Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Atlanta '96: The Games And The South, Beau Bowden

ETDs from 2020-2029

The Centennial Olympiad, hosted by Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996, demonstrated key principles of the postsouthern mindset, a movement typically associated with literary criticism that, if applied to historiographic methods, offers valuable insights into how Atlantans confronted competing identities of being a modern international city hailed as the Black Mecca, and a city forever linked to the Lost Cause, Ku Klux Klan, and racial inequality. During the Opening Ceremonies, specifically, Olympic organizers curated a celebration touting the city’s and region’s multiculturalism and corporate might, as described by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympics (ACOG), the body responsible for organizing the games, …

Bright Eyes And The Kinfolk, Ariel Aileen Cochran

ETDs from 2020-2029

BRIGHT EYES AND THE KINFOLK ARIEL COCHRAN MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH – CREATIVE WRITING ABSTRACT Bright Eyes and The Kinfolk is a historical fiction set in the pre-Civil War South that pays homage to Western media including, but not limited to, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, The Rifleman, Two Mules For Sister Sara, and Tombstone. The story follows the enslaved Dahomey (modern Benin) African Tina Jones who is in search of Uyi, her younger brother that was recently sold off from the Jones plantation in Mobile, Alabama. With a lead pointing to the state of Texas, Tina sets out west and …

Reagan, Bush, Gorbachev, And The End Of The Cold War, Joshua Caleb Teasley

ETDs from 2020-2029

This work addresses key questions relating to the end of the Cold War. Contemporary wisdom suggests that Ronald Reagan’s policies beat the Soviet Union into submission, but this is not the case. Reagan’s initial policies were antagonistic towards the Soviet Union and his devotion to SDI later harmed his ability to establish relations with Michail Gorbachev later on. This thesis argues that it was George H.W. Bush, rather than Reagan, who was the more influential and effective President when dealing with the Soviet Union. Bush’s diplomacy was less idealized and more realistic than Reagan’s. Additionally, Bush was able to successfully …

Characterization Of Social Media Use Patterns Among Hispanic/Latinx Dementia Caregivers And Its Impact On Mental Health, Sofia Mildrum Chana

ETDs from 2020-2029

Hispanic & Latinx (H&L) family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs) experience high levels of stress that can negatively impact their mental health and may turn to social networking sites (SNS, commonly known as ‘social media’) for coping or social support. However, no research has yet examined how SNS use influences H&L caregiver mental health. The primary purpose of the present study was to characterize patterns of SNS use among H&L ADRD family caregivers and examine the associations between SNS use and caregivers’ mental health and well-being. Data for the present study come from the …

Modulation Of The Cgas-Sting Inflammation Pathway In Mouse Models Of Accelerated And Slowed Aging, Benjamin David Heckman

ETDs from 2020-2029

Chronic sterile inflammation (inflammaging) is a core pillar of aging, and the cGAS-STING innate immune pathway has emerged as a key driver of this process. However, how this pathway intersects with systemic endocrine signaling remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the intersection of endocrine signaling and cGAS-STING activation using two complementary mouse models with opposing lifespan phenotypes: a short-lived, liver-specific glucagon receptor knockout (LKO) mouse and a long-lived growth hormone-releasing hormone knockout (GHRH-KO) mouse. We demonstrate that despite presenting with a metabolically healthy phenotype, female LKO mice exhibited a significantly reduced lifespan. We link this premature mortality to a sex …

Examining Pain- Related Stigma And Sources Of Resilience In Children With Disorders Of Gut-Brain Interaction, Tolulope Adetayo

ETDs from 2020-2029

Background. Painful disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) affect approximately one in five children. In addition to functional impairments, DGBI increase risk for felt stigma (FS) from providers, school personnel, family members, and peers. Children with DGBI may also belong to other minoritized groups that intersect with pain-related FS. However, little is known about how intersectionality impacts the stigma and pain experiences of youth. Further, little is known about the protective capabilities of psychosocial resources (e.g., social support and hope) against FS. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the impact of FS and its potential moderators in a sample of …

