Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Story Of Everything, Mariana Romo-Carmona

Publications and Research

Story of Everything, by Mariana Romo-Carmona. Translated by Caragh Barry.

Original title: Cuento de todas las cosas.

“Kematz'ib' Para Gritar” Innovative Technologies In Revitalizing The Mayan Languages: Empowering Youth Through Poetry - A Narrative Study, Héctor De Jesús Palala Martínez

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation explores innovative approaches to preserving and revitalizing the linguistic and cultural heritage of Mayan-speaking youth of Guatemalan descent in rural Nebraska. It delves into the intersection of technology, artistic expression, and cultural practices, emphasizing the revitalization of Mayan languages in Abya Yala (the Americas), particularly emphasizing the Guatemalan and the Mayan diasporas in Nebraska.

The research investigates the roles of digital humanities, culture-based education, and poetic expressions in language preservation/revitalization efforts among Mayan youth and unaccompanied minors in transnational educational settings. Central to the study is an academic initiative for transnational Mayan high school students integrating poetry and …

Bad Plants, Heather I. Sullivan

Modern Languages and Literatures Faculty Research

“Bad plants” represent the seemingly unexpected and startling forms of plant power overlooked by many modern, industrialized societies that treat vegetal beings as mere resources instead of animate, world-shaping forces. Since science fiction and fairy tales often explore more openly animistic visions of non-human life, such texts provide ample possibilities for reconsideration by critical plant studies of our human-plant relations both cultural and ecological. For example, both Jack McDevitt’s 2001 science fiction novel, Deepsix, and Ludwig Tieck’s 1799 fairy tale, “Faithful Eckart and Tannhäuser”, feature “bad plants” that bring human beings violently back into the plant cycles they assume they …

A Word From The Writing Team (December 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publication Spotlight
• Enter the Annual Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize by December 31, 2024
• Sign up for the December 6th Writing Retreat (Online)
• Write that Baby in 9 Weeks
• The OPWPC Canvas Page offers helpful tools

The Show Must Go On: Leading Factors In The Burnout Of Stage Managers, Morgen E. Doyle

Honors College Theses

Stage managers are the key to making theatre move onstage and in the audience. To keep the show, we need to take care of our stage managers. Many have voiced concerns about burnout from their time in the stage management industry (McGraw 2024, 12). Burnout can be defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” and characterized by three main dimensions: “energy depletion and exhaustion; feelings of cynicism and increased mental distance related to the individual’s job; and reduced professional efficiency in the individual’s workplace” (World Health Organization 2019). In this …

Digital Synthesis And Music Making : A Comprovisational Approach To Music Making Through Digital Synthesis And Sound Manipulation, Joshua Cusack

Postgraduate

This exegesis documents my practice and process through the development and production of three albums of electronic music. Employing a methodology where the exploration of sound design drives the music making process. I used experimental music making approaches and “practice-led research” methodologies to make these creative works (Smith & Dean, 2009, p. 5). Through the exploration of the sound design process, I developed a methodology that enables the creation of musical material to serve as the foundation for the pieces I produced. Exploring iterative processes in music making, I employed a “Comprovisational” approach (Dale, 2008, p.5). Listening while recording, I …

Black Lives Still Matter: Freedom Schools As An Embodiment Of Critical Literacy Through Reflection And Action, Elena M. Venegas, Lakia M. Scott

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The continuation of racial inequities in the United States has ignited the recent Black Lives Matter Movement, a protest of police brutality and gun violence. Black lives matter in public school classrooms, too—where students of color face barriers to equitable educational experiences. The Children's Defense Fund Freedom School program is a major component in developing critical literacy skills through critique, inquiry, and transformation through social justice and action. Critical literacy is enacted through identity—mainly as difference, self, consciousness, narrative, and positionality. Historical and contemporary relevance of Freedom Schools connects to the urgency of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Review Of The Afternoon Of Christianity: The Courage To Change By Tomáš Halík, Ryan G. Duns

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

North Sinai Bedouin Veil From The May Weber Ethnographic Study Collection, Jupiter Beck

Department of Anthropology

This report is on a North Sinai Bedouin Veil/Burqa from the May Weber Ethnographic Study Collection. It details the materials, the methods of construction, the attribution, and the cultural significance of the veil/burqa.

