Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Beyond All Worlds: George Macdonald, The Pre-Tolkienians, And The Forgotten Possibilities Of Fantasy, Ethan Patrick Stevens

Masters Theses

The history of modern fantasy has been powerfully shaped by the worldbuilding paradigm so successfully executed in J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954-55 trilogy The Lord of the Rings. However, there were nearly a hundred and fifty years of creative work between the birth of fantasy as a genre and Tolkien’s publication of The Lord of the Rings. By examining the pre-Tolkienian fantasists, we find that Tolkien's way of exhaustive consistency was not, and is not, the only way to write fantasy. Phantastes (1858), the first novel by the influential Victorian fantasist George MacDonald, defies contemporary worldbuilding standards almost constantly in …

“The Ugly Truth”: Examining War Trauma And Therapeutic Storytelling Through The Works Of Tim O’Brien, Meredith Ivy Fedewa

Masters Theses

Within this work, a close study on the relationship between trauma and storytelling is examined through three of Tim O’Brien’s works: The Things They Carried, Going After Cacciato, and In the Lake of the Woods. Through the application of psychoanalysis, specifically the work of Jacques Lacan, and modern trauma theory, the relationship between individual identity and the traumatizing encounter of the Real is examined through O’Brien’s concepts of Story Truth versus Happening Truth, as well as how those concepts work together to navigate one’s trauma story. Through weaving the aforementioned theory with each text, O’Brien is seen …

Kiss/Caress, Laurie Green

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

Like many aspects of self, my sexuality remained under wraps for the first three decades of my life. I felt desexualised in my body, unaware of my autism but deeply aware of my alienation and social position. Unable to find a sexual reflection in popular culture and bombarded with tropes of toxic masculinity I turned my sexual desires inwards. Only with my closest confidant, my partner, did any semblance of sexuality emerge, mediated by images and symbols imbibed as a teenager. My deep desire for connection that extended into sexuality felt ossified and unaired—kept in an air-sealed wrapper, like a …

Everything’S Gonna Be Kinda Queer: Autistic Gender & Sexuality In Everything’S Gonna Be Okay, Jinx Mylo

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This paper analyzes the representations of autistic characters in the television show Everything’s Gonna Be Okay in relation to gender and sexuality. In contrast to previous screen representations, the four autistic characters provide a variety of gender expressions and sexual orientations, challenging the stereotypes that perpetuate the idea of autism being limited to heterosexual men. Issues explored include attitudes toward autistic sexual consent and agency, sexual experimentation, and the impacts of communication norms on romantic relationships.

Theorizing Autistic Sexualities As Collective Poetic Experiences, Anna Nygren, Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This article is a palimpsest emerging as part of a project of collective autoethnographic writing on the theme of sexuality. It draws on the intensification of friendly writing, friendly as in friends with benefits. We write as autistic and neuroqueer subjects, writing until our textualities becomes sexualities. We write until the text becomes a room – call it Earth or call it Body, call it Brain or call it Heart – in which one could crack meanings―but these are not the most important ones. Instead of meanings and positions, we want to write about movements in time. The time it …

Frances Perkins And The Women Reformers Behind The New Deal, Judy D. Whipps

Other Faculty Publications

Frances Perkins, the first female Cabinet member, was the creative force behind most New Deal legislation. She was responsible for Social Security and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. These bills instituted federal policies that had been the focus of women social reformers starting in the 1890s. The forty-year struggle for the abolition of child labor, labor safety standards, minimum wage, and eight-hour workdays had been led by current and former Hull House residents, such as Jane Addams and Florence Kelley. Perkins was a former Hull House resident and was mentored and supported by Kelley and a network of …

Religious Syncretism In Spanish Latin America: Survival, Power, And Resistance, Ian Mcguckin

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

This paper explores the theory of religious syncretism and its application within early modern Latin America. It proposes a new model for understanding religious syncretism in order to eliminate the previous bias in the scholarship and misconceptions inherent in the term and seeks to discover why cultures chose specific religious elements over their counterparts in syncretic scenarios. Reviewing primary and secondary sources analyzing the religious characteristics and atmosphere of this period revealed that there was a pattern to syncretism and religious selection in Spanish Latin America. Europeans, Indigenous Peoples, and Africans in the New World selected religious elements based on …

The Integration Of Performance Practice And Stylistic Understanding In The Realization Of Schubert's Sonata D. 845, I. Moderato, Becca Hanson

