Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Litmus Initiative - Enabling Teachers To Recognize Domestic Human Trafficking, Bethany Hansen

Honors Theses

Every day, an estimated 100,000 residents of the United States are sold for sex. At least half of these victims are under the age of 18. Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) has tragically plagued the U.S. for decades and even centuries, but it has only come into the public spotlight within the last fifteen years. As a result, there are few widespread sources of information about DMST, and even fewer resources for victims and survivors. DMST is a branch of human trafficking, which the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines as “(A) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex …

Drag: The Herstory And Phenomenon, Avery Green

Honors Theses

My thesis project was spilt into three parts. The first part was gathering inspiration and experiencing drag shows. The second part was designing three different dresses for drag queens and showcasing them in the spring MODA fashion show. The final part was participating in Outspoken’s Drag Show as a drag queen. My goal for my thesis was to explore the world of drag and how I can use it to inspire my own creative endeavors.

The first part of my thesis was a ton of fun. In order to experience drag and gather inspiration for my own drag, I visited …

Excuse The Mess, But We Live Here: Roseanne In The Meme World, Meghann Holt

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Humility In The Proverbs, Jatniel Rodriguez

Honors Theses

This project utilizes thematic and exegetical methods to develop a practical definition of humility in Proverbs that fits within the greatet framework of the book. four verses in Proverbs explicitly use words translated 'humility' in English (11:2; 15:3; 18:12; 22:4). The literary and theological connections between the Hebrew words in these four verses and the same Hebrew words in the rest of the Old Testament indicate that humility is multifaceted, consisting of both internal and external characteristics. The three themes demonstrated by humility include: an attitude of the heart, a physical state of affliction, and the lasting outcomes of humility.

A Four Year Moment, Hannah Truckenbrod

Honors Theses

A senior recital can prove to be a daunting task, due to the overwhelming and irrational feeling that it must perfectly represent oneself as their fullest and truest artistic selves. I wanted to explore how I could balance this need for personal representation while simultaneously keeping a level head about professionally producing a recital and preserving my physical and mental health and wellness in the process. The first thing I set out to do when beginning this capstone project was figuring out what was important to me about music, and the study of music. It was imperative that I represent …

Iago As Moral Other In Jonathan Munby's Production Of Othello (2016), Emma Magbanua

Honors Theses

Jonathan Munby produced a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre in Spring of 2016. While continuing to utilize Shakespeare's language, Munby modernized Othello through the use of contemporary military costumes, props, accents, music, and dance. Munby did not limit his adaptation to solely visual and auditory aspects of Othello, but also took the liberty of contemporizing the principle of "otherness" in the play. This research explores the identification of Munby's character as Iago as "Moral Other," whose actions lead to the fall of his wife, Emilia, a fellow officer, Roderigo, Desdemona, and the protagonist, Othello.

Creating A Textile Museum Exhibit: Conservation And Accessibility, Kelly M. Lorenz

Honors Theses

This twofold study engages a collection of early-to-mid-20th century Levantine textiles held by the Institute of Archaeology and Siegfried H. Horn Museum. The first part of the study involves identifying the risks of physical deterioration posed to the collection and then providing a proposal for the storage and display of these artifacts. Keeping the museum's means in mind, the storage plan emphasizes preventive conservation, focusing on minimizing risks wherever possible to keep damage from happening in the first place. The second part provides written interpretive material for the display that informs visitors of the textiles' geographic, physical, and cultural origins.

For The Ones Who Come After You, It Will Be Easier: An Exploration And Analysis Of Eugenics In The Reproductive Dystopian Genre, Morgan Manning

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Business And Plurilingualism: The Advantage Of A Foreign Language, Anabelis E. Martinez

Honors Theses

Nowadays, global economy has implications that suggest the need for an adaptation to operate efficiently in this new environment. Is bilingualism a skill that professionals should be acquiring? To investigate this aspect, I am researching how many online job postings come out over the course of a week asking for language proficiency across three different business specialties (Accounting, Management and Marketing). My project will answer the following questions: How often do job openings require bilingualism within the sample? Which states have a higher demand for bilingual candidates? And which languages are the most sought after?

