Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Cold War And Abba, Samantha Foster

Masters Theses

ABBA was a 1970s Swedish pop group. Spending approximately ten years together as a group, their output included hits such as "Dancing Queen," "Waterloo," and "The Winner Takes it All," among others. During ABBA's time together, though, the Cold War was a known fact in everyday life for people worldwide. The Cold War impacted ABBA in a number of ways, thus making the group an example of the Cold War struggle over popular culture. The band was acceptable to the Soviet Union because they hailed from neutral Sweden and their music was unlike Western rock music of the 1960s and …

In Search Of Whitman's "Real War": Soldier Recreations During The American Civil War, Rebecca C. Felton

Masters Theses

When most people think of the American Civil War, they recall the agonies and ecstasies of combat, envisioning the bombardment of Fort Sumter, the glorious folly of Pickett’s Charge, or the ravages of Sherman’s March to the Sea. What gets left out of the history books is what the common soldier experienced more than anything else: camp life. This study sheds renewed light on what the soldiers of the Union and Confederacy did to pass the time between battles. It focuses specifically on what they did for fun, addressing three categories of recreational activities: sports, music, and literature. It finds …

Don't Force Me To Explain: Rethinking Access Outside Of Compulsory Transparency, Rhea Ienni

Dissertations

My dissertation is concerned with better understanding the barriers disabled people encounter while attempting to procure access both at the institutional level, and in their everyday lives. Within disability and accessibility literature, there are many discourses on what disability is and what access means. However, there are few people who explore the harmful consequences of disabled people being forced to “prove” they are disabled to an ableist world to get their basic needs met, and my dissertation intervenes in this gap. Within current US policy, if a disabled person requires access support at the institutional level, they must provide medical …

Analysis Of Song Choice At An Anglican Church In The North West, Yvette Wong

Masters Theses

The rise of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) in the last hundred years has gradually led to the so-called worship wars in the late twentieth century. While scholars (Lester Ruth, Ted Peter, and Vernon Whaley) note that the tension has several fronts, Ruth points out that the most obvious front line of combat in the wars was music on instrumentation, song repertoires between hymns and choruses, and the role of song in corporate worship. To keep the peace, many churches have settled for either one style of service, combined the two in the same service, commonly known as a blended service, …

Seasons That Speak: The Power Of Storytelling In Memoir, Pamela Snead

Masters Theses

Memoir bridges literature and lived experience, transforming personal history into shared meaning through storytelling. This creative-critical thesis examines memoir as a reflective narrative practice through which identity, resilience, and faith are shaped over time. Grounded in narrative theory and selected memoir readings, the primary site of inquiry is the original braided memoir Seasons That Speak, which explores faith, endurance, generational healing, and provision. The project also draws on world literature traditions to show how storytelling across cultures uses voice, structure, imagery, testimony, and reflection to preserve memory, question authority, and shape meaning. Through alternating scenes and reflective passages, Seasons That …

The Relationship Between Musical Aptitude And Multiple Intelligences In High School Music Students, Rachel Connor

Masters Theses

This quantitative correlational study examines the relationship between musical aptitude, measured by Edwin Gordon’s GIA assessments, and students’ predominant multiple intelligences (MIs), as defined by Howard Gardner. Although MI has been widely researched, little is known about how intelligence strengths relate specifically to musically adept students. High school music students at Fayetteville Christian School in Fayetteville, NC, were first assessed using the GIA to identify those demonstrating musical aptitude. Eligible students then completed the AMI R/ARCH Profile to determine their strongest MI. A correlational analysis examined whether specific intelligence strengths are commonly associated with musical aptitude. Grounded in Gardner’s MI …

Creating Trust: Strengthening Visual Communication Systems For Small Nonprofits, Jennifer R. Wenz

Masters Theses

This study explores how small nonprofits often fail shortly after they are created because of weak design practices and limited access to professional design tools and skills. Large organizations and nonprofits survive because they invest in strong branding, clear messaging, and long-term design strategy. Small nonprofits rely on volunteers with little to no design training which leaves them with inconsistent branding, unclear visual communication, and materials that fail to build the trust they need to survive. This project will examine the gap through research in the nonprofit areas of communication, visual psychology, accessible design systems, and case studies of successful …

