Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Restorationland: The Lost And Found Objects Of Atlanta's Doll's Head Trail, Thomas Fish

Faculty Articles

The Doll’s Head Trail is a grassroots, low-art installation nestled within a Southeast Atlanta wildlife preserve. Constructed by volunteers and visitors from decades of environmental debris, the trail converts waste into folk art-inspired “junk” displays. The creative upcycling ranges from a miniscule shrine to “Toxic Masculinity” to a stark shoe pile commemorating child gun violence. This article details how queer theory’s “temporal turn” provides insights into material performance as collaborative regeneration. The curious vignettes playfully invert hierarchies, revealing the merits of small-time memorialization. Through these defiantly unofficial grassroot performances, the Doll’s Head Trail both remembers and restores community ruins, demonstrating …

Reimagining Academic Assessment In The Age Of Ai, Matthew Hammerton

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In ‘Reimagining Academic Assessment in the Age of AI’, Matthew Hammerton examines the challenges and opportunities posed by generative AI for higher education assessment. He critiques common responses like banning AI, reverting to in-class exams, or abandoning essays altogether, arguing that they fail to preserve the deeper pedagogical goals of higher order, independent thinking. Instead, Hammerton proposes a guiding principle of intellectual responsibility: students should be accountable for explaining and defending each major choice in their work—regardless of whether they use AI tools. To operationalise this, he advocates for reintegrating oral examinations (‘vivas’) alongside written essays. In this model, students …

Historical Research And Conservation Treatment Of An Oversized 19th-Century Subscription Family Bible, Charlotte Starnes

Art Conservation Master's Projects

This paper briefly examines the construction, materials, and conservation challenges of 19th-century subscription Bibles, focusing on the treatment of an 1885 Thomas Kelly Latin Vulgate Family Bible. These large-format, heavily decorated volumes represent the unique intersection of industrialized book production and traditional hand-binding techniques. Through the visual comparison of multiple subscription Bible structures and canvasser’s sample books, historical research, and survey responses from conservators, this project identifies key structural features, including hybrid board attachment methods, varied sewing techniques, and the sculpted two-board coverboard structure. X-radiography, microscopy, and preliminary XRF analysis provide further insights into material choices, such as the use …

Shaping Youth Ministry: Exploring Influences On Youth Pastors’ Approaches To Programme Design, Timothy A. Mullen, Trudi Cooper

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The literature on youth ministry practices is mostly anecdotal, and empirical research into the practices, goals, and meanings of youth ministry to youth pastors is rare, especially in Australia. In this study, 20 youth pastors in Perth, Western Australia, were interviewed about their goals, priorities, practices, training, and what influenced them. This study forms part of a larger doctoral research project. The interview data were analysed utilising a phenomenological approach, drawing upon Goffman’s framing analysis to examine the link between ‘meaning making’ and explicit and tacit motivations for youth ministry practice. The research found that youth pastors were most often …

Christian Character Formation In A Culture Of Anger, Rebecca Konyndyk Deyoung

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Anger is a hot topic, perhaps especially for Christians. We might concede that it’s OK to be angry sometimes—for example, when human rights are violated. It’s not right to be complacent or indifferent in the face of that kind of intentional injury! At the same time, we might be wary of justifying anger, given how many times we’ve been harmed—or seen others harmed— by people who get too angry. No one who has encountered Christians ranting on social media thinks we need more of that kind of witness.

What Are The Limits To Smart Innovation? The Digital Underground Initiative And New Frontiers Of “Smartness” In Singapore, Prerona Das, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This paper argues that the emergence of new frontiers of smart transformation, such as underground spaces, can pose significant challenges to the implementation of “smart” technological solutions. Exploring the case of Singapore’s Digital Underground initiative, we show that elements such as material complexity, co-ordination between stakeholders, and the availability of appropriate regulatory and administrative frameworks can problematize the implementation of subterranean smart initiatives. By considering multistake-holder perspectives on these “more-than-technological” factors, this paper offers lessons for urban planners, policymakers, and developers in cities around the world that are keen to leverage technology to unlock the potential of underground space.