Ultrafast Terahertz Spectroscopy And The Suppression Of Superconductivity In Strained Iron Selenide Below 1 Kelvin, Tracy Glen Hastings

ETDs from 2020-2029

We report on terahertz time-domain spectroscopy measurements of iron selenide thin films of various thicknesses grown on a magnesium oxide substrate, focusing on the frequency-dependent complex conductivity in the range of 0.25 - 7 THz. By an- alyzing films with and without an approximately 100 nm thick Se capping layer, we examined the role of oxidation in the suppression of superconductivity. X-ray photo- electron spectroscopy data confirmed that oxidation was effectively mitigated, yet the films exhibited insulating behavior down to 200 mK, a temperature range that has not been extensively studied in this system. Our results indicate that the suppression …

Posterior Cerebellar Lobe Deviations And Social Cognition In Individuals With Psychosis And Their Unaffected Relatives, Andreea Maria Stanica

ETDs from 2020-2029

Social cognition deficits observed in psychotic disorders contribute to functional impairments. The cerebellum has been identified as a critical brain region involved in social cognitive processes, but the relationship between cerebellar structural deviations and social cognition in individuals with psychosis (probands) and their unaffected relatives remains unclear. Using normative modeling, this study examined cerebellar volume deviations in probands and their unaffected first-degree relatives and investigated associations with social cognitive and motor performance. Probands exhibited significant theory of mind deficits compared to relatives. Probands showed negative deviations in anterior cerebellar lobe relative to the norm, whereas relatives did not. Deviations in …

The Effectiveness Of A Web-Based, Edutainment Intervention On Hiv-Related Stigma, Hiv Knowledge, And Condom Use Self-Efficacy Among Black/African American Emerging Adults, Shirlacia Gray

ETDs from 2020-2029

The Effectiveness of a Web-Based, Edutainment Intervention on HIV-Related Stigma, HIV Knowledge, and Condom Use Self-Efficacy among Black/African American Emerging Adults SHIRLACIA S. GRAY APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY ABSTRACT Background: Edutainment interventions were developed to increase knowledge, to influence people’s attitudes and behaviors toward sexual, social and public health issues, and to promote behavior change. This current study implemented an edutainment intervention to examine its effectiveness on increasing HIV knowledge, reducing HIV-related stigma, and increasing condom use self-efficacy among Black/African American Emerging Adults in Birmingham, AL. Methods: This current study used longitudinal data from the City Health-II intervention for secondary data …

Exploring Criminality Through A Developmental Lens: Contextual Effects From Childhood To Emerging Adulthood, Abigail Jeanette Anderson

ETDs from 2020-2029

Adolescent delinquency is a key predictor of later criminal behaviors and is associated with negative outcomes across education, employment, and health. Despite extensive research, gaps remain regarding the interplay of individual- and context-level factors in the development of delinquency, as well as the reliance on cross-sectional or retrospective designs. Guided by a social-ecological framework, the present dissertation examines how family, school, and neighborhood contexts interact with individual behaviors to shape pathways toward delinquency and adult criminality across childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. The first study investigated the cascading effects of paternal engagement, parental aggravation, and early child behavior problems in …

Reproductive System Variation In Tropical Red Macroalgae, Taylor M. Williams

ETDs from 2020-2029

The reproductive system encompasses the relative rates of sexual versus clonal reproduction and is responsible for partitioning genetic diversity within and among populations. However, the quantification of these rates remains limited in natural populations and has primarily focused on animals and angiosperms. This knowledge gap is particularly acute among tropical macroalgae. This dissertation addresses this by focusing on the cryptogenic invader Chondria tumulosa in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and the invasive species Acanthophora spicifera across the Hawaiian Archipelago, Australia, and Guam. For Chondria we developed nine microsatellite loci and found a dominance of tetrasporophytes, high clonal rates, and strong …

