Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Governmental Funding Of K-12 Arts Programs, Elizabeth Abbick

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Among the significant political debates of our time is how to dedicate resources to different programs, and what types of ideas will be funded and subsidized by the government. Unfortunately, even the United States is not a nation of unlimited resources. In general, arts programs are one of the first to be cut from schools, as they are not seen to be equal to math, reading, or even sports. However, arts programs could be an integral part of the successes of the elementary, middle, and high school student. In my thesis, I will explore the differences between students who have …

Narrators Of Change: A Contemporary Study Of Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Malala Yousafzai, And Emma Watson, Evan Davis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Though they champion different social movements—race discrimination, gender inequality, and girls’ education—Patrisse Cullors, Emma Watson, and Malala Yousafzai are each extremely effective activists. Patrisse Cullors is a self defined Artist, Organizer, and Freedom Fighter, but most importantly Cullors is a theatre artist. Cullors uses her agency as an artist to give theatrical life to issues of race discrimination, creating a virtual reality in which her audience can see and understand issues that are new to them. Malala Yousafzai shares her story because such stories of girls being denied their basic right to education are ubiquitous in third world countries and …

Narrative Technique In The Works Of The Pearl Poet, Karl Agger

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In the fourteenth century, the so-called Pearl Poet created such masterpieces as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Pearl. Though his surviving body of work comprises only four poems, these are enough to have him considered among the greatest medieval English writers. Much scholarship has focused on the poems’ sources, style, symbolism, and thematic content, but comparatively little has approached these works as narratives. The Pearl Poet was a masterful storyteller who employed a consistent yet flexible set of narrative techniques. Borrowing the theories developed by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction, I present an analysis of …

Der Sonnenwirt -- Fakt, Fiktion, Held Und Verbrecher, Marissa Schoedel

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Die Zwecken dieser BA-Arbeit sind drei verschiedene Analysenarten aus der Literaturtheorie am Beispiel Verbrecher aus verlorener Ehre (1786) von Friedrich Schiller anzuwenden: Hermeneutik, Strukturalismus, Dekonstruktion. Ich interpretiere den Text Lebensgeschichte Fridrich Schwans (1787) von Jakob Friedrich Abel als Vorläufer von Verbrecher und erstelle dabei einem möglichst anschaulichen Überblick der wandelnden Verhältnisse des Krimibegriffs. Unter diesem Krimibegriff werden sowohl Texte als auch TV-Serien und Filme als Krimi verstanden.

“While The Imagination Strains / After Deer”: William Carlos Williams’S Interrogations Of The American Transcendental Imagination And The Proto-Suburban Scene, Tyler Wagner

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Oftentimes the American suburbs are considered through the lens of architecture, economics, fiction, and visual media. And, typically, the conversation centers on their cultural zenith in the 1950s. One literary form is neglected in this conversation: poetry. This omission is peculiar, as a fascination with the vastness of the continent’s landscape—and its significance—pervades the history of the American verse. For Ralph Waldo Emerson, the apparently endless expanses of space and rejuvenative qualities of the American landscape provide the poet’s ideal inspiration, and Walt Whitman, in perhaps the most important collection of poetry of the nineteenth century, Leaves of Grass, is …

Women At The Helm: Rewriting Maritime History Through Female Pirate Identity And Agency, Wendy Vencel

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The subject of Atlantic-based Golden Age (1650-1720) piracy has long been an area of historical and mythical fascination. The sea has historically been a realm outside the reaches of mainland society, where women could express any aspect of their personal identity. Women at the Helm: Rewriting Maritime History through Female Pirate Identity and Agency queers the history of Golden Age piracy while placing the colonial period’s seafaring women within a longer historical tradition of female maritime crime and power.

Notable female pirates of this era, including Ireland’s Grace O’Malley and the Caribbean’s Anne Bonny and Mary Read, through the act …

10 Pieces For Vincent: A Suite For Mixed Chamber Ensemble, Cade Leinbach

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This suite consists of 10 different pieces of music, for a mixed chamber ensemble of flute, clarinet, tenor sax, trumpet, horn, bass trombone, violin, viola, cello and Percussion. Each movement is based on a specific painting by the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). In the short time span of a decade, this incredibly misunderstood man created some of the most iconic pieces of art in our culture. As a whole, this suite is meant to depict both the art and life of Vincent, while paying homage to this man who is still relevant in modern society, despite having died …

A Cakewalk Through History: The Evolution Of Cake And Its Identity In America, Rachel Overby

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This thesis is a historical timeline of American cake and its evolution between the late 1700s and now. This timeline addresses the resource availability, cultural and historical changes, and innovations that have influenced its evolution. Cakes are a reflection upon the time they were popularized, and this paper will reveal several perspectives on the interplay between cake and the relevant cultural and historical climates. Supplementing this timeline, cake’s identity and how it has changed over the centuries is discussed. The cake of 1780s America holds a much different meaning than the cake of the 21st century. Cake has now become …

National Dances Of The Nutcracker : A Study Of Racial, Cultural, And National Depictions In A Classical Ballet, Meredith Hunter-Mason

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Character development is a large component of ballet performance that is integrated into each rehearsal process leading up to the show. In this year’s production of The Nutcracker, I danced the role of Chinese Soloist. As I began my character development, I asked myself, “How does a Chinese girl dance?” When the question is asked about other roles, it is easy to respond; however, when the character is tied to a specific nationality it becomes much more difficult. Generalization and cultural misrepresentation become possible risks. Alastair Macaulay explains in his article Stereotypes in Toeshoes¸ “The ranks of ballet companies contain …

Overgrown, Tori C. Ovel

Graduate Thesis Collection

OVERGROWN discusses the music elements found in the thesis composition of the same name.

