Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Problem Of Evil, Modern Calvinism And The Doctrine Of Free Will: Is John Feinberg's Theodicy A Coherent Resolution To The Problem Of Tragic Moral Evil?, Michael Obanla

Masters Theses

The thesis examines and evaluates Feinberg's theistic defense against the problem of evil with a view to determining whether it represents a coherent and consistent resolution to the problem of tragic moral evil. The thesis relies on three criteria for the evaluation: the internal consistency of Feinberg's theistic defense, its exegetical accuracy, and epistemic adequacy.

An Undergraduate Seminar On Irish Musical Culture In Ireland And The Irish Diaspora In America, Including The Influence Of Irish Music On Appalachian Folk Music Culture, Frieda Eakins

Masters Theses

The following project establishes a concise, yet multifaceted design for a seminar on Irish musical culture. While it was initially developed as a course for its author to teach in the undergraduate, on-ground classroom, this project provides a framework adaptable enough for use by other instructors and/or for additional music seminars. This project is unique in its two-fold purpose in that the design and resources are directed to assist the instructor with streamlining course curriculum preparation, while the course content specific to the project when utilized offers students in the undergraduate college classroom a better understanding of Irish musical culture …

From Future Homemaker Of America To The Lesbian Continuum: The Queering Of Mary Ann Singletone In Armistead Maupin's Tales, Sara Katherine White

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City is a turning point in homosexual literature in twentieth century America. This paper mainly examines the character of Mary Ann Singleton and the "queering" of her character. The writings of Michael Foucault, Judith Butlter, Adrienne Rich, Eve K. Sedgewich, and Simone de Beauvoir are vital in understanding how a straight woman journeys onto the lesbian continuum as a revolt against gender roles (defined by Butler and Beauvoir) and as a result of her friendship with Michael Tolliver. Michael's character provides a discourse (as defined by Foucault) on homosexuality and through this discourse, he provides …

"When The Eternal Can Be Met": Bergsonian Time In The Theologies Of C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot, And W.H. Auden, James Corey Latta

Dissertations

C. S. Lewis, T. S. Eliot, and W. H. Auden all converted to the Christian faith and, upon conversion, turned to the theme of time in their post-conversion works. Interestingly, these Christian authors employed the secular philosophical framework of Henri Bergson’s theory of duration to construct their theologies of time. As texts fostered by Bergson’s ideas of intuition, the dualistic self, and durative force, Lewis’s The Great Divorce, Eliot’sFour Quartets, and Auden’s “Kairos and Logos” are theological works that depict time as an agent.

The Life And Music Of Brian Israel With An Emphasis On His Music For Saxophone, David James Wozniak

Dissertations

Brian Israel (1951-1986), American composer and pianist from New York City, left a wealth of music that has been largely ignored by the musical community. Included in his collection of nearly 200 works are six compositions that prominently feature the saxophone. Composed during the last six years of the composer’s life, Israel’s music for the saxophone represents a cross-section of his larger oeuvre, demonstrating stylistic elements present in nearly all of his music, including contrapuntal textures, the creative use of form, and humor. Furthermore, these saxophone works help illustrate Brian Israel as the epitome of the post-modern composer. The following …

Werner Jaegerhuber's “Messe Folklorique Haitïenne”: A Conductor's Guide, Lauren Michelle Brandon Lindsey

Dissertations

Werner Jaegerhuber (1900-1953), a composer and leading ethnographer from Haiti, lived a life and career committed to bringing the folk music of Haiti to international recognition. His most significant work, Messe Folklorique Haïtienne, the background leading to its composition, performance of the work and a conductor’s analysis is the focus of this study. The folk music of Haiti consists primarily of Vodou melodies which are performed in Vodou ceremonies. Haiti’s long history of colonization, slavery, chronic economic struggle, African roots, and Catholic influence all play unique, but significant roles in the life of Werner Jaegerhuber and his passionate study. …

Unnecessary Evil: An Examination Of Abu Ghraib Torture Photographs As Postcolonial Resistance Rhetoric, Patrick Gerhardt Richey

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the rhetorical nature of visual artifacts in a postcolonial context. In order to examine the nature of visual artifacts as a form of resistance against static ideologies and prevailing power structures, the author uses both media and cultural artifacts created in response to photographs taken of abused prisoners at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib Correctional Facility. The dissertation adds to scholarly knowledge of communication by addressing the intersections of iconographic visual communication and postcolonial resistance rhetoric. The dissertation provides a scholarly review of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, as well as of literature explicating …

