Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Cartography, Botany, And Violence In The Codex Rodriguez-MondragóN, Maria Davison

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how Sandy Rodriguez deploys the visual language of the Florentine Codex and other sixteenth-century Mesoamerican sources to examine the persisting effects of colonialism on people and land in Mexico-U.S. borderlands in Codex Rodriguez-Mondragón (2017-present), her ongoing series of maps, botanical illustrations, and landscape paintings.

Film Review: Motherhood And Mathematics: Hegemonic Femininity And Deviance In Shakuntala Devi (2020), Bharat Dhiman

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

The Final Girl Without The Slasher: Final Girls, Gender, And Community In Psych, Cassidy Crosby

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis focuses on the “Final Girl” trope, a hallmark of slasher films of the 1970s and 1980s, as it appears in detective procedural television show Psych to analyze what changes in the trope’s usage says about broader changes in American culture. I engage with two key episodes, “Scary Sherry: Bianca’s Toast” and “Tuesday the 17^th,” which contain the program’s most direct engagements with the Final Girl trope. Ultimately, I conclude that Psych rejects the hyperindividualism embedded in the Final Girl and some of the trope’s more binary gender norms, while also failing to interrogate other aspects of …

Analysis Of Popular Songs In The Us Market, Michael Myers

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In today’s digitally driven music landscape, understanding what drive’s a song’s popularity requires insight not only into its acoustic and lyrical content, but also into patterns of listener engagement across platforms. This thesis explores the predictive and descriptive dimensions of song popularity by applying supervised and unsupervised machine learning models to a multi-source dataset integrating audio features, sentiment analysis, and temporal consumption behavior. Drawing from a novel, multi-platform dataset that includes Billboard Hot 100 rankings, Spotify acoustic features and popularity scores, streaming, airplay, and sales metrics as reported on Luminate’s Music Connect, and lyrics from AZLyrics, the study investigates the …

Elements Of Creative Writing, Second Edition, Grant Tracey, Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger

Faculty Book Gallery

This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review (NAR), the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States.

We’ve selected nearly all of our readings and examples from writing that has appeared in our pages over the years. This 2nd edition includes several new topics and some new pieces from the NAR. Because we had a hand in publishing these pieces originally, our perspective as editors permeates this book. As …

Pedagogical Empathy As Instructor Self-Care: Struggles, Structures, And Support, Colleen J. Hart

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

Building from interviews with writing instructors at an urban R1 institution, this article identifies the struggles between balancing empathetic teaching practice—a practice that seeks to understand and address another’s needs in the classroom—with practicing self-care. In proposing a feminist pedagogical empathy, this article investigates how empathetic teaching practices, such as flexibility and transparency, and empathetic course policies can offer benefits to both instructors and students. Ultimately, I argue that empathetic teaching practice can function as self-care for instructors, rather than be considered additional labor or diminished as lenient or unrigorous, upholds rigor by clearly defining expectations for students while also …

76 | Maresha Iv: The Subterranean Complexes Of The Hellenistic City, Ian Stern

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

This volume provides an archaeological study of 152 subterranean complexes at ancient Maresha, including an overview of the site, geological background, typological analysis of chamber types, and documentation of all surveyed installations. Two brief excavation reports offer insights into material culture and daily life during the Hellenistic period. Carved decorative elements—such as niches, altars, reliefs, and betyls—highlight religious diversity and cultural syncretism among Maresha’s residents. Twenty-one inscriptions, mostly Greek with three Semitic, provide rare direct evidence of the activities, identities, and experiences of individuals who used these underground spaces, adding a human dimension to the material findings. Special attention is …

Cannibalizing The Starving: Poverty And Disability In The Late 19th And Early 20th Century America, Cole M. Hayes

Graduate Masters Theses

Cannibalizing the Starving analyzes how the American ruling class and their institutions perceptually disabled people in poverty alongside the repercussions of this disablement within the late 19^th and early 20^th century. This thesis deploys an anarchist framework of understanding hierarchies, the state, and violence is utilized alongside critical disability studies to understand how disability was socially constructed in the context of poverty. Further, much of the framing involved is from the context of labor or those who could not or did not labor. At the heart of the issue is understanding seemingly innocuous language used to denigrate those …