The Red Dusk Coffee Shop: The Application Of Tension In The Cozy Fantasy Genre, Kelli M. Lynch

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the methods by which cozy fantasy writers apply literary tension within their works. Because they write within a genre that focuses on low stakes and high comfort, cozy fantasy writers must strike a balance between soothing the reader and keeping the reader interested in the narrative. The critical paper highlights several cozy fantasy writers and how they generate tension without compromising the genre-defining cozy essence. Finally, the thesis contains a complete cozy fantasy novella. The novella features Erik Juntunen, a coffee shop owner in the Keweenaw Peninsula who employs humans and figures …

Thomas And Samuel: A Tragedy Of Power: A Case Study, Julius Gunser Karnwie

Masters Theses

This thesis is a major requirement for completing the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program through Liberty University's Online Programs. In order to accomplish this enterprise, the student was required to conduct extensive research on relevant subjects in order to compile an Artist Statement, a Critical Paper, and the Annotated Bibliography, which appears at the end of this paper. This play is based on the student's personal experiences in a land torn by war and anarchy. Those experiences helped shape his understanding that people and nations can glean valuable lessons from the annals of history for carving better …

An Analysis Of Feminist Biblical Scholarship Through Case Studies In Judges, Erika Conner

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the rise and significance of feminist biblical scholarship, particularly as it engages the book of Judges. Feminist approaches to Scripture have often been criticized as politically motivated or ideologically biased, yet they also claim to offer corrective readings to centuries of male-dominated interpretation. This study situates feminist scholarship within its historical development and cultural context, beginning with the reconstruction of women’s societal, familial, religious, and agricultural roles in ancient Israel. Building on this foundation, it undertakes a comparative analysis of three key figures in Judges, Deborah, Jael, and the unnamed Woman of Thebez, first through traditional interpretations …

Redesigning Responsibility: Closing The Knowledge Gap In Sustainable Design, Kaitlyn Faith Funk

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the gap between awareness and application of sustainable practices in the graphic design industry. While sustainability has become a widely discussed topic, designers often lack accessible, practical tools to integrate it into their work. Through a combination of research, case studies, and design thinking methodologies, this project develops a comprehensive educational toolkit and accompanying campaign, ReDesigning Responsibility, that equips designers, educators, and students to make informed, environmentally responsible choices in both print and digital media. The deliverables include a printed reference guide, an interactive microsite, and a branded campaign, all aimed at fostering sustainability as a core …

Spiritual Dialogue Alchemy: Renewing The Mind Through Screenwriting, Cynthia Elaine Jeffress

Masters Theses

Emotional Entanglement is a romance drama adaptation that delves into the craft element of emotional dialogue alchemy in film adaptation. This approach, grounded in a rigorous, qualitative research-based methodology, aims to transform a novella into a cinematic language that is suitable for the visual and auditory experience of film, while preserving the essence of the original author's voice and intent. The screenplay explores themes of friendship, divorce, forgiveness, second chances, and redemption, inviting the audience to reflect on their spiritual journey. This thesis compiles an artistic statement that clarifies the writer's nature, purpose, process, and the vision of specific works …

The Path Of Preparation: Engaging The Spirit’S Work In Your Soul To Be Ready For The Life God Has For You, Janelle Koontz

Masters Theses

Spiritual preparation is the ongoing act of engaging faith and life in a way that helps a follower of Jesus become more aware of what God is doing in his or her life. With a developed sense of how God is moving, followers of Jesus are able to engage surprises, both positive and negative, in a grounded way. This grounding is rooted in the knowledge that God is with them and that He has been working from before time and through their lives to get them ready for these moments. A biblical understanding of preparation based on word studies and …

Multi-Genre Storytelling: Creating An Eclectic Screenplay, Jason Daniel Faull

Masters Theses

Eclectic storytelling can encompass multiple genres. An attempt to combine the storytelling elements and genres of prequel, sequel, metafiction, and historical fiction into one story occurs in the screenplay The Legend of Eglantine Price. This screenplay is an attempt to combine successful storytelling genres to continue the story about the character Eglantine Price, created first by Mary Norton in her publication of The Magic Bed-knob (1945), and later with Walt Disney’s film adaptation Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). The research provided demonstrates the possibility of successfully crafting each of these genres into one screenplay which pushes the story of Eglantine, a …

Celebrating Their Voices: The Recognition Of African American Female Songwriters In Worship Music, Robin D. Henderson

Masters Theses

The worship community has been profoundly shaped by the contributions of numerous songwriters, many of whom remain largely unknown despite the widespread impact of their music. While enjoyed by the congregation, songs performed during corporate worship services are very rarely credited to/known by the songwriter(s). Songs heard on the radio are known by and often credited to the artist and not the songwriter. This research study, “Celebrating Their Voices: The Recognition of African American Female Songwriters in Worship Music,” explores the influence of 20th-century African American female Gospel songwriters whose compositions have become integral to African American worship experiences yet …

Understanding The Ontological Argument Through Love: The Paradox Between Faith And Reason, Bill Goodson

