Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Dreaming, Building, And Enduring Black Voices: Black Media In Omaha In The Post-Civil Rights Era, Elodie C. Galeazzi-Kelly

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

This dissertation examines the purposes and roles of Black media in Omaha during the post–Civil Rights Era. It asks how African Americans and their allies in Omaha developed innovative media forms, institutions, and communication strategies to amplify Black voices, build community, and advocate for Black interests amid the rapidly shifting political and social landscape of the time. The study focuses first on three traditional forms of media (newspapers, radio, and television) and then broadens the definition of media to include key Black cultural institutions. These include a dramatic arts collective, a historical museum and archive, a memorial foundation, and an …

Modifying Italian Consonants In The Voice Studio: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Elisa Ramon

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

The body of lyric diction literature, particularly on Italian, has grown substantially in the second half of the twentieth century. Lyric diction courses are now a required part of many voice programs across the United States. The widespread use of International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions and transcription rules has significantly contributed to the field. However, relatively few sources focus on the pedagogical strategies needed to teach and modify Italian consonants effectively.

This two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods study identifies the features of Italian consonants that differentiate the lyric diction of novice singers from that of native speakers. It also proposes …

Experiences Of Disclosure Among Transgender And Gender Diverse Sexual Assault Survivors, Merle E. Huff Ii

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

Around half of TGD people have experienced sexual assault victimization (Abern et al., 2023; Clements-Nolle et al., 2006; James et al., 2016; Martin et al., 2022; Risser et al., 2005; Stotzer, 2009), which leads to higher rates of depression and PTSD (Grant et al., 2011; Grocott et al., 2023; Fernández-Rouco et al., 2017; Hawkey et al., 2021; Matsuzaka & Koch, 2019; Parr, 2020; Ussher et al., 2020). Disclosure of victimization may be important among TGD survivors. The current study was guided by minority stress theory (Meyer, 2003) and the gender minority stress and resiliency model (Testa et al., 2015) to …

Exploring Racial Identity Among East And Southeast Asian Transracial Adoptees In The United States Through Communication Theory Of Identity, Brooke Marie Hoá Hornberger

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to understand how East and Southeast Asian transracial adoptees (ESATA) in White adoptive families conceptualize and communicate their racial identity. ESATAs endure various challenges surrounding race that makes it important to understand how ESATAs understand their racial identity, the tensions they might experience, and how they management the tensions surrounding racial identity. Using the theoretical framework Communication Theory of Identity (Hecht, 1993), 25 ESATAs were interviewed about different frames of identity and potential identity gaps they experience surrounding racial identity. In addition, ESATAs were asked about how they communicatively manage identity gap tensions mapping …

Where Did All The Democrats Go?, Reese Adkins

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Following the reelection of President Obama in 2012, many political scientists such as Ruy Teixeira and John B. Judis, believed that this signaled the beginning of many Democratic electoral victories to come. They published their argument in their book, The Emerging Democratic Majority, in which they explained the Democratic Party’s plan to gain a systemic advantage in presidential elections. This was to be achieved by winning elections through winning the vote of minority groups, white women, and young college-educated people. This has been far from the case. Donald Trump, with political experience, shocked the world after winning the 2016 election …

Partition, Passport And The Documentary Life Of Belonging, Haimanti Roy

History Faculty Publications

As India and Pakistan emerged as two new nation-states after 1947, questions around nationality and citizenship animated official and public discourses. While there were constitutional and legal pronouncements to clarify these matters, this article suggests that particular documents governing mobility became central to how such issues were framed and understood. In particular, this article focuses on the Indian passport and similar documents of mobility control, such as the domicile certificate, permits, and so on, to examine how they worked singly and in conjunction to frame the documentary life of belonging. The article also focuses on particular mobile groups, Muslim minorities …

Right To Work Laws – The Effects On Unionization With A Theatrical Emphasis, Jade A. Randle

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

A look at the impacts that right to work laws may have on theatrical unions.