What About R&B? The Undefined American Music Genre, Asha Brown

Masters Theses

The research presented in this thesis seeks to provide insight into the value and representation of R&B music in American culture, history, and scholarly works. To advocate for the accurate classification of Rhythm and Blues as a distinct musical genre? Data collected throughout the research process explores the sociological factors that influence tastes in particular music. While the American and music history of the thesis provide foundational evidence of the genre’s influence and relevance, input from research participants supports a hypothesis on the sociological aspects. The conclusion suggests that, though there are multiple factors to consider, many popular music genres …

Designing Clarity: A Framework For Nonprofit Branding, K. Caitlyn Crissler

Masters Theses

Nonprofit founders and leaders regularly face the challenge of communicating their mission clearly while working with limited budgets, limited design knowledge, and limited access to professional creative support. As a result, many organizations unintentionally waste time, money, and resources on inconsistent visual materials, unclear branding, and inefficient design processes. This thesis investigates how an accessible, streamlined design framework can empower non-designers in the nonprofit sector to make informed visual decisions, collaborate more effectively with designers, and produce communication materials that support their mission rather than hinder it. Utilizing a mixed-method approach , including a literature review of foundational design principles, …

The Black American Women, Mental Health, Self-Stigma, And The Church, Sylvia D. Dorsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of Christian Black American women who underutilize mental health services due to a perceived notion of self-stigma of Christian Black American women seeking mental health services and how the church may play a role. A transformational theory guides this study. In a transformative framework the study focuses on looking at marginalized groups that have power differentials and are viewed as being less important in society and to understand their life experiences. Stigma and self-stigma are the dominating factors that contribute to the underutilization of mental health services …

The Lived Experience Of Black Women With Depression In New Jersey, Ngozi Grace Igwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experiences Of African American Male Baby Boomers Who Engaged In Teletherapy Post-Covid-19, Amber L. Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Hunt For Eden: Humanity’S Journey Home Through The Epics Of Milton And Homer, Hannah Pryor

Masters Theses

This thesis argues that the recurrent theme of loss and home in the Western Literature tradition reflects humanity’s innate and theological memory of losing Eden. An examination of Homer’s The Odyssey and John Milton’s Paradise Lost in comparison with the Biblical text serve both as literary companions and ethical dichotomies. Some of the greatest pieces of Western Literature highlight the greatest tragedy and triumph the world has ever and will ever know – the loss of Paradise and the hunt for Eden. Nothing is perhaps more heartbreaking and inspiring than reading and living the story of humanity’s journey home.

Post-Machine | You Vs. The Algorithm: A Creative Act Of Rebellion, Matthew Schultz

Masters Theses

Algorithms have become intertwined with everyday life, infiltrating both personal and social environments. They have transformed from influenceable tools useful for customizing information to machines of influence that are now dictating standards. These machines have begun morphing individuals idea of the self. This has become an epidemic of lost identity and fragmented self in order to conform to algorithmic acceptance. Emerging professionals in creative fields in the last decade have become particularly susceptible to this influence. If not addressed, young creatives will soon lose any autonomy of self and have a homogenized identity that matches the demands of the algorithm …

Satellite Of Mu'lysa, Ryan Christopher Miller

Masters Theses

My thesis proposal details the ways in which my early ideas for my novella, Satellite of Mu’lysa, came about amidst a time of personal despair. The early 2012 draft was darker, and emotionally draining, lacking a positive ending. In the course of over a decade of reworks and personal growth, both as a writer and as a person, the story is becoming a metaphorical diary of hope and forgiveness. Many movies, authors, as well as religious and philosophical texts have helped inspire and shape my story over the years, as I’ve revised my plotline and characterizations. Although I have always …

Creation As Calling: The Intersection Of Faith And Craft, Alexandra J. Slyman

Masters Theses

This thesis, titled "Creation as Calling: The Intersection of Faith and Craft," explores the relationship between creative writing—specifically within the epic fantasy genre—and Christian belief. The work is divided into three distinct sections: an Artist Statement, a Craft Element Paper, and a Creative Manuscript. The Artist Statement establishes a creative philosophy grounded in the biblical doctrine of imago Dei, or being made in the image of God. It argues that the human impulse to create is a divine mandate to reflect God’s glory and a means of bearing witness to the "great story of salvation". The author contends that fiction …

A Critique Of Richard Carrier’S Jesus-Myth Theory: Examining Select References To The Historical Jesus In Paul’S Epistles, John P. Nichols