Masters Theses

This thesis argues that while the ontological argument as presented by Saint Anselm of Canterbury offers a formal logical explanation for the existence of God, love is presented as the bridge that enables the skeptic and the believer to engage the argument from a relational and experiential perspective in joining faith and reason through God’s divine love. The paradox found therein is that love, being kind, generous, and caring, initially appears to be too soft for the hard truth and sheer facts of reason. The calling of the theologian is to expose the good news of his faith, and his …

Awake And Alive: An Investigation Into Content For A Music Course Incorporating The Sciences, Harrison Boraas

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative, instrumental case study was to identify the content for an interdisciplinary course about music and the brain that educates collegiate students about the benefits of lifelong music engagement. Despite increasing awareness of musical relevance to the human brain, many institutions of higher learning continue to teach music as its isolated area of study without connecting it to other fields that could benefit from incorporating it or vice versa. The sample size consisted of four to seven experts that were either community experts or Liberty University faculty in the fields of science, medicine, or music within …

Means Of Evangelization In The Catholic Church Through Music, Patrice Metcalf

Masters Theses

There are numerous resources for Catholic churches today to encourage a congregation’s full involvement in musical participation, but there is little guidance or information on how these practices help with evangelization. The evangelization process is essential to the healthy growth of the church on Earth and for the salvation of believers. Musical resources give an eclectic variety of music, all of which is methodically written by its composers. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many church choirs have struggled to return, with some churches abandoning the use of large choirs and opting for a single soloist to lead the congregation. This leads …

2025-2026 Performance Forum - August 29, 2025, Ziling Wang, Ian Lewis, Adolfo Ferrin Garcia Montañés, Nabil Hetman, Juan Diaz Quijano, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Patrick Hengstler, Kade Gordon, Dj Combs, Devin Foster

Performance Forum

No abstract provided.

Identifying Aspects Of Musical Diversity That Engender Multigenerational Worship In Select Baptist Churches: A Case Study, Megan Scruggs Hollifield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Multigenerational worship through the avenue of musical diversity in the Baptist church is the focus of this case study. This study aims to identify critical components of musical diversity, emphasizing song selection as a key element of liturgy within corporate worship. The research undertakes an observational analysis of the relationship between musical diversity through liturgy and congregational engagement of all generations. Five Baptist churches were selected to be studied to categorize the similarities and differences in the area of multigenerational worship. The case study research model provided a variety of data collection methods through research observations, online questionaries and in-person …

A Chaplain-Specific Care Plan For Addressing Moral Injury And Promoting Holistic Well-Being In Nurses That Have Transitioned From Hospital Care To Hospice Care, Franklin Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project, “A Chaplain-Specific Care Plan for Addressing Moral Injury and Promoting Holistic Well-Being in Nurses That Have Transitioned from Hospital Care to Hospice Care,” addresses the lack of chaplain-led interventions for nurses suffering from moral injury. Many nurses who transitioned from hospital to hospice care reported ongoing moral residue from ethically distressing events in acute settings. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a spiritually grounded care plan, developed and facilitated by a board-certified chaplain, to address these moral wounds and promote holistic well-being among hospice nurses.

Twelve hospice nurses in West Tennessee participated …

The Christian Church’S Inclusion Of Children With Autism Who Experience Parental Incarceration: A Phenomenological Examination Of Christian Ministry Leaders’ Experiences, Julia Frances Vasquez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The United States has the highest incarceration rate worldwide. Parental incarceration increases children’s susceptibility to adverse childhood experiences and often results in the transmission of criminal behavior. Research on children of incarcerated parents and separate findings on the experiences of children with autism reveal that these children endure bitter societal stigma, even within the church. Stigma toward disability erects barriers to much-needed spiritual support. There is a gap in the literature concerning Christian outreach and spiritual community support for children with autism who experience parental incarceration. Understanding effective ministry support for these dually marginalized children and the barriers preventing access …

Where Is God In Times Of Order And Disorder: A Practical Approach To Life Events With God, Chinedu Festus Onuigbo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to uncover what six next-generation females in Colorado, USA, encompassing high school through post-college, have experienced as they answer the question, "Where is God in times of order and disorder." Next generation refers to persons currently 25 years and younger. Pew Research (2019) reports, next-generation demographic during the transition from adolescence to adulthood may undergo one or more of the following: fall away from faith, question the existence of God, depression, and identity crisis. This researcher using phenomenology explored his Study Concept, a practical approach to experiencing life events with God using threefold biblical …

Motivation And Retention In Music Education: A Phenomenological Study On Socioeconomic Status Impact, Bracy C. Martin Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The retention of middle and high school students in music education programs remains a persistent concern, particularly when disparities in motivation are shaped by socioeconomic status (SES). This hermeneutic phenomenological study investigated how intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors such as funding, parental involvement, off-campus performance opportunities, and student engagement are influenced by SES and how these influences affect student retention in school music programs. Grounded in Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory and Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, the study examined how motivation and SES intersect to either support or hinder student persistence in music education.