Neoliberal Teacher Preparation: Conceptualising A Response In The Us Borderlands, Michael D. Guerrero, Peter Farruggio

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The current era of neoliberal capitalism has witnessed the domination of public education by business interests which openly promote the spirit of competition among schools, educators and students through a policy of high stakes accountability for immediately measurable educational outcomes. In the USA, this policy proposes to make teacher educator programmes accountable for the impact of their programme completers on student achievement, namely standardised test scores. Consequently, some programmes have begun to rethink their practices in an effort to avoid negative sanctions. Unfortunately, little empirical evidence of improvement is available to teacher educators, particularly those committed to the preparation of …

Eusebius Of Caesarea’S Oration In Praise Of Constantine As The Political Philosophy Of The Christian Empire, Benjamin David Brandon

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Eusebius of Caesarea delivered a panegyric in the thirtieth year of Constantine’s reign, 335 AD, celebrating the piety and faith of the emperor. This panegyric, the Oratio de Laudibus Constantini, or Oration in Praise of Constantine, provides a political theology for the divine sanction of the Christian monarch by linking the emperor’s rule to the rule of God. Much of the Oratio is an account of the pious deeds and divine victories of Constantine’s reign, suggesting that the emperor had in fact achieved the ideal of a Christian monarch. Through the Logos (Word or Reason) of God, the …

A Report On The Scenic Design For Seussical The Musical, The Scenic Design For The Three Musketeers, And The Costume Design For Step On A Crack, Andrea Lyman Burdzy

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

It isn't often that a man as beloved as Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, comes along. Dr. Seuss wrote more than 60 books in his lifetime, many of which have become classics in the world of children’s literature. His poetic tongue twisters and inventive illustrations have become iconic to several generations of children all over the world. Dr. Seuss' books are not only fun and full of imagination, but more often than not they teach powerful lessons of self-confidence, kindness, and even political awareness.

In April 2010, I was asked to design the set for Seussical the …

The Ozark Historical Review, V. 41, 2012 Entire_Issue

The Ozark Historical Review

No abstract provided.

Community Perspectives On Black Parent Engagement In West Las Vegas Before And After Desegregation: A Case Study, Tonia Faye Holmes-Sutton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to research on parent engagement in K-12 schools, disconnects often exist between parent involvement as defined by school leaders and the African American families and communities they serve (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991; Tillman, 2009). Unfortunately, these competing definitions and conceptions of parent involvement often result in school leaders and administrators perceiving that Black students do not achieve as well as their White peers because Black parents are not involved or engaged in the education of their children (Cooper, 2010; Cooper, 2009; Fields-Smith, 2005). This perception undermines the development of positive home-school relations between school leaders, educators, and Black parents, and in …

Archiving Joyce & Joyce's Archive: Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, And Copyright, Jessica Michelle Lucero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

"Archiving Joyce and Joyce's Archive: Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, and Copyright" investigates the ways in which James Joyce's Ulysses and Finnegans Wake incorporate archival institutions and archival modes such as gossip into its composition. For example, this work explores how both works, at times, present institutions such as the National Library of Ireland, and, at other times, enact archiving in its collection and preservation of historical personages relevant to Irish literature and history. Additionally, Joyce was involved in the construction of his own archive, and thereby becomes the curator of his own history as well as that of Ireland.

Importantly, this …

Where In The World Are The Women Of Time? Women And The "Person Of The Year" Covers For Time Magazine, Krystle Lynne Anttonelli

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Through a content analysis of Time magazine's "Person of the Year" issue, formerly titled "Man of the Year," this thesis examines how the news magazine has reevaluated and revised the once gender suggestive title to a more inclusive title in correlation to the portrayal of women featured on the covers from both past and present. This thesis also provides background on the feminist theory in order to put into perspective the professional and intellectual growth of women throughout the decades. The supporting literature contextualizes the findings with reference to other mainstream magazines and the portrayal of women versus men featured …

Identity And Intersectionality For Big City Mayors: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Black Women, Constance J. Brooks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The role of a mayor is integral within local governance. Their leadership and influence directly effectuates outcomes for the cities over which they preside. For big city mayors, their impact extends beyond local government and into the national policy arena. The way an individual demonstrates the role of mayor can be influenced by his/her perception of their own identity. However, within the realm of academic research dedicated to mayoral leadership and African Americans in politics, Black female mayors have largely been ignored. In particular, there are no known attempts at investigating the intersection of race and gender in understanding Black …

Taiwanese Willingness To Communicate In English: Can Watching American Television Programs Help?, Yu-Ting Chien

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study explored the relationship between Taiwanese audiences' use of American television programs and their willingness to communicate in English. Taiwanese participants filled out an online survey consisted of questions from uses and gratifications constructs and willingness to communicate constructs. In addition, different subtitle settings were also examined.

