Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Ukrainian Religious Diaspora In Countering Russian Aggression, Liudmyla Fylypovych, Georgii D. Fylypovych Mr.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the activities of the Ukrainian religious diaspora during the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, its involvement in humanitarian support, and information-media opposition to Russia. It examines the initiatives of various churches, including the UGCC, the Orthodox Church in America, and Protestant congregations abroad, in providing concrete assistance to Ukraine, specifically to refugees, displaced persons, medical institutions, and units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The assistance provided is multi-vector in nature, ranging from financial support for individuals or institutions to psychological aid for those suffering from various traumas. The article highlights the necessity of creating inter-confessional coordination centers for …

Religious Television Of Ukraine In Shaping Spiritual Identity In The Context Of Contemporary Media Practices, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Vadym Slyusar, Maksym Melnychuk, Yuliia Kondratiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to analysing religious television in Ukraine as a key institution of contemporary sacred communication, which shapes a new configuration of spiritual presence within the digital media space. Religious TV channels are examined as mediatized spaces for producing and transmitting symbolic meanings, within which traditional theological narratives are adapted to the demands of audiovisual culture, and the sacred acquires new forms of visualisation, emotional accessibility, and communicative dynamism. It is demonstrated that television broadcasting provides a unique format of spiritual support, enabling faith communities to participate in prayer practices, catechetical programmes, and moral-ethical discourse beyond the boundaries …

The Human Rights Argumentation Of The Uoc-Mp As A Strategy Of Institutional Self-Preservation Under Conditions Of Armed Aggression, Mariia Rudiuk, Valeriy Bulatov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the strategy of institutional self-preservation employed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) under conditions of Russian armed aggression. The relevance of the topic is determined by the adoption of Law of Ukraine No. 3894-IX “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activities of Religious Organizations,” aimed at limiting the influence of religious structures affiliated with the aggressor state. Particular attention is devoted to the ways in which the UOC-MP utilizes democratic legal mechanisms and European human rights rhetoric in order to delay or neutralize Ukraine’s national security measures. The …

Hybrid Identity And Religious Radicalization: On The Effectiveness Of Kazakhstan's State Policy, Sholpan Zhandossova, Marhabbat Nurov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the relationship between hybrid identity and religious radicalization in Kazakhstan, arguing that state policy has been built on a systematically inverted risk hierarchy. Drawing on secondary analysis of longitudinal sociological surveys, expert assessments, and official statistics, the article demonstrates that the intensity of religious practice is a statistically non-significant predictor of radicalization (ρ=+0.18; p>0.05), whereas identity fragmentation– the internal incoherence between competing ethnic, Soviet-secular, Islamic, and civic- Kazakhstani identity layers–carries the strongest positive correlation (ρ=+0.61; p<0.001). The normative architecture constructed between 2011 and 2024 is evaluated against these empirical predictors across four analytical levels: longitudinal trend analysis, regional identity profiling, factor correlation analysis, and institutional trust trajectories. The article finds that successive policy instruments have concentrated institutional resources on the weakest risk factor while leaving the strongest predictors structurally unaddressed. The post-2016 decline in registered criminal cases is attributed primarily to the organizational collapse of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as a recruitment structure rather than to domestic policy effectiveness. Trust in the state-affiliated religious authority declined by twenty percentage points over the period of maximum normative intensity–an outcome directly contrary to policy intent. The article concludes with three evidence-based corrective directions: reorienting the diagnostic framework toward monitoring identity fragmentation, recovering protective social factors as explicit policy targets, and restructuring formal religious authority to allow community-derived legitimacy to carry preventive functions.

