Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Slot Machine Addiction: The Untold Story Of Contradictions Between Self And America's Neoliberal Risk Society, Melanie C. Falconer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to take risks is nothing short of heroism in the modern United States which thrives on a diet of hyper mobility, technological progress, and globalized, deregulated “free” markets. Such relentless instability affirms scholarly contentions that the U.S. is now a “risk society.” Indeed, in Gambling with the Myth of the American Dream: The Pokerization of America, rhetoric scholar Aaron Duncan suggests that media stories of modern poker tournaments signify a collective desire to grapple with this heightened modern “chanciness” within our established gambling lore and make it cohere with our deeply cherished notions of American individualism. While Duncan …

Human-Environment Interactions In Coastal Belize: Insights Into Sea-Level Rise And Ancient Maya Activities At The Paynes Creek Salt Works, Cheryl Mae Foster

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dissertation excavations were carried out in 2019 and 2022 at the underwater sites of Ta’ab Nuk Na and Ek Way Nal in Paynes Creek National Park, Belize. Sea-level rise submerged the sites in antiquity and preserved the artifact record in red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) peat. Red mangrove peat can be used as a proxy for sea-level rise. The goals of the two excavations included: 1) excavating a 14m-long transect within and extending beyond building J at Ta’ab Nuk Na to determine the function of the building, 2) investigating the production of salt making pottery at Ta’ab Nuk Na; …

“It Didn’T Hurt Me”: Patients’ And Providers’ Perspectives On Unsupervised Take‑Home Doses, Drug Diversion, And Overdose Risks In The Provision Of Medication For Opioid Use Disorder During Covid‑19 In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roberto Abadie, Celia B. Fisher

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

Background During the COVID−19 pandemic, clinics offering medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) needed to rapidly introduce unsupervised take−home dosing, while relapsing patients and patients unable to enter treatment faced increased risks of fentanyl−related overdose deaths and other drug−related harms. Based on a qualitative study of people who inject drugs (PWID) receiving MOUD treatment and MOUD staff in Puerto Rico, this paper documents the lived experiences of patients and providers during this period and the risk perceptions and management strategies to address substance misuse and drug diversion attributable to unsupervised take−home−dose delivery

Methods In−depth qualitative interviews were conducted with patients …

The Holobiont, Food Justice, And Gaia 2.0 A Post-Human(Ist) Approach To Functional Medicine, Rosalynn A. Vega

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Functional medicine is a personalized and holistic approach to treating chronic disease. In this article, I build upon posthumanist literature by examing how functional medicine practitioners are decentering and destabilizing what it means to be human. Functional medicine discourse on the holobiont, which considers the human as an assemblage of different microbial species, reframes the “humananimal” (see Nayar 2018) as the “humicrobe.” I engage Gaia 2.0 (see Lenton and Latour 2018) when analyzing the interconnectivity, interdependence, and mutualism of all life. My approach to interconnectivity interweaves both functional medicine descriptions of systems biology and Luhmann’s (2012) approach to system’s theory …

Affiliating Cultural Heritage Through Material Analysis, Lucy Mattinson

Student Research Symposium

The Utah State University Museum of Anthropology’s collection includes seven metal tipped arrows. These arrows have no documentation, notes, or additional archival information. My aim was to use material analyses to link these arrows to where they came from and learn how to preserve them for the future.

Are You Now, Or Have You Ever Been, Cleopatra? A Study Of Past Life Regression, Practitioners, And The Impact Of Reincarnation Beliefs, Victoria Hoover

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Violence And Danger In Children's Folklore, Alleyah Murphy

Student Research Symposium

Children's Folklore is described as games, traditions, songs, and rhymes that are passed down from person to person, anonymous in origin, have variation, and often have association with a group.

I decided to examine violence and danger in Children's Folklore.

Concentrated Land Ownership, Inequality, And Community Change In Southwest Montana, Elizabeth Bennett

Student Research Symposium

• Amenity migration: Movement of affluent individuals from urban to rural areas for the scenic and recreational value
• Economic impacts
• Differing views of the West

Healing A Generation; Implementation Of Higher Education Curricula For Venezuelan Journalism Students Living Under Structural Violence To Promote A Transition Into Democracy, José Luis Jiménez-Figarotti Prof.

