Arts and Humanities Commons^™

To Reach The Unreachable Stars: Reexamining The Shared Arthurian Vision Of C. S. Lewis's Science Fiction Trilogy And Raymond Chandler's Marlowe Novels, Hollis Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although Raymond Chandler and C. S. Lewis seem to be a rather strange pairing, the ways in which they both borrow from Arthurian literature and use the myth to speak to their cultural moment are strikingly similar. Following T. S. Eliot’s use of the Grail quest in The Waste Land (which set a standard for the use of such material in Modern literature), these authors use Arthurian elements as a means of exposing hidden connections between the fragments of the literary past and the present within Chandler’s Marlowe novels and Lewis’s science fiction trilogy. Both men present Western identity as …

L, M, N, O, P, Matt Jones

Theses and Dissertations

A meditation on my painting and drawing practice in relation to the work of Philip Guston, Nancy Spero, and Frank Moore, among others, just before and during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zu Viel Zukunft!, Grace Brecht

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Punk rock developed in the 1970s and local scenes developed throughout Europe and the United States. East Germany was no exception. Despite — and because of — the brutal state-sponsored violence against and repression of anyone who did not conform to the government’s ideals, punk flourished in the Deutsche Demokratische Republik. Although the initial exposure to punk came via English punk bands on West German radio, the Eastern punks had little interest in the West and were largely anti-capitalist. Instead, they focused their attention on their own country and on the vast social reform needed there. The punks channeled their …

The Television Showrunner: A Case Study Analysis Of Insecure And Fleabag, Haley Bulen, Charles Howard

Honors Thesis

In light of the rise in video-on-demand (VOD) services, television has exploded in popularity on an international scale, eclipsing its predecessor of movies. This phenomenon has been further heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic as audiences flocked to their television screens during Stay-At-Home orders. Specifically, Netflix received 15 million more subscribers since mid- March, 2.3 million more Americans subscribed to Netflix since March, and broadcast television viewing has jumped by 8.3 million viewers (Fitzgerald). With the demand for high-quality entertainment, the role of the television creator/showrunner has become increasingly important, as this individual or pair of individuals is tasked with maintaining …

Volcanoes & Other Yards, Rebeca Flores

Master's Theses

Volcanoes & Other Yards is a collection of short stories set in the yards of California, Mexico, and El Salvador. Characters see the manifestations of their labor through imagination and purposeful acts of play. Working class characters are pushed to eruptions that make them question what it means to witness racism, capitalism, and noble acts of good. They undergo solitude, loss of home, and welfare lines, and they witness their country gas children, government intrusions, and grief. To reconcile with their generational trauma, they must encounter land and labor. The collection explores the idea of an imaginary volcano to bring …

Noted Mirrors, Dennis Spears

Master's Theses

Noted Mirrors seeks exploration, it seeks discovery it seeks experience. I think, like most of us, I’ve often had far more wonders than answers, but I often like it that way. Noted Mirrors tries to understand a romance that frightened, a friend taken away too soon that crippled. An unconditional love from grandparents and a mother that rescued. A relationship with an absent father that poisoned. Revelational relationships with familiar strangers that taught so much in the form of freeing. A fascination with Redwoods and Orcas that brought so much life into merely being. And a curiosity of the abstract …

Our Stories, Our Voices: The Lived Experiences Of Black Families With Young Children During Covid-19, Devalin Jackson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black families raising young children during shelter in place orders and distance learning due to Covid-19. The study was conducted virtually through Zoom and Google form due to county shelter in place orders. Participants were recruited from the school in which the researcher worked. Through the use of virtual interviews, the five participants highlighted themes of reconnections, isolations, empowerment, family values and conversations. The families shared experiences of resilience and hope and brought thoughts of how these experiences could be highlighted in instructional and curriculum designs; especially during …