Approaching The Wine Tasting Lexicon, Angela Dumford

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

There has been an increase in demand for wine knowledge in all sectors of the business. Whether you are a sommelier striving to improve your extensive comprehension of the world of wine, a server aiming to provide guests with a more personalized wine experience, or a simple customer that is curious about learning the basics; wine can be explored and enjoyed by anyone. Despite this, understanding where to begin in the wine world can be extremely intimidating. There are countless books, articles, and infographics available to the average wine enthusiast, but the intensity and quality of information varies dramatically. Furthermore, …

Hershey Vs Mars: The Rise Of Chocolate In America, Jasmine Lutz

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

From the early Americas to the chocolate houses of Europe, chocolate has a long history of being exclusive and expensive. This analysis will show how Milton Hershey and Forrest Mars changed the chocolate industry making it accessible to all, regardless of income. Both these giants got their start during the turn of the turn of the 19th century, a time of industrialization, innovation, and the rise of consumerism. The economic structures of the time allowed for both of these men to build their business into household names. Milton and Forrest’s early lives shaped who they were and how they did …

The Customer Is Always Right Philosophy, Gbassah Doman

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

The philosophy “the customer is always right” has long influenced customer service practices by emphasizing attentiveness, satisfaction, and loyalty. While originally intended to promote respectful engagement and trust‑building, contemporary interpretations of the philosophy often encourage unconditional customer accommodation, raising concerns about employee well‑being, ethical boundaries, and organizational sustainability. This study examines the historical foundations, strengths, limitations, and ethical implications of philosophy within modern business environments.

Using a qualitative research approach, the study analyzes academic literature, industry research, and organizational case studies to evaluate how rigid customer absolutism affects employees, customers, and organizational performance. Case studies of Amazon, Ritz‑Carlton, and Southwest …

Open Wide: Examining Dental Narratives In The Age Of Tiktok, Steve Jacob

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

Over the past few years, TikTok has emerged as a major conduit for health-related information through its wide array of short, emotionally charged videos that shape public perceptions. Within that broader category, this thesis evaluated dental-related content. Studies have investigated educational dental-related content on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook; however, no literature has explored how TikTok’s unique, narrative-driven content characterizes dentistry. For this study, primary research was conducted via content analysis of recently uploaded dental-related TikTok videos across 10 popular oral health-based hashtags. Results underline the dominance of patient voices, the use of personal experience as a messaging format, …

Rest Or Rot: Gen Z’S Search For Meaning, La'tasia Love

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

This thesis explores the cultural phenomenon known as “bedrotting,” and its prevalence among many members of society, but particularly Gen Z. Through an extensive content analysis using thematic coding, this study will look through the lenses of psychology, sociology, and philosophy to investigate the opinions, motivations, and impacts of this phenomenon. The results show that the main motivations behind it are depressive tendencies, an aversion to the current state of our society, and existentialism. The research concludes that bedrotting is a spectrum, and though it is often talked about in a neutral or even positive manner by those who participate …

The Sound Design For The Women Of Troy, Anastasiia Didenko

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This Thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the Masters of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Arts: Sound Design at Minnesota State University, Mankato. This thesis provides an account of Anastasiia Didenko’s process of work on sound design and research for The Women of Troy by Euripides. The show was produced and performed in the Ted Paul Theatre in November of 2025.

The first chapter consists of preliminary research, thoughts on the production and plans for the implementation of the sound design. The second chapter is a historical and critical perspective of the play, which explores the playwright's ideas and …

Envisioning The Role Of Community-Owned Stores & Aligning Federal Food Policies: A Participatory Approach To Food Security And Food Sovereignty In Sambaa K’E, Denendeh (Northwest Territories, Canada), Narayan Subramoniam

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Northern Indigenous communities have relied on traditional food systems for meaningful, nutritious diets since time immemorial. But many Indigenous communities in remote northern regions of Canada still face disproportionately elevated levels of food insecurity due to climate change radically altering the availability for traditional foods, colonial food policies imposing Western diets, and the high costs of transporting store-bought foods. Extreme weather events such as wildfires further isolate fly-in remote communities increasing both the costs of transporting store-bought foods and the difficulties of harvesting traditional foods. There are many examples of community-based initiatives for supporting traditional and locally grown foods, however, …

Creating The Role Of Aunt Eller In Oklahoma!, Phyllis Horridge

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Arts with concentration in Musical Theatre. It is a detailed account of author Phyllis Horridge’s artistic process in creating the role of Aunt Eller in Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Fall 2025 production of Oklahoma! This thesis follows the actor’s process through pre-production analysis, an historical and critical perspective, journals detailing the rehearsal and performance process, a post-production analysis, and process development. Appendices and works cited follow the process development.

