Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures Commons^™

"Integrating The Seven Stages Of Conocimiento With Nahuatl And Ralámuri Wisdom In Kosmic Feminism: My Creative Writer Identity.", Hilda Yaneth Sotelo Dr

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

This paper explores the intersection of Kosmic Feminism and the seven stages of conocimiento as outlined by Gloria Anzaldúa, integrating Indigenous wisdom from Nahuatl and Ralámuri traditions. It examines how decolonial thought, feminist theory, and creative writing can be transformative tools for personal and communal healing. Drawing on personal experiences rooted in the borderlands of Ciudad Juárez-El Paso and Rarámuri heritage, the author blends Anzaldúa’s framework of conocimiento with Indigenous perspectives to offer a critique of patriarchal systems and a vision of holistic, cosmic resistance. The seven stages of conocimiento—awakening (El Arrebato), liminality (La Nepantla), commitment (El Compromiso), healing (La …

Unearthing Silence: Deaf Archaeology As A Pathway To Social Justice And Accessibility, Abigail H. Steiner

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Deaf archaeology is an emerging field exploring the material culture, spaces, and histories of Deaf communities to understand their social lives and identities. This paper examines Deaf archaeology as a framework for uncovering the historical presence of Deaf individuals and promoting social justice. It begins by defining deafness, contrasting medical and cultural perspectives, then traces the field’s roots in sign language evolution, marginalization, and Deaf education. Through a timeline of findings, the study reveals how Deaf individuals have been recognized or overlooked historically. Engaging with the Southern Tier Deaf community, I explore accessible archaeology and the role of Deaf archaeology …

From Oral Traditions To Digital Screens: The Evolution Of Folklore In The Modern Age, Echo Padgett

Student Scholar Symposium

This research explores how folklore and oral traditions adapt within digital spaces, focusing on Native American Skinwalker narratives and Biblical parables. By exploring these stories’ transformation on modern platforms, we are able to see the impact of digital media on traditional storytelling. In Navajo mythology, Skinwalkers are individuals, typically male, who practice the Witchery Way, gaining the ability to transform into animals to cause harm and disrupt the natural order. However, modern media often portrays them as monstrous, alien-like creatures, stripping away their cultural significance. The rise of sensationalized narratives, such as those surrounding Skinwalker Ranch, further these misconceptions, linking …

Actualizing Black Spatial Histories Through A Speculative Youth Archiving Project, Kaleb Germinaro, Alvin Logan, Jr.

Occasional Paper Series

For today’s youth, learning about one's history and culture is not always a given in the classroom. Many schools are learning spaces void of any cultural or spatial connection, particularly for Black students. This paper details an action-based summer archeology program hosted by the Burke Museum and Seattle Public Schools Liberatory Education Program that explored Black spatial histories through speculative youth archiving. Through key relationships with community organizations, students underwent a three-week program designed to allow students to develop their relationship with Black spatial histories and envision their role in creating and setting history in real-time. Using student interviews, the …

Short-Term Study Abroad Programs: A Sustainable Model For Community Colleges, Jorge Grajales-Díaz

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

This study employed qualitative methods to explore how the UVA in Valencia Summer Program 2019/ 2021 approached instructional practices (e.g., in-class and out-of-class immersive learning activities, homestays, pre-program services, including use of L2 and culture learning strategies) to identify those features of the program design that Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) could reproduce in a new short-term study abroad designed to expand its students’ oral proficiency and cultural awareness. The study used data from Zoom interviews with faculty, administrators, and L2 participating students. The findings address the study’s purpose in describing how the UVA in Valencia Summer Program 2019/ 2021 …

Exploring Student Perceptions Of Faculty Messages: The Moderating Role Of Internationalized Status And Gender, Geoffrey Luurs, Ismail Karabas, Brittany Wood

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Email is a tool used often for developing rapport between students and teachers. A professor’s email mistakes may affect the attributions students make about the professor’s competence and professionalism. This study used an experimental, between-subjects design to analyze the impact of professors’ typographical mistakes during initial email interactions and the moderating role of instructor demographics in those perceptions. The final sample consisted of 426 participants (64.6% female, 75.8% Caucasian) across eight universities representing five regions of the United States. The results of this study showed instructor’s email mistakes do lead to negative perceptions. Furthermore, it showed a professor’s internationalized status …