"But A Woman Who Fears The Lord Is To Be Praised": A Practical Vision In Proverbs 31, Ye Jin Jeon

Honors Theses

Proverbs begins with an exposition on what the "fear of the Lord" entails and ends with the description of the woman of noble character who fears the Lord (Prov. 31:30). Since few scholars have considered the woman of Prov. 31 in connection to the "fear of the Lord." this project overviews aspects of the "fear of the Lord" in the Old Testament, including all specific verses contacting the phrase, and examines the significance of their connections with Prov. 31. The contributions of this study include theological and practical implications of what it means to live a life fearing the Lord.

An Evaluation Of Footwashing As Practiced By The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Hadid J. Cortez

Honors Theses

My goal in conducting this honors thesis is to find the biblical, theological, and historical reasons for why Seventh-day Adventists perform footwashing and the Lord's Supper in the same ceremony. A more thorough analysis of the scriptural texts depicting footwashing and the Lord's Supper could help us discern whether there is a strong thematic connection that justifies their joining into one ceremony. Additionally, research into the origins of the practice of footwashing within the Early Christian Church and the Early Seventh-day Adventist Church will help us discern whether the way that the Seventh-day Adventist Church performs communion is based on …

In The House Of God: Divine Authority And The Collectivity Of Spiritual Experience In George Herbert's The Temple And Ralph Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs, Nicole M. Hwang

Honors Theses

George Herbert's collection of poems, The Temple (1633), portrays a reciprocal relationship between the human and divine, suggesting that humans are to house the glory of God and abide in Him. He seeks to portray the soul's internal architecture, with an allusion to the human heart as God's dwelling place. He uses his poetry to explore this relationship to a coexisting God, and through the framework of human-as-temple, the theme of habitation becomes prominent in his work. In "Love (III)" from The Temple, Herbert illustrates this, showing that just as God dwells in our hearts, we also receive sustenance and …

“Thy Kingdom Come”: Catholicism And The Nueva Canción, 1966-1982, Elizabeth Turnwald

Honors Theses

Within Latin America’s tumultuous political atmosphere during the 1960s through the 1980s, a grassroots musical genre called the Nueva Canción emerged. Meaning “new song,” it sought to unify the poor and marginalized through a combination of folk influences, indigenous musical styles, and politically-charged lyrics. Although they achieved similar commercial success to U.S. contemporaries such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and Joan Baez, the folkloristas [folksingers] of the Nueva Canción often incorporated references to and elements of Catholic liturgical practice. Considering the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and the advent of a Latin American Liberation Theology, the time was ripe …

When Necessary Is Not Enough: A Study In The Effectiveness Of U.S. Military Force To Combat Terrorism In The Middle East, Lora Christine Vonderhaar

Honors Theses

This thesis will examine the relationship between the number and size of U.S. military bases in the Middle East and instances of terrorism in the same region. It seeks to analyze the complex set of impacts that U.S. military presence has on the area and determine if U.S. presence is overall more helpful or harmful to the situation on the ground. While size and number of U.S. bases is not a perfect measure of U.S. presence, it is a fair representation and a useful empirical starting point. This thesis will focus specifically on terrorism as a non-state actor and not …

The Stigma Of Homelessness As An Identity: Homelessness As A Gendered Condition, Jamie Vieson

Honors Theses

The main goal of my thesis is to articulate the problem of homelessness. In order to do this, I examine philosopher Eva Kittay’s work on disability and equality. Throughout her work, Kittay uses the terms human interconnectedness, oppression and citizenship. These three terms serve as the major concepts I explore. Human interconnectedness highlights the links that humans share with one another as interdependent beings. Oppression is the term used to describe how certain individuals or groups in society are treated unequally or are rejected from society. Finally, exploration of citizenship shows the importance of identities in society and how they …

Murky Water, Fluid, And The Borderlands Of Language: An Exploration Of Toni Morrison’S Beloved, Julia K. Hall

Honors Theses

Centered on Toni Morrison's Beloved and her process of writing the novel, this thesis links the crossing of a river, the birthing of a child, and the creation of a text. By drawing upon theories of composition, motherhood, and genre theory, this exploration of Beloved balances discussion of writing process, genre, and textual analysis. Buttressed by a complimentary text, Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, the connection between creation of identity and body through the gestation period and birthing of a text is reflected in Morrison’s own process. The revolutionary splash Beloved made in the field of literary scholarship—and …

