American Studies Commons^™

Realizing Virtuality: Tracing The Contours Of Digital Culture, Nicholas Andrew Riggs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People connect digitally through social media, fusing their relationships with meaning in a non-space of relational potential--a translucent and fluctuating enclave where the self becomes elastic. This thesis explores how I have formed bonds in virtual space through ritual interaction. Looking at the ways I learned to use technology through the progression of a close personal relationship, I suggest that social media use is a performance of identity--a virtuality that exposes how people negotiate the digital enclosure of contemporary society. My story is one of digital nativity and reclaiming love through virtual performance. I show how these performances have had …

Gaming Literacy: Construct Validation And Scale Construction, Kenneth Allen Rosenberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is the first attempt to construct a standardized measure of literacy for the medium of video games, filling a gap in the literature by synthesizing various items of skills, behaviors, and affective components from existent studies and determining their correlations through analyzation of survey data. The five categories that were derived from conceptual review and factor analysis have high measures of internal consistency: Information and Systems Management; Exploration and Enjoyment; Teamwork; Design; and Socialization. To test for external consistency and reliability, the proposed gaming literacy model was compared to the Novak and Hoffman (1997) construction of flow, using …

The Culture Of Mean: Gender, Race, And Class In Mediated Images Of Girls' Bullying, Emily Davis Ryalls

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines narratives about female bullying and aggression through mediated images of "mean girls." Through textual analysis of popular media featuring mean girls (television shows such as Gossip Girl and films like Mean Girls), as well as national news coverage of the case of Phoebe Prince, who reportedly committed suicide after being bullied by girls from her school, this feminist examination questions how the image of the mean girl is raced and classed. This dissertation values an interdisciplinary approach to research that works to make sense of the forces that produce bodies as gendered, raced, and classed.

One of …

Visual Search For Smoking Stimuli: Detection And Distraction, Jason A. Oliver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research has shown that the attentional systems of addicted individuals are biased towards drug-related stimuli, but despite several decades of effort these results have frequently been inconsistent. Though commonly believed to result from addiction and dependence, cognitive research would suggest that frequent exposure to drug-related stimuli could affect the attentional processing of drug-related cues even if no actual drug use occurs. The present investigation examined attentional bias for smoking cues using a novel visual search paradigm amongst smokers currently in nicotine withdrawal and fully satiated smokers, as well as a non-smoker control group. Variables related to smoking behavior, as …

The Threat To Democracy In Brazil's Public Sphere, Daniel Nettuno

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis looks at the nature of violence with its endemic, and increasingly epidemic presence in Brazil. I analyze the structure of the justice system, police force, and the many governmental security programs in order to better explain why Brazil is so violent and its government has been unable to control this violence. Living under violent conditions, Brazil has become a society where the efficient functioning of the public sphere has been undermined. This public space, shared by citizens, is what many academics believe to be a critical component of a robust and functioning democracy. In Brazil, it is shown, …

Children Who Die Of Abuse: An Examination Of The Effects Of Perpetrator Characteristics On Fatal Versus Non-Fatal Child Abuse, Donald L. Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 2000 children die annually in the United States from abuse and neglect, but the interplay of factors such as perpetrator characteristics and family composition which place these children at risk have not been wellestablished. The review of the literature focuses on the correlation between child deaths resulting from abuse and perpetrator characteristics most associated with these deaths. Characteristics such as the perpetrator’s age, race/ethnicity, gender, alcohol and substance use/abuse and/or sale, and prior history of abuse are among those examined. Additionally, these factors are examined within ecological and risk and protective factor theoretical frameworks. It is argued that further …

Identity, Reality, And Truth In Memoirs From The Iraq And Afghanistan Wars, Travis L. Martin

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research uses trauma theory, memoir theory, narratology, and recent scientific research into the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to explore developments in the memoir coming from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Specifically, the author examines the works of Shoshana Johnson, Colby Buzzell, and Anthony Shaffer to uncover the ways in which identity, reality and truth present themselves in the destabilized narratives of traumatized subjects.

Travis Martin is himself a veteran of the Iraq War, using his first-hand knowledge as a compass to guide him through intricate memoirs written by his contemporaries. Beginning …

Postwar Media Manifestations And Don Delillo, Joshua Adam Boldt

Online Theses and Dissertations

Media's influence on postwar American culture is undeniable. Don DeLillo's fiction is often a commentary on that influence. Hyperreality, Simulacra, Consumerism, and News Addiction are all regular themes in DeLillo's novels; this paper explores all of these concepts through the lens of media theory. Special attention is given to the novels White Noise, Americana, and Mao II, as well as to the media theorists Jean Baudrillard, Walter Benjamin, and Antonio Gramsci. The paper is both a history and a critique of postwar consumer culture and the role that media plays in the construction of that culture.