How Live Streaming And Twitch Have Changed The Gaming Industry, Krystal Ruiz

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Live streaming in itself has become a booming industry in which its content consists of “streamers” who live broadcast numerous events and real-time interactions while simultaneously chatting with viewers drawing huge and increasing numbers (Adamovich). Twitch has especially excelled at garnering attention as one of the most popular live streaming platforms that focuses on broadcasting and viewing video game content (Adamovich). Twitch has grown rapidly within the last few years asserting its dominance as one of the major forces in the games industry and becoming a multi-billion-dollar industry (Adamovich). For example, according to Descrier, in 2016 there were approximately 292 …

How Palestinian Aid Organizations Adapt To The Possibility Of Further Annexation And Rights Abuses In The Wake Of "The Deal Of The Century", Nadia L. Wiggins

Capstone Collection

This research explores the question, “To what extent has the ‘Deal of the Century’ impacted Palestinian aid organizations, and how might it impact them in the future?” The significance of this question lies in the fact that the “Deal of the Century” claims to solve one of the longest and most complex conflicts, yet it has not been sufficiently analyzed from a Palestinian perspective nor a humanitarian perspective. Furthermore, by presenting scholarly critiques of the deal and aid worker’s concerns, my hope is that an American audience may be convinced of the complicity of our government in devising a failed …

Examining The Geometric And Visual Details Of High Resolution 3d Lithics, Michael J. Bennett

Published Works

A technical white paper devoted to the application of various software applications for the close visual and geometric examination of high-resolution 3D lithic points. Both linear and angle measurements of textured meshes are discussed as well as the creation of cross-sections.

Artistic Aspects Of The Performing Interpretation Of Piano Ensemble Music By The Ligeti György, Marat Gumarov, Madina Fayziyeva, Vladimir Ovchinnikov

Eurasian music science journal

This article is the result of international scientific collaboration of leading pianists-performers from Uzbekistan and Russia. Turning to the study of piano ensemble music by György Ligeti (1923-2006), the authors focus on piano pieces in four hands that date back to the early period of the leader of the modern musical avant-garde, revealing their artistic world, reflecting the composer's aesthetics. The aim is to study Ligeti's works for piano in four hands, revealing their stylistic features. The musical material for the study is original miniatures for the four-handed piano (March and Three Wedding Dances), in which the composer's innovative style …

Mental Health Stigma: A Wicked Problem (Slides), Katelyn Yoh

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Mental health stigma began in the 5th century, continued through the 18th century, and began to improve in the 1840s. Mental health has been viewed as negative and those who suffer from a mental illness or disorder also suffer from stigma as well as negative consequences, such as other mental health concerns, physical issues, and psychological issues due to stigma. This paper goes into deep detail about what mental health stigma is, how stigma is used from peers and internalizes and creates self stigma, what the results of stigma are (all negative), and lastly ways to help put an end …

Recital 1: Program, Peter Bloom

The Timeless Genius of Chopin, Jiayan Sun, piano

No abstract provided.

Something To Believe In, Carter Macdonald, Amma Christiansen, Robin Curry, Sabrina Owens

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

When interpreted as a whole, Emily Dickinson's manuscript booklets of writing, or fascicles, offer insight into individual poems. As many scholars have speculated, Dickinson expresses religious ideas with experimental instability. The collection of poems on fascicle five, sheet three, demonstrate an anticipation of life exalted after death. For example, "As Watchers hang upon the East -" changes from a hopeful poem about the afterlife, to a questioning one that encourages the reader to remain critical of religion. In this poem, there is mention of a beggar who, while pondering death, looks forward to the prospect of a heavenly 'feast' promised …

How Do The Mental Health Services Offered By Usu Pre-Covid19 Compare To The Present?, Casey Mack

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

How do the mental health services offered by USU pre-COVID19 compare to the present? COVID19 has essentially taken the world and changed it. People are required to stay inside more, there is a decrease in social interaction and there is a political aspect most weren't expecting. This question is important because in such tumultuous time, mental health and mental health services are of utmost importance. Isolation and a change in most every aspect of life can take a toll on someone's mental health. The approach to this project is done with mixed methods. Students majoring in English at Utah State …

