maggie Enoch creates multimedia works inspired by her exposure to diverse agricultural systems and perspectives while studying geography and sustainable agriculture/food systems around the world. By integrating complex histories with the contemporary realities of farming, Maggie paints vivid pictures of the power of food in this five-piece exhibition.

How Have Trump-Era Immigration And Visa Policies Affected International Students From The 75 Restricted Countries At Minnesota State University, Mankato, Ameer Wazwaz

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Trump era immigration and visa policies have created a restrictive environment that disproportionately burdens international students from countries subject to United States travel restrictions and heightened vetting regimes. These policies operate through nationality-based entry restrictions, discretionary denials, extended administrative processing, and intensified screening. At Minnesota State University, Mankato, students from restricted countries face delayed arrivals, visa denials, disrupted reentry after travel, and uncertainty regarding immigration compliance, potentially reducing enrollment rates, increasing dropout risk, intensifying psychological stress, and weakening institutional trust.

This study employed a mixed methods of explanatory case study design centered on Minnesota State University, Mankato. Data sources included …

Helena María Viramontes’ Under The Feet Of Jesus And Sandra Cisneros’ The House On Mango Street: An Exploratory Analysis Of Female Friendship In The Chicana Feminist Bildungsroman, Patrice Donnelly

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This exploratory analysis examines female friendships presented in two mid-twentieth century Chicana feminist Bildungsroman, each between a Chicana protagonist and a female friend as foil. One friendship in Under the Feet of Jesus, by Helena María Viramontes, is interracial; the other, in The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, is Chicana. Both friendships interrogate the boundaries within mainstream feminism, particularly its monolithic views and complicity with power. Each friendship offers a Chicana feminist perspective centering family and cultural community. The theoretical foundation includes classical and contemporary understandings of Bildungsroman as literary form, Toni Morrison’s American Africanism, …

Rediscovering The Hidden Nan Yumiao (Mysterious Rain), Katherine E. Nettles

Dance (MFA) Theses

This thesis explores complex themes of becoming, belonging, and how they shape identity through the perspective of transracial adoption. The investigation draws from personal experiences, cultural texts, and nature vs. nurture research. Combining self-reflection with scholarly sources allows for a broader picture of adoption trauma rather than a fixed bias. The author's research considers the circumstances surrounding adoption, including birth parents giving their child up due to social, economic, legal, or political constraints. This thesis examines finding a place of belonging in public, in community, in family, and in society. This concept of belonging has different meanings based on people's …

Representation Of Indigenous Spiritualities In The Ontario Grade 11 World Religions Curriculum: A Discourse And Textual Analysis, Katelin A. Chavez

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Teacher Education For Religious Diversity In British Columbia: Policy Recommendations For Sikh And Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Inclusion, Ashton Kemper

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Embarrassment As A Signal: Feminist Affects And The Commodification Of Love, Bianca L. Schmitt

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Introduction, Jenna Abdel-Kader, Hannah Desjardine

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Editors' Note, Jenna Abdel-Kader, Hannah Desjardine

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

La Iglesia Ante La Migración: Hospitalidad, Justicia Y Testimonio Cristiano, Gricelda Careaga

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This paper examines migration as a central theological and social reality, drawing on biblical narratives, Christian ethics, and contemporary experiences. It argues that migration, present from the history of Israel to the present, has shaped communities and continues to challenge the Church to respond faithfully. Grounded in Lovin’s concept of integrity and the theology of the Incarnation, the study contends that the Church is called to embody a distinctive witness through hospitality, justice, and dignity toward migrants. Through an analysis of key biblical accounts—such as Abraham, the Exodus, Ruth, and the flight to Egypt—alongside insights from liberation theology, migration is …

La Enfermedad Del Nacionalismo Cristiano, Joaquín Martinez

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This paper critically examines Christian nationalism as a distortion of the Christian faith, arguing that it is rooted in historical systems of oppression that can be traced back to the Doctrine of Discovery and early European colonial expansion. While often presented as a movement to restore a nation “for God,” Christian nationalism frequently aligns itself with political and economic interests that marginalize vulnerable communities. Drawing from theological reflection, particularly the frameworks of liberation theology and practical theology, this study proposes that the incarnation of Christ serves as a foundational model for understanding true Christian discipleship as one oriented toward justice, …

Relación De Los Desafíos Que Sufren Los Indocumentados En Estados Unidos Con Las Disciplinas Teológicas Y La Historia De La Iglesia, Zulma Tifre

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This theological essay examines the challenges faced by undocumented immigrants in the United States through the lens of theological disciplines and church history. Drawing parallels with the biblical experience of Israel in Egypt, it argues that contemporary immigrants endure systemic injustice, economic exploitation, and social exclusion, particularly due to the lack of legal status and access to basic rights. Using insights from practical theology, liberation theology, and the doctrine of the Imago Dei, the study emphasizes the inherent dignity of all human beings and critiques structures that perpetuate marginalization. It further highlights the historical role of the Church as a …