OVERGROWN was written for soprano solo, flute, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, trombone, vibraphone, percussion, cello and double bass. The text was written by Matthew Raymond Smith.

On The Presence Of Christ, William A. Peacock

Graduate Thesis Collection

On the Presence of Christ is a musical work for septet (three strings, three winds, percussion) exploring Christ’s presence throughout all time as described in Scripture, wherein the individual movements are thematically grounded and arranged from ancient past to coming future. “In the Beginning” is based on Genesis 1:1-2 and John 1:1-5; “At the Throne” is based on Revelation 4:2-11; and “With His Saints Forever” is based in Revelation 21:1-5a and 22-23. I use these chosen Scriptures to guide my musical exploration, allowing my reflections and perspectives on them to give this music its substance and form My hope is …

Anxiously Awaiting: A Novella, Alexander Bartlow

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Throughout my childhood and secondary education growing up in rural Indiana, I found that, in a town of less than 2,000 people, mental illness and teenage suicide were all too common. Upon researching the sad state of mental healthcare in rural America, I felt obliged to bring light in my Honors thesis to the overlooked and under-treated thoughts that plague the minds of adolescents experiencing depression, anxiety, and suicidal contemplation. In this fiction novella, I follow the life of Lincoln Phillips, a 14-year-old boy who lives with anxiety in an unchanging, inescapable town that stigmatizes mental illness. He experiences the …

Abhiṣiktānanda: A Reception History1, Enrico Beltramini

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

In this article, I present an evaluation of the scholarly reception history of Abhiṣiktānanda. I argue for an identifiable threefold division in Abhiṣiktānanda scholarship: the earliest biographies and appraisals focused on his ‘spiritual search;’ a second wave of scholarship stressed Abhiṣiktānanda’s role as a pioneer in the interreligious dialogue; and, most recently, a third ‘turn’ has emerged in which a generation of scholars are concentrating on ‘internal’ Christian doctrinal critiques of Abhiṣiktānanda’s theology. I also suggest that today’s escapable and perplexing Abhiṣiktānanda is not necessarily the same Abhiṣiktānanda who inspired scholars in the past.

Volume 31, Full Contents, Jhcs Staff

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Hypnotic White Silk Skylights, Anthony Borruso

Graduate Thesis Collection

A poetic examination of the self as well as cycles of trauma and recovery. This manuscript explores poetry's ability to transform one's experiences by re-engaging with them in the realm of the imagination.

And God Said..., Bryan Sanoshy

Graduate Thesis Collection

And God Said… is a modern interpretation of the well-known Biblical story about the creation of the world. Scriptures tell us that the entire world was formed in mere seven-day span. Each movement is very unique and specific to the corresponding day they represent.

The Story Of The Berlin Tunnel: What The Operations Narrative Teaches Us About Covert Conflict In An Ongoing Cold War, Jonathan Collier

Graduate Thesis Collection

Operation Gold (1953-56) was a collaborative covert operation between the American CIA and British SIS. The two major objectives: firstly, rebalance the state of affairs in covert activity, which the KGB had been dominating heading into the 1950s. Secondly, gain more detailed, valuable information on the state of Soviet forces throughout Europe and gain prior warning of possible information. The technological nature of the operation marks it as the beginning of a move away from traditional espionage. Understanding the narrative of Operation Gold establishes a firm foundation on which to address the development of covert activity into the modern day. …

Spectral Radiance, Coleman Rowlett

Graduate Thesis Collection

Spectral Radiance is a concerto for alto saxophone and chamber orchestra. In this paper, the influence of Franz Schreker's Kammersymphonie on Rowlett's compositional inspiration is discussed in detail. In addition, the various compositional elements that make up the work are explained. These include elements of form, motivic development, sharing themes between movements, and harmony. Rowlett's use of these compositional elements aims to create cohesion throughout the work as a whole. The paper acts as a guide, retracing the steps taken by the composer during the composition of the concerto.

Girl-Junk, Sugar-Funk, Natalie Tombasco

Graduate Thesis Collection

A poetic look into the life of a girl which centers around food, alcoholism, mommy issues, sexuality, identity and mortality.

