Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Environmental Anthropology: A Path Of Research Into Environmental And Cultural Issues, Zahra Douhabi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

This paper examines the development and emergence of environmental anthropology, moving from the study of non-industrial societies and their adaptation to their environments, particularly with the trends of cultural ecology, neo-evolutionism, and cultural materialism. It then moved to the study of current environmental issues with political ecology, which has focused heavily on issues of power, economic and political hegemony, and their connection to the depletion of natural resources and environmental destruction. It then focused on issues of equality and environmental and social justice, adopting a multidisciplinary approach and new research methods to understand the environmental problems associated with industrial society …

Between Text And Reading: Reflections On Classical And Modern Arabic Literary Criticism :Abdelfattah Kilito’S Project As A Case Study, Mourad Tadghout, Mrad Tadghout

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

This article examines Abdelfattah Kilito’s critical project in reading the Arabic literary heritage, focusing on its position within contemporary Moroccan literary criticism and the debates it has generated in Arab, Moroccan, and Western contexts. The study is based on the assumption that Kilito’s work does not aim to establish a closed methodological model, but rather articulates an “ethics of reading” in which the act of reading itself becomes the central object of reflection. The article analyzes the main criticisms addressed to Kilito, showing that many of them evaluate his work according to criteria foreign to his project, such as methodological …

Human Sciences And The Truth Of Literature: Issues Of Theory And Method, Mohammed Fanane

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

The article examines the question of the nature of literature within the broader field of the humanities, showing how literary discourse—since Plato—has remained an epistemically ambiguous domain because of its imaginative power and its capacity to unsettle rational notions of truth. From this standpoint, the text traces the epistemological shifts that have shaped the history of literary theory, from Aristotle’s concept of mimesis to contemporary approaches that expose the instability of fixed meaning and the openness of the text to multiplicity and semantic fragmentation. The article also addresses the issue of interpretation, recalling the emblematic confrontation between old and new …

Literary Criticism And Its Drawing From The Humanities. An Academic Study Of Moroccan Criticism As A Model, Miloud Arniba

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

This research seeks to examine the relationship between literary criticism and the humanities, focusing on the relevance, limitations, and implications of this relationship. It does so through two academic studies by Moroccan critics: Hamid Lahmdani's engagement with sociology and Hassan Al-Moudan's with psychology. The aim is to understand how each critic approached this relationship, the extent to which they benefited from the disciplines they drew upon, the conscious nature of their engagement, and the degree to which this approach proved productive and beneficial in the development of literary criticism. Our hypothesis is that the experience of these two critics in …

Scientific Foundations And Their Manifestations In Literary Criticism, Hamid Lahmidani

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

The present study seeks to demonstrate the strong relationship between the various sciences and the practice of literary criticism, and to contribute to the shaping and development of critical programs. This occurs in parallel with the treatment of literary texts, the assimilation of their structural nature, and the subsequent uncovering of their allegorical and symbolic connotations. It has therefore been necessary to attend to the ways in which scientific disciplines contribute to the development of the mechanisms of literary criticism. Among these fertile sciences are mathematics, logic, and empirical forms of knowledge, followed by the human sciences such as history, …

Arab Critical Theory: The Stakes Of Openness And The Questions Of Systematization, Mohamed Msaadi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

The discussion of Arab critical theory resurfaces an unresolved debate concerning the means of realizing this intellectual project. Should we confine ourselves to exploring our heritage in search of the knowledge and methods that would enable us to build this scientific edifice in a way that respects our cultural specificities and preserves our authentic identity? Or does keeping pace with today’s civilizational and intellectual development require us to move beyond imitation and embrace the innovations of scientific and critical thought in order to produce theoretical and methodological frameworks that meet our aspirations? The first stance faces several challenges, foremost among …

Semantic Research Within Generative And Cognitive Linguistics In Morocco: Achievements And Prospects, Mohamed Aghlimou

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

This article examines the current state of semantic research within generative and cognitive linguistics in Morocco. Since the 1970s, semantics, as an integral component of grammar, has undergone significant advancements. This evolution can be attributed to the incorporation of linguistics into Moroccan university curricula and the increasing interest of researchers in semantic issues through contemporary approaches. This trend has fostered a scientific initiative that not only engages with semantic production in classical literature but also critically interrogates and seeks to enhance it in line with emerging modern theoretical frameworks. We will specifically analyze two significant semantic projects in Moroccan and …