Concordia Seminary Magazine Summer 2025, Vicki Biggs

Concordia Seminary Magazine

Bearing Witness to the Truth

Volume 11 Issue 11 (Aug 1912)

The Soul Winner

No abstract provided.

Veils Of Oppression: An Exploration Of Paul Fitzsimmons Eve And His Impact On Enslaved Black Women's Lives, Zoe'swanna K. Mcgee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis contributes to the ongoing study of gender, race, and medicine in the United States, focusing on Dr. Paul Fitzsimmons Eve and his practices. By examining the experiences of enslaved black women subjected to his surgical procedures and experiments, medical racism, harm, and exploitation become visible.

Operation: Twisted Arm, Paul Burdiss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This science fiction novella explores the postcolonial tensions that can exist between a settler population and the native population of the land they have colonized. It uses the science fiction genre to translate modern issues into a fully fictionalized setting and is written in novella form to best fit the form of the story. This novella is accompanied by a Critical Introduction which explains the methodology and rationale for many of the choices made in its construction, and references both literary works read in preparation for this project as well as works by other writers regarding fiction writing techniques. The …

Unwritten Rules: Black Utahns’ Experience With De Facto Segregation In Utah, 1940-1965, Jasmine Mercedes Lowe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis examines life in Utah during the Jim Crow era, utilizing oral history interviews with African Americans who lived in the state between 1940 and 1965. The interviewees selected for this project describe their personal experiences with housing, employment, public spaces, medical assistance, and education discrimination.

Womanhood, Survival, And The American Revolution: The Correspondence Between John And Abigail Adams And Henry And Lucy Knox, Kristin Jaques

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The letters of Lucy and Henry Knox and Abigail and John Adams sent between 1775 and 1782 show how women stepped out of their expected gendered roles with thoughts of survival, not because they wanted to challenge the patriarchal society prevalent in the American colonies during the American Revolution.

Sustainability: Buzz Word Or Future Of Fashion? Measuring The Feasibility Of Outright Sustainability Among Fast Fashion’S Biggest Agents, Ryan Miller

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The fashion industry is currently experiencing unsustainable rates of pollution within its supply chains. The rapid increase in demand for short lead times perpetrated by large-scale retailers has led to hazardous practices negatively affecting both the environmental conditions and working conditions of producing countries. With this increased pressure, relationships between brands and suppliers have become untenable. Limited transparency and imbalanced power dynamics at the hand of the industry’s leading retailers require restructuring in order to build more sustainable and equitable supply-chain practices. Further, governmental regulation is currently limited in its capacity to enforce sustainable business practices on a global …

Warfare And Woodlands: Tracing Environmental And Military History In The Hürtgen Forest, Cedar Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis explores what happens when war enters a forest. From 1944 to 1945, American and German forces fought a long, brutal battle in the Hürtgen Forest near Germany’s western border. The dark, wet, and heavily wooded terrain made the fighting unusually difficult. Soldiers struggled not just with enemy fire, but with freezing rain, deep mud, low visibility, and constant stress. The forest shaped how the battle unfolded and intensified its hardships.

But the war’s impact on the forest continued long after the soldiers left. Unexploded bombs and artillery shells littered the ground. During a heatwave in 1947, many of …

Challenging The Gaze: A Feminist Interpretation Of The S.M.S. Mail Art Collection, Karissa A. Krievins

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In the late 1960s, many people called for radical, immediate change to America’s political, societal, and cultural structures. The artistic practices of the time reflected the social and political realities of the moment and played a crucial role in advocating for change. The title of the 1968 S.M.S. (Shit Must Stop) subscription art portfolios was a bold and urgent call for action, challenging artists and audiences alike to confront the pressing injustices of the era and inspire a collective awakening to the necessity of transformative change across the United States. Despite a fifty-six-year gap, today we are …

