Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Effects Of Background Child-Directed And Adult-Directed Singing On Reading Comprehension Performance, Agnes Yeboah Amfo-Adu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although music features in speech, such as those found in child-directed speech and song, are known to enhance language processing, the underlying mechanism of this benefit remains unclear. Prior research has primarily compared verbal materials presented in a musical, child-directed style to those in a less musical, adult-directed style, leaving it uncertain whether the benefit stems from the music style of verbal presentation or mere exposure to musical features. This study examined whether the language benefits of child-directed input persist when it is presented as background auditory stimuli rather than the primary focus of cognitive tasks. Experiment 1 found that …

Bulloch County National Register Of Historic Places Collection, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Finding Aids

Spanning 1970 to 1997, the collection contains materials regarding the application process for various Bulloch County properties to the National Register of Historic Places. Materials include official application paperwork, along with correspondence between various officials and property owners regarding processing, status updates, or requests for more information. Photographs of properties and supplemental documents such as genealogical records, newspaper clippings, and written narratives surrounding the development of the properties are also included.

Find this collection in the libraries' catalog.

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.

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 …

The Career Resilience Of Women Of Color Amidst Intersectional Racism-Sexism In The Us: A Consensual Qualitative Study, Hannah Ahmad Ridzuan

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

Women of color have historically and presently experienced both sexism and racism on interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels (Sue et al., 2007). While discrimination based on racial-ethnic and gender identities has by far the most extensive literature base (Duffy et al., 2016), literature on the development of women of color career resilience is not as expansive. Informed by the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) (Blustein, 2006; Duffy et al., 2016), the intersectionality framework (Crenshaw, 1989; Collins et al., 2021), and critical consciousness (Freire, 1971; Quiñones-Rosado, 2020), this consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill, 2006) explored how women of color in the …

The Tree That Would Not Fall: An Educator’S Autoethnographic Journey Of Healing Through Words, Raeanna Marie Carlson

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

To say the world has changed since the 2020 COVID-19 shut down is to minimize the micro and macro social changes that infiltrated the school system. In the wake of it all, we find a landscape marred by a both rising teacher attrition and struggling student motivation. This autoethnographic dissertation explores the deeply personal experience tethered to a deeply problematic system that contributes to not only teacher burnout but what I came to know as teacher demoralization. Personal traumas of teachers profoundly impact their experience in the classroom, and as I examined my own near departure from the classroom, I …

Hormonal Modulation Of Sexual Approach And Avoidance Among Women With A History Of Sexual Trauma, Anneliis Susan Sartin-Tarm

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

A history of sexual trauma places women at a high risk for sexual dysfunction and other health sequelae, yet the influence of ovarian hormones in this population is poorly understood. This dissertation tested the theory that the effects of ovarian hormones are mediated by cognitive approach-avoidance systems to shape sexual well-being, and that this process is moderated by sexual trauma history. This was investigated across three studies examining the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptive use, and menopause. Across each chapter, I present complementary evidence demonstrating that hormones interact with the interpretation of ambiguous internal and external cues with respect to sexual …

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 …

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 …

The Influence Of Past Experiences On Middle School Band Directors’ Instructional Practices, Jessie Lynn Peterson

All Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated the influence of middle school band directors’ past experiences on their instructional decision-making and implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). Embedded in Ladson-Billings’s (1995, 2014) CRP framework and Lortie’s (1975) apprenticeship of observation theory, this study explored the relationship between middle school band directors’ past experiences, their beliefs about CRP, and their instructional practices.

Music education in the United States has historically focused on Western European classical traditions that overlook the cultural diversity of today’s students and reinforce dominant pedagogical norms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six middle school band directors. Participants discussed their musical backgrounds, …

The Alchemy Of Respect In The First-Year Composition Classroom, Raphael Ivan Reyes Juarez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this research, I wanted to understand how respect in the First-Year Composition classroom was understood, applied, and negotiated by undergraduate students. Also, I proposed a concept called the alchemy of respect, which describes the transformations, addition of value to students' ideas, and the refinement of their abilities in the classroom. The study relied on three theoretical approaches: virtue ethics by John Duffy, community literacy by Linda Flower, and rhetoric of respect by Tiffany Rousculp. I found important concepts in their work, such as the analysis of morals in the decisions people make, the construction of communities across differences, and …

Humboldt County, Dennis Robert Sanchez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Danny Marquez, a police sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department, takes his family on a vacation to Seattle, Washington. On the way, they stop in Humboldt County, and Danny is captivated by the beauty and serenity of this county. He imagines moving his family to Humboldt County and leaving the troubles of big city life behind. He applied for the position of Chief Inspector for the Humboldt Police. By the time he is hired, he loses both his son to Fentanyl and his wife to suicide. He is hired for the position but finds himself alone. He considers suicide. …

A Flag Of Honor: How A Library Project United A Community Through Service And Story, Timothy Cole Hale

Georgia Library Quarterly

A community project at the Cobb County Public Library’s Georgia Room honors veterans through a large American flag made of dog tags, each representing a loved one’s military service. Created in partnership with the Fielding Lewis Chapter of the DAR, the flag became a living archive of remembrance and storytelling. Hundreds contributed, turning the display into a mosaic of memory and a testament to the role of public libraries in building community.

Book Review: Heroes And Other Mortals: Stories Of Our Better Angels, Olivia Chapman

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Unpalatable: Stories Of Pain And Pleasure In Southern Cookbooks, Tomeka Jackson

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Zombie Memes Of Dixie, Alyshia K. Bagley

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Peace Engagement And Non-Negotiable Commitment Through An In-Depth Lens [Pencil Theory]: A Film Perspective On Un’S Conflict Resolution, Edward Moses Sam Selvaraj

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The research addresses the effectiveness of the United Nations concerning conflict resolution and peacekeeping, seen from the perspective of film culture. Applying the "PENCIL Theory" (Peace Engagement through an in-depth lens), the UN study along with its structural dynamics would be considered herein: a pencil comprising the Security Council as its lead, world as the eraser, and filmmakers as the ferrule that is representative of that significant link between public awareness and policy impact, and the UN General Assembly and Secretariat as its body in support of the decision-making processes. It brings to the fore the critical impacts on the …

A Diminished Alliance: The Effects Of French American Relations On The Leadership Of Washington, Adams, And Jefferson 1789-1809, Eric Christopher Carlson

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the relationship between the United States and France during the first three presidencies and how it influenced the leadership and decision-making of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. Throughout the thesis, it is argued that the most critical developments in the United States during these presidencies were connected to diplomatic relations with the French along with each leaders own private, but often public, perceptions of the French. The two decades that these three leaders were in office witnessed significant transformation in U.S.-French relations, especially as the French Revolution spiraled into a full-scale European conflict that threatened American neutrality. In …