Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Echoes Of Imperialism: The Philippines And America In The South China Sea, Victoria Elise Ruiz Sogueco

Senior Theses

This paper provides an overview of the conflict between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, Philippine history following its liberation from Spain to its independence from America, and the continuing impacts of American imperialism on the modern day Philippines. While it is argued that American military intervention on behalf of the Philippines is necessary in order to protect its territories in the South China Sea, this would only strengthen its legacy of imperialism on the Philippines. By analyzing case studies of sexual assaults perpetrated by US troops, such as the Jennifer Laude case and the Subic rape …

“Not The Mecca We Know”: Analyzing The Spiritual And Cultural Ramifications Of Contemporary Commercialism In Saudi Arabia, Hanif Azam Amanullah

Senior Theses

The Islamic Hajj, one of the world's most prominent religious pilgrimages, has in recent decades faced increasing scrutiny due to its rapid and persistent commercialization under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s government. To make way for this commercialization, researchers estimate that over 95% of Islamic heritage sites have been destroyed, the justification for which often lies in Wahhabi attempts to avoid idolatry. The few remaining sites have been renovated beyond the point of recognition. Amid the drastic transformation of both Islam’s holiest city and holiest ritual, this thesis finds that the Kingdom’s fundamentalist Islamic interpretations and extreme commercial developments have …

Administering Authoritarianism: The Birth Of The Free Market Model In Pinochet’S Chile., Meghan A. Haggerty

Senior Theses

This research paper aims to dissect the origins of the free-market in Chile and its institution through dictatorship. The purpose of this paper is to analyze privatization as an instrument of conservative governments– specifically the Pinochet regime (1973-1990). It outlines how the authoritarian government arose in the geopolitical context of the Cold War which led to a series of neoconservative fiscal policies inspired by Milton Friedman and the “Chicago Boys.” This paper goes on to analyze the structural transformation that drastically changed the economic output of the country. The case study highlighted is the Chilean Water Code and the privatization …

Rap In The United States And Cuba: A Genre Uniquely Emblematic Of The Paradox Of (De)Colonization, Maya Rose Bliffeld

Senior Theses

Music, as a profound and resonant cultural expression, captures the nuance of societal dynamics, political climates, and the collective emotions of communities throughout time. Colonialism, more specifically the Atlantic slave trade and the experience of suffering, has been reflected in the music as much as it has pioneered styles of new global music in the present. Music, specifically rap, contextualized in the hip-hop movements of the United States and Cuba, reveals primary sources of the effects of systemic racism and the marks of slavery in the contemporary context. The United States and Cuba each have a close relation to the …

Traditional Roots Of The Shamans' Brew And Its Adoption By New-Age Groups, Jonathan Jimenez

Senior Theses

New Age Americans' growing fetishization of exotic cultural practices—places the powerful entheogenic-life altering drug "Ayahuasca" into their cultural context of Eclectic Amalgams, lending itself as a catalyst for shifting perceptions and understandings of conventional thought. "Eclectic Amalgams" refers to the blend or combination of various elements from different spiritual, religious, or cultural traditions. In New Age practices, there is often an eclectic approach where diverse sources are amalgamated to form a personalized spiritual path or practice. This work explores the growing awareness and practice of Ayahuasca usage in the developed world. The term "Ayahuasca" is used to name the ceremonial …

Menstrual Pads On Parliament: Women’S Activist Strategies In Challenging Conservative Gender Ideologies In Kosovo (2020s)., Djellza Pulatani

Senior Theses

Two decades after the gender-based violence weaponized in the Balkan Wars, women in the region have acted as catalysts for social and political change. In Kosovo, the journey of women in challenging patriarchal ideologies exemplifies this broader movement. This study examines one feminist NGO, QIKA, tracing its multiple strategies ranging from protests to menstrual product distribution to respond to aspects of violence against women and girls. The cultural qualities in Kosovo reflect both Albanian and Islamic influences, embodying conservative patriarchal norms. In this research, I explore the ways in which women activists employ certain strategies in addressing gender inequalities within …

From Revolution To Laïcité: How Anticlericalism Has Defined Modern France For Muslim Women, Jake T. Mcardle