Drawing On The Past: Understanding Japanese American Internment Through Camp Newspaper Comics, Rory Olsen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

When studying the past, what artifacts are left behind for us to study? In understanding Japanese American internment in the United States during WWII, camp newspapers help give a look at the reality of camp life, which included the ongoing issues of a lack of supplies,, the generational divide between older and younger Japanese Americans, and even the racist leanings of some members of the camp. With a balance of humor and seriousness, as well as reality and the abstract, three artists - Roy Kawamoto, Harry Kuwada, and Michiko "Rosie" Arima - who were interred in Camp Jerome (located near …

Interdisciplinary Studies At Grand Valley State: Brooks College At Twenty, Eric Covey

Grand Valley Reports and Histories

This study, focused chiefly on academic programs, begins with a brief outline of the history of the Cluster Colleges at Grand Valley State University and then goes on to detail how the arrival of a new provost in 2002 revived and reshaped the idea of an independent college dedicated to interdisciplinary experiments. It was written partially to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies.

The Case Against Finean Essentialism, Miles Thibodeaux

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I survey, critique, and add to recent arguments against Finean Essentialism: the view that all de re modal facts are metaphysically explained by essences. Arguments against Finean Essentialism generally fall into two categories: (a) Finean Essentialism risks contradicting commonly held views or suppositions, or (b) Finean Essentialism involves an explanatory gap, vicious circularity, or a vicious regress. While the details of the arguments within each category differ significantly, it is useful to group them in this way given the relevant implications they have for one another. I will argue that the proposed critiques from category (a) are …

Cultural Vibrations: Student Power, International Exchange, And Black America In Mai 1968, Noah Micheal Roberts

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This thesis examines the prominence of Black Americans in the 68’ student movement in France. May 68’ incorporated a diverse and global network of social movements and political organizations, and had a notable connection to the American student movement. Black Americans had formed a large expatriate community in France which overlapped with many of the transnational connections forged by the student movements of 68’. This community was extremely notable in the French public sphere for popular works of literature and music, but its political contributions have been minimized or understudied. By utilizing student accounts, state and organizational records, and …

Digital Biophilia In Web Interface Design For Accessibility And User Well-Being, Bryana Michelle Peifer

Theses

This interdisciplinary study explores the intersection between horticultural therapy and web design, focusing on the impact of biophilic design principles in shaping contemporary practices within digital interface design. This exploration addresses the multifaceted relationship between humanity and the natural world, particularly how this connection serves as a source for the emergence of nature-inspired elements in digital expressions and their subsequent integration into modern web design for accessibility and well-being. As digital environments increasingly dominate daily experiences, the need for digital wellness through nature integration has become critical, especially for individuals who have physical disabilities, limited mobility, or limited access to …

On The Other Hand: The Unity Of Contraries In A World Of Conflict, Michael Kearney

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"How difficult will it be to keep our eyes set on God, not idols, in a world of generative AI, political polarization, rampant individualism, and anxiety about the future?"

Posting about ­­­­­­­­skilled communication from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

On the Other Hand

Spectacle And The Archipelagic Void: Mark Justiniani, Simulacra, And The Poetics Of Repetition, Luisa L. Gomez

Literary and Cultural Studies Program Faculty Publications

This paper examines the tension between spectacle and meaning in the immersive installations of Filipino artist Mark Justiniani, whose mirror-and-light works produce illusions of infinite regress. While Jean Baudrillard warns against the flattening of meaning in the era of simulacra, I argue that Justiniani repurposes the tools of spectacle to resist simulation. His “void of spectacles” stages not emptiness but layered depth, offering a spatial metaphor for archipelagic thinking—fragmented, entangled, and relational. I read Justiniani’s recursive visual structures alongside the poetics of repetition in the Filipino language, where reduplicated forms such as alaala (memory), guniguni (phantasm), bulong-bulong (rumor), or halakhak …