Teaching Arabic Grammar And Linguistics In Moroccan Universities: Its Reality And Challenges, Omar Abouricha

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

The topic of teaching Arabic grammar and linguistics at Moroccan universities is of great importance, as the two linguistic fields enjoy a high scholarly status. Related to this subject are various and intertwined issues, including those related to functionality, the theoretical framework, descriptive language, linguistic data, and teaching methodologies. In this research, we sought to shed light on the reality of teaching both grammar and linguistics at Moroccan universities, the nature of the presence of teaching approaches and the challenges surrounding them. We concluded that the teaching of grammar and linguistics at Moroccan universities is linked to the reality of …

What Future For The Human And Social Sciences?, Mariem Mesbahi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

Devalued or marginalized by some minds, the humanities and social sciences (HSS) nevertheless remain for others, more lucid ones, a science whose rigor is of a different order and rather qualify them as "noble" and no longer as "soft." Thus, through their fields of investigation, when one examines their domains, their functions and their methods, their scientific and cognitive legitimacy is recognized in the face of attempts to exclude them from the scientific field. As for their perspectives, the idea, still in vogue, that these sciences aspire to understand the mind, reasoning, emotions and social interactions is being surpassed given …

On The Arabic Language And Its Horizons: Visions And Conceptions, Abdelali Al Ouadghiri

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

This article examines the status of Arabic and its prospects by probing what “protection”, “development”, and “advancement” mean in Arab constitutions and how such provisions can be converted into workable policies. It adopts an analytical approach that differentiates between standard Arabic and local vernaculars, sets out five prevalent conceptions, and subjects them to critical examination. The study argues that quantitative optimism about speaker numbers and official spread conceals qualitative risks: a widening diglossic gap, pressures of linguistic globalization, colonial afterlives, weak scientific and digital presence, and absent enforcement in key sectors. It counters the view that safeguarding the Qur’an alone …

Specialized Translation And Language Teaching In Moroccan Higher Education: Bridging Theory And Practice Through Research In The Human Sciences, Abdelaali Kharmoum

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

In higher education, which has been profoundly transformed by the globalization of knowledge and linguistic diversity, specialized translation has emerged as a key tool for language learning. It goes far beyond the scope of a simple lexical transfer exercise and has established itself as a space for mediation where theory, practice, cognitive reflection, and cultural sensitivity intersect. The rise of digital technologies machine translation, CAT software, and interactive platforms now offers students easy access to specialized corpora, which are essential in highly technical fields such as medicine, law, and applied sciences, where terminological accuracy remains a fundamental requirement. In the …

Anthropology Confronting The Digital: Complexity, Critical Thinking, And Democratic Stakes In Contemporary Human Sciences, Ibtissame El Hannachi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

In a world shaped by globalization and the digital revolution, anthropology faces unprecedented challenges. It goes beyond merely observing societies, probing deeply into the transformations that redefine what it means to be human, as well as our interactions and identities. Technologies alter our relationships with space, time, the body, and others, while algorithms and data increasingly reduce human behavior to quantifiable patterns. In this context, anthropology provides a critical perspective, preserving the depth of experiences and the richness of contexts, and highlighting the cultural, symbolic, and social dimensions often hidden behind technical innovations. Through its interdisciplinary approach, drawing on history, …

Editorial (Arabic), Chouaib Halifi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

No abstract provided.

Editorial (English), Chouaib Halifi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

No abstract provided.

Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition 2026, Marc Reese, Gerald Karni, Lynn University Philharmonia

Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition

Founder and Artistic Director

• Marc Reese

Judges

• Mireia Farrés
• Caleb Hudson
• Robert Sullivan

Composer

• Kenneth Frazelle
• Commissioned work: Blue Ridge Airs IV

Pianists

• Sheng-Yuan Kuan
• Lisa Leonard
• Tatiana Lokhina
• Galen Dean Peiskee, Jr.

Competition Schedule

• January 14, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. - Semi-final round
• January 15, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. - Judge's recital
• January 16, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. - Final round and award ceremony

Student Senate Meeting Minutes January 14, 2026, Student Senate-Winona State University

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

This document is the official Winona State University Student Senate Minutes for January 14, 2026..

