Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Clothing, From Textiles To Pixels: Exploring The Possibilities Of Design With Clo3d Software, Tina Shetabi

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project explores the application of Clo3d software as a transformative educational tool in couture fashion design instruction. Despite couture's rich tradition of meticulous craftsmanship and personalized design, its teaching methodologies have yet to fully leverage digital advancements. This project examines the integration of Clo3d into the apparel design program curriculum, specifically focusing on the undergraduate course Digital Apparel Design at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application, this project aims to determine how digital tools like Clo3d can enhance the learning outcomes of fashion design students by providing a more interactive and …

American Perspectives On The Legitimacy Of Transgender Identities, Sethe Zachman

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed-method project examines how Americans’ and Nebraskans’ perceptions of the validity of transgender identities varies by the demographic characteristics of respondents, and how these perceptions are justified. Two representative surveys are used to examine demographic associations with opinion on the cisgender and transgender binary: the 2023 American Values Atlas (AVA) from the Public Religion Research Institute (N=4,788) and the 2022 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS) (N=934) from the Bureau of Sociological Research. A measure from the AVA data examines the degree to which respondents believe there are only two genders versus a range of gender identities. The NASIS …

Make America(N Cinema) Great Again: The Rhetoric Of Nostalgia In Trump Era Cinematic Multiplicities, Courtney J. Dreyer

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

This dissertation investigates the rhetoric of nostalgia in politics and popular Hollywood cinema during the Trump era. I argue that MAGA Cinema, the contemporary trend of reboots, remakes, and sequels related to properties from the late 1970s to early 1990s, both respond to and strengthen attachments to an imagined version of the 1980s. However, this illusory golden age more closely reflects the world as depicted in the cinema of the 1980s rather than the reality of American in the years of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Through a close analysis of David Gordon Green’s Halloween Reboot series, Top Gun: Maverick, and …

Coarse-Work: An Investigation Into The Impact Of Materiality In The Interior Educational Setting, Isabel G. Robb

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Education design in modern suburban America curates learning environments that are cold and impersonal, being used more as a place to keep youth during the day than as a place where they can truly learn about and understand the world around them. This learning environment does not suit all students, especially those with learning disabilities, and it leaves little room for flexibility in classroom usage.

Focusing on creating a learning environment where all students feel welcome and are able to effectively learn, this projective design research project aims to provide a comprehensive intervention through the built environment and interior design, …

A Grim End For Europe's First Civilization: The Fall Of Minoan Crete, Ashley Arp

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Early popular theories about the collapse of the Minoan civilization center around natural disasters, but geoarchaeological research from the past few decades has disproved these earlier theories. It is evident that the Minoan civilization continued to thrive for around a century after the volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that had previously been credited as the cause for the collapse. Evidence of manmade destruction has been uncovered across the island of Crete c. 1450 BCE and this period was quickly followed by a drastic cultural shift that included more Mycenaean elements than had been found on the island previously. These destructions, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Hiv/Aids In France And The United States: Historical Context And Preventative Actions, Rebecca A. Liebsack

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the result of transmission of a zoonotic disease known as simian immunodeficiency virus. The pandemic has had profound social and economic consequences and continues to be present today. France and the United States’ response to the discovery of HIV will be compared and the impact that HIV/AIDS had on their countries and future responses. They had rather similar responses, however, the United States had a slower initial response compared to France. Both had similar takeaways such as aiming at improving prevention and utilizing tactics developed during the start of the pandemic like frequent testing and vaccines.