Masters Theses

Richard Carrier is arguably the contemporary voice promoting Jesus-mythicism, the idea that Jesus of Nazareth never existed. Though in the scholarly minority, Carrier has assembled numerous arguments for rejecting the Gospels and Acts as historically reliable, as well as all historical references to Jesus in Paul’s letters. He has proposed his own rules for historical inquiry to replace the traditional criteria of authenticity used by historical-Jesus scholars. In conjunction with his own criteria, Carrier has demonstrated the use of Bayes’ Theorem to assess the probability of Jesus’ existence. This thesis has considered certain portions of Carrier’s thesis against the historical …

Celtic Catharsis: A Look Into The Emotional Appeal Of Irish Music In The United States, Coralyn M. Kutzner

Masters Theses

This research study investigates the emotional connection and interest in Irish music within the Irish musician community in America. The background for this study includes an in-depth look at the history of Irish and Irish music culture in America, as well as a brief overview of the connection between music and emotions. The study itself was conducted in various locations where there was live Irish music playing. Through the use of personal interviews and an emotional evaluation scale, participants were asked to recount their first encounters with Irish music and the emotional connection they feel because of and while playing …

Heirlooms, Jenna Ashby Macfarland

Masters Theses

The title of my creative manuscript is Heirlooms. It contains chapters of a fictional novel in the mystery genre. In the critical paper, I address Literary Tradition as it pertains to mystery writing. Specifically, I focus on the evolution of the mystery genre from the detached rationalism of Sherlock Holmes to the psychological realism of writers like Tana French and Liane Moriarty. Their styles reveal a shift from intellectual detection to moral introspection within the genre. Heirlooms continues this transformation by centering a female protagonist whose investigation becomes a search for spiritual and emotional truth. By integrating women’s voices and …

The Things That Keep Me Up At Night, Kaitlyn Grace Wilson

Masters Theses

This creative nonfiction manuscript is a collection of reflective personal essays centered on ordinary experiences, curiosities, anxieties, and observations that gradually expand into larger questions about identity, memory, adulthood, faith, and human behavior. Rather than relying on dramatic plot or chronological structure, the essays move associatively through thought, humor, research, and reflection. Subjects throughout the manuscript range from fireworks, sourdough starter, dreams, and Facebook Marketplace to art history, floating the Chattahoochee River, weddings, music performances, and irrational fears. Through these seemingly small topics, the manuscript explores the emotional weight and philosophical questions hidden within everyday life.

Much of the project …

Gertrude, A Woman Set Apart: Chosen Beyond Expectation In Polarized Womanhood, Jessica Lorriane Weatherford Mattison

Masters Theses

This thesis introduces the artistic vision and research that guide Forever Skies. The text examines the political and personal landscapes that shape Gertrude, the historical realities of the WASP program, and the feminist frameworks that illuminate how women navigated gender, war, and expectation. In weaving these elements together, the goal is not merely to resurrect one woman’s incredible story, but to honor the nearly forgotten history of a generation of pilots. Through creative interpretation and scholarly inquiry, this project seeks to reclaim a legacy still suspended in the wide, forever sky that once held her, the WASP, and her forever …

A Qualitative Study Of Multiracial Individuals Sharing Black And White Racial Identities Within The Southeastern United States, Carissa N. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Racial identity can be complex, especially when considering those with a biracial or multiracial identity (Holliday, 2019). American society often conceptualizes race through a monoracial lens, leaving individuals with multiracial identities marginalized, sometimes forcing them into an unchosen identity and resulting in a potential loss autonomy (Albuja et al., 2020; Albuja et al., 2019; Harris et al., 2021; Mitchell, 2022; Rozek & Gaither, 2021; Song, 2021). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand social, emotional, mental, and relational impact of living in a monoracially lensed society on individuals with Black and White multiracial identities in the southeastern …

Crisis Of Command: Shaef, Strategy, And The War In Northwest Europe, Fall 1944, Josh Glover

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the strategic debates among the Supreme Allied Commander, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and his subordinate commanders, British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and U.S. Generals Omar Bradley and George Patton, in the fall of 1944. Most historians have focused specifically on the military campaigns throughout the fall of 1944, the commanders who executed them, and the missed opportunities and failures that occurred. The question left unanswered is why the Allies missed the opportunity to end the war in 1944. To answer this, I analyzed the numerous strategic debates among these four commanders and many others that took …

