Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Universality Of God In Amo’S Oracles And Creation: A Historical-Critical Approach Within A Catholic Context, Alexandra Bochte

Master's Theses (2009 -)

In the Old Testament, the Israelite nation is identified as a chosen people of God and in a covenantal relationship with him. This thesis will argue that the Noahide covenantal relationship extends to more than just the Israelites such that all creation is in a covenant with the universal God. This is supported through an exploration of Ancient Near Eastern literature and its similarities with biblical stories. Exegetical analyses of Psalms and prophetic biblical literature will further demonstrate God’s universality and will elucidate what it means to be in a covenantal relationship with God. When there is relationship there must …

Trinitarian Theology As A Resource For The Theology Of Education, Anne Bullock

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The character of Catholic education has been variously described but is often associated with educating the whole person, a statement that is usually inadequately explored. In the first place, this “holistic” approach is often reduced to character education, which is an insufficient explanation of what makes Catholic schools distinctive. Moreover, the approach relies on a dense theological account of the human person, which can make it difficult to integrate into the daily reality of school life. This thesis critiques some insufficient approaches to Catholic education in light of the Church’s vision for education, beginning with Vatican II and Gravissimis Educationis …

Ecumenical Traditions: Byzantine And Franciscan Theology In Dialogue, Gino G. Grivetti

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis investigates the convergences between the Byzantine and Franciscan traditions in the areas of hagiography, mysticism, and dogmatic theology. Historically marginalized in the neo-scholastic synthesis of the nineteenth century, the closeness of Patriarch Bartholomew (b. 1940) and Pope Francis (b. 1936) has symbolized the significance of this dialogue in the modern ecumenical movement. The anonymous bios of St. Nilus of Rossano (d. 1005) and the first vita of St. Francis of Assisi (d. 1226) by Thomas of Celano (d. 1260) are representative of the hagiographical traditions of the Italo-Byzantine monks and the early Franciscans. The traditions came into direct …

On The Aesthetic Of Diagrams In Byzantine Art, Justin Willson

Faculty Scholarship

Byzantine art has a reputation for being less based in diagrams than Western medieval art. The present essay offers a reassessment of this view through an examination of debates between Greeks and Latins from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. This cultural give-and-take led to a reconceptualization of Trinitarian iconography among Greek theologians. Taking as its case study an overlooked class of theological diagrams, this paper suggests that late Byzantine art may in fact be more “diagrammatic” than has typically been assumed. Exploring the relation between these diagrams and two types of Trinitarian images, the Synthronoi and Paternitas, it shows …

The Importance Of An Onboarding Process For Librarian Success, Sonali Sugrim

Publications and Research

Starting a new job comes with its unique challenges. New librarians are expected to develop an understanding of their roles, often with no guidance. For assorted reasons, including staffing, time, and lack of planning, many libraries do not have an onboarding process. This article explores from a librarian’s perspective the key ingredients needed when starting a new job in this hybrid environment, with a focus on the importance of an onboarding process that prioritizes effective communication, documentation of institutional knowledge, and the long-term success of librarians. This article is a call for library leadership to do more to ensure librarians …

Appropriated Voices: William Blake’S “The Little Black Boy” And British Antislavery Poetry, Brett J. Mattson

All NMU Master's Theses

British antislavery poetry in the late 1700s is well characterized by the first stanza of William Blake’s poem “The Little Black Boy” when his black speaker says “o! my soul is white; … But I am black as if bereav’d of light” (2-4). These statements that seem to exclude each other exemplify the discussions and arguments that antislavery poets had been publishing and would continue to deliberate after “The Little Black Boy” was printed in 1789. Other poets, while appropriating the voices of enslaved people or Africans, as Blake does in “The Little Black Boy,” often emphasize differences between their …

Fake Italian: An 83% True Autobiography With Pseudonyms And Some Tall Tales [Book Review], George Guida

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Pastoral Leadership: A Catalyst For Whole-Church Ministry, Boubakar Sanou

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Identity And Rituals Of South Asian Communities In Africa: A Missiological Analysis, Andrew Tompkins

Faculty Publications

There is a sizable Indian population throughout sub-Saharan Africa. A majority of the Indian population are practicing Hindus. For Hindus, ritual is a significant part of their faith tradition, often the most important. In Africa, where they are a minority, Indians often cling to these rituals to maintain their identity as both Indian and Hindu. To share Christ among Indians in Africa, a robust understanding of ritual is required. While many Africans have thought about ritual from their cultural backgrounds, Seventh-day Adventist Africans have yet to do as much reflection on the role of ritual and faith. Adventists in Africa …

Lifting The Postmodern Veil: Cosmopolitanism, Humanism, And Decolonization In Global Fictions Of The 21st Century, Matthew Burchanoski

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation traces the shared concerns of globalism, cosmopolitanism, humanism, and decolonization through a selection of 21st century Anglophone Literature while I explore what each says about a contested contemporary literary era. I analyze four novels – Michael Ondaatje’s Anil’s Ghost (2000), David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas (2004), Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad (2010), and Karen Joy Fowler’s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves (2013) – and consider how they wrestle, implicitly and explicitly, with the history of the 21st century and its effect on formal innovation and literary periodization. To do so, I look at humanism, cosmopolitanism, …