Unspoken Loving: Depictions Of Brown Latina Motherhood & Mothering Onscreen, Jennifer L. Florencio

CMC Senior Theses

This senior thesis focuses on the depictions of intergenerational relationships between Latina Mothers and daughters on film, more specifically through analyzing Spanglish (2004) and Real Women Have Curves(2002). Additionally, emphasizing the lack of healthy communication and loving presence missing from said depictions of Latina mothering. The method follows the use of a plática, as a Chicana Feminist framework in holding space for communal dialogue and sharing knowledge as a means for having a conversation about the impacts and importance of having healthy representations of Latina Motherhood and Mothering in film media.

Book Review: Automobiles, Cultures And The Question Of Law, Stephen M. Young

Journal of Law and Mobility

Unsettling Colonial Automobilities: Criminalisation and Contested Sovereignties is a compelling interdisciplinary and multileveled study that sits at the intersection of law, criminology, settler colonial studies, and cultural analysis. The authors are well-suited to this task. They include Professors Harry Blagg, with expertise in First Nations community-engaged criminology; Thalia Anthony, from legal and carceral studies; Wiradjuri scholar Juanita Sherwood, who studies Indigenous health and community research; and Kieran Tranter, an expert in cultural legal theory. Together, they offer a layered interrogation of how the motor vehicle and automobility shape the settler colonial ordering of Australia.

This review is comprised of three …

From Deference To Dialogue: How International Gtas From High Power Distance Cultures Adapt To U.S. Classroom Dynamics, Deborah Akua Afi Appiah

Theses and Dissertations

International graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) from high power distance cultures play a significant role in undergraduate education at U.S. universities, yet they face challenges that go well beyond language proficiency. Coming from educational backgrounds where teacher authority is unquestioned and hierarchical, these GTAs must navigate American classrooms that operate on fundamentally different assumptions, where authority is earned rather than assumed, informality is the norm, and students expect to question, negotiate, and be personally known by their instructors. The present study examined how eighteen (18) international GTAs from seven (7) high power distance countries perceived and adapted to these differences while …

Reawakening Waⁿdat: Community Research & Reclamation, Darcy Allred

Theses and Dissertations

The Wyandot(te) have undergone language dormancy due to settler colonial impacts of warfare, refugee relocation, forced removals, and U.S. assimilation projects. One of the most pressing priorities among our people today is reawakening our ancestral language, Waⁿdat. The common follow-up question is: how? Through the conduit of Waⁿdat language reclamation, this project grapples with the above question in collaboration with the Wyandot(te) community, and in adherence to the tribal sovereignty of the Wyandotte Nation. The project engages with diasporic perspectives, community-based pedagogy design, and tribally specific research protocols and policies. The living collective knowledgebase with which I engage in this …

Sangha: Displacement And Memory In Nikkei Dena, Isabella Rae Uriu

Honors Theses

Sangha: Displacement and Memory in Nikkei Dena explores how layered displacements have shaped the Nikkei (Japanese-American) community in Altadena and Pasadena (Dena), CA, and how Nikkei resist forces of displacement and ‘unbelonging’ through cultural practice, community care, and memory-work at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple. This thesis argues that these practices of place-making build belonging and sustain the Nikkei community across displacement; particularly, the forced removal and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II, freeway displacement during the mid-century, and most recently, the 2025 Eaton Fire, which has displaced tens of thousands of Denans, including a small, but …

Genuine And Meaningful Black Character Narratives In Video Games, Derek L. Manns

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The lack of Black representation in video games reflects stereotypes and hollow narratives. Authentic and meaningful design of Black characters allows Black players a reflection of emotional attachments everyone wants when playing a game. Examining racial identities through avatars, critiquing the notion that customization equates to racial inclusivity, limited options and predominant, white-coded protagonists reinforce systemic biases in games (Dietrich, 2013). My Afrofuturistic content analysis framework explores Black culture with a future of speculative fiction. Reimagining the past, present, and future through Black narratives for alternate futures (Womack). Integrating these ideas enhance culture and aesthetics in this dissertation to highlight …

Digital Cultures, Dei, And Ai: Critical Analysis Assignment, Oluremi Alapo

Open Educational Resources

This assignment presents a scaffolded, equity-centered approach to teaching digital culture and artificial intelligence (AI) within an undergraduate Diversity and Multicultural Education course at the City University of New York. Designed as a Writing Intensive, COIL-informed learning experience, the assignment invites students to critically examine digital technologies and AI as social and cultural systems shaped by power, access, and inequality.

Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction: Rhombus Motifs In Textiles, Billie J. A. Follensbee, Lois Martin

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Presents a brief introduction to rhombus motifs in textiles.