Livestreaming A Doitocracy: Platform-Jumping Participatory Practices In Modular Synthesis Gear Cultures, Eliot Bates

Publications and Research

Earth Modular Society (EMS) is a cross-platform community dedicated to live hardware modular synthesis, with their primary efforts going into a 24/7 modular “radio station” that livestreams on Twitch and YouTube, and a supporting Discord chat server. Although part of the broader modular synthesis gear culture (a large-scale social formation that coalesces around specific classes of fetishized technical objects), EMS represents a new development in gear cultures as it foregrounds live performance and minimizes the accrual of status via conspicuous consumption. The normative governance structures of platform-specific gear culture communities preclude all but one or a handful of users from …

Resilient Leadership In Action: The Rhetoric And Relationships Of Abraham Lincoln For Today’S Public Administration, Wayne Morris Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Public administration faces growing volatility and complexity, requiring leadership models that extend beyond traditional management paradigms. This qualitative, historical-explanatory case study introduces and tests a multidimensional theory of resilient leadership in public administration through the rhetoric and relationships of Abraham Lincoln during his presidency. Guided by one central and four sub-research questions, the study analyzes fifty-six of Lincoln’s letters, speeches, and memoranda alongside fifteen diary entries by Navy Secretary Gideon Welles. Using a dual framework that integrates the Four-Factor Leadership Model and the proposed five-dimensional resilient leadership model: adaptability and learning, ethical decision-making and integrity, collaborative governance and stakeholder engagement, …

Women, Religion, And Education In North Carolina: How The Feminization Theory Applies From The Nineteenth Century To Present Day, Jennifer Lauren Walker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the state of North Carolina southern traditions run deep. The strong foundation of religion and family have been a constant in this state. However, not everything about this state’s history has been equal or fair, especially in the case of women and education. It would take the Progressive era for the feminization of southern life and culture to work its way into the lifestyle found amongst North Carolina residents. Women across the state would lay witness to the changes that both feminization and religion brought into their lives. Education would be one major factor that played into the equation …

Evaluating Theories On End-Of-Life Dreams And Visions With Similar Phenomena In Trauma-Related Populations, Christopher Channy Vinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A grounded theory approach was used to conduct a study on participants (N=24) who were veterans with trauma-related dreams or who had a near-death experience. Research questions were designed to qualitatively examine the lived experiences of dreams and visions in a non-end-of-life setting. This allowed the data to give greater insight into the end-of-life phenomenon and deepen the body of knowledge on dreams and visions in general. A survey consisting of the PTGI-SF, LuCiD, NExS, and the Greyson NDE, along with open-ended survey questions designed to record dream narratives for a thematic analysis, was used. The dream narratives were coded …

Trusting Jesus To The End: How A Christocentric, Inductive, And Canonical Hermeneutic Best Answers Rapture Debates And Reaffirms Perseverance, James G. Davidian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation compares the four premillennial end-time theories (i.e., the pretribulation, midtribulation, prewrath, and posttribulation views) to answer whether the Bible literally/explicitly describes two future descents of Christ, multiple future resurrections of saints, a pre-wrath timing, a reascent back to heaven, two last trumpets, two peoples of God, and two standards of protection (as proposed by rapture views) or whether the Scriptures describe only a single future coming of Christ for all saints “after the tribulation” (as held by the posttribulation view). By trusting what Jesus taught and relying on what is explicitly written and repeated in the Bible as …

Cattle Drives To Coal Cars: Norfolk & Western And The New South Industrialization Of Tazewell County, Virginia, 1880-1930, Hannah Beth Hensley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Addressing the impact of the New South gospel of industrialization on Tazewell County, Virginia, this research seeks to examine the county’s shift from a primarily agricultural, barter economy prior to 1880 to one of both industry and agriculture by 1930. It traces Virginia’s early railroads and coal mines, following the creation and collapse of the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad and subsequent birth of the Norfolk & Western Railroad, and details early geographic studies indicating the presence of coal in Southwest Virginia’s mountains. Tazewell County became the gateway to the rich Pocahontas coal fields of West Virginia with the boom …

Espionage, Civil Liberties, And The Secret War Of The American Revolution, Jackson Tomlin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation attempts to analyze the line between a government that can create security for its constituents, while also protecting their rights. It is an attempt to understand this schism by looking at the American Revolution and the role of spying in all of it. It aims to establish the role of spying in this narrative by first looking at the role of espionage in the ranks of the British government. The research attempts to look at how spying affected the American Revolution, how colonists lost their civil liberties because of spying, and the how spying played a future role …

Bridging Traditions: An Exploration Of Orchestral And Contemporary Bass Clarinet Performance Practice, Patrick Burke

Research Theses

This thesis presents a practice-led investigation into bass clarinet performance, examining how orchestral and contemporary traditions may be explored as an integrated artistic practice. Grounded in a reflective, semi-autoethnographic methodology, the research traces the evolution of my performance practice through exploration of repertoire, modes of collaboration and critical reflection. Rather than seeking prescriptive models or definitive outcomes, the study embraces the exploratory nature of artistic research, allowing insights to emerge through practice and experience.