Evidence In Online Political Discourse: How Everyday Citizens Argue About Politics On Social Media, Diane Leverich

Honors Theses

This thesis project examines evidence use and participatory dynamics in political conversations on the social networking site Reddit.com. Reddit.com is a network of user-created, interest-based forums in which users, or Redditors, engage in discourse with others about any topic of their interest. I selected the politically-motivated forum, or subreddit, r/PoliticalDiscussion for examination and collected 1,000 of its most recent conversations, or threads, to compose a data corpus. I read, categorized, and analyzed these conversations in terms of how Redditors participated in the subreddit and how they incorporated evidence into their discussions of politics. Two rounds of qualitative data coding revealed …

Re-Painting The Lion: Female Transgression And Authorial Reincarnation In The Works Of Marie De France And Jane Austen, Katherine Rachel Mccaffery

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I argue that Marie de France and Jane Austen transgress social and gender norms in their writings and participate in a process of female authorial reincarnation; through using their voices, these female authors challenge the dominant patriarchal temporal narrative. In Chapter One I explore the Lais of Marie de France, focusing on her anonymity as an author and the implications of her stories as a rejection of the role of women in traditional chivalric romance. Chapter Two deals with Jane Austen’s life, specifically how little we really know about it, and the often overlooked, transgressive aspects of …

When Feminism Meets Hip-Hop, Kylie Thompson

Honors Theses

This paper was conceived from an interest to apply my understanding of race and gender to a genre I love: hip-hop. Hip-hop began as a socio-political genre and as a means of advocacy via its ability to mobilize listeners toward social change. As hip-hop became more popular, its recognizable features were taken and appropriated for mass production and consumption, applying economic pressure to severely obstruct its original purpose and function. Yet, hip-hop continues to lay claim to being an important artistic genre through artists’ innovative adaptation of form and the presence of deeper political critiques. While these social critiques have …

Reconceptualizing Space: Multisensory Rooms And The Immersive Art Experience, Melanie Zebrowski

Honors Theses

The modern human being lives in human built society, very much separated from the natural world. Often, the thoughts, ideas, and feelings that filter through from our built environments do more to disconnect us from ourselves and the present moment rather than help us feel centered in it. As an artist, I’ve set out to build a multisensory, immersive art installation with the intent to use this space as a way to connect more deeply to ourselves and our surroundings. This thesis is an exploration into the psychology of lived-in spaces as well as an experiment to see if installation …

Colonization To Globalization: French-Algerian Integration Analysis From Historical, Societal, And Economic Perspectives, Stephanie Soledad Rodriguez

Honors Theses

This cross-disciplinary research on French-Algerian relations is designed to expose the influence of historical, societal, and economic perspectives on the present and future of cultural and economic integration. Using a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze French-Algerian relations, this research comprehensively leverages seemingly unrelated factors that have impacted the transition of France-Algeria from European colonization to globalization. In this work, their colonial history and statistics on population, immigration, and employment are used to introduce the development of French-Algerian relations from 1830-2016. This research considers how French and Algerian government policies have shaped the development of societal factors by analyzing data on immigrant …

To “Converse With The Most Excellent Men”: Classical Education, Cultural Capital, And The Formation Of A Ruling Class In The Antebellum South, Katherine E. Aberle

Honors Theses

Caroline Winterer writes in The Culture of Classicism: Ancient Greece and Rome in Intellectual Life, 1780-1910that “Next to Christianity, the central intellectual project in American colleges before the nineteenth century was classicism.” Classics had been the heart of education among social elites in Europe and North America at least since the Renaissance, but the tradition would have particular importance in the American South. From such early planters as William Byrd II to such founding fathers as Jefferson and Madison, to planters at the end of the antebellum period, knowledge of classical languages and the history of classical antiquity was a …

A Written History Of The Western Michigan University Department Of Dance, Amy Russell