Down, But Not Out: An Ethnographic Study Of Women Who Struggled With And Overcame Methamphetamine Addiction, Jodi Nettleton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women suffer methamphetamine (meth) addiction at a rate much higher than rates for addiction to other drugs. Female meth users are susceptible and predisposed to gender-related risks: high rates of unprotected vaginal and anal sex, sex-work, and sexual coercion. Precursors for addiction (e.g., abuse, body dysphasia) put females in a difficult position for recovery and highlight the need for gender-specific research and treatment.

Methamphetamine (a synthetically derived stimulant) creates psychological and physical dependency that affects every neuron of the brain and damages the body immediately. Women ingest meth for initial effects that allay social pressures: feeling euphoric, connecting with others …

African American Athletes And The Negotiation Of Public Spaces: An Examination Of Athletic Capital And African American Perceptions Of Success, Keona Lewis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the culture of sport among African American male football players as well as African American perspectives on sport and success. A case study of six African American, Division 1 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) collegiate student athletes was conducted along with seventeen supplemental interviews with community members, parents, coaches and former athletes and fans. The participants answered questions that explored education, success, identity construction, ethnicity and sport. Archival data was also reviewed framing the discussion on football in Florida, links between education and sport participation and African American male academic achievement. While many perspectives varied, there were collective …

Epidemiological Study Of Contributing Factors In The Development Of Peptic Ulcer And Gastric Cancer Initiated By Helicobacter Pylori Infection In India, Rahul Suresh Mhaskar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a significant risk factor for peptic ulcer (PU) and gastric cancer (GC). Apart from the virulent CagA genotype of H. pylori environmental and dietary factors influence disease outcomes. There have been no studies addressing these factors in Western India. Hence, we conducted a case control study enrolling PU, GC patients and controls at Pune, India.

Methods: Risk factors for PU and H. pylori infection were assessed in participant interview. H. pylori status was assessed from stool by monoclonal antigen detection. To understand treatment effect, we followed 100 H. pylori positive patients.

Results: We …

A Multi-Level Study Investigating The Impact Of Workplace Civility Climate On Incivility And Employee Well-Being, Raymond Charles Ottinot

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study used Zohar‟s (2000) multi-level model of climate to examine the extent to which shared perceptions of workplace civility climate relate to teacher job satisfaction, affective commitment, and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB-abuse) towards other teachers. Workplace civility climate is defined as employee perceptions of how management uses policies, procedures, and practices to maintain a civil workplace. An online-survey was used to assess a cross-sectional sample of K-12 teachers (N = 2222) nested in 207 schools in a large US school district. There was adequate agreement among teacher perceptions of school civility climate for aggregation and between-group variance of civility …

Sullivan, Brendan J. (Fa 533), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text (click on "Additional Files" below) for Folklife Archives Project 533. Folklore material classified by genre. Information collected by Brendan J. Sullivan related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Davis, Nathan William (Fa 534), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 534. Folklore material classified by genre. Information collected by Nathan William Davis related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Women As Subject And Audience In World War Ii Venereal Disease Posters, Kyra Whitton

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Internationally, venereal disease first became a major health concern during World War I. Venereal diseases were some of the most common infections and led to more hospitalizations among soldiers than wounds or battle-related illness. The Selective Service discovered that almost fifteen percent of those who were eligible for the draft were already infected with a venereal disease, sparking an intense anti-venereal disease campaign across America. Red-light districts were shut down, and American cities sought new laws that would criminalize prostitution to protect young men from contracting a venereal infection.

Though venereal disease rates were still high during World War II, …

Composite Of Complexity: Manifestations Of Whiteness And Class Among Las Vegas Italian Americans, Danielle Nicole Axt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Conventional terminology and conventional boundaries, in regard to ethnicity, are no longer applicable to the ever shifting population of the United States. In specific, the various degrees of White ethnic identity does not easily transition into convenient all encompassing categories such as Caucasian or more simply, White. Whiteness studies have been at the forefront of this critique, most recently asserting that White ethnic identity is heavily influenced by context. However, although many studies are now recognizing the impact of multiple layers of White ethnic identity (along the lines of gender, locale, socioeconomic level etc.) many still neglect to identify a …