Nepantla And Mestizaje: A Phenomenological Analysis Of The Mestizx Historical Consciousness, Jorge Alfredo Montiel

Dissertations (1934 -)

My dissertation consists of two main Parts. Part I draws from Edmund Husserl’s notion of the “historical a priori” and from seminal decolonial thinker Anibal Quijano’s formulation of “coloniality” to offer a framework for what I call the “coloniality of history.” Chapter 1 draws from Husserl’s and from contemporary analyses of the “historical a priori” as a historical horizon of conceivability for subject and truth formation. Chapter 2 brings this phenomenological analysis to interpret Quijano’s formulation of “coloniality” as a historical horizon of conceivability and to offer a framework for what I call the “coloniality of history.” This framework shows …

Existential Thomism And The Ecstasy Of The Sexed Body, Kathleen Cavender-Mccoy

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation assesses the relevance and significance of Norris Clarke’s existential Thomism to critiques of John Paul II’s theology of the body. I argue that using existential Thomism as a basis for Catholic metaphysics opens the door for an existential theology of the sexed body, a theology of the individual on a unique spiritual journey towards union with God which amends, expands, and nuances the existing theology of the ecstatic body developed by John Paul II. Chapter One situates my thesis within its historical context by tracing philosophical and theological developments which inform the current status of embodied sexual difference …

Creating A Feminist Religious Counterpublic:Rlds Feminists And Women's Ordination Advocacy In America, 1970–1985, David Howlett, Nancy Ross

Religion: Faculty Publications

The 1970s witnessed an efflorescence of religious feminism in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, particularly around the issue of women's ordination. We pose a model for understanding this development—the formation of publics/counterpublics—and explore how it illuminates our case study. Drawing upon oral history interviews and archival sources, we document how RLDS women created independent publications, grassroots consciousness-raising groups, feminist classes and conferences, and Women-Church–inspired worship to reimagine priesthood within their church. We conclude that the lens of a counterpublic offers a capacious view of our topic, one capable of integrating both social movement theory and …

Conducting Oral History: Background And Methods, Katrine Barber

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

This chapter-length essay describes the practice of oral history through real world examples: the steps to conducting oral history interviews, things to consider when developing a project or an interview plan, and ethical considerations. How oral history has enlarged the historical record and changed scholarly interpretation of the past are highlighted.

The First Peoples Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas And Northern Mexico: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Defining The Paleoindian Period, Starr Elena Hein

Theses and Dissertations

The archaeological record of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and northern Mexico is poorly understood. There are few excavated sites at which Paleoindian cultural materials have been found, and in these cases the context is uncertain. In order to better understand the Paleoindian period, projectile points that reside in private collections are documented, and the time period they are assigned to, based on absolute dating from surrounding regions, is used to cross-date local materials. This is limited by the lack of named typology for Upper Paleolithic materials in the Americas. Clovis is well represented in the Lower Rio …

Becoming A Man: Concepts Of Writing Witness And Masculinity For Black Adolescent Males In Children’S And Young Adult Literature, Chelsea Danielle Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, the black male has had the world at his back, from the moment he stepped onto American soil, kidnapped and enslaved, the pressures to be a “good man” as a student or eventually as a father, to the need to “be somebody” as a proud American citizen, a human. In my dissertation, I evaluate further the position of the adolescent black male through the lens of young adult literature. The framework of a young adult novel is grounded in the experience of youth and adolescence rather than in adulthood and its nostalgic tendencies. The young black male experience and …

The Power Of Storytelling: A Case Study Exploring Black Studies Through Nigerian Women Writers, Genesis Flores, Gaetan Jean Louis, Alexa Victor

McNair Scholars Program

No abstract provided.

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Fitchburg, Phillip Granberry, Victor Luis Martins, Michelle Borges

Gastón Institute Publications

Fitchburg is a city of 41,946 residents, including 12,608 (30.1%) who identify as Latino or Hispanic, according to the 2020 Decennial Census. Statewide, Latino residents contribute 12.6% of the total population. In Fitchburg, Whites make up the majority (54.6%) of the city, while Blacks and Asians account for 6.1% and 3.6% of the population, respectively.

Between 2010 and 2020, the Latino population grew by 44.5% and was only outpaced by Blacks (59.8%). With these two populations outpacing Fitchburg's 4.0% population growth during the decade, the White population experienced a 16.7% decrease. By comparison, the White population in Massachusetts declined by …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Southbridge, Phillip Granberry, Victor Luis Martins, Michelle Borges

Gastón Institute Publications

Southbridge is a town of 17,673 residents, of whom 6,012, or 36.1%, identify as Latino or Hispanic, according to the 2020 Decennial Census. Statewide, Latino residents contribute 12.6% of the total population. In addition, there are slightly more than 10,000 White residents, making up 56.7% of Southbridge’s population, while Black, Asian, and other residents collectively account for only 7.2% of the town’s population.