Migration, Displacement, And The Performance Of Puerto Rican Identity In Chicago, Abigail Flores

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Recognition As Liberation Is An Illusion: Indigenous Sovereignty, Western-Liberal Frameworks, And Postcolonial Discourse, Jo Trasowech

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Machine Realism: The Collapse Of Bring Chicago Home And Chicago's Radical Black Politics | Poster, Joseph Aidan Tennant

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Redefining Religion: Challenging Eurocentric Narratives Through Conjure, Naomi Love

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Green Imperialism: The Hidden Costs Of A Green New Deal In The Global South. A Case Study Of The Democratic Republic Of Congo | Poster, Genevieve T. Muderhwa

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Machine Realism: The Collapse Of Bring Chicago Home And Chicago's Radical Black Politics, Joseph Aidan Tennant

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Art Of Resistance: Reclamation Through Art | Poster, Christina Sifri

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Recognition As Liberation Is An Illusion: Indigenous Sovereignty, Western-Liberal Frameworks, And Postcolonial Discourse | Poster, Jo Trasowech

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

Migration, Displacement, And The Performance Of Puerto Rican Identity In Chicago | Poster, Abigail Flores

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Disgust In Films: Disgust As An Aesthetically Appreciable Emotion That Enhances The Film’S Other Emotional Effects, Yunyi Zhu

Department of Philosophy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The goal of this paper is to address the questions: what is the role of disgust in films, or what makes people appreciate a film’s disgusting contents, given that disgust is unpleasant to experience? The films to which I am referring are audiovisual artworks, including both TV shows and movies, that arouse the emotion of disgust and typically have contents that are gory or gross, yet despite their disgusting contents, these films have as a primary goal to present a narrative or an experience rather than merely to disgust or disturb their audiences. This includes various genres of films, from …

Motivated By Hope: Why We Strive For The Improbable, Varkey K. Titus Jr.

Department of Philosophy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Some of the most rewarding actions we take in life are difficult. The outcomes of these actions are surrounded by uncertainty, and what relevant data is available indicates a high probability of failure. Current philosophical work proposes that hope can resolve the puzzle of how people can rationally choose to engage in difficult actions, but this work constrains hope’s motivational role to actions whose successful outcomes reside within the realm of an individual’s own agency. I expand the explanatory role of hope motivating action to include cases whose outcomes depend on some combination of factors internal and external to the …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 33. The Story In Evolution., Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) is best known for his independent formulation of the principle of natural selection. In this work I first review my understanding of Wallace’s intellectual development on this subject, including the notion that he had no model for the evolution of higher consciousness as of his first treatment of natural selection in 1858. This leads to some conclusions about his approach to the subject, and links to parallel ideas inherent in the philosophy of Baruch de Spinoza (1632-1677).

Leveraging Ai Tools In University Writing Instruction: Enhancing Student Success While Upholding Academic Integrity, Daisuke Akiba, Rebecca Garte

Publications and Research

The emergence of AI-powered Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education, particularly regarding academic integrity in writing instruction. This exploratory study examines a novel pedagogical approach that integrates LLMs as required feedback tools in a university-level psychology writing assignment. The exclusive online approach emphasizes improvement through revision, requiring students to obtain AI-generated feedback on ungraded initial drafts based on an instructor-provided rubric, with final assessment focused on the quality of subsequent revisions. Analysis of survey data from 39 undergraduate students, incorporating both quantitative measures and qualitative responses, revealed several …

“Tormented By Difficulties Of Every Kind”: Catholic Teaching On Contraception In Social Context, Kathleen Cavender-Mccoy, Conor M. Kelly