The SUNY Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement: JoSE

Venezuela's sociopolitical landscape has deteriorated significantly over the past decade, culminating in a profound humanitarian crisis. This ethnography, conducted from 2015 to the present, explores the experiences of a study group comprising 2000 Venezuelan communication college students, aged 17 to 25, who navigate structural violence while striving for quality higher education. The research employed a multifaceted approach, encompassing interviews, focus groups, and observations. Additionally, this qualitative study examines the outcomes of implementing an interdisciplinary journalism curriculum grounded in human rights and media activism, complemented by online sessions and an environmental education component. This educational project aims to foster critical thinking …

An Integrated Architecture For A Global Clean Energy Transition, Alice Kaswan

Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Water Awareness In The Irung-Irung Tradition As Implementation Of Water And Sanitation Management For The Community Of Cihideung Village, West Bandung Regency, Anindyta Fitriyani, Siti Nurhalizah, Salma G. Felisa, Retno A. Hardiyanti

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The local wisdom that exists within a community plays a crucial role in influencing the thinking and conduct of the community. One local wisdom that contains a hydrological educational message that impacts community awareness in maintaining water hygiene and proper sanitation is the Irung-Irung Tradition by the people of Cihideung Village, West Bandung Regency. The objective of this study is to comprehensively examine and assess the components of water awareness within the Irung-Irung Tradition practiced by the people of Cihideung Village in the West Bandung Regency. This study involves a descriptive qualitative research design, including data collection methods such as …

Serving The Voiceless: Analyzing Local Organizations For Immigrant Empowerment, Daniel Kabithe, Acia Diallo, Kiya Demps, Chance Brown, Aliyah Whitfield

Undergraduate Research Events

This research project delves into the landscape of community organizations that serve the immigrant population in Louisville, Kentucky, focusing on 6 key entities: La Casita Center, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Catholic Charities of Louisville, English Conversation Club, Backside Learning Center, and American Community Center. Through a combination of interviews, phone calls and research, we discovered the roles, missions, and offered services by each organization. Through these methods, we identified some of the critical needs within the immigrant community and examined how these organizations address them. Additionally, we discovered that not only did our research highlight the importance of the services provided, …

An Introduction To The Yanomami Humanitarian Crisis And An Interview With Carlos Messiass On Contemporary Brazilian Indigenous Issues, Ethan Mccullough

Four Valleys Archive Scholarship

The following document covers how the rise of Jair Bolsonaro, based around a coalition of expansionist cattle ranchers and extractive industry representatives, has led to the massive explosion of illegal gold mining within the Yanomami in the Amazon. This increase in mining has led to a rapid increase of malnutrition, malaria, and mercury poisoning within the Yanomami population, as well as a significant rise in violence and human rights abuses. Other topics covered include, the previous increase of illegal mining on Yanomami land in the 1980s, Bolsonaro's anti-Indigenous rhetoric while campaigning for presidency, the role of the U.S. in Operation …

Res Historica, Volume 3, Lynneth Miller Renberg Phd, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta

Res Historica

The 2024 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg, Johnathan Sorce, and Samuel Sanders.

Suny Institutions And Nagpra; Apathy, Ignorance, Or State Violence?, Caleigh Pfalzer

Transformations: Presentation Slides

There is a well-documented history of US state institutions possessing Indigenous human remains and cultural artifacts without consent from descendant communities. Since the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act’s (NAGPRA) establishment in 1990, institutions have been required by law to repatriate these remains back to their rightful communities, but today there are still many cases of repatriation that remain uncompleted.

To evaluate NAGPRA’S effectiveness in New York State, I investigated repatriation efforts on 64 SUNY campuses. I examined campus involvement concerning NAGPRA by collecting data on NAGPRA Coordinators at SUNY campuses and collections held by their departments and museums …

Unearthing The Past: A Comprehensive Study Of Natural And Anthropogenic Changes At An Archaeological Site Through Hydrogeologic Connectivity Utilizing Gis, Mehlich Ii Phosphorus Extractant, And Ph, Dana L. F. Herren

Theses

This thesis aims to thoroughly analyze the Mehlich II Phosphorus Extractant and pH levels at the Bains Gap Village Site in Anniston, AL., while examining the impact of various environmental factors and human activities on them. Phosphorus is often used in archaeology as an indicator of human activity. Soil core samples were collected to analyze anomalies in phosphorus levels.