Between the 2010 and 2020 Decennial Censuses, the Latino population increased by 44.0%, while the White population decreased by 12.3%. The smaller Black population increased by 43.2%, while the Asian population increased by 6.1%. The increase in …

The Spiritual Journey Of Leadership: A "Growth" Framework, Randy Siebold

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Review Of Multiplying Leaders In Intercultural Contexts: Recognizing And Developing Grassroots Potential, By Evelyn Hibbert And Richard Hibbert, Erich Baumgartner

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Christan Leadership: A Strange Business, Randy Siebold, Erich Baumgartner

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Girl And Her Knife: A Feature-Length Screenplay, Alyssa C. Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

A Girl and Her Knife is a dramatic screenplay written to promote inclusivity and empowerment of U.S. Chicanas in mainstream Hollywood. Once her grandmother dies, the protagonist, Luisa Fregoso, learns about her family’s history through her grandmother’s journal entries. Luisa’s grandmother, Ana, ensured Luisa became successful as an independent woman who understood she didn’t need love from a man. Luisa learned self-autonomy and self-liberation at a young age, but always struggled with love. Ultimately, her deceased grandmother continues to guide Luisa, but in a dangerous and dark way. The screenplay defies Hollywood’s traditional gender and cultural standards through distinctly written …

The Great Rebellion And The Mystery Of Lawlessness In 2 Thessalonians 2,1-12, Ranko Stefanovic

Faculty Publications

This article provides an expository study of 2 Thessalonians 2,1-12 in which Paul delineates the Christian history from his day until the Second Coming. The apostle contends that the Christian history will be characterized by a great spiritual rebellion against God organized by Satan. The apostle points to the central roles of two entities in that great rebellion, which he defines in terms of “the man of lawlessness” as the agent of Satan and “the restrainer” who for some time holds back the full revelation of that lawless figure on the world scene. Bible commentaries offer various proposal on the …

Editors’ Introduction, Aurora Matzke, Louis M. Maraj, Angela Clark-Oates, Anyssa Gonzalez, Sherry Rankins-Robertson

English Faculty Articles and Research

"When we proposed this special issue, we sought to illuminate the conceptual and embodied contact zones we discuss above. Tensions that, for us, were centered by scholars and attendees who participated in any of the three CCCC Feminist Workshop between 2021-2023 when the majority of the editors of this special issue co-chaired. During that time frame, CCCC’s shifted from in-person to fully online to hybrid due to COVID-19 and attempted to move toward more national and international attendance inclusivity. With this organizational backdrop, it was during the 2021 CCCC Feminist Workshop that we grappled with coalition as a commonplace."

Injury Prevention Exercise Guidelines For Flutists, Ziqing Guan

Theses and Dissertations

Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) have long been a common topic among performing musicians. There are studies of PRMDs specific to flutists, but not much detailed guidance of playing-related injury prevention has been provided. As increasing numbers of students have taken up the flute in recent years, PRMDs in flutists have become more of a concern. However, large numbers of flutists are still lacking education on prevention of PRMDs. The purpose of this document is to help flutists better understand the major muscle groups that we use in playing the flute, how these muscles are affected by flute-playing, and to introduce …

Archetypes Revisited: Investigating The Power Of Universals In Soviet And Hollywood Cinema, Iana Guselnikova

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the concept of archetypes in Soviet and Hollywood films, drawing perspectives from ancient philosophy and the thought of Carl Jung and post-Jungians. While psychoanalysis provides a valuable framework for understanding the human psyche and the idea of archetypes, it has its limitations and gaps that require further exploration. To address these issues, this paper proposes the adoption of a structuralist approach, with reference to the work of Vladimir Propp on the morphology of the fairy tale. Incorporating Propp's ideas can complement psychoanalytic theory and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying patterns and structures that shape …

Hacia La Construcción De Una ‘Ciudadanía Casera’ En Ilegal: Reflexiones De Un Inmigrante Indocumentado (2019), De José Ángel Navejas, Gabriela Buitrón Vera

Modern Languages and Literatures: Faculty Publications and Other Works

En este trabajo examino el memoir Ilegal: Reflexiones de un inmigrante indocumentado (2019), de José Ángel Navejas. A raíz de una lectura de este texto, exploro las formas en que el narrador describe cómo los inmigrantes mexicanos indocumentados crean espacios de alianza y pertenencia en Estados Unidos. Para eso, parto del concepto de ‘ciudadanía casera’ de Mitchell (2020), quien apunta a que el ‘pertenecer’ no depende de la inclusión cívica o el reconocimiento estatal, sino que es una noción que se construye por medio de las prácticas comunitarias informales. Por ende, sugiero que en Ilegal son espacios de ‘ciudadanía casera’ …

2023-07-00 Newsletter, Morehead State University. Staff Congress.

Staff Congress Records

Staff Congress newsletter from July of 2023.

A Word From The Writing Team (July 2023), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Academic Commons Launches New Website
• Publication Spotlight
• Reminders
• First Friday Writing Retreat Hiatus
• Scott Renovations and You
• MS4 Residency Personal Statement Workshops