Eight music educators from urban, suburban, and …

The Impact Of Modeling Music Literacy After English Literacy On Elementary Students’ Music Reading Abilities, Madeline Ann Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although numerous studies have been conducted to determine music’s ability to improve student achievement in other content areas, integrating general education pedagogy practices for the purpose of enhancing music education has not received the same attention. Music and language share one of the strongest and most recognizable connections, yet parallels drawn between music and language do not typically extend to the pedagogy used to teach music literacy acquisition and application. This applied research study compared the music literacy abilities of students instructed using traditional music literacy practices to those instructed using techniques modeled after English literacy practices. To determine the …

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study On Perceptions Of Pregnancy Bias And Career Advancement In Music Education, Chelsa N. Keathley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological research followed the perspectives of thirteen music educators across eleven states. The participants included five female secondary band directors, six male secondary band directors, one retired female secondary band director, and one male secondary administrator, along with the personal experiences of six mothers who currently serve as band directors in secondary music education. This study explored perceptions of gender bias within the field, focusing on issues such as the underrepresentation of women in secondary music education, negative societal perceptions regarding women in leadership positions, and the presence of a negative workplace culture. These factors were explored …

The Significance Of Cavalry In The American Civil War In Deciding Victory And Defeat, Specifically In The Western And Trans-Mississippi Theaters Of The War., Tony R. Malone Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research examines how effective cavalry was in the American Civil War, and the ultimate decision in victory and defeat. To answer this question, one must first investigate the origin of the American cavalry from its foundation in the American Revolution and trace it to the beginning of the American Civil War; this brings the reader to several sub-questions that help answer the main question. Why was Confederate cavalry dominating early in the war, and why did Union cavalry ultimately gain parity and superiority over its Confederate counterparts?

The readers will start with a solid look into the history of …

Elementary Seeds Of The Creation-Order Theodicy In The Early Christian Apologists, Lori A. Peters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem of evil and suffering is a significant obstacle for people to consider the truth of Christianity. One way to eliminate this barrier is to provide a theologically sound and biblically accurate theodicy. The Creation-Order Theodicy is one such attempt. The purpose of this paper is to examine if the elements of the Creation-Order Theodicy have their roots in the early teachings of the church through the writings of the early Christian apologists through AD 250. Chapter 1 includes the nature of the problem, a review of existing literature, and the research methodology. Chapter 2 will summarize various modern …

The Columbus Civil Rights Movement: Dr. Brewer, The Naacp, And Direct Action, Laura Beth Irvin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Civil Rights Movement in Columbus, Georgia, began in the early 1900s. Historians have typically excluded Columbus from discussions of impactful or powerful movements that created radical changes, but Columbus made sweeping changes to the Civil Rights Movement. African Americans in Columbus took advantage of direct-action protests, and the local NAACP transformed the white Democratic primary in Columbus, improved the living environments of black citizens, and authorized the hiring of black citizens as black police officers. It was a movement poised to confront the segregated school system during the passage of Brown v. Board in 1954 until the death of …

Centralizing Discipleship Through Small Groups, Roger O. Nelmes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Centralizing Discipleship through Small Groups explores how intentional leadership development and relational disciple-making practices can reframe a megachurch’s approach to spiritual formation. Conducted at Hope City, a dynamic, urban, multisite nondenominational congregation, this mixed-methods action research integrates qualitative interviews, quantitative Likert scale surveys, and a focus group to evaluate the effectiveness of a holistic discipleship framework. Key interventions included a Group Leader Intensive Training (LIT), the implementation of Rooted small groups, and the launch of Intentional Relational Discipleship (IRD) groups, all designed to shift the church’s culture from attractional programming to a missional, relational ethos. Data revealed that small groups, …

How Personality Type Can Inform Strategic Discipleship, Jonathan Andrew Cline Ii

Masters Theses

Despite many Americans growing up in the church, there is a wide disparity gap in how many of those Christians are heading down a path of greater intimacy with God. Rather than this gap being a result of lackluster desire for something more, research shows that the disconnect stems from a lack of understanding in how to connect with God beyond the theories and philosophies individuals have acquired in church. Churches and discipleship programs, therefore, should consider developing strategies for spiritual development informed by the range of personality types based on Jung’s psychological types. Each person has a God-given way …