Contesting Conservatism: Neoconservatives, Evangelicals, And Foreign Policy In The Reagan Era, Emily B. Kissel

All Master's Theses

This thesis explores how foreign policy shaped and destabilized the conservative coalition during the Reagan era. Although historians often portray the conservative movement of the 1980s as unified by anti-communism, this study argues that foreign policy debates exposed significant ideological divisions between neoconservatives, evangelical Christians, and the broader conservative base. These groups shared common goals but disagreed over the moral and strategic direction of American foreign policy. Neoconservatives and evangelical Christians wanted the same muscular assertion of American power abroad, but the factions framed foreign policy differently to appeal to their supporters. These policies and aggressive anti-Soviet rhetoric struck widespread …

Modernism’S Wild Child: The Interplay Of Modernist And Children’S Literature, Rachel Riffel

All Master's Theses

Within literary criticism, American and British modernism are often characterized by the disillusioned writers and creators who established an elitist literary community during the early 20^th century. This period is also distinguished by the Harlem Renaissance highlighting Black art, culture, and writing. Gertrude Stein, T. S. Eliot, Langston Hughes and Arna Bontemps are well-known for contributing core texts to modernism and the Harlem Renaissance that expressed existential themes and developed experimental techniques. What many readers don’t know, however, is that these authors and many other contemporaries wrote stories and poetry for children. In this thesis, I explore the children’s …

A Few Words From Our Staff

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

True Love, Thaily Jeanty

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Bucket List, Eddie N. Hammans

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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American Gal, Nicole M. Gomez

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Echos Of Renewal, Jasmine Diaz-Marquez

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Sedona, Az, Inchara Kumar

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Antelope Canyon, Auston Hsieh

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Full Issue

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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This House Is Not The Same, Daniella M. Acosta Reyes

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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When Sailboats Fly, Salarah Seymour

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Woman In Silk, Roseline Jean-Pierre

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Mystery Boxes, Grace K. Wong

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Contents

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

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Religious Conversion From Islam To Christianity In Kazakhstan, Kalmahan Yerzhan, Didar Mamyrbayev, Yelaman Karibekuly

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The phenomenon of religious conversion constitutes a significant topic of inquiry within the realms of social and psychological research in contemporary society. This article investigates the experiences of Muslims in Kazakhstan who have transitioned to Christianity, specifically within the Baptist denomination. The study employed a qualitative approach and was executed through semi-structured interviews with participants. The primary objective of the interview was to ascertain how familial upbringing, emotional experiences, as well as social and psychological factors, influence the conversion process. The findings indicated that the act of changing one's religion is frequently correlated with an individual's personal spiritual quest, existential …

Legend Of The White Bison, Garrett Hurley

Voice/Craft

Age 14, Grade 8

Socio-Psychological Portrait Of Muslim Women Who Joined Radical Religious Organizations, Akerke Sakbayeva, Nagima Baitenova, Zhuldyz Zhorabek, Assel Alimkhanova, Raimbek Zeinullin

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the socio-psychological characteristics, motivations for radicalization, and the legal and social status of Muslim women who have joined radical religious organizations from gender and cultural studies perspectives. In recent years, the increasing involvement of women in violent extremist movements has intensified the need to investigate this phenomenon not only as a security issue, but also as a complex social, cultural, psychological, and gender-related phenomenon. The study analyzes both internal and external factors influencing the radicalization of women, including social marginalization, identity crises, emotional dependency, limited religious literacy, and perceptions of social injustice. Particular attention is given to …