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Full-Text Articles in Cultural History

Borglum’S Horse Flies: The Early Opposition To Mount Rushmore, Riley Merritt Apr 2024

Borglum’S Horse Flies: The Early Opposition To Mount Rushmore, Riley Merritt

Honors College Theses

This thesis explores the evolution of opposition to Mount Rushmore from 1923-1927—the period before carving began. The resistance was led by a group of preservationists who were concerned about the potential ecological and societal impacts of the project. While much of the existing scholarship has focused on the relationship between the local Indigenous community and the monument, I argue that the preservationists, who opposed the site for their own reasons, deserve similar attention. I aim to reframe the Mount Rushmore controversy within the broader context of the conservation movement, thereby contributing to wider environmental and historical debates. I also emphasize …


Bearing The Benefit: An Evolution Of Passing To Trespassing & How We Got Here, Kennedi J. Williams Apr 2024

Bearing The Benefit: An Evolution Of Passing To Trespassing & How We Got Here, Kennedi J. Williams

Honors College Theses

In recent years, we have seen a shift in the social treatment of white people in America. The desire to be politically correct at all times, in hopes of avoiding becoming the next viral “Karen” or racist has become imperative. The following thesis will explore the latest trend of white women buying racial capital by producing mixed-race children. At first glance, this idea can be a bit problematic. How can we assume the reasoning behind a woman choosing to bear a child? With this in mind, I would like to emphasize that individuals do not have to consciously be racist …


"Shakedown Street: The Grateful Dead And The Commodification Of Hippie Culture", Zachary A. Graham Apr 2022

"Shakedown Street: The Grateful Dead And The Commodification Of Hippie Culture", Zachary A. Graham

Honors College Theses

The Grateful Dead were one of the most successful and enduring bands to come out of the original hippie counterculture of the late 1960’s. Beginning as a small, experimental blues-rock group with no desire to pursue commercial success, fame and fortune nonetheless found the Dead over the course of their three decades on the road. Through constant touring, a consistent level of apathy towards business and making money, and with the help of arguably the most dedicated fanbase in music history, the Grateful Dead became more than just a band, they were the face of a new cultural phenomenon that …


How The Franks Became Frankish: The Power Of Law Codes And The Creation Of A People, Bruce H. Crosby Nov 2020

How The Franks Became Frankish: The Power Of Law Codes And The Creation Of A People, Bruce H. Crosby

Honors College Theses

During the fifth century, many Germanic peoples in Roman service assumed control over vast swathes of the Western Empire. Among these peoples were the Franks, who lend their name to the modern European nation of France. Thus, a question arises regarding how this came to be: how did illiterate tribes from Germania create a culture of their own that supplanted the Romans? Through an analysis of Frankish legal texts like the Lex Salica and the Capitularies of Charlemagne, this paper argues that the Franks forged their own identity by first formalizing their Germanic customs in the early sixth century …


Looking At The Onlookers: The Attitudes Of Women's Wwi Poetry, Kaitlyn M. Hodges Apr 2018

Looking At The Onlookers: The Attitudes Of Women's Wwi Poetry, Kaitlyn M. Hodges

Honors College Theses

The poems concerning WWI written by women reflect different attitudes about the concept of war and can be grouped into categories based on their stances toward the Great War. The most familiar feminine voice in the poetry of WWI illuminated a nationalistic and glorified view of war, where fighting (and dying) for a just cause outweighs any possible loss of life or limb. Running counter to this sentiment is a strain of poetry that calls into question the jingoistic and ill-informed opinions of the former group. Alongside these antipathetic groups there was a third, more meliorated, set of voices. These …


Honor, Courage, Commitment: Navy Recruitment Posters In World War Ii, Shelby A. Georges Apr 2018

Honor, Courage, Commitment: Navy Recruitment Posters In World War Ii, Shelby A. Georges

Honors College Theses

Navy recruitment posters from World War II are an important piece of American culture. The iconic signage can be seen in antique stores and textbooks alike. However, these posters provide more than just bold imagery and vintage decor. By analyzing recruitment posters as if they were advertisements and placing them in the context of the time period, many facets of American identity can be understood, especially regarding race, gender, and patriotism. These posters, while they almost never stated the specific outlined duties of Naval careers or requirements for enlisting, advertised to readers under the premise that they understood the guidelines …


A Case Study Of The Underlying Causes And Implications Of The 2014 Landmark Gm-Opel Automobile Plant Closure In Bochum, Germany, Jennifer P. Shaffer Jan 2017

A Case Study Of The Underlying Causes And Implications Of The 2014 Landmark Gm-Opel Automobile Plant Closure In Bochum, Germany, Jennifer P. Shaffer

Honors College Theses

In December 2014, General Motors closed its flagship Opel plant in Bochum after 52 years of operation amidst years of economic struggles in the industrial Ruhr-valley region of northwestern Germany, marking the first closure of a major German automobile plant since 1945. This study examines the primary underlying causes of the landmark closure, such as the insolvency of GM-Opel and tense employer-employee relations compounded by unsatisfactory trade union negotiations between GM-Opel and IG Metall. Subsequent social and economic reactions to the closure are also examined, including the yearlong “This is not Detroit” campaign launched by local Bochum artists to inspire …


The Death Of Modesty: How The Decline In The Church’S Influence Along With Social And Cultural Factors In The Twentieth Century Directed Changing Views Of Modesty In America, Tracy-Ann M. Griffiths Apr 2015

The Death Of Modesty: How The Decline In The Church’S Influence Along With Social And Cultural Factors In The Twentieth Century Directed Changing Views Of Modesty In America, Tracy-Ann M. Griffiths

Honors College Theses

As the topic of modesty and its origin is explored the creation of modesty can be traced back to religion and religious teachings and texts. Since the early twentieth century America’s modesty standards and ideals have slowly changed. With the increase in the influence of celebrities in the 1930s and 1940s along with the decrease in the influence of the church starting with the religious reformation, the death of modesty in American society has resulted. The purpose of this paper is to show a relationship between the origin of modesty and religion as well as show that America’s acceptance of …