Rothfuss, Erik, B. 1987 (Fa 488), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text (click on "Additional Files" below) for Folklife Archives Project 488. Information collected by Erik Rothfuss related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Loveall, Sandra Kaye, B. 1964 (Fa 486), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text (click on "Additional File" below) for Folklife Archives Project 486. Folklore material classified by genre. Information collected by Sandra Kaye Loveall related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Phillips, Jennifer, B. 1988 (Fa 487), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text (click on "Additional File" below) for Folklife Archives Project 487. Folklore material classified by genre. Information collected by Jennifer Phillips related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Mccomas, Eric Donald, B. 1983 (Fa 484), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text (click on "Additional File" below) for Folklife Archives Project 484. Folkore material classified by genre. Information collected by Eric Donald McComas related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Geiger, Alison Anne (Fa 14), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 14. Interviews conducted by Alison Geiger with Grace (Meador) Galloway about her quilting. Includes step-by-step instructions, with photographs, demonstrating the construction of a cathedral window quilt block. Grace's life is also discussed, including raising her family on a farm in Warren County.

Inactivation Of Ascaris Suum By Ammonia In Feces Simulating The Physical-Chemical Parameters Of The Solar Toilet Under Laboratory Conditions, Ligia Maria Cruz Espinoza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Access to sustainable sanitation systems is a determining factor in human health and economic development. However, more than a third of the world’s population lives without access to improved sanitation facilities. To meet the sanitation United Nations Millennium Development target, "halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation", a wide range of non conventional sanitation technologies have been implemented in developing countries, including waterless systems. These systems function by diverting urine away from feces and collecting, storing, and dehydrating the fecal material in watertight dehydration vaults. From a public …

Klimowicz, Teresa D. (Fa 13), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 13. Interviews conducted by Teresa D. Klimowicz with Esther (Magers) Isbell, a native of Barren Coutny, Kentucky. Special attention is focused on her biblical themed quilts. Isbell also discusses her various occupations and participation in community affairs while living in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Karmiller, Courtney Anne, B. 1989 (Fa 485), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text (click on "Additional File" below) for Folklife Archives Project 485. Folklore material classified by genre. Information collected by Courtney Anne Karmiller related to folklore genres for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University.

Kinchlow, Gina Lloyce (Fa 12), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 12. Interviews conducted by Gina Lloyce Kinchlow with three Kinchlow family members concerning African American, middle class family life and Easter customs in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana during the 1960s and 1970s.

More Than Bows And Arrows: Subversion And Double-Consciousness In Native American Storytelling, Anastacia M. Schulhoff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

W. E. B. Du Bois‘ legendary reflections on the ―peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one‘s self through the eyes of others‖ has been applied almost exclusively to the souls of African American people (Du Bois 1903). This thesis shows how the concept of double-consciousness is alive in the stories told by Native Americans. I draw upon data from two websites that have recorded the stories told by ―exemplary indigenous elders, historians, storytellers and song carriers‖ and their oral traditions that serve the ―purpose of cultural preservation, education, and race reconciliation‖ (Wisdom of the Elders, 2009). …

Glynn, Luanne Carol (Aylesworth), B. 1951 (Fa 11), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 11. Interviews conducted by Luanne Carol (Aylesworth) Glynn with Marvel (Welborn) Mohon, Lewisburg, Kentucky concerning Thanksgiving customs, with much attention paid to Marvel’s life, especially her family.

Remember Me When I Am Gone - Exhibition (Fa 530), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 530. Materials related to the quilt exhibition, "Remember Me When I Gone," held at the Kentucky Museum, Western Kentucky University in 1995. Includes interviews with quiltmakers about their friendship and memory quilts.

Phenotypic And Genotypic Analysis Of In Vitro Selected Artemisinin Resistant Plasmodium Falciparum, Matthew Scott Tucker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artemisinin and its derivatives provide faster clearance of parasitemia than any other antimalarial drugs and these drugs are part of frontline combination therapies in areas where drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum exists. Clinical resistance to artemisinins is emerging on the Thailand-Cambodia border, making it imperative to investigate mechanisms of artemisinin resistance. Previous work in our laboratory showed ring-stage parasites enter a dormant state after exposure to artemisinin. We hypothesize that this period of dormancy is directly related to recrudescence and prolonged parasite clearance times in patients, and possibly resistance. The target of artemisinin is currently unknown, and potential resistance mechanisms are not …

The Relationship Between Knowledge And Beliefs About Human Papillomavirus, Acceptance Of The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, And Intentions To Practice Safer Sex Behaviors Among Female College Students, Theresa Scorcia-Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be highly prevalent among young women, and STIs continue to be a challenging health issue on college campuses. Studies have shown that the highest prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) is among young adult women, ages 20 to 24, including female college students. While the HPV vaccine has proven to be highly effective in preventing certain high-risk types of HPV, it is not effective in preventing all types of HPV or other STIs. Practicing other safer sex behaviors, in addition to condom use, also can help individuals protect themselves and their partners from …