La Música Que Nos Une: Prácticas Y Expresiones Musicales Rurales De Tracidión Oral, Rosa Delia Acosta León, Ana Betina Morgante Combariza, Manuel Fernando Merchán Bernal, Juan Manuel Urrego Laurin

Ciencias Sociales, Humanidades y Ciencias Políticas

La Música que nos une surge como una herramienta de mediación cultural concebido como producto del proyecto de investigación Etnomusicología de expresiones musicales rurales de tradición oral cundinamarquesas como elementos de educación y cultura, desarrollado por el programa de Música de la Universidad de Cundinamarca. Su propósito es reconocer y preservar las prácticas musicales de los artistas regionales, así como sus historias de vida para contribuir a la preservación de la identidad cultural de las nuevas generaciones de la región. establecer conexiones significativas entre el material recopilado durante el trabajo de campo, enfocado en las prácticas musicales. de los artistas …

A Psychosociocultural Exploration Of Connection Among First-Generation Latina Undergraduates, Elizandra Sandoval M.S., Mary Dueñas Ph.D

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

Using a narrative inquiry, we explored the educational experiences of first-generation Latina college students and highlight opportunities for integrating their educational wisdoms in resource and service development. We center notions of critical consciousness to focus on how students’ language identity kept them connected to their home pedagogies in higher education.

Dancin’ In The Dark: Exploring The Possibilities For Queer Joy And Belonging In Sotu Nights, Trinidad And Tobago, Emily Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When I talk about “dancin’ in the dark,” I mean three things: 1) the moments that are written off as ordinary, the ephemeral yet joy-filled moments that seem hardly worthy of further reflection; 2) the act of dancing and experiencing joy against the backdrop of state-sanctioned homophobia in a dominant heteropatriarchal regime; and 3) queer people existing locally in the Caribbean region, a region in the metaphorical dark, typically mystified or diminished by western framings of the Caribbean as simply a vacation destination or an underdeveloped graveyard of colonization. Yet, queer people not only exist in this region, but we …

#35 Understanding In Lao, Victoria Gill

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

This piece is a celebration, an interpretation, and translation of Lao words and of the Lao language as poetry. This poem dissects and discuss the differences between how the word "understand" is conceptualized and embodied in the Lao language versus English. Further, it shows how in Lao, there are even deeper nuances between what it means "to know" versus "to understand" in Lao.

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

Resisting Neoliberalism: Testimonios Of Language Teachers As Social Activists, David Martinez-Prieto

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This study examines the testimonios of Mexican language teachers who experienced the violent and institutional imposition of neoliberal policies at the main university at the state of Puebla. Through the analysis of testimonios, language teachers narrated their own trajectories to resist the implementation of the neoliberal policies, such as the restriction of teaching freedom for educators, the elimination of the right to free education for students, and the current subjugation educators experience at the site of study. Based on the Foucauldian concepts of sovereign and institutional power, along with governmentality, this article analyzes the activism of language teachers, and …

Decolonizing Educational Research: Pláticas As Sites Of Reciprocity, Vulnerability, And Reflexivity, Miryam Espinosa-Dulanto

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Non-Plus Ultra Ideologies In Multilingual Teacher Education Research: Towards Real Inclusion, David Martinez-Prieto, Xiaodi Zhou

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

In this duo autoethnography, we reflect on the ideologies prevailing in the United States regarding the use of English as the de facto academic language. In a parallel manner, we analyze the ideologies embedded in the rejection of academic variations in other languages (i.e., Spanish and Mandarin). We collected data from 2016 to 2023 in physical and digital spaces while interacting with U.S. academia. To analyze our experiences, we used a framework that combined critical literacies and language ideologies. We found the rejection of non-English academic domains related to structural and epistemological ideologies present in some U.S. institutions and among …

Los Retos And Opportunities Del Transnational Translanguaging In English-Language Teaching Programs In Mexico, David Martinez-Prieto, Sue Kasun, Peter Sayer

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

Nuestro principal objetivo en este ensayo es promover el uso del translingüismo como una alternativa para la formación de profesorado bilingüe en universidades mexicanas. Defendemos esta postura no simplemente por las ventajas pedagógicas del translingüismo, sino como una imperiosa necesidad ante la multiculturalidad y transnacionalismo de los futuros docentes de lengua inglesa en México. En otras palabras, en este ensayo promovemos el uso de translanguaging as a reaction towards the reproduction of systemic oppression which occurs in many English Language Teaching programs in Mexican universities regarding nativism, raciolinguistics, and irreflective neoliberalism.