Senior Theses

This paper explores the developing definition and approach to secularism, referred to in France more strictly as laïcité, and its disproportionate impact upon French Muslims, in particular, Muslim women. The French roots of anticlericalism and resulting Revolution provide necessary context as to why the French are so apprehensive about religion, which led to the establishment of a secular state in 1905. Exploring relevant literature on the topic of French secularism, with a particular focus on the development of the headscarf debate in France from 1905 to 2023, context is provided regarding why the French care so deeply about the wearing …

Climate Change And Environmental Crises In Coastal Cities: Charleston Vs New York City, Nolan Rodriguez

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the increasing vulnerability that coastal communities face regarding climate crises and rising sea levels. Specifically, this paper investigates the environmental crises facing Charleston, South Carolina, and New York City. The geographical location of these cities places a more severe threat upon their environment, as opposed to urban collectives removed from the immediate effect of rising sea levels. A cross-examination of politics and economics is discussed in order to determine the causal relationship of each city’s engagement with its surrounding environment. This paper examines how each city is affected by climate change, what measures are in place to …

Lionel Spencer Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

In this heartfelt interview, Carlos Rico of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project meets with Lionel Spencer to discuss the impact that COVID-19 has had on his life as a son and father. Spencer highlights his close relationship with his brothers and the challenges they have faced together, expressing admiration for their bond and hoping to have a similar connection with his own family going forward. Both Rico and Spencer take a deep dive into the challenges people face in adjusting to the lack of social interactions and their interest in understanding the impact of …

Wesley Caines Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Transcribed and summarized by Alan C. Ventura

In an engaging and informative interview as part of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, Mr. Wesley Caines—former DIrector of Community Engagement and standing Chief of Staff at Bronx Defenders—sits down with various other Fordham University interviewers to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the organization's holistic defense approach and the challenges faced in providing housing for individuals released from detention. Caines also shares the success story of helping a client in ICE detention and sheds some light on the prospect of positive policy change in New York, the securing of funds …

Maria Aponte Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Disciplines

African American Studies

Abstract

Summary by Jocelyn Defex.

This interview for the Bronx African American History Project was with Maria Aponte, a Non-profit organization founder, educator, author, poet, performance artist, and community arts activist. A Fordham University alum, Carlos Rico, interviewed her for the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project.

Aponte discusses her childhood; she grew up in “El Barrio” (Washington Heights, NY) and moved to the Bronx in the late 70s. Before becoming an activist, she was a theater actress, and she felt that her role helped to break down Latino, women, and person-of-color stereotypes in the theater. At …

Luz Solis Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Interviewees: Ms. Luz Soliz-Ramos , Gil

Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ©

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison, Dr. Lisa Betty, Lucy Blanco

Date: December 10, 2023

Summarized by Amy Rini January 28, 2024

Ms. Luz Soliz-Ramos from Honduras, is a Garifuna dancer, choreographer, teacher, and activist. Soliz-Ramos is the founder of the Bronx based Garifuna Heritage Center for the Arts and Culture and Co-Choreographer & Artistic Director of the Wabafu Garifuna Dance Theatre, which was established as the Hamalali Wayunagu Garifuna Dance Company in 1992.

Immigration from Honduras wasn’t easy for those who only spoke Garifuna and not Spanish, …

“These Are Our Saints:” A Lourdes Shrine, The St. Coletta School For Exceptional Children, And The Catholic Remaking Of Cognitive Disability, Andrew Walker-Cornetta

Religion

This chapter appears from the book American Patroness: Marian Shrines and the Making of US Catholicism by Katherine Dugan and Karen E. Park, Editors.

"'These Are Our Saints:' A Lourdes Shrine, the St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children, and the Catholic Remaking of Cognitive Disability" focuses on a Lourdes shrine on the campus of what was once perhaps the most celebrated institution in the United States for persons with cognitive disabilities. It takes this site as a window onto mid-twentieth century Catholic efforts to re-imagine cognitive difference and highlights the importance of Marian devotional grammars to those efforts.

Will Calhoun Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Will Calhoun is a Grammy award-winning drummer, producer, songwriter, and Bronx native.

He was born in Brooklyn but moved to the Northeast Bronx with his parents shortly after. He attended Lutheran schools as a kid in an Italian neighborhood, where he recalls having to run away from men with bats getting to and from school before switching to Evander Childs for high school. At Evander, he encountered Drummer’s Collective and Horacee Arnold, who introduced him to musicians like Elvin Jones and took him to jazz clubs in the city.