Honors Theses

This historical, introspective telling of the Western Michigan University’s Department of Dance examines its development in relation to dance in higher education and dance across the United States. An analysis of the development of dance at Western Michigan University in comparison to other universities and the dance field was conducted by studying professional influences in the field and evolving social, educational, and industry trends. Research from texts written by respected dance scholars was collected, and trade journals were consulted for information regarding current trends in the dance field. Archival research at the Western Michigan University Zhang Legacy Collections Center: Archives …

Lang And Law: Analyzing Representations Of Law, Justice, And Violence In The Films Of Fritz Lang, Dante Fresse

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the representations of Law, Justice, and Violence in the German and American films of Fritz Lang. Through an overview of legal and social unrest in Germany and courtroom drama, criminal conviction, mob violence, and police corruption in America, Lang challenges the legitimacy of Law and shows how it is subverted by outside forces. At other times, Lang shows Law working in collusion with criminal agencies or against the interests of the public. In doing this, Lang’s films present images of legal decay in the urban sphere, prompted by anxieties which come about through spatial alienation, city structure, …

Destruction, Reconstruction, And Remembrance: Exploring 'Memory' And 'Environment' Through Pennsylvania World War I Memorials In France, Amy Collins

Honors Theses

After examining the substantial efforts at land reclamation and environmental mitigation accompanying the State of Pennsylvania’s construction of memorials after World War I in France, I discovered a strong relationship between post-war memorialization and environmental mitigation in the areas in which the environmental consequences of WWI continue to affect humans and wildlife. My research illuminates how cultural impulses to build memorials that acknowledged the vast losses, acts of valor, and victories heavily influenced mitigation of France’s ecologically damaged Western Front. Many of France’s former battlefields, particularly in the devastated area known as the Red Zone, weren’t accessible to visitors before …

African-American Poetry, Music, And Politics, Tyler H. Macdonald

Honors Theses

The 2016 decision to award songwriter and musician Bob Dylan the Nobel Prize in Literature sparked a worldwide debate on the relationship between music and poetry and raised many questions about music’s place in literary canon. However, this debate is nothing new. Questions about the relationship between music and poetry have long been debated. Some scholars believe the two disciplines should be studied separately, while others prefer to consider the connections between the two.

My project begins with a question: if Bob Dylan’s songs can be considered poetry, what other forms of music might also be considered poetry? Rap implements …

“¿Qué Coño Es Esto?”: Exploración De Identidad De Género Y De Orientación Sexual En La Mucama De Omicunlé, Vianny C. Lugo Aracena

Honors Theses

La mucama de Omicunlé (2015) es una novela escrita por la autora dominicana Rita Indiana, que lidia con temas que son considerados tabúes dentro de la sociedad dominicana: sexualidad, identidad de género, y espiritualidad afrodescendiente. Indiana utiliza la espiritualidad afrodescendiente para facilitar la exploración de las respectivas identidades de género y de orientación sexual en los personajes principales, Acilde y Argenis. El utilizar la espiritualidad afrodescendiente también permite ver a la novela como un texto literario que utiliza el patakí, una narración que contiene conocimientos afrodescendientes, como elemento estructural principal. Los temas que normalmente caracterizan a los patakíes son abundantes …

When You Meet Me Again: A Novel, Jacob O. Hyatt

Honors Theses

This document is Part One of a novel. Join an unnamed central character and five other odd individuals on a journey through a near-future college landscape, where a virtual-reality sandbox world called "Daydreamz" provides people with the opportunity to do whatever they want in a fake landscape of their own creation. This freedom ultimately comes with a deadly cost...

Compositional Craft And Theory Across Tonal Languages, Liam Butchart

Honors Theses

This paper accompanies Liam Butchart's senior honors voice recital and his composition for the Colby Symphony Orchestra, Genevan Overture. The essay examines how form and cadence, two integral components of compositional craft, have been utilized by composers who either were included in the voice recital or were major influences on the composition. Specifically, the paper analyzes how different composers end their musical sentences similarly and differently through the lens of structurally-relevant cadences.

The Colby Community In World War I, Eleanor A. Hanson

Honors Theses

This thesis discusses the roles of members of the Colby community during World War I from 1914 until after the Armistice. It covers the roles of soldiers, students, and members of the home front, all somehow related to Colby College to discover how Colby and its community engaged with the war.