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

Franz Schubert’s Piano Sonata in A minor, D. 845 was written in 1825 and is considered to be one of his late works. The first movement shows Schubert’s mature and unique approach to Sonata Form while reflecting his song, dance, and orchestral writing styles. To develop an artistic and informed conception of this piece, a seasoned performer must have an approach that integrates numerous areas of music scholarship, including a stylistic comprehension of the music and its composer. One complication in interpreting this movement originates from the inconsistency between its original instrumentation—the fortepiano—and the most probable modern choice of instrumentation—the …

Grand Rapids Musical Life At The Turn Of The 20th Century: An Archival Study, Thomas J. Stutz

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

This project focuses on outlining the vibrant musical soundscape and traditions of Grand Rapids Michigan at the turn of the 20th century. At the forefront of this research is the contrast between men’s and women’s clubs at the time. Our analysis indicates that the foremost women’s club–the St. Cecilia’s Society–took a more nuanced and intellectual approach to musical programming and performance whereas their male counterparts were more focused on the social and public view of their club; this view is in line with the historical trend of women’s clubs holding a great deal of power in the arts at the …

Art 101: Introduction To Art Oer Curation, Erica L. Schiller

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course ART 101: Introduction to Art.

Mus 100: Introduction To Music Literature Oer Curation, Erica L. Schiller

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course MUS 100: Introduction to Music Literature.

Journeying Toward Liberation: Creating Civic Utopias Through Restorative Literacies, Rae L. Oviatt, Megan Mcelwee, Owen Farney

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

In this article, we forward three narratives from educators whose lived experiences moving from underrepresented youth to queer educators support the necessity of furthering representation for historically marginalized youth across classroom spaces. We begin with situating our argument in response to current policies that would seek to silence historically marginalized voices, histories, literacies, and thereby inhibit a more just social and civic future. Our narratives provide three varied perspectives of lived experiences as youth moving toward our current status as queer educators. Finally, we seek to call in other educators to engage advocacy and resources to support this work in …

The Sun Child And The Moon Child, Mateo Izan Luna

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

No abstract provided.

Don’T Be Like Me: A Letter To My Daughters, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

It is often stated that parenting is "the toughest job you'll ever love." And it certainly doesn't come with an instruction manual. However, though we will falter, because of our love for our children, most of us learn a lot on the journey. This growth helps us to develop the skills and understanding needed, as parents, to be able to effectively guide, support, and nurture our children. Such knowledge, though beneficial for all families, is critical within neurodiverse households.

So what do you do when you just don't have it? What do you do when you have as much (if …

It’S Not Autism. It’S Your Parenting. An Autoethnographic Exploration Of The Relationships Between Professionals And Parents Of An Autistic Child In The Uk, Barbara Mitra Dr

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This paper is based on my own child who was diagnosed with Autism (aged 7 years and Autism and PDA aged 11). Using autoethnography, drawing on my own diaries, records and journals that I kept throughout this process, I document how our parenting was continually questioned and considered to be ineffective. This was the case even when our child had received his first diagnosis of autism. The extra stress and trauma that such continual questioning had impacted not only on us as parents, but also on our child with worsening behaviour. It seems that professionals continually questioned parenting styles, rather …

An Analysis Of Self-Published Novels By Autistic Authors As A Form Of Advocacy, Jennifer J. Nelson

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

The Autistic Representation Database (ARD) indexes nearly 1,000 works of fiction, auto-biographical non-fiction, film, and television that feature autistic representations. Robert Rozema and I created the ARD with the purpose of compiling all works of art with autistic representation in one place. In my work on the ARD, I recognized a key pattern: a higher ratio of autistic authors are self-published in comparison to neurotypical authors writing about autism. Autistic authors may self-publish because of barriers in the traditional publishing industry; however, I assert it is because self-publishing allows them to portray autism how they desire. In this way, autistic …

My Learning Circles, Archana Kadam

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This poem is written from the perspective of an autistic child who loves mathematical concepts. The poem attempts to explain his or her understanding of rules of social thinking.

Equity + Catalyst Framework Guide, Naomi M. Silas

Culminating Experience Projects

There has been a shift in society, in light of Covid-19 and the global pandemic, more people have begun to recognize the structural and institutional injustices that exist in this country. Social innovation allows collaboration between people from different sectors, disciplines, industries, and backgrounds; in order to create sustainable change to complex social issues. Design thinking is an iterative process used in business to create innovation and products; it’s also used for social impact.