Biological Teleology In The Modern World, Kathryn Siena

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In humans, the heart moves blood through the body. Does the heart therefore have a teleological explanation? Aristotelian teleology (described in Aristotle’s Physics) is the cause-for-the-sake-of-which, or the end towards which something moves. It is evident from current scientific knowledge that there is some sort of orientation of organisms toward an end. This orientation, following Aristotle’s definition of teleology, is conceptually distinct from efficient causation. This orientation is also metaphysically distinct from efficient causation because efficient causal explanations do not properly describe the orientation. However, two common ways of describing teleological explanations imply efficient causation as a metaphysical element. …

Beyond The Matrix: Navigating The Implications Of Nick Bostrom's Simulation Hypothesis On Reality And Existence, Michell-Lee Graham '24

Honor Scholar Theses

Suppose for the sake of the argument we are all living inside of a simulation, is that a problem? Nick Bostrom, a Swedish philosopher has proposed the question of whether we are living in a simulation. Philosophers in the past have grappled with this concept, from Plato to George Berkeley. This concept is also readily seen in movies such as “The Matrix" which is a science fiction film that explores the concept of a simulated reality. In the story, humans live in a simulated world created by sentient machines to distract and control them, while their physical bodies are used …

Music Therapy Perspectives In Popayan By Music Graduates From The Universidad Del Cauca, Laura Piedad Parra Acosta

Theses & Dissertations

This research explored the perspectives of music graduates from the Universidad del Cauca in Popayán, Colombia, regarding music therapy. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to gather data from participants, who were music educators and performers. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the responses and derive insights. Findings revealed varying levels of awareness and knowledge about music therapy among participants, with the majority expressing interest in gaining a further understanding of how to incorporate music therapy techniques into their practice. Moreover, participants emphasized the potential benefits of music therapy for emotional well-being and mental health in educational and performance settings. This …

Nationwide Practices And Perspectives On Early Literacy Activities In Daycare, Analaura Amador

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Soft Infrastructure In Developing Sustainable Volunteer-Based Healthcare For Transient Migrants In The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Border Region, Daniel Avitia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Vidas Perdidas, German Barrera Toro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Vidas perdidas es una novela coral que, como muchas otras novelas del género, puede ser leída como un libro de cuentos. La idea central de este proyecto no es otra que desarrollar una tesis muy sencilla pero que, en sí misma, constituye una gran alegoría sobre la existencia humana: La mayoría de nosotros pasaremos por el mundo sin la menor trascendencia histórica —artística, científica, política, espiritual… entre muchos otros campos— y, sin embargo, dichas experiencias vitales no serán vidas perdidas si en esas ventanas de posibilidades que vivimos —Heidegger definía la vida por oposición a la muerte como la posibilidad …

On Hannah Arendt's Study Of Constitutionalism In The Aftermath Of Totalitarianism: A Philosophical Search For The Principle To Secure The Foundations Of Modern Politics, Joseph De Leon Flores

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hannah Arendt faces the grotesque appearance of totalitarianism, and with bravery goes on the offensive, herself armed with contemporary philosophical tools of analysis, to do battle in the field of existential-phenomenology against this modern monster. Totalitarianism, birthed from the seeds of lawless action, claims to be the most lawful mode of human existence. The monstrous existence of totalitarianism demonstrates a crisis in the very foundations of modern manâ??s political mode of being. In order to find a solution to this modern political crisis Arendt closely studies the experience of constitution writing at the moment the men of action are about …

The Lack Of Representation Of Mexican Women In Films, Lizbeth Garcia Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Representation in film lacks the meaningful exposure of Mexican women, the lack of roles available tend to rely on the stereotypes of Mexicans therefore excluding room for Mexican women to be represented authentically. In this paper I discuss the lack of representation that Mexican women have in films, identifying that in roles of superheroes, especially women of color do not compare to the many white superhero films. To discuss representation of Mexicans in film, I used The Perfect Game (2009) and McFarland, USA (2015), films that share meaningful representation of Mexicans. While also using examples of representation in superhero films …