Redefining Community: An Analysis Of Black Presence On Nantucket In The Late 19th And Early 20th Centuries, Laura A. Paisley

Graduate Masters Theses

In the mid-19^th century, the decline in whaling initiated massive change on Nantucket Island’s cultural landscape. The thriving, but segregated, New Guinea community that formed in the late-18^th century was also impacted by this shift. Tourism ultimately became, and still is, Nantucket’s primary source of income and has wreaked havoc on the historical narrative that is perpetuated about the island. This narrative rarely moves past Nantucket’s whaling history and does not discuss the continued Black presence on the island. This thesis uncovers the relationship between race, space, and community formation that existed on Nantucket between 1860 and 1920. …

Technical Study And Conservation Treatment Of A Painted Wooden Figure, Attributed As An 18th-Century American Sternboard, Sutton Hastman

Art Conservation Master's Projects

This study focuses on the investigation of an object owned by the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) that was cataloged as an 18th -century American sternboard. The MAG shared concerns regarding the object’s provenance and whether the object was correctly identified. Technical analysis, including multimodal photography, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and wood identification, was conducted to inform the museum on the fabrication of the object and on its material components. The information collected was examined alongside historical research regarding the authenticity of the provenance, aiming to better understand the nature of the …

The Dialectic Of History And Imagination In Boshra Khalfan's Novels "Al-Bagh" And "Dalshad": A Study Of The Novel's Experimental Features, Hajer Harrathi

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

This study aims to uncover the features of literary experimentation in the works of the Omani writer Boshra Khalfan, through the study of her novels "Al-Bagh" and "Dalshad." The study examined these features by analyzing the dialectic between the imaginary and the historical in both novels, as well as an exquisite narrative discourse's openness to a several intertwined texts, voices, and languages all forming a modernist literary experience. This experience weaves its aesthetics by moving away from the formal and idealized to the marginalized and popular in Omani history. Accordingly, both novels emerged as rich in documentation, deeply engaging with …

Studies' Trends On The Use Of Artificial Intelligence Technologies In Analyzing And Directing Consumer Behavior: A Second-Level Analysis Of Published Research During The Period 2018-2024, Shaymaa Al-Said Salem

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

Companies in the era of digital communications must follow the latest technological developments to keep pace with their competitors and meet the needs and requirements of the market. Artificial intelligence has become an essential element in achieving this goal, as this technology has brought about fundamental changes in the global trade scene, and this has manifested in the form of ideas, interests, and huge investments. Therefore, many companies and business organizations in various sectors have recently resorted to using artificial intelligence techniques in the field of digital marketing and consumer behavior analysis to anticipate the customers' next purchase decision and …

The Future Vision Of Smart Cities In The Sultanate Of Oman Case Study: A Comparison With The Qatari Model, Eyad Fadda, Rawaan Al-Hashimiyyah, Ahmad Al-Hinai

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

The study aims to evaluate the future of smart cities in the Sultanate of Oman and explore the drivers and objectives required to achieve a smart city in the Sultanate, comparing it with the Qatari model due to the similarity of conditions between the two countries in the region. The study also addresses the concept of smart cities and the related concepts, in addition to their dimensions, characteristics, and various models. Furthermore, the study highlights the challenges that hinder the transformation of Oman's cities into smart cities. In light of technological and knowledge advancements, it has become essential to adopt …

The Role Of Social Media In Spreading Hearth Information During Heallth Crises, Aseel Al-Ajarmah, Faten Hamad

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

Access to information strongly contributes to the advocacy of sustainable development. Social media can facilitate availability and accessibility of information during crisis times. This research investigates the role, and difficulties of using social media to spread health information among the Jordanian society. A questionnaire was disseminated to all faculty members at health schools at The University of Jordan (N=415) of whom 380 responded (91.5% response rate). The results indicate that social media are highly recognised as a practical platform to increase public awareness during pandemics. However, there is a need for measures to limit the spread of fake news and …

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.