Calhoun’s first introduction to music came from …

Will Calhoun Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Will Calhoun is a Grammy award-winning drummer, producer, songwriter, and Bronx native.

He was born in Brooklyn but moved to the Northeast Bronx with his parents shortly after. He attended Lutheran schools as a kid in an Italian neighborhood, where he recalls having to run away from men with bats getting to and from school before switching to Evander Childs for high school. At Evander, he encountered Drummer’s Collective and Horacee Arnold, who introduced him to musicians like Elvin Jones and took him to jazz clubs in the city.

Calhoun’s first introduction to music came from …

Helen Diane Foster Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

In this extensive interview, Helen Diane Foster talks about her upbringing across different areas of the Bronx, her relationship with her father, Reverend T. Wendell Foster—the first black elected official to serve the Bronx—and her time spent on the city council, in turn becoming the first black woman elected to that position within Bronx County. Listen in as she and Dr. Mark Naison relive this monumental time in Bronx history, which most notably involved Foster’s attempts to stop the seizure of Macombs Dam Park for Yankee Stadium.

Gordon, Ina, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

Summarized by Kathryn Amend

Ina Gordon grew up on Morris Avenue, just east of the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. She describes her childhood with two siblings in a tiny apartment, and her happy upbringing despite her family’s economic struggles. She reminisces on summers spent renting bungalows in the Catskills and childhood joys such as roller skating, visiting the library, and playing tennis.

Gordon explains the importance of education in her family, and describes how she ended up traveling to the University of Chicago for her undergraduate degree. She and her brother both received scholarships to attend. They had a …

Wanny Angerer Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

INTERVIEWER: Lisa Betty, Mark Naison

INTERVIEWEE: Wanny Angerer

SUMMARY BY: Grace D’Ambrosio

Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wanny Angerer is the founder of several global social movements. Her parents both came from small Garifuna communities and moved to larger cities to further their own education as well as expand the opportunities available to their children. Wanny’s family, including her grandparents, were leading members of the Garifuna cultural movement in Honduras. In her early years, Wanny and her siblings were raised to value education, spirituality, and community service. From a young age she was taking music and dance classes and would spend …

Marlene Taylor-Ponterotto Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Marlene Taylor-Ponterotto is a vital member of both the Fordham and the Bronx communities who has worked diligently to promote racial justice and equity in New York City healthcare and in educational opportunities for marginalized students. Taylor graduated from Fordham College at Rose Hill in 1979 and was the only female student from her class to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Biology. Taylor now resides in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx and is an active member of the MOSAIC alumni association and a trailblazing advocate for her patients at Heritage Clinic in Central …

Patricia Payne Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Disciplines

African American Studies

Abstract

Summary by Jocelyn Defex.

This interview for the Bronx African American History Project was with Patricia Payne, a professor at Monroe College. She and Dr. Mark Naison discuss her family history and experiences growing up in the Patterson houses in the South Bronx.

Payne’s family moved to the Bronx from Harlem in 1949 and settled in the Patterson houses. Payne’s parents were from South Carolina; Her father worked as a taxman and auxiliary policeman, while her mother had limited formal education and worked occasionally as a domestic helper.

Patricia's memories of the Paterson houses began …

Maribel Gonzalez Interview Part 2, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

Maribel Gonzalez is a small business owner in the Bronx and serves as sole operator of The South of France restaurant. As part of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, she sits with Fordham University senior Bethany Fernandez to share her experience of running a business during the pandemic.

Gonzalez reflects on how her business has progressed along with COVID-19 protocols since her first interview in June 2020. She discusses the ongoing challenges of running a business during the pandemic, with uncertainty and financial struggles continuing to persist with the passage of time. The flow …

"Robin", Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

“Robin” was born in 1944. Her parents were both born in the United States, with her mother’s family immigrating from Ukraine. “Robin” grew up on 205th street in an apartment until she turned 12 and her family moved to a two-family home on 208th street. While the 205th street area was both Irish and Jewish, the 208th street neighborhood was mostly Jewish. She attended PS 56, which was considered experimental because they learned Spanish in 6th grade. “Robin” remembers biking, playing basketball, and taking ballet classes.

“Robin” traveled with her family to beaches such as Fire Island, Rye Beach, and …

Maribel Gonzalez Interview Part 1, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

Maribel Gonzalez is a small business owner in the Bronx and serves as sole operator of The South of France restaurant. As part of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, she sits with Fordham University senior Bethany Fernandez to share her experience of running a business during the pandemic.