Assessing Urban Tree Coverage Along The U.S.-Mexico Border: A Gis Analysis Of Paso Del Norte, Melanie Escobar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, researchers have extensively studied the spatial distribution of social demographics and urban tree canopy (UTC) in urban cities, but very few, to this date, address U.S.-Mexico border cities. To date, there is no research that assesses the distribution of urban tree canopy (UTC) in the city of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, along the U.S.- Mexico border. Leveraging advanced mapping techniques and GIS tools, the study performs comparisons between countries (Juárez vs. El Paso urbanized areas and intra-country (within each country). It compares land cover classifications, assesses variations in UTC distribution across census tracts and …

Working In The Shadows: The Impact Of Wage Theft Among Undocumented Workers In El Paso, Texas, Christe Cherie Lattimore-Staple

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The documentary film titled "Working in the Shadows: The Impact of Wage Theft Among Undocumented Workers in El Paso, Texas" sheds light on the pervasive issue of wage theft experienced by undocumented workers in the region. Through personal testimonies, interviews with workers, legal experts, and government officials, the film delves into the challenges faced by undocumented workers who are vulnerable to exploitation due to their legal status.Undocumented workers in El Paso face a host of challenges, including unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, and fear of retaliation if they assert their rights. The film highlights the critical role of community organizations, …

A Writer In Writing, Stephanie Lamas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As a writer and individual, I speak between many roles, presenting myself as “I” but also “her”. Inevitably, there is a gap between “who I am” and “who I am made out to be” that I am not always in control of. Similarly, there is a disparity in intention versus interpretation in writing. Since we don’t exist in a vacuum, I must account for these gaps, acknowledging my individuality while adapting to changing circumstances and needs. As an individual with several disadvantages and particularities, however, my sense of self is unstable and uncertain, reflecting the instability and uncertainty in my …

My Little Poetic/Prose Book Of Words, Sayings, And Stories In Broken Spanish And A Little Bit Of German / Mi Libro Chiquito De Poética / Prosa De Palabras, Dichos, Y Historias Español Fracturado Y Un Poquetito Alemán, Sharon Ann Lucero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to thank Jonathan Taylor and Sarah Thompson for the wonderful job they did in providing me with feedback. I took into consideration all their comments. Their comments aligned with Dr. Powers, and I really took a deeper look into my Spanish/English translations on whether I should have them or not. I found a happy medium for all of it. I also went back and looked at the rest of the class’s comments and made sure that I did not miss any of the details that were pointed out to me the first time …

Our Author Is Crazy, Zani A. Meaders

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis delves into the realm of young adult (YA) fantasy literature, exploring how its meta-narrative elements, fast-paced story beats, and relatable characters can facilitate the acquisition of healthy coping mechanisms among its readers. In the preface, I discuss the importance of providing YA audiences with narratives that not only entertain but also serve as tools for navigating the complexities of adolescence. Drawing upon psychological theories and literary analysis, I argue that meta-awareness in YA fantasy can offer readers a unique perspective on their own struggles and encourage them to develop resilience and coping skills.

The accompanying YA Fantasy story …

Investigating The Production And Perception Of Lexical Stress In English As A Second Language: A Cue-Weighting Approach, Natalia Irene Minjarez Oppenheimer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Cue-Weighting Transfer Hypothesis states that (a) listeners weight acoustic cues according to how informative they are in signaling a lexical contrast in their L1, and (b) that listeners transfer their cue weightings from the L1 to the L2, using those cues that are important in the L1 to perceive lexical stress in the L2 (Tremblay et al., 2021). Most of the Spanish-English bilinguals in our region are highly proficient in both languages, but differ in their language dominance spectrums. That is, they can handle both languages with ease, but are usually more dominant in one of them. Because of …

Examining School-Age Children's Use Of Rare Words In Expository Discourse: Applications Of Computerized Analysis, Serena Jae Pedroza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the school-age years, children use varied discourse styles to convey information. In addition to conversational and narrative discourse, they learn to use expository discourse to explain complex topics. Previous studies have found that compared to conversation, expository discourse samples are generally more syntactically complex (Lundine et al., 2018; Nippold et al., 2005). In addition, the vocabulary used in expository discourse may be more advanced than that in other discourse types. One way to explore vocabulary use in discourse is to measure the rarity of words within samples of discourse. The purpose of this study was to compare typically developing …