Perceptions Of Ai Chatbots In Music Education, Lauren Beauchamp

Music Education Theses

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI chatbots like the Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT), have impacted education, yet their specific implications for music education remain underexplored. This study explores general music educators’ perceptions of information provided by ChatGPT, focusing on their ability to distinguish AI-generated content, its perceived accuracy, and the perceived influence of professional experience. A qualitative multiple case methodology including six general music educators located in the state of New York was utilized. Participants were purposively sampled to ensure maximum variation in age, gender, service years, and teaching levels. During interviews, they were asked to …

Restoring Balance: Choctaw Policy And The Environment In New Spain's Eighteenth-Century Frontier, Fior Daliso Garcia Lara

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

During the colonial period, Indigenous peoples in the Lower Mississippi Valley used their deep ecological knowledge to respond to imperial pressures. Eighteenth-century Louisiana was a contested borderland where Spain, France, and England vied for expansion through alliances, warfare, and trade with Native tribes. As European powers vied for control of the region, Native groups devised strategies to assert sovereignty over their territories and livelihoods. My dissertation examines the ecological history of the Choctaw and Spanish Louisiana from 1763 until the United States Indian Removal Act in the 1830s. It argues that imperial disputes over Indigenous lands compelled the Choctaw to …

Judicial And Techno-Securitization Of Immigration: Narratives De Filosofia De Inmigracion Y Justicia, Mohammad Rubaiyat Rahman

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the thesis, I develop a philosophical account which is centered on immigration enforcement discrimination, surveillance and procedural justice. The thesis propounds two arguments. The first argument contends that the immigration enforcement of the United States (U.S.), including the use of surveillance technology, contributes to the structural injustice. The second argument is that the U.S. immigration surveillance and immigration enforcement should be qualified by procedural justice and constitutional democracy.

The thesis prioritizes the practice of the U.S. immigration policy, enforcement and how these promote structural injustice against non-citizens and citizens, specifically those who are Latinos living in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. …

Selected Projects In Scenic Design And Technical Direction, Ky Trupp

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

A selection of projects in scenic design and technical direction produced by Utah State Theater involving Ky Trupp and others. Each chapter studies the design process and production process of three individual shows where Ky was the Scenic Designer or Technical Director.

The Soldier Saint: Latter-Day Saint Veterans Of The Vietnam War, Cassie Evans

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This digital exhibit and accompanying paper explore the experiences and contributions of Latter-day Saint veterans during the Vietnam War, focusing on their role within both military and religious contexts. Despite representing only a small percentage of the American military forces in Vietnam, Latter-day Saints influenced the war's cultural and spiritual landscape. Through personal narratives, interviews, and historical analysis, the study sheds light on how these veterans navigated the complexities of their faith amidst the challenges of combat.

Additionally, it considers the relationship between military service and missionary efforts, highlighting how the presence of Latter-day Saint soldiers contributed to later religious …

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 …

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

The Black Bombers Of Ghana: Sport, Nation-Building And Pan-Africanism, 1958 To The 21st Century, Kenneth Tagoe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ghana’s Amateur Boxing Team, known as the Black Bombers, has impacted the country’s political and socio-economic development since its formation in 1958. This thesis argues that amateur boxing was one of the sports that Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, used to promote nation-building and, more broadly, a Pan-African agenda. The team’s success in international competitions has widely projected Ghana's sporting reputation and reinforced the Pan-African principles of Black pride and excellence in the global athletics arena, and beyond. This thesis traces the origins of amateur boxing and the formation of the Black Bombers, the squad’s participation in international athletics events …

Volume 11 Issue 11 (Aug 1912)

The Soul Winner

No abstract provided.

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 …

Predominant-Dominant Chains In Japanese Video Game Music, Evan R. Davis

Master's Theses

The short looping forms in Japanese video game music feature rapid modulations based on common chord progressions that necessitate contextual readings of harmonies in various keys to isolate how they manipulate tonal space. One such progression used by Japanese game music composers utilizes chains of predominant-dominant chords to move key centers by conflating function in minor-third related keys. These triumphant sounding transitional phrases are uniquely valuable in a medium dominated by stories of heroism and fighting authorities both earthly and divine. Building on the functional framework of 19^th century theorists and existing popular music research, two models are created …