Building An Empire-The Life And Legacy Of Dr. A.G. Gaston, Solymar Ortiz

ETDs from 2020-2029

The life, work, and legacy of Dr. A.G. Gaston demonstrate the significance of commemorating key civil rights activists through the establishment of historical institutions. Gaston was a pivotal leader in Birmingham’s Civil Rights Movement, and as the first Black millionaire in Alabama, he dedicated his life to generating wealth and uplifting his community. Stemming from humble beginnings, he was raised by formerly enslaved grandparents in a former plantation town. His rough upbringing encompassed a fight against racial injustice, an intense work ethic, and a passion for entrepreneurship. That passion allowed him to build his businesses from the ground up and …

Impositions, Christopher Michael Mccauley

ETDs from 2020-2029

This collection explores ordinary moments. A couple on a park bench. A man cleaning a horse stall. A citizen scientist wandering a field. When you peer into these scenes closely, though, you can move beyond the seemingly mundane and discover universal truths, as well as images that evoke shared emotional landscapes. Two primary themes bring greater clarity to these moments and images: people imposing on the world and the world imposing on people. Each piece in the collection touches on these themes in some way. Hence the title, Impositions. I hope readers will feel a sense of empathy for the …

Two Parthenons: The Convergence Of Greek Myth And Western Heritage In Nashville, Kathryn Marie Bryles

Student Theses and Dissertations

The Nashville Parthenon functions as a cultural and educational center, hosting exhibitions, performances, and lectures that delve into Greek mythology and its influence on Western civilization. By doing so, it bridges the gap between ancient and modern worlds, highlighting how the themes of Greek mythology remain relevant today. The links between the Athenian Parthenon and the Nashville Parthenon stand as a testament to the enduring power of Greek mythology, preserving its stories and symbols in a modern context. It illustrates how ancient heritage can be revitalized and celebrated, ensuring that the myths of gods and heroes continue to inspire and …

A Town Of Their Own Making: Garrett Grove And Other Arkansas Freedom Settlements, Donna Shelton

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study is an examination of Black power movements through townbuilding in post-emancipation Arkansas delving into the perspectives of African American farmer-owners, business operators, educators, and community leaders who survived on the other side of slavery. Despite failed promises from so-called allies, or perhaps because of them and other societal betrayals, freedpeople carved out a place in the American landscape to establish All-Black communities and towns popularly known as “Black Towns” or “Freedmen Towns.” In contrast to most studies of Black towns, this study is situated in the South, specifically in Arkansas, to examine the more than three dozen freedom …

A Little Blue Hedgehog That Runs A Lot And Has An Attitude: An Analysis Of The Covers Of Archie Comics’ Sonic The Hedgehog, Eleanor Herman

Theses and Dissertations

Through the lens of Robin Williams principles of design as outlined in her book, The Non-Designer’s Design Book, this thesis analyzes selected covers of Archie Comics’ Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series to see how the covers evolved over time, as the nearly 25-year continuous run allows for a unique analysis opportunity. 18 issues were selected and analyzed, with conclusions drawn from the covers’ use of contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity.

Migrant Domestic Workers As Disposable Kin In Global Capitalism's Care Economy, Miguel Ceron Becerra

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the economic, emotional, and relational harms suffered by migrant domestic workers under global capitalism. These harms are systemic, stemming from labor and migration regimes designed to sustain capital accumulation in the care economy. Affluent regions benefit from the labor of migrant domestic workers at the expense of damage to their fundamental relationships. The result is the erosion of workers' kinship ties, rendering them "disposable kin" in the eyes of those who profit economically and emotionally from their work. The study is organized into four chapters. The first explores how global care chains are structured through labor and …

Racial Identity, Student Engagement, Student Satisfaction, And Persistence In African American Students Attending Predominately White Institutions, Antoinette Drakeford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American college students attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs), such as Old Dominion University, face challenges, including experiences with microaggressions and limited engagement opportunities, which may affect their persistence. The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial identity and microaggressions moderate the relationship between student engagement, satisfaction, and persistence among African American students at a PWI. Cross’s theory of nigrescence served as the theoretical framework for understanding African American racial identity development. A quantitative, non-experimental design was employed. Data were collected from 50 African American undergraduate students using standardized instruments measuring racial identity, microaggressions, engagement, satisfaction, and persistence. …