Deal With A Dead Man, Afton Reed

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Value of Fantasy in Exploring Intangibles

Often, a story is sparked because of asking the question, “what if?” which is what happened to create the hydra that is Deal with a Dead Man. Two percolating ideas happened to coincide, and eventually crashed together. Early on, it began when I was introduced to the Russian fairytale of Koschei the Deathless and his fear of death, but inability to enjoy life. Over the past year, my family experienced several deaths, one tragically early, and another of ripe old age. My fascination with the fairytale grew as I watched myself and family …

"Inwombed" Expressions Of Anxiety: Myhth, Humor, And The Absurd, Jonathan Taylor

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract poetry collection.

In A State Of Becoming, Benjamin Conley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The artist discusses his Master of Fine Arts exhibition titled, In a State of Becoming. The exhibition was on view at the Tipton Gallery in downtown Johnson City, TN from February 26 March 8, 2024. In a State of Becoming showcased three large scale paintings, five multimedia prints, two sculptural installations, and a video projection installation. Conley's thesis research and current artistic practice revolve around the interfaces, connections, and relationships of humans and animals. Conley explicitly uses language like "animal" to describe "non-human animals" in his work's context. The exhibited works focused primarily on how the artist and/or the viewer …

Carmina Anacreontea 1-20: Text, Translation, And Commentary, Bayla Kamens

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

"Say What You Can't" By Nick Oliveri, Nicholas Oliveri

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As a writer, Yeorbin both benefited from and competed against artificial intelligence. He shivered a bit but maintained a painful interest in what the video had to say. He thought it ironic that computer scientists were some of the first ones to suffer from artificial intelligence’s jet sweep of human labor. They’re supposed to be the anointed ones. Software engineers are supposed to be the ones with the guaranteed jobs. What’s happening?

Journalistic Quality In The Digital Age Relating To Newsroom Diversity, Max Guerrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Traditionally, journalistic quality is determined by the integrity of a piece, along with its contribution to public knowledge. High quality, ethical journalism serves the purpose of holding those in power accountable and ensuring transparency in government actions through factual reporting. Objectivity is a highly emphasized element of American journalism because it allows the audience to form their own opinions and evaluate facts individually. However, as the distribution of media has changed with technological advancements, so have news writing trends. The theory of agenda setting, the concept that the media have the power to shift public opinions and perceptions of the …

Sonidos De Aztlán: A Historical Analysis Of Chicano Music, Alejandro Gomez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper analyzes music made primarily by Chicanos in the U.S. and social movements that the music was a part of. Case studies include the Zoot Suit Riots, the Delano Grape Strike, The Chicano Movement, Tejano/Conjunto and Tex-Mex, Narcocorridos, and the Chicanx Renaissance.

Music Isn’T Just A Special: Amplifying Music's Power In Fostering Social-Emotional Skills In Students, Angelina Davis

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researcher investigated how Dream Academy and Little Foot Elementary educators view music's impacts on social-emotional learning and what they thought could be done to improve it. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, the researcher used what they have learned to formulate an action that responds to the impact of music on social-emotional learning in a way that inspires, informs, or involves a particular audience. This is an important issue for students and teachers because music education allows educators to teach social-emotional skills. It is argued that music fosters social-emotional …

Will The Future Of Video Game Music Require Real Composers?, Nathan Barrett

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In order to gain a better understanding of video game composition and whether or not real composers will be required, I will explore a variety of categories within the field of game composition and sound design. General categories of focus will cover, 1) Basics, Standards, and Tropes for Game Composition 2) How Games Compositions Have Evolved 3) Creative Uses of Music inside of Games 4) Innovative Techniques for Game Compositions, and 5) The Ethics of Procedural Music and it's use in games.