A Game Of Chicken: Exploring Religiosity, Gambling, And Acts Of Worship In Ren Galeno's Graphic Novel Sa Wala (Nothing To Lose), Elisha Camille Catimpo

Literary and Cultural Studies Program Faculty Publications

There are few more devout than a gambler. By his nature, he believes in something bigger than himself—be it faith, chance, luck, fortune, or some other greater power. The Philippine tradition of cockfighting, or sabong, is known for its established position in Philippine culture and the superstitious nature of the sabungero. In his 1977 book In Defense of Cockfighting, Nid Anima even goes as far as to claim that the Philippines is the cockfight Mecca of the world. In spite of the contradictory implications, there is a deep religiosity at work here, which makes the sabong unique in the Southeast …

The Dream Of Cloth Fish, Rhea Hu, Special Collections, Fleet Library

12th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest 2026

Entry for the 12th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest. Opening reception and award ceremony Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 6:30pm, Fleet Library, 1st Floor Main Reading Room. Juror: Gabrielle Reed.

Falling, Cindy Li, Special Collections, Fleet Library

12th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest 2026

Entry for the 12th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest. Opening reception and award ceremony Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 6:30pm, Fleet Library, 1st Floor Main Reading Room. Juror: Gabrielle Reed.

Does Change In Faith Maturity Reflect Maturation? Establishing Strict Measurement Invariance For The Faith Maturity Scale Across Time, Hiroki Matsuo, Tyler Greenway, Grant B. Morgan, Sarah A. Schnitker

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Despite its early focus on religious development and faith maturation, the psychology of religion and spirituality field underutilizes longitudinal designs; work is needed to reduce barriers to the longitudinal study of the processes by which faith matures. As a first step, the present study examines the invariance structure of the Faith Maturity Scale across three time points to assess the reliability and structure of the scale over time. The confirmatory factor analytic method was used to examine data from 572 college students. Configural, metric, scalar, and residual/strict models were tested. Findings support the full strict residual longitudinal invariance model, providing …

Hope Against Hope: Problems, Possibilities, Agency, And Survival, Erin Kay Chambers

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In response to a critique of hope put forth by queer theorist Jack Halberstam, this thesis is a reassessment of what makes us capable of response—to “stay with the trouble,” in the words of Donna Haraway—in the face of overwhelming collapse. If not hope, then what? This thesis explores a number of questions about hope and its absence, opposites, and various deployments: is hope always an effective tool for survival? Does hopelessness always spell doom? Are hope and its apparent opposites necessarily incompatible? And if there is no hope, how do we keep going?—how do we survive? I explore these …

Thematic Analyses Of Session Data With Transgender And Gender Diverse Adults Obtained During A Clinical Trial, Brenna Rose Lash

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

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adults in the United States experience high rates of discrimination and marginalization, contributing to adverse mental health outcomes. While clinical guidelines for gender affirming care have been developed, these guidelines often lack empirical grounding or specific, actionable strategies for clinicians. Although theoretical models such as the marginalization stress model and the psychological mediation framework offer useful foundations for case conceptualization, they do not fully capture the lived experiences or the resilience mechanisms of TGD individuals in therapeutic contexts. This project aims to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice through thematic analysis of therapy …

Intergenerational Family Dynamics Among Caregivers And Children’S Social-Emotional Development In China, Weiman Xu

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

The early years of a child’s life are pivotal for social-emotional development. While extensive research has explored the role of family settings in fostering children's social-emotional development (Bornstein, 2005), the impact of grandparental involvement, particularly the caregiving dynamics between generations, remains less well understood. This study aims to fill this gap by examining two critical aspects of intergenerational dynamics among caregivers (i.e. parent-grandparent coparenting and parent-grandparent relationship quality) and their associations with children’s social-emotional development (i.e. social skills and problem behaviors). Two specific aims were delineated: 1) examine the unique contribution of parent-grandparent coparenting, especially the power and authority domain …