Lake Pleasant, Ryan Blauvelt

Graduate Thesis Collection

Lake Pleasant, a work for wind ensemble, receives its title from the composer’s memories of visiting a cottage on a small lake that straddles the border of Indiana and Michigan. The primary influence of the piece derives from the howling sound produced by the echoes of traffic noise one hears while standing on the opposite side of the lake in the quiet of night. The recollection of this soundscape takes the musical form of nine clarinets spread throughout the audience accompanied by pairs of flutes, oboes, saxophones, trumpets, and a single piccolo. While the placement of performers in the audience …

This Is How You Burn Away, Taylor Lewandowski

Graduate Thesis Collection

A short story collection dealing with down and out types in rural Montana and Indiana.

The Soul Of Black Opera: W.E.B. Du Bois’S Veil And Double Consciousness In William Grant Still’S Blue Steel, Toiya Lister

Graduate Thesis Collection

In The Souls of Black Folk (1903), W.E.B. Du Bois theorized that black peoples were viewed behind a metaphorical “veil” that consisted of three interrelated aspects: the skin as an indication of African Americans’ difference from their white counterparts, white people’s lack of capacity to see African Americans as Americans, and African Americans’ lack of capacity to see themselves outside of the labels white America has given them. This, according to Du Bois, resulted in the gift and curse of “double consciousness,” the feeling that one’s identity is divided. As African Americans fought for socio-political equality, the reconciliation of these …

The God Of Love And The Love Of God: Thinking With Rāmānuja About Grace In Augustinian Christianity, Ankur Barua

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

‘moments’ of the Lord’s gracious help offered to the devotee and also the active response of the devotee; second, to indicate the contours of an Augustinian Christian resolution of this theological paradox; and third, to offer some reflections on what Christian theologians could learn through an engagement with Rāmānuja’s understanding of the divine presence. As we will see, the doctrine of production of the world and the doctrine of divine favour are mutually interrelated across Vaiṣṇava Hindu and Augustinian universes. For the later Augustine (411–430 CE), the key theological note is the utter incapability of human beings, who have a …

Why Rāmānuja? Some Reflections On Christian-Vaiṣṇava Comparative Theology, Gopal Gupta

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

This paper examines the very idea of developing a Christian-Hindu comparative theology by focusing on Rāmānuja in particular. The paper begins by reflecting on some possible reasons--social, political, theological and philosophical—that Rāmānuja, instead of Madhva and other Vaiṣṇavas, has held, and continues to hold, such a central place in Christian-Vaiṣṇava comparative work. It then compares the Thomist doctrine of creation ex-nihilo with the theologies of Rāmānuja, Madhva and Jīva Goswami to illustrate that engaging with multiple Vaiṣṇava voices can enrich and expand the Christian-Rāmānuja comparative discourse.

Rudolf Otto’S Encounter With Rāmānuja As A Model For Comparative Theology, Hugh Nicholson

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Among his more noteworthy achievements, Rudolf Otto introduced Vaiṣṇava theism, Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭādvaita in particular, to a broader theological audience. In this paper, I argue that despite the well-known shortcomings of Otto’s comparative work, in particular, his tendency to essentialize the compared traditions and his presumption of Christian superiority, Otto’s encounter with Rāmānuja and Vaiṣṇavism nevertheless anticipates some of the characteristic features of the contemporary practice of Comparative Theology. The article describes how Otto’s work on Vaiṣṇavism exemplifies two such features of the new Comparative Theology in particular. The first of these is this discipline’s concern with problematizing the often invidious …

Getting Real With Advaita Vedānta: Receiving Bradley J. Malkovsky’S Gifts Of Grace, Reid B. Locklin

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Viewpoint: Rethinking My Religion, Bradley Malkovsky

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Act Properly: Rāmānuja And Luther On Works, Rakesh Peter Dass

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

2017 offered a reason to celebrate and compare two great theologians. In April 2017, Hindus celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Śri Rāmānujācārya. In October, Christians celebrated the 500th anniversary of Luther’s reformation. The occasion to compare was also an opportunity to show that the ideas of Rāmānuja and Luther converge in certain ways. This paper explains that Rāmānuja’s teachings on proper acts prefigure Luther’s commentary on good works. This echo is threefold in nature. First, the idea of merit or reward-inspired actions preoccupied and shaped their respective theologies. Second, their teachings on merit reflect a shared interest in placing the …

Rāmānuja At 1000: The Heritage And Promise Of The Study Of Rāmānuja In A Christian-Hindu Comparative Theology, Francis X. Clooney S.J.

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

This brief essay is a response to the essays collected in this issue of the journal, based on the 2017 AAR panel honoring Rāmānuja at his 1000th birth anniversary. The response highlights key features of each essay as giving us insights into the theology of Rāmānuja and his place in the Western study of Hinduism. The response ends with some reflections on the future of Rāmānuja studies, suggesting the agenda before the next generations of scholars.

Book Review: Teaching Interreligious Encounters, Stephanie Corigliano

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Book review of Teaching Interreligious Encounters. Edited by Marc A. Pugliese and Alexander Y. Hwang. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017, 368 pages.