Teaching Through A Screen: How Usu English Instructors Approached Online Course Accessibility During Covid-19, Sabrina Satterthwaite

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Although academia has been transitioning to more virtual instructional methods for some time, the COVID-19 pandemic has made switching to remote classrooms a necessity. As a result, many instructors have been required to convert their traditionally face-to-face courses into online courses for the Fall 2020 semester. This online instructional mode presents opportunities and challenges alike for creating class content that is accessible both to students with disabilities and students with situational barriers, such as stress, money, or technology resources. This study explores how Utah State University English instructors implemented accessibility strategies in the transition to more remote learning during the …

Object Of Sublimity, Light: Particle And Phenomenon., Rachel Hancey

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

This artwork visually explores how we experience light in the context of space and material through a series of screen prints created in part with funding from the Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities Grant. Preliminary research involved studying the works of the 1960's West Coast Light and Space Artists and the movement's subsequent evolution to the present-day, the interconnected phenomenology of light and space, as well as the existing and developing philosophies of aesthetics most specifically related to the Sublime in a contemporary context. The goal of this project is not to create work similar in appearance to that of …

No Nearer Neighbor Have They: How Emily Dickinson's Fascicle 37 Explores Nature As A Link Between Man And God, Evan Rasmussen, Mckay Brezenski, Xiomara Castro

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

It is typically the practice to examine poems individually to grasp their meaning, but examining Emily Dickinson's poems in the context of their fascicle sheets, and the fascicles, themselves, can be an illuminating and worthwhile endeavor. When Emily Dickinson's poem "Four Trees - upon a solitary Acre - " is interpreted in isolation from the other poems Dickinson placed on the same manuscript sheet, it emerges as a beautiful commentary on the natural world and its relationship with humanity. The poem separates its speaker from nature, concluding that nature is something mankind may never fully comprehend. However, when this poem's …

A Profile On The Effects Of A Worldwide Pandemic On Writing In The Workplace, Maigan Sorensen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, many social norms in society have changed. Social norms have changed as well as how businesses function. Many people spend more time at home than outside, and infection is still on the rise. Workers and their employers have turned to remote or tele-commuting solutions to avoid spread of COVID-19. Businesses and other establishments that employ considerable numbers of people had to develop communication plans or draw on existing emergency procedures to ensure that processes continued as normally as possible. This research project was designed to examine the changes that have been implemented in …

How Dogs Representation In Cinema Reflects How They Are Seen In The Real World, Arden Fayard

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Dogs were introduced very early into the movie industry, just as they were to every other aspect of our lives. Over the decades, the way we used and represented dogs in movies changed. This research stems from an interest in seeing if representation of dogs in movies changed in response to their roles in people's lives.

From The Mouth Of The Tunnel: How The Shape Of Place Molds The Shape Of Art, Jordan Forest

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Creative Nonfiction writer Philip Gerard, in researching for an essay on the Gettysburg Address, decided to personally walk the path of Pickett's charge. He said that only in feeling the route for himself, in losing his breath and trudging through mud, did he realize the trek was uphill. Gerard said, "You have to see the thing itself, not merely a representation of the thing." For the creative nonfiction writer, site visit serves to imbue art with nuance and complexities of meaning. While writing a research-based creative nonfiction essay focused on Nancy Holt, I visited her land art installation Sun Tunnels …

How English Teachers Use Instagram And Other Social Media Platforms As Professional Development And Emotional Encouragement, Katharine Jenkins

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

How are high school English teachers using Instagram and other social media platforms as professional development and encouragement? This question is essential because the amount of information about education and teaching is constantly expanding, and through the use of social media platforms, teachers are now more readily able to communicate with each other. The widespread nature of social media has also created a new type of professional development through the past decade. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Teachers Pay Teachers, Twitter, and personal blogs offer professional development through the sharing of classroom materials, advice, and the collaboration …