Results indicated that participants with high integrative motivation consuming information from American television programs, in addition, the setting of subtitles were associated with perceived communication competence, integrative motivation, language anxiety and social interaction motivation.

Factors Contributing To The Educational Success Of Single-Mother Welfare Recipients At An Urban Southwestern Community College: Case Studies Of Six Success Stories, Rhonda Rose Faul

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study gave voice to the issues, needs, and concerns of economically disadvantaged single mothers and determined the motivational and institutional factors that helped lead them to their successful completion of a community college degree or certificate program while at the same time coping with the challenges of financially surviving on meager public welfare assistance, raising their children, and meeting welfare-mandated work activity requirements. While American society has a long tradition of regarding higher education as a means of achieving long-term financial security and self-sufficiency, current welfare policy unfortunately adds additional obstacles for welfare recipients who may be motivated to …

A Historical Case Study Of School Desegregation And Resegregation In Las Vegas, Nevada, 1968-2008, Felicia Forletta

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to document and examine the perspectives of members of a historically African American community located in Las Vegas, Nevada (historic West Las Vegas) concerning equal education and school desegregation and resegregation in the Clark County School District from 1968 to 2008. Using historical case study methods, this study sought to provide a historical description and analysis of the social, political, and cultural contexts that shaped decades of school desegregation and resegregation in this historically African American community. Data sources included: legal cases and court documents; archived news, newsletters, newspaper and magazine articles; (3) Clark …

The Uses And Gratifications Of Dance Reality Television Shows, Heather M. Yuille

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Uses and Gratifications of Dance Reality Shows

Competition based dance reality shows are a sub-category under the reality television show genre. One way to add to the growing body of research about reality television shows is to study each sub-category individually in terms of uses and gratifications theory. Therefore this research looked into the reasons why people watch dance reality shows. Since dance is an art form that has deep historic roots, has experienced highs and lows in terms of public perception and has experienced a strong resurgence recently within the realm of reality television, it proves to be …

Personality And Religiosity: The Influence Of Normative Personality On Black Sunni Muslims' Religious Attitudes And Practices, Halim Khidher Naeem

Dissertations

There is a dearth of literature on Black Sunni Muslims in the field of psychology. More so, there is no literature specifically analyzing the influences upon Black religiosity. The literature has established that personality has significant influence upon religiosity. The literature also says that females are more religious than their male counterparts. The present study analyzed the influence of personality, gender and social class upon religiosity for Black Sunni Muslims. The following hypothesis was investigated: Personality, gender, and social class will affect religious attitudes and practices.

A canonical regression analysis using SPSS revealed that personality, gender and social class had …

The Social And Political Philosophy Of Bertolt Brecht, Anthony Squiers

Dissertations

Bertolt Brecht is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in Twentieth Century literature. An acclaimed poet, he is best known as a playwright and director. His 'epic theatre' revolutionized the theatre by creating radical breaks from traditional literary and theatrical form. These radical breaks were done in an effort to facilitate radical social change. Specifically, Brecht designed his epic theatre as a revolutionary aesthetic which would help bring about the advent of a Marxist revolution. There is a broad corpus of academic work which analyzes the formalistic elements of his work. However, this body of work …

Attitudes Toward Science And Stem Cell Research Based On Religious Worldview: Comparing The Views Of Theists, Naturalists, Skeptics, And Dualists Toward Science As An Institution, Method, And Application Of Knowledge, Jon Van Wieren

Dissertations

This dissertation is a study of attitudes toward science and stem cell research based on religious worldview. This study examines the relationship through General Social Survey data (2006).