The goal of the Equity + Catalyst Framework is to bridge concepts that include design thinking, and embodiment, as well as lived experiences and community care …

Hip-Hop And Black Queer Defiance, Elyssa Durham

Culminating Experience Projects

This project explores the ways in which critical race theory, the Black, queer experience, and Black masculinity impact hypermasculine and homophobic expression through hip-hop and how Lil Nas X defies gender expectations. Critical race theory, Black, queer experiences, and Black masculinity work cohesively to provide context to societal expectations of Black gender and the ways in which Black people have historically been oppressed. Queen Latifah and Da Brat signal their queerness through fashion and masculine rap and flow through their projects during the 90’s, despite a feminine, light-hearted expectation of female rappers at the time. They would influence queer boundaries …

Fre 316: Advanced French Grammar Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course FRE 316: Advanced French Grammar, assembled by request from the instructor.

Phi 102: Ethics Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course PHI 102: Ethics OER Curation.

Spa 102: Elementary Spanish Ii Language And Culture Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course SPA 102: Elementary Spanish II Language and Culture, assembled by request from the instructor.

Wgs/Aaa 343: Black Feminist Thought Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course WGS/AAA 343: Black Feminist Thought, assembled by request from the instructor.

Wgs 200: Introduction To Gender Studies Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course WGS 200: Introduction to Gender Studies, assembled by request from the instructor.

Creating A Generalized Michigan School Constitution, Kurstin K. Frank

Honors Projects

Educational theories in the past have attempted to define, arrange, and design education to benefit society, institutions, and students of all ages. The conversations surrounding those educational theories, however, have consistently neglected to include those that the structures, policies, and purpose of education will benefit the most: the students. This research project was devised to include student voice within the conversations surrounding educational theories through the construction of a Generalized Michigan School Constitution. By delving into those theories of education, the researcher was able to dissect the five most common theories and beliefs within education to be able to decipher …

Grand Valley Magazine, Vol. 21, No 4, Spring 2022, Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley Magazine

Grand Valley Magazine is a quarterly publication about Grand Valley State University produced by University Communications since 2001.

The Girl In The Yellow Dress, Lauren Julia Thibault

Honors Projects

In Fall 2021, I studied abroad in Rome, Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. During my four months, I had the opportunity to travel not only throughout Italy, but around Europe as well. In this guide, I lay out every trip I took and wrote tips and tricks for each area I went to. I go through overall points to keep in mind when traveling through Italy and Europe, what to eat, where to stay, what activities you should (and maybe shouldn't) do, and a little bit of history of what I'm talking about. I also list all of the apps …

From Aristotle To Wunderkammer: The Development Of Entomology And Insect Collections, Erica E. Fischer

Grand Valley Journal of History

This paper analyzes the development of insect classification and the shift from the realm of the amateur naturalist to professional scientific pursuit. While earlier historians of science have explored the field of entomology in specific eras, this paper explores continuity and change in the study of insects and natural history collections from the ancient world to the 20^th century. Period entomology texts, modern entomology and history of science journals, entomological displays and preserved specimens, and histories of entomology reveal that, though entomology developed as a private pursuit for the wealthy, it came to represent an ideal starting place for …

Race Before Nation: African American Activists And Their Response To The War In Vietnam, Nicholas L. Busby

Grand Valley Journal of History

The escalation of America’s war in Vietnam coincided with the culmination of the long-fought civil rights movement. Most, if not all, Black leaders voiced opposition to the Vietnam War before the end of the 1960s. However, it was the racially disproportionate statistics in the military in the early years of the conflict to activists fracture within the movement. Regardless of when individual Black leaders spoke out, what they specifically spoke out against, and how radically they voiced opposition, Black leaders put race before nation when voicing an opinion on Vietnam.

Administration Versus Extermination: The Wehrmacht’S Initiatives Toward Executing The Final Solution Between The Eastern And Western Fronts, Charles J. Calcaterra

Grand Valley Journal of History

This article compares and contrasts the Wehrmacht’s execution of Adolf Hitler’s Final Solution to the Jewish Question between the Eastern and Western fronts of the Second World War. It seeks to answer the broader question of why regular Wehrmacht infantry contributed directly to the atrocities of the Eastern Front in Poland and Soviet Russia while the Western Front--France, Belgium, and the Netherlands--remained comparatively quiet, even under German occupation. This article’s thesis concludes that the war in the East was intended as a ‘war of extermination’ against world Jewry while the war in the West was more so an ‘administrative …