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

The Catholic Church notably condemns all forms of artificial birth control and advocates natural family planning as the only morally licit means of spacing births. This teaching is presented as the quintessential pathway to the fullness of human sexuality, but many Catholics struggle with it, and the magisterium itself recognizes that this path is not an easy one to follow. This article uses recent developments in Catholic moral theology around the notion of structural sin to examine the structural constraints complicating ordinary Catholics’ pursuit of their tradition’s vision for marital sexuality, demonstrating that larger structural forces can considerably affect the …

Limitation For Liberty: A Commentary On Federalism And The Tenth Amendment, Riley Banker

Senior Honors Theses

The concept of Federalism is essential to the very survival of the United States. However, recent decisions by the Supreme Court have illustrated attempts by the federal government to expand its authority and undermine the balance of power created by Federalism. This thesis will explore the concept of Federalism to demonstrate how it can best be protected. First, this thesis will address the origins of Federalism. Second, it will show how the principles of Federalism are manifested within the founding documents of the United States. Finally, this thesis will analyze current events including Supreme Court cases to demonstrate a concerning …

Pixels Of Passion: The Revolutionary Impact Of Indie Games, Sharanya Udupa

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

In the dynamic world of video game development, a powerful revolution has been quietly transforming how interactive experiences are created. Independent game developers, or "indie" game creators, have emerged as innovative storytellers and design pioneers, challenging traditional gaming paradigms and offering players unique, personal experiences that transcend mainstream entertainment.

Unlike mainstream games developed by large corporations with multi-million dollar budgets, indie games are typically created by small teams or even individual developers driven by artistic vision rather than pure commercial interests. These creators prioritize innovative gameplay mechanics, compelling narratives, and unique aesthetic experiences over conventional market formulas. Platforms like Steam …

Roman History In Sibylline Oracle 13: A Palestinian Jewish Perspective On Emperors, Usurpers, And Saviors During The Third Century Ce (Part Two: From Decius To Odenath Of Palmyra), Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

Sibylline Oracle 13 is a remarkable historical document that contains a unique perspective on the poorly documented period of Roman history known as the “Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE), which began with the assassination of the Roman emperor Severus Alexander (222-235 CE), the last ruler of the Severan dynasty. This turbulent era was marked by nearly fifty years of civil wars, barbarian invasions, rebellions, and approximately twenty-six claimants to the throne. Although the end of this turmoil under Diocletian (284-305 CE) is well known, we have little information about much of this century, particularly its first decades. The …

The Dark Cloud : A Creative Exploration Of Anxiety Through 3d Animation, James Applegate

Postgraduate

Fear and anxiety are mundane and innately human experiences, and ones that everyone struggles with on occasion. However, approximately a third to a quarter of all adults will suffer from clinical anxiety disorders at some point in their lives. Of these, many will go undiagnosed, and of those that do, only a fraction receive proper treatment.

An Animation Production Extension Of Spirit Spider, Jayden Abbott

Postgraduate

The Spirit Spider project comprises two components, a creative work called Spirit Spider and this accompanying exegesis. This project exemplifies a deep exploration of the animation process, emphasizing the iterative nature of creative development over the interpretation of the final product. Through each phase, from initial storyboarding to overcoming technical challenges and refining skills in Blender, the project has adhered to a methodology that prioritizes creative problem-solving and adaptability.

This exegesis has examined the careful selection of tools, such as Blender, and the integration of newly learned techniques that continuously shaped the project’s direction. By dedicating focused time to both …

Three New Pieces For Double Bass By Colombian Composers Influenced By Colombian Traditions, Javier Alejandro Barreto Olaya

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This document presents a study on the double bass as a solo instrument within traditional Colombian music, a tradition in which it has generally been relegated to accompaniment functions. I have commissioned three original works by Colombian composers, the integration of traditional genres, including sanjuanero, caña, danza, guabina, and llanero Airs, with modern compositional approaches. The commissioned pieces expand the solo repertoire of the double bass and highlight its potential and ability to adapt to traditional musical contexts. The lack of original repertoire for solo double bass in Colombian music is also addressed, integrating the commissioned pieces. The contribution of …

Review: Garth Greenwell's Mystical Novel "Small Rain" Teaches The Art Of Living From A Hospital Bed, James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Book review of Garth Greenwell's book, "Small Rain"