Shame, Guilt, Resilience, And Intimate Relationships: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study, Tiara Schnese Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This descriptive phenomenological study explored how shame and guilt among Christian CSA (Childhood Sexual Abuse) survivors influence resilience, intimate relationships, and social support in the United States. The central research questions examined how Christian CSA survivors experienced shame, guilt, and resilience over time; how these emotions affected intimate and romantic relationships; and how they shaped help-seeking behaviors in both clinical and faith-based contexts. Guided by Bowlby and Ainsworth’s attachment theory (1958), data collection involved semi-structured interviews with participants selected through purposive sampling to meet specific inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Giorgi’s (2012) descriptive phenomenological method, and eight essential constituents …

Missional Hermeneutics And The Lukan Version Of The Great Commission (Luke 24:44-49): The Dual Hermeneutical Key, Israel Martin Lemos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the relationship between Christological fulfillment and the mission of God within the framework of biblical interpretation, with special emphasis on Luke 24:44-49. In recent decades, missional hermeneutics has moved from the margins of theological discussion to a more visible place within biblical studies, although the field remains conceptually diverse and methodologically underdefined. On one hand, a growing body of scholarship has argued that Scripture must be read within the horizons of the missio Dei, understood as God's redemptive purpose for creation and the nations. On the other hand, mainstream biblical scholarship has often continued to privilege either …

Destined To Fail?: The U.S. Advisory Period And The Lost Path To Victory, 1960-1965, Alexander Patrick Fancher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

South Vietnam experienced robust military and economic development between 1960 and 1963 under the leadership of President Ngo Dinh Diem. With the help of U.S. aid, the RVNAF improved its ability to wage war against the Viet Cong, while simultaneously pacifying the countryside. ARVN and VNN units developed new capabilities and trained officers to replace losses after the French Exodus from Vietnam. The introduction of U.S. advisors created the conditions necessary for the development of a young, inexperienced military. Acting as guides, these Americans were cautiously optimistic that South Vietnam was on the path to self-sufficiency by spring 1963 as …

The Meaning And Making Of Masculinity In Orthodox Jewry: A Transcendental Phenomenological Inquiry With Orthodox Rabbis, Elan A. Perchik

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of Los Angeles Jewish Orthodox rabbis in working with male congregants with respect to their masculine identity, development, roles and responsibilities. The textual framework guiding this study is the gamut of Jewish literature, spanning the Bible, the Prophets and Writings, the Mishnah, Talmud, Midrashic literature, and ancient, medieval and contemporary rabbinic commentaries, as understood through the worldview of the Orthodox Jewish community. Eight Orthodox rabbis in Los Angeles were interviewed toward the aim of discovering the essence of experience for participants. Across the data, four themes emerged: (a) …

Recommendations For Advancing Elementary Music Education For Students With Disabilities In Skyline Ridge School District, Dawn Marie Schafer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied research study was to provide recommendations to advance music instruction to students with disabilities at sixteen elementary schools in the Skyline Ridge School District (SRSD). The problem was that there was evidence of low musicianship and music participation in students with disabilities in the middle schools in SRSD. The rationale for this study was that students with disabilities may be capable of achieving musicianship as well as any other student. For this reason, music educators must be prepared to set them up for success. The central research question was: How can the elementary music teachers …

Understanding Secondary Trauma In Cross Cultural Ministry Contexts, Rebekah M. F. Baxter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian cross cultural missionary workers serving in cross cultural contexts frequently operate in emotionally and spiritually demanding environments characterized by poverty, violence, displacement, and systemic suffering. In these settings, ongoing exposure to trauma narratives and the distress of others may place ministry workers at risk for secondary traumatic stress (STS), a condition commonly studied in healthcare and counseling professions but under-explored in ministry contexts. STS can manifest in emotional, cognitive, and spiritual symptoms that affect both personal well-being and vocational sustainability. While existing literature acknowledges that missionary workers face unique risk factors, the lived experiences of Christian cross cultural missionary …

From Seed To Vine Intergenerational Discipleship Model For San Antonio Heights Community Church, Alyssa Smedley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project addressed the lack of an intentional intergenerational discipleship model at San Antonio Heights Community Church through the development of the From Seed to Vine ministry initiative. The project focused on cultivating a sustainable disciple-making culture rooted in relational discipleship, spiritual formation, and intentional mentorship across generations. Four micro-projects were implemented to support this vision: the Ministry Development Plan (MDP), Blogging, Advertisement of Ministry Launch, and Podcasting.

Each micro-project contributed to building awareness, fostering relational connection, and creating practical pathways for participation in the Disciple-Maker Team Training (DMTT). The findings revealed that relational trust, intentional communication, and Spirit-led engagement …