To establish any relationships, phosphorus and pH levels from soil cores were correlated with findings from past excavation units and features. The potential effects of hydrogeologic connectivity on soil phosphorus and pH levels were investigated. Geospatial technologies were used to manage …

Stains Of Emotion: Stories Carved By The Sun, Lucy Umland

Montserrat Annual Writing Prize

This work consists of a series of creation myths crafted in the style of Eduardo Galeano's Genesis from the Memory of Fire Trilogy, Part 1. The myths delve into the origins of freckles, wrinkles, laughter, and tears. Each tale uses symbolism, anthropomorphism, and fragmented, nonlinear timelines reminiscent of Galeano's work. Through poetic language and metaphor, the myths explore themes of love, loss, gender roles, cultural diversity, and unity. Analysis reveals the stylistic choices inspired by Galeano's writing. Themes are interwoven throughout the myths, portraying the shared human experience across diverse cultures while emphasizing the enduring nature of storytelling.

Aesthetic Exclusion Within American Capitalist Culture: Lgbtq Students At Gettysburg College And The Creative Reappropriation Of Clothing To Forge Personal And Communal Identity, James M. Mikulski

Student Publications

For LGBTQ individuals whose identity expression transgresses heteronormative aesthetic values, mass production and its prioritization of a heteronormative consumer base for profit create feelings of otherness and ostracism. Previous anthropological theory on mass production and advertising recognizes the transference of meaning onto material culture through marketing and identifies the generic symbolic meaning that carbon-copy, mass-produced products hold. Theory and research surrounding colonial encounters attest to power imbalances wherein material culture is imposed on a powerless group, and marginalized individuals react through rejection or creative reappropriation of the material culture, which provides a basis for examining the power imbalance between corporations …

The Evolution Of Agrarian Landscapes In The Tropical Andes, Courtney Shadik, Mark B. Bush, Bryan G. Valencia, Angela Rozas-Davila, Daniel Plekhov, Robert D. Breininger, Multiple Additional Authors

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Changes in land-use practices have been a central element of human adaptation to Holocene climate change. Many practices that result in the short-term stabilization of socio-natural systems, however, have longer-term, unanticipated consequences that present cascading challenges for human subsistence strategies and opportunities for subsequent adaptations. Investigating complex sequences of interaction between climate change and human land-use in the past—rather than short-term causes and effects—is therefore essential for understanding processes of adaptation and change, but this approach has been stymied by a lack of suitably-scaled paleoecological data. Through a highresolution paleoecological analysis, we provide a 7000-year history of changing climate and …

Unveiling Motivations Behind First-Generation Farming, Lucas D. Kisiel

Senior Honors Projects

In the contemporary era, traditional farming practices have

faded as industrialization reshaped agricultural landscapes.

However, a noteworthy phenomenon has emerged: individuals

willingly embrace farming, even without familial legacy. This

project aims to delve into the personal incentives driving

individuals towards farming careers. Specifically, it seeks to

shed light on the challenges encountered during farm

establishment and subsequent endeavors. By focusing on first-

generation farmers, this study explores personal motivations

that influence career choices in farming without the pressures

of familial tradition. For some, it's a quest for fulfillment, a

departure from the monotony of office work to engage in

something …

Limb Stiffness Increases With Hopping Frequency And Sprinting Speed In Elite Sprinters, Laurent Dorvilier

ALL - Honors Theses

During sprinting and hopping, the lower limbs act as a mechanical spring as it compresses and recoils to store and release elastic potential energy during each step. This is important because for individuals such as high performing sprinters, the stiffer the spring acting limb is, the more efficient it will be for the sprinter to maintain maximal velocity and optimal performance. The basis of this experiment lies in the fact that the mechanics of the lower limbs are modeled using to the mechanics of a spring, therefore, to calculate an approximate limb stiffness, Hooke’s Law can be used. Hooke’s Law …

The Necropolis Of Lattara: An Examination Into Gender, Socioeconomic, And Ethnic Identities In A Funerary Context Following The Roman Conquest Of Mediterranean Gaul, Heather Fusco

Student Publications

This paper investigated how material goods both represented and actively created ethnic identity, gender, and socioeconomic status in a funerary context during a colonial period. Relying on evidence collected from a Roman-period necropolis from Lattara in Mediterranean France, these results were then examined alongside funerary evidence from the necropolis of the nearby Iron Age settlement of Ambrussum to compare pre-Roman and Roman funerary practices. Specifically, within the two necropolises, the grave goods, inscriptions, and biologically sexed remains were the main points of comparison. This paper also utilized the ideas and concepts from the subdivision of funerary archaeology, as well as …