Black Lives Still Matter: Freedom Schools As An Embodiment Of Critical Literacy Through Reflection And Action, Elena M. Venegas, Lakia M. Scott

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The continuation of racial inequities in the United States has ignited the recent Black Lives Matter Movement, a protest of police brutality and gun violence. Black lives matter in public school classrooms, too—where students of color face barriers to equitable educational experiences. The Children's Defense Fund Freedom School program is a major component in developing critical literacy skills through critique, inquiry, and transformation through social justice and action. Critical literacy is enacted through identity—mainly as difference, self, consciousness, narrative, and positionality. Historical and contemporary relevance of Freedom Schools connects to the urgency of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Embracing The "American Dream" Social Media Imaginary Versus The Daily American Nightmare For Immigrant Youth, Miryam Espinosa-Dulanto, Iris Rubi Monroy Velasco

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

In this chapter, we embark on a journey to explore the hopes for a better future, the American Dream, shared by a group of transnational, first-generation Hispanic/Latino college students located along the border between the United States of America (Texas) and Mexico (Tamaulipas). We gathered the data through a blend of ethnographic interviews and surveys to unravel, juxtapose, and deliberate upon the experiences shared. Employing a thematic analysis methodology inspired by Braun and Clarke (2006), we categorize the data into two overarching categories. The first category delves into the social and virtual spaces where the ideals of the American Dream …

A Shared Sunset On The Marae, Seneca Schwartz

Missives from Afar: Study Abroad Stories

No abstract provided.

Prague Reflection, Kj Halpern

Missives from Afar: Study Abroad Stories

This summer, I had the privilege of studying at the renowned Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague through the Emerson College Prague Program, thanks to financial support from the Let’s Go Fund. The program was intense, requiring rapid pre-production, filming, and editing of original short films. I worked on multiple sets, developing key skills in problem-solving and collaboration. Beyond filmmaking, I formed close bonds with fellow students while exploring Prague’s rich culture. I’m deeply grateful to the Let’s Go Fund for making this transformative experience possible.

Sweden Reflection, Ryan Coronado

Missives from Afar: Study Abroad Stories

No abstract provided.

Inter/Weaving, Inter/Lacing Consciousness & Resistance: Decolonizing Practices, Intersectionality & Aesthetics, Miryam Espinosa-Dulanto, Rosalva Resendiz

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

Overall, the primary role in this issue was to create a space for scholars/artists/activists to share co-learned knowledges, testimonios, auto/biographies, stories, experiences, methods, research, as well as their own challenges and struggles while reclaiming, negotiating, or situating into their own paths. The issue works like our Borderlands, as a metaphorical terrain where shared information not only carefully addresses the paradoxical process of working towards decolonizing but also awareness that this work is being done within our own colonized/colonizing organizations, environments, and minds.

Kajian Konseptual Silabel Ritme Gandang Minangkabau, Aryuda Fakhleri Fallen, Yudi Sukmayadi, Tati Narawati

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article tryes to initiate the concept of Minangkabau rhythm syllables, which is a method in music learning related to audiation in rhythm learning, the urgency in this study explores the basic elements of the audiation system that can be applied to music learning related to rhythm syllables based on local approaches, taking into account previous concepts that have been popular in recent schools. In West Sumatra, the concepts of syllable rhythm such as Zoltan Kodaly, Kannokol, American Style Syllables, and Edwin Gordon are not so popular, but environments such as schools and art studios have their own ways of …

Hampering The Dogmatization Within The System By Building An Itinerant Practice In Bilingual Education And Dual-Language Programs, Jose Orozco, Michael Whitacre

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This paper focuses on dual-language programs and the transformation of implementation through the lens of Itinerant Curriculum Theory (ICT), curricularized language, and personal pedagogies, and how it impacts the way educators work within a dual-language program. The pedagogies of educator practices and influences included individuals with different ideologies, education, experience, distinct backgrounds, methods, and aspirations were part of the interactive mechanisms and educator practices that were analyzed. Thus, it concludes that the mindset and pedagogical approach affects the implementation of any program or model and shows how disparate agendas shape the program, its implementation, and the effect on the child.