Religious worldview is measured here through some of the most common measures of religiosity. This study differs from many other sociological studies of religiosity in that it includes the view of naturalism alongside other religious worldviews, including theism, dualism, and skepticism. Science is understood and measured here as multidimensional. Comparisons are made between attitudes toward science as a social institution, a research method, and as an application of knowledge - where attitudes …

The Southern Woman: A History Of Rebellion, Passion, And Betrayal In Gone With The Wind And Caballero: A Historical Novel, Jessica Banda Vela

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This thesis closely reads, Margaret Mitchell’s, Gone with the Wind and Caballero, co-authored by Jovita González and Eve Raleigh, to illustrate how women in two separate regions of the Southern United States were transformed by the effects of a historical war setting. While these two literary texts deal with distinctive social, political, and historical contexts, they both highlight factors that contributed to the Southern woman’s alteration: colonization, gender roles and a historical war--setting that ironically liberated women. As a result, the female characters of each story become progressive by the events that take place with and during their respective wars. …

The Past And Its Impact On The Present: The Development Of Gender And Ethnic Identity In Kingston's "Woman Warrior", Mukherjee's "Jasmine" And Kincaid's "Lucy", Rachel M. Puckett

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This thesis analyzes three immigrant narratives and exemplifies the impact that the past has on the main character’s cultural and gender development. During the course of each narrative reflections of the past intrude on the present immigrant experience and remind the characters of who they are and where they came from. Kingston’s Woman Warrior revolves around her cultural past and the psychological impression that her mother’s immigrant experience has left on her. In Jasmine Mukherjee’s main character embarks on a self-reflecting journey that highlights the past that influences her ever changing identity. Finally, in Lucy a young woman is determined …

Utilization Of Lithic Resources At Huerequeque, An Initial Period (2150–1000 B.C.) Site, Casma Valley, Peru, Daniel Wilson Nicholson

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The Casma Valley on the north coast of Peru contains a high concentration of Initial Period (2150-1000 B.C.) sites. One of these sites, Huerequeque, is located approximately 25 km inland in the Sechin branch of the river on a hillside. The site contains a mound and plaza complex, intermediate architecture, and residential architecture. My project considers the resources needed for constructions and tools. I identify what was utilized and discuss trends in construction material, collection methods and argue a “convenient construction” model. Included in my discussion of architecture, I consider the amount of human power necessary for these efforts. Regarding …

Aqui Es: The Rhetoric Of Identification In An Act Of Local Branding, Bonnie M. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Brands are a large part of our cultural discourse. In the Rio Grande Valley a group of network-marketing sponsored entrepreneurs has tapped into branding as a rhetorical resource. I use Burke’s concept of consubstantiation to analyze the rhetorical motives represented both in the use of branding in general and in the “Aqui Es” sign utilized by local nutrition clubs. Burke’s concept of consubstantiation allows me to contextualize the production of the sign and open avenues to explore the relationships behind the sign’s use. I then utilize Lacanian psychoanalysis to explain the psychological motives behind the sign’s use and production. I …

"Aliens Say What Humans Can't": Popular Culture And Totalitarianism In "The Twilight Zone", Lisa M. Howell

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study analyzes the political and social context of key episodes from 1959 to 1964 of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone. His science fiction television series, nestled against the backdrop of the Cold War, showcased his viewpoints on controversial issues from the Holocaust, postwar gender issues, McCarthyism, nuclear war and totalitarianism. As he was often fond of saying, “Aliens Can Say What Humans Can’t.” Also integrated in this study is showing how The Twilight Zone served as both an agent of change as well as a reflection of the times. This in turn, encouraged the masses to question and modify …

An (In)Active Pursuit Of Healing, Sara Roik

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to raise a discussion and reflection of the current state of psychiatry in an intensely globalized world. As a result of globalization, many individuals have a lack of enculturation and a shallow connection to tradition. I take both a subjective and objective approach to understand how this has an effect on an individual’s perceptions and efficacy of treatment as many healing methods come to coexist. The subjective will be explored through my own reactions to treatment methods after becoming diagnosed with an anxiety disorder that leads to periodic states of depression. The objective will focus on two …

Anthropological Apologetics: A Proposal Of An Anthropological Compendium As Evidence For The Imago Dei, Jeffrey R. Dickson

Masters Theses

Evangelical scholarship has shown great admiration for the work of Gary Habermas and others in their contribution to Christian apologetics by validating the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with a list of minimal facts generally agreed to by historical and biblical scholars. This thesis will explore the methodology of the minimal facts approach and appropriate it as a tool to explore the data within the field of anthropology which offers evidence for the biblical concept of the Imago Dei. This study will focus on Wolfhart Pannenberg in his critically acclaimed work demonstrating the importance of the theological perspective …

Junior Recital, Andrew Granelli, Max Feld

Junior Recitals

List of performers and performances.