Underrepresented And Understudied: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of African American Women In Policing, Brenda Goss Andrews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women are underrepresented in policing and understudied in the research. Grounded in Collins’ Black feminist thought, whose theme seeks to empower Black women to speak in their authentic voices, this qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 12 African American female officers from Midwest departments. It examined how the intersection of race and gender shaped their workplace realities. The purpose of the study was to gain perspectives from the participants on strategies to recruit and retain African American female officers. Historically, policing has been a gendered and hypermasculine profession, making it difficult for African American female officers …

The Role Music Plays In Facilitating Transformation And Self-Actualization In Israeli Music Students Impacted By Trauma, Adina Feldman

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the role music plays in facilitating transformation and self-actualization among Israeli undergraduate and alumni music students who have experienced trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder. Guided by social constructivist and humanistic-existential frameworks, this research employs a narrative methodology to examine how music operates as a medium for meaning-making, resilience, and growth in non-clinical contexts. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations, and the analysis of musical compositions and artifacts from two singer-songwriters who transformed personal adversity into creative expression. The findings reveal that although trauma leaves lasting psychological and emotional effects, engagement with music enables …

Sociolooking: A Theory Of Looking Together And Choreographing Looking Experiences, Avigail Shimshoni

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

This dissertation addresses gaps in understandings of looking in research and practice by creating and defining sociolooking. Sociolooking is a theory of looking together and choreographing looking experiences. Researchers, educators, and practitioners across many fields value close looking and have offered step-by-step strategies for facilitating looking. While these strategies and related research are instrumental in understanding discrete aspects of looking and learning to look, they do not fully acknowledge or explore the underlying social and dynamic ways people engage in looking in everyday situations. This leads to the creation of one-dimensional, potentially inaccessible, or ineffective experiences. On the …

Transformative Experiences In A Community College Theatre Program: A Study Of Students' Growth Through A Pedagogy Of Caring, Karen J. Oster

Educational Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research examined the transformative impact of participation in a community college

theatre program on students’ sense of belonging, confidence, and personal growth. Using a

multiple case study design informed by portraiture methodology, the study focused on five

students who took part in a semester-long production of The Rocky Horror Show. Data were

collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, the researcher’s reflective journaling,

and a pre- and post-semester self-esteem survey to investigate how theatre engagement shaped

students’ social and personal experiences. The program fostered a pedagogy of care emphasizing

mentorship, individualized attention, and the cultivation of a supportive …

Writing From The Rift: Queer Temporality And The Refusal Of Resolution, Daniela Ruiz Perez

Masters Theses

This thesis develops a phenomenological method for reading speculative literature as a site where queer ecological temporality is experienced rather than explained. Working with Annihilation (2014) by Jeff VanderMeer, The Day of the Triffids (1951) by John Wyndham, and Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals (2020) by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, the project treats reading as a bodily practice shaped by forms of attention. Texts are not interpreted for stable meaning and instead I remain with moments where resolution is withheld. The work is informed by a Marxist attention to how capitalist time organizes labor, productivity, and value, and how …

Within Boundaries: Collecting And Exhibiting Chinese Contemporary Art In M+, Hong Kong, Lei April Liu

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates how M+, Hong Kong’s museum of twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual culture, collects and exhibits Chinese contemporary art under political and institutional constraint. It argues that M+ operates through adaptive autonomy, a condition in which curatorial and educational strategies transform limitation into method. By analyzing the museum’s formation, exhibition practices, and comparison with other Asian institutions such as the Asia Culture Center in South Korea, the Power Station of Art in China, and the National Gallery Singapore, the study reveals how M+ sustains visibility of Chinese contemporary art with political sensitive topic through 绥靖 (Sui Jing; subtle appeasement) …