Provisioning Services Decline For Both People And Critically Endangered Wildlife In A Rainforest Transformation Landscape, Katherine J. Kling, Timothy M. Eppley, A. Catherine Markham, Patricia C. Wright, Be Noel Razafindrapaoly, Rajaona Delox, Be Jean Rodolph Rasolofoniaina, Jeanne Mathilde Randriamanetsy, Pascal Elison, Mcantonin Andriamahaihavana, Dean Gibson, Delaïd Claudin Rasamisoa, Josia Razafindramanana, Natalie Vasey, Carter W. Daniels, Cortni Borgerson

Department of Anthropology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The loss and degradation of forests and other ecosystems worldwide threaten both global biodiversity and the livelihoods of people who use natural resources. Understanding how natural resource use impacts landscape provisioning services for both people and wildlife is thus critical for designing comprehensive resource management strategies. We used data from community focus groups, botanical plots and an inventory of plant species consumed by the Critically Endangered red-ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra) to assess the availability of key provisioning services for people and endemic wildlife on the Masoala Peninsula, a rainforest transformation landscape, in northeastern Madagascar (Masoala National Park and 13 surrounding …

Beyond The Classroom: Examining The Impact Of An After-School Program On Latineimmigrant Youth In Philadelphia, Lucia Navarro , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: An Analysis Of Medical School Websites V. Trans Patient Experiences, Ray Craig , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Left Out In The Cold: Care, Neglect, And Homelessness In Anchorage, Alaska, Natalie C. Fraser , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

In the Summers of 2022 and 2023, Anchorage, Alaska closed all low-barrier emergency homeless shelters, forcing approximately 250 people to camp, unsheltered, throughout the city. The city’s actions spawned a crisis as people were left without food, water, or medical services, yet also sparked massive volunteer mobilization of mutual aid. This ethnographic study is based on three months of fieldwork grounded in participant observation at 3rd & Ingra, a large homeless encampment on the edge of downtown Anchorage. I studied three groups of people–policymakers, nonprofit employees, and volunteers–in order to understand how each of these groups conceptualizes homelessness and justifies …

From Crisis To Care: Non-Profit Approaches To Homelessness And Mental Health In Philadelphia Throughout Covid-19, Yomaris Melecio , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

In this study, I explore the intersection of homelessness and mental health in Philadelphia through the lens of three non-profit organizations dedicated to addressing these challenges. Central questions guiding this research include: “How do these organizations understand and integrate mental health considerations into their missions and services? How did the Covid-19 pandemic impact their services?” My methodology involves analyzing data from the City of Philadelphia's Office of Homeless Services to understand homelessness trends, while also examining non-profit organizations' responses to COVID-19 challenges. This includes assessing mission alignment, financial management, and service provision through mission statement analysis, financial allocation, and comparing …

Accounting For The Gift: Theology And Ethics In Accounting, Daniel Sebastian

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

Accounting is often assumed to be a neutral presentation of the facts of economic activities and actions. Its double-entry system means that it is always in balance and comports to the rigor of mathematical formulas, and it is taken to be a matter of empirical counting that lends it certainty as well. The dissertation argues that this description of accounting is inadequate. Accounting is better seen as a political tool and technology for producing trust that can help resolve social conflicts. As such, accounting is not value-neutral but carries within it a particular sociality that has moral implications. These moral …

Changeable Cohesion: Dance And Disability In Post-War Sri Lanka, Susan Reed

Faculty Journal Articles

Dancers with disabilities are increasingly participating in performances throughout Asia. In this article, based on long-term research, I provide an analysis of changeABLE cohesion, a mixed-abled, intercultural performance co-created by Sri Lankan dancers and Gerda Koenig, choreographer of the renowned German DIN A13 dance company. The article focuses on the experiences and interpretations of the dancers, analyzing the creative process they employed as well as the long-term impacts that participation in changeABLE cohesion had on their lives and work. By providing the perspectives of multiple actors, the article seeks to demonstrate how an expansive ethnographic approach can enrich our …

Tribal Relations And Nagpra: Consciousness, Connectedness, And Cause, Rylee S. Lalonde

All NMU Master's Theses

Native American Grave Protection Act (NAGPRA) was enacted in 1990 as a way for federally recognized tribes to bring home Ancestors and belongings that have been held captive in universities, museums, and government agencies. This thesis examines if NAGPRA helps Tribal nations in their goals for repatriation and protection as intended. By connecting with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPO) from Anishinaabe Tribes in the State of Michigan via survey and interview, this study demonstrates that Indigenous voices are important, especially in writing their own history. This thesis sought to answer the questions: Does NAGPRA harm or help tribes? Where are …