College Students And Screen Time On Digital Devices During Covid-19, Bailee Kent

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

During this time of a global pandemic, people are most likely spending much more time on digital devices. That includes college students. It's natural when isolating or in quarantine to turn to digital devices for information and relationships. How much screen time is a good idea? Is there such a thing as too much screen time? Have college students thought of ways to reduce screen time? If so, has a digital detox been an option they have thought about? This project looks at college students and their screen time using a mixed methods approach. Two groups of students were surveyed: …

Is There A Doctor In The Book? A Study Of Female Physicians In Literature, Addy Kirkham

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Young children often look to characters in books, movies, and television to inspire their future career choices. This research project was designed to examine what female physicians in literature inspired young women to choose to become physicians. It is important to investigate the influences young women may or may not have had so that those inspiring characters if they exist, can be highlighted for future generations. To obtain data, I sent a survey to the Utah State University Pre-Med Club to gauge what literary influences inspired them to become doctors. I also interviewed three female doctors and recorded their influences …

German Thought And Animality, Jack Leonard

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

The question of whether and to what extent animals have minds is a key problem for philosophy, cognitive and animal science, and lived experience as a whole. This problem, which will be called "the Problem of Animality", concerns whether animals can be said to have the attributes of consciousness, thinking, moral worth, and other fundamental concepts.

The modern approach to what will be called the "Problem of Animality" had its genesis with the philosopher Rene Descartes. The Problem of Animality was not a question in itself for Descartes, but instead, a question that was answered through the application of his …

"God Would Certainly Scold!": Understanding Religion, Sex, And Nonconformity Through An Analysis Of Dickinson's "Over The Fence–" And Surrounding Poems, Hala Louviere, Jordan Forest, Talia Roundy

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

While a single poem of Dickinson's is full of meaning, analyzing the pieces that she placed before it thickens an initial understanding with additional perspective and nuance. To receive a fuller sense of Dickinson's interpretations of her final poem of one of her handbound collections, Fascicle 11, "Over the fence—" we analyze select poems of the eight sheets that proceed it. In nine lines, "Over the fence—" encapsulates the scope of Fascicle 11, depicting the ways in which women are both judged and limited within the social climate of 19th century America and within Christian religious communities. In this fascicle, …

How Communication Between Secondary English Teachers And Their Students During A Pandemic Has Changed, Allison Mcmurry

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

How has online learning affected teachers' communication with students, particularly regarding feedback for writing assignments? The increase in technology as well as current unexpected events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an increase in online learning at all education levels. This being said, online learning comes with many challenges that aren't present in a face-to-face setting. Through a case study of teachers' experiences with communicating online as well as surveys of current English teaching majors that have experienced the student side of online learning, these challenges and opportunities are described. The results may suggest best practices drawn from …

Dogs In Police Work, Jackson Morley

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

This research project discusses canines and their involvement in police work. Why do we not have more police dogs? K-9 units are very effective and helpful, but there are also several drawbacks. Police dogs are extremely expensive, they also can be used as an abuse of power, having too many canine units also can be unnecessary for every event of police work. Having police dogs as a specialty unit in a specific region would be effective though.

Congo 1961: Tracking Cia-Backed Weapon Smuggling In Africa's Copper Belt, Brian Mott

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

In 1960, the newly independent Congo erupted into civil war. Belgium, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union all rushed to influence the outcome. Congo sits atop some of the richest mineral deposits in the world; it was a critical Cold War battleground. The CIA came to the aid of one of the warring parties: the rebel state of Katanga. One of the critical ways they aided Katanga was by supplying otherwise unavailable weaponry. I focus on one instance of arms smuggling in particular: when three fighter jet aircraft were smuggled to the rebel Katangan regime. Historians have not …

Motivations To Choose English Teaching At Utah State University, Aaron Piscione

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

One of the most important careers is that of teaching—but why do students at Utah State choose the English Teaching major? Understanding the answer to this question will help prospective English teaching majors to know if the major is right for them, advising and advising services at USU to direct students to the major if it is correct for them, and the English department at USU to understand why it is that those students have chosen to be there. The methods used to obtain the results of this study are simple—a combination of surveys and interviews given to current students …