Gonzalez begins by looking back at the history of the establishment, revealing the love story which gave The South of France its name and explaining the Puerto Rican-American roots of the restaurant’s cuisine. Gonzalez then shifts to reflect on the interactive pre-pandemic life in the Bronx …

Mangum, Claude, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Dr. Claude Mangum is an integral member of the Fordham community, arriving first as the director of the Upward Bound program in 1969 before joining the faculty of the Institute of Afro-American Studies, which would later become the Department of African and

African-American Studies. Dr. Mangum was an assistant professor, associate professor, and chair of the department before his retirement in 2011.

Dr. Mangum began his educational career as a high school teacher, attending Queen’s College before starting to teach at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens. He completed a Masters and PHD at Columbia …

Gurock, Jeffrey, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

Jeffrey Gurock’s parents, his father, originally from Harlem and his mother from Brooklyn, were among the first people to move into Parkchester when it opened. His father was a firefighter and his mother was a bookkeeper. Gurock was born in 1949 and lived in Parkchester until he married in 1974. After living briefly in Cincinnati, Ohio, he returned to the Bronx and has been living in Riverdale ever since.

Gurock remembers Parkchester as predominantly Irish Catholic with many Italian and Jewish children. No Hispanics or African Americans were allowed to move in until 1968. While he recognizes this segregation now, …

Seperson, Susanne, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

Summarizer: Reyna Stovall

Susane Seperson was born in Germany to Polish Holocaust survivors, Annie and David Bleiburg. Due to sponsorship from extended family living in New York, Seperson’s family immigrated to the United States. The family’s first home was on Tiffany Street and Seperson remembers being taken in a carriage to Crotona Park as a young child. Later, the family moved to an apartment above Seperson’s father’s cleaning store on 355 East 187th Street off Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse.

Seperson’s family remained in the 355 East 187th Street apartment through her elementary and junior high school years in …

Rotman, Diana, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

Diana Rotman was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrant parents who migrated from what was Poland in the 1920s. The youngest of three children, Rotman grew up on Teller Avenue and remembers the demographics of the street being overwhelmingly Jewish until the Bronx’s demographics began shifting and more black and Hispanic families started moving in. This prompted Rotman’s family to move to Mosholu Parkway when she was twelve years old, where she lived until moving to Manhattan after graduating high school.

Rotman was raised in an Orthodox, Yiddish-speaking household, and her family attended shul, kept kosher, and changed dishes …

Wolfthal, Diane Fialkow, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

Diane Wolfthal was born in the Bronx in 1949 and lived on Pelham Parkway. However, shortly after her birth, Wolfthal’s family moved to the Amalgamated Housing Corporation. She remembers the co-op being an idyllic utopia. The co-op, from her memory, was very homogenous, with almost every family in the compound being Jewish, socialist, or communist, and either first or second-generation migrants. Additionally, most of the Jewish families at the Amalgamated Housing Corporation were secular. Wolfthal remembers observing Jewish holidays and going to Bar Mitzvahs but never having her Jewish practices tied to a notion of God. Instead, her Jewishness was …

Journal For The Philosophical Study Of Education, Allan Johnston, Guillemette Johnston

Research Resources

J P S E

Journal for the Philosophical Study of Education

Vol. 4 (2023)

Editors: Allan Johnston, DePaul University and Columbia College Chicago Guillemette Johnston, DePaul University

Special Symposium Editor: Elias Schwieler, Stockholm University

Outside Readers:

Sabrina Bacher, Universität Innsbruck

Christian Kraler, Universität Innsbruck

James Magrini, College of DuPage

Alexander Makedon, Chicago State University/Arellano University (emeritus)

Rifkin, Howard, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

Howard Rifkin was born in the Bronx. His grandparents, both maternal and paternal, were Orthodox Jews. However, Rifkin and his parents were not, although he was bar mitzvahed in an Orthodox synagogue, the Mount Eden Jewish Center. While Rifkin’s mother was a homemaker, she eventually worked as a bookkeeper for Maurice Ratner. His father worked as a truck driver.

For his education, Rifkin attended PS 70, Wade Junior High School, and Taft High School, all of which were within several blocks of his childhood home. Rifkin attended university for a few years at Pace College. However, he dropped out and …