Spirituality Among Mexican Transnational Teaching Youth: Towards Decolonialization And Humanization Of Research, David Martinez-Prieto

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The ultimate purpose of this study is to illustrate the transnational journey of Mexican populations in terms of their spirituality. With this goal, I designed this study based on decolonial and humanizing principles of testimonios epistemologies (Calderón-Berumen et al. 2022) to describe the spiritual trajectories of Mexican transnational returnees pursuing a teaching degree in Tlaxcala, Mexico. Based on interviews, written questionnaires, and the teaching journal of the author, I suggest that transnationals understand that spiritual and religious development is different for Mexican communities on both sides of the border. On the one hand, transnationals realized that religiosity—rather than spirituality—is present …

Repast: A Collective Autoethnographic Process Of Meaning Making, Vejoya Viren, Miryam Espinosa-Dulanto, Karin Lewis, Eunice Lerma

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

For over six years, our writing collective has drawn upon our multivarious experiences and existence to examine and question our presence, purpose, motivation, and place at an HSI at the USA Mexico border. We thrive in our plurality and our disparate discourses have created an enduring sense and space of safety and belonging. However, this sense/space is not impervious and events as monumental as the global pandemic, as horrific as the images of wars, as devastating as the ravages of climate change, as destabilizing as divisive politics, as personal as new professional expectations, all have become intrinsic part of our …

An Evaluation Of Authenticity: A Content Analysis Of K-6 Mandarin Matrix Textbooks For Chinese Dual Language Immersion Programs, Hsiaomei Tsai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Authentic texts are suggested for building practical language skills that go beyond the classroom, helping language learners to communicate with native speakers. This study used content analysis and a teacher survey to examine how the Utah Chinese Dual Language Immersion (DLI) literacy curriculum, featuring the Grades K-6 Mandarin Matrix textbooks, reflects realistic Chinese language and culture. Additionally, this study explored the pedagogical value of these textbooks in Utah’s Chinese DLI programs via a teacher survey. The results showed high linguistic authenticity in word usage, order, and situations, consistently above 99% across Grades K to 6 books. Cultural authenticity, particularly in …

Diversifying The ‘Hsi Bubble’: Black And Asian Women Faculty At Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Elena M. Venegas, Jacqueline B. Koonce, Lorenza Lancaster, Julissa Bazan, Adriana Garza

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of seven Black and Asian women faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The unique experience of each woman is shared in this paper. Three themes highlight the interconnectedness of participant experiences. The first theme indicated that these Black and Asian women faculty operated in unsupportive microclimates within their HSIs. Secondly, participants communicated a need for representation within the ‘HSI bubble.’ Finally, our participants felt as though their HSIs needed to exercise greater intentionality in terms of truly serving their student populations. Amongst the implications of this research is a better understanding of the experiences …

Khi Ăn, Nhai Kỹ (When Eating, Chew Carefully): Poetry Collection, Ngoc My T. Tran

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

In this poetry collection, I used my own experiences as a Vietnamese-American to present a realistic image of life in America as a minority. With the use of translanguaging and presentation of social norms in both Vietnamese and American cultures, my hope is to promote awareness of issues such as racism, colorism, body shaming, and language insecurity among Asian communities so that these problems can be healthily addressed. Khi ăn, nhai kỹ (When eating, chew carefully) is a Vietnamese proverb and is similar to the saying "think before you speak," by naming the collection this, it serves as an underlying …

Determining Factors For Improved Uptake Of Harm Reduction Services In The United States: A Study Of Inclusive, Culturally Sensitive Messaging, Lauretta Ekanem Omale

Dissertations

Harm reduction refers to public health policies and programs aimed at decreasing the adverse consequences associated with drug use. While harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchange programs) can mitigate health risks, marginalized groups face barriers to service access and utilization, partially due to ineffective messaging approaches that fail to align with cultural values and experiences. A one-size-fits-all approach to messaging can negatively impact service utilization, health outcomes, and health disparities. Ineffective communication can lead to poor adherence to treatment, poorer health outcomes, and increased adverse events.

Culturally insensitive communication contributes to stigma, mistrust, and lack of perceived relevance, discouraging service …

Experiences Of Dyslexic Students Learning A Second Language: A Review Of The Literature, Lauren Ricci

Senior Honors Theses

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to explore the experiences that college students with dyslexia face learning a second language in the classroom setting while studying at a private institution in Central Virginia. This literature review offers an analysis of the scholarly research related to this topic. The processability theory is discussed in the first section, followed by a review of recent literature on how dyslexia affects the brain’s processing, specific experiences of students, and how to best support these students in second language acquisition (SLA). Lastly, the literature surrounds phonological processing, working memory, specific struggles in the …