Art In Communist China: Visualizing The People’S Republic Of China’S Changing Policy On Taiwan Through Propaganda Posters, Alden J. Rowe

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This research paper is an analysis of the role of propaganda posters in visualizing the changing policy of the People’s Republic of China on reunification with Taiwan. The propaganda posters were obtained through Chineseposters.net, maintained and owned by the Chinese Posters Foundation and edited by Stefan Landsberger and Marien van der Heijden, which offers over 7,000 propaganda posters that serve as a visual history of China. Of these roughly 7,000 posters, six, released from 1949-1978, was analyzed regarding their role in promoting the Chinese Communist Party’s political stance on Taiwan. Prior to the 1960s, the propaganda posters illustrate armed violence …

Wedded To Power: Dynastic Marriages And The Hidden Diplomacy Of Women In Early Modern Europe, Amelia H. Earl

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The diplomatic power of women in the ‘Great Power’ dynasties of Europe has been passed over in historiography because very often their power rested in their relationships to their male counterparts. Dismissing these women’s diplomatic and political power as “soft power” of the domestic sphere overlooks the fact that the political structure of Europe relied heavily on familial ties. In early modern Europe, the whole continent was a kinship; thus, familial relationships between two dynasties were inherently political. The daughters and mothers of these dynasties discovered that there was permeable access to the European political arena through marriage and motherhood. …

L'Identité Linguistique Et Culturelle De La Jeune Génération Des Vietnamiens Américains En Louisiane, Lan Phuong Nguyen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Cette thèse porte sur la construction de l’identité linguistique et culturelle chez les jeunes Vietnamiens américains de deuxième génération vivant à Bâton Rouge, aux États-Unis. Elle interroge les modalités de transmission, de transformation et de réappropriation de la culture et de la langue vietnamienne dans un contexte diasporique marqué par des tensions entre héritage familial et pression d’intégration dans la société américaine.

À partir d’une approche qualitative et narrative, cette recherche s’appuie sur huit entretiens approfondis menés auprès de jeunes adultes âgés de 18 à 25 ans. L’objectif est de comprendre comment ces jeunes construisent leur identité à travers leurs …

Wei Xiqin’S Evolutionary Plan For Modern China, Nianhong Qiu

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

This study examines the thinking, practices, and significance of Wei Xiqin (1882- 1952). Born in Germany and educated in various European countries, Wei was a musician and educator who played an active role in the educational reform of the Republic of China. Wei was equipped with modern European thoughts but held deep reverence for Confucianism and other traditional Chinese classics. Examining this contentious figure in the wake of “Chinese Evolutionism” trend, this study investigates the differences between Wei’s evolution theory and the dominant evolution theory during early 20th-century China. Wei’s evolutionism, which I call a type of “Cyclic Evolution,” implies …

Music Therapists' Perceptions On The Use Of Chinese Five-Element Music For Patients With Depression In Shandong Province, China., Zhu Jiaqi

Student Works (2020-2029)

Depression is a common and serious mental health issue that significantly impacts an individual's quality of life and daily functioning. Music therapy, as a low-risk, non-pharmacological intervention, can regulate emotions and psychological states. This study is based on the Chinese Five-Elements theory, exploring the core concepts of Five-Elements music therapy, the challenges faced by music therapists in clinical applications, and its future development potential. This study recruited practitioners who hold registered music therapist qualifications, are familiar with the Five Elements music therapy, and have experience in treating depression and related comorbidities (such as anxiety and insomnia) as participants through purposive …

Infinite Line, Infinite Knowledge: The 'Spera' And Organized Chaos In Lambert's Encyclopedia, The 'Liber Floridus', Ava Romano

Theses and Dissertations

The Liber Floridus is a medieval encyclopedia renowned for its program of circular diagrams, or sperae. Inside this manuscript of 190 chapters, these diagrams frame and embody written knowledge, revealing a connection between encyclopedism and life in the Benedictine monastery by creating a coherent visual organization of chapters.