Situated within my ongoing work as a professional clarinettist, the research is informed by active engagement across orchestral, solo, chamber, and collaborative contexts. The thesis demonstrates …

An Analysis Of The Role Of Women In The Progression Of The Gospel, D'Atra Mcfarland

Masters Theses

This thesis is an analysis of the role women played in the progression of the gospel. It tackles the argument of complementarianism versus egalitarianism. However, it takes on an egalitarian perspective and believes that Jesus showed through his interaction with women at pivotal points in his earthly ministry that women are essential when it comes to spreading the gospel. This thesis also explores the historical background of the Gospels, the gospel message, and relevant biblical, historical, and cultural texts that provide information on women in the first century of the New Testament. It also explores the general relationship that Jesus …

Selling The Impossible: A Critical Study Of Nostalgia, Persuasion And Ethical Implications, Francois Elmaleh

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the psychological, cultural and iconic influence of mid-20th-century comic book advertising and its enduring influence on modern marketing. With a concentration on adolescent readership, it examines how advertisements in comics shaped consumerist behavior through aspirational discourse, gendered address and emotional manipulation. Through literature reviews, visual analyses and case studies—such as the Charles Atlas bodybuilding campaign, Sea Monkeys and X-ray glasses—this research investigates the rhetorical strategies and ethical ramifications of advertising to children.

The objectives are fivefold: (1) to inventory and analyze dominant advertising strategies employed in comic book ads, (2) to explore how they reinforced cultural and …

Jesus’S View On Church Unity And Leadership: A Comparative Study Of His Views Against The Old Testament And Pauline Models In Addressing Leadership-Driven Divisions Within The Togolese Assemblies Of God Church, Sidibé-Néwendé Kamassé

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This paper will analyze the lack of alignment between Jesus's view of kingdom-centered unity and the pattern of leadership, and how these differences have affected the rule of the church according to biblical history. The paper further examines the problem of divisions driven by leadership in the modern churches, especially those in the Togolese Assemblies of God Church (TAGC). The thesis argues that Jesus's unique teachings on the Kingdom of God can be viewed as both the key organizational principle defining ecclesial leadership and unity and the final leadership paradigm that wrestles with the Old Testament and Pauline models of …

The Second American Republic: America's Near Century Of Reckoning With A Remade Constitution (1869-1953), Dominick J. Dalton

Masters Theses

The United States of America celebrates the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the country’s statement of sovereignty from her former colonizer, Great Britain, every fourth of July. France, nearly four-thousand eight hundred miles away, celebrates their own form of Independence Day, Bastille Day, every July fourteenth. Since July fourth, 1776, the United States has boasted a proud history of unity and continuity that was only interrupted by four bloody years, the American Civil War (1861-1865). However, France is unable to make such claims. Having five separate Republics, an Empire, and a Reich define their history since that fateful day …

Africa's Global Influence, Faez Al-Haq - Abidemi Salami

Masters Theses

This thesis believes in the design and production of an interactive kids' coloring book on Africa's extensive influence on world cultures, history, economies, and artistic heritage. In a bid to reverse centuries of misrepresentation and large-scale miseducation regarding Africa within early childhood textbooks, this work aims to design an interactive, kid-friendly guide that informs young readers about the central role Africa plays in today's world. Informed by thorough literature review and referencing case studies of successful education and culture intervention, the proposal positions Africa's global reach, spanning from its precolonial trading networks, philosophic structures, diaspora contributions, art heritage, and cultural …

Black Girl Magic Is Real, Bethany M. Duff

Masters Theses

This thesis began with an inquiry into the state of representation of Black women authors within the fantasy fiction genre. The artist statement delves into the development of a fantasy story with a Black young woman protagonist written by a Black woman. The story serves as a vehicle for the author to continue the authorial legacy begun by Black women authors decades before. The critical research paper operates as a literature review of five books within the fantasy fiction genre, written by Black women. It discusses the themes of: the connection between race and the narrative, race and the magic …