Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Rita, Rita, Tsos

TSOS Interview Gallery

Rita Alkhaledy grew up in Sadr City, a poor suburb of Baghdad. Her father is an Iraqi Arab and her mother was Kurdish Iranian. Her mother lived in fear that she would be cast out of Baghdad as being an outsider in Iraq was frowned upon. Her father served in the Iraqi army in the 80s and was gone a great deal, leading to a strained relationship. Their relationship was mended when her mother died from cancer.

After the Iraq war, Rita and her brothers realized that their lives were in danger. They had to move from house to house …

Idiris, Idiris, Tsos

TSOS Interview Gallery

Idiris is an 18-year-old Somalian refugee now living inUtah. He describes his life, mentioning that he only lived in Somalia for six years then moved to Ethiopia, where he stayed for seven and a half years.His life inEthiopia was peaceful and happy in comparison to Somalia, where Idiris and his family witnessed continuous violence. Idiris’s father eventually learned of the opportunities and education available in America and decided to move his family there for a better life, leaving behind family and friends. Coming to America, Idiris and his family did not know what their new home would be like. They …

“We Believe That God Speaks Danish.” Assimilation Vs Identity In Sanpete County, Utah, Claus Elholm Andersen, Elizabeth Peterson

The Bridge

Most accounts hold that Danes in America assimilated rapidly and effectively into mainstream culture…but was that always the case? This article focuses on a small community in Utah that was home to a large proportion of Danes and other Scandinavians. A close examination of this community reveals that the assimilation process was not always as straightforward a process as we oft en hear.

Motivations And Gratifications For Selecting A Niche Television Channel: Byu Television, Diena L. Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

The growth of direct broadcast satellite television distribution to the home as a viable competitor to cable and terrestrial broadcast has fostered the availability of special interest or niche channels and therefore provided greater choice to the viewer. This study, based on uses and gratifications theory, examined the relationships among ritual and instrumental viewing motivations and satisfactions, viewer religiosity, and viewing attentiveness as they related to the selection of a niche television channel, Brigham Young University Television.
The uses and gratification approach provides an appropriate framework for studying "media consumption, the interrelated nature of television user motives, and the relationships …

Service Learning In Business Schools: What The H.E.L.P. Honduras Story Teaches About Building, Sustaining, And Replicating International Initiatives In Graduate Programs, Lisa Mali Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This document outlines the foundation and first year results of the H.E.L.P. Honduras organization, which was formed as a student-based, student-governed international outreach initiative at the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. Specifically, in its first year the organization focused on providing microcredit and service relief to victims of Hurricane Mitch in Honduras.

After studying the case of H.E.L.P. Honduras, readers should conclude that educators interested in sponsoring sustainable student-run service learning organizations at private universities must address three primary issues: the problem of student selection and turnover, the need for administrative and faculty endorsement, and the need …

Mormon Mortuary Patterns At The Block 49 And Seccombe Lake Cemeteries, Howard S. Irvine

Theses and Dissertations

Death customs perform a socially restorative function among cultures and are a meaningful expression of the value system of any particular culture. Death studies allow the examination of the values considered most significant by the studied culture. This thesis will examine and interpret the material culture recovered at two small cemeteries: Block 49, Utah, and Seccombe Lake, California. One result will show the material manifestation of Mormon religious beliefs in their mortuary practices. The final goal is to suggest that a more thorough examination of a religious sect's beliefs can create a general model of mortuary practices for that religious …

The Impact Of The Physical And Cultural Geography Of Southeastern Utah On Latter-Day Settlement, Sally Timmins Mandurino

Theses and Dissertations

The Latter-day Saint settlements in southeastern Utah, namely Bluff, Monticello and Blanding, were impacted by the physical and cultural geography of the area. These geographic elements hindered, and in some cases prevented, the Latter-day Saint colonizers from fulfilling the seven basic principles of Latter-day Saint expansion and colonization in the Great Basin. The impacts of physical geography were the geology, the climate, the soil and the rivers and streams. The impacts of cultural geography were the Navajo Indian Tribe, the Paiute Indian Tribe, and the criminal element. This thesis discusses the geographic elements of the area, how they impacted the …

Prophets, Planning, And Politics: Utah's Planning Heritage And Its Significance Today And Tomorrow, Janna K. Bushman

Theses and Dissertations

Utah's planning heritage includes both physical and social elements. In 1833 Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, designed the Plat for the City of Zion. Associated with his plan were the principles of communitarianism and a demo-theocratic form of government. As the Mormons journeyed across the Midwest to the Great Basin, they applied these planning beliefs in various ways. Throughout Utah today, large city blocks, wide roads, and grid iron layouts remain as testaments to the state's early physical planning tenets. Other factors, though, have led Mormons to abandon the social aspects of the plan and to embrace the …

A Qualitative Analysis Of The Non-Lds Experience In Utah, Jesse Smith Bushman

Theses and Dissertations

Utah's foundation under the influence of the LDS church, and the continued influence of the majority LDS population in the state make this area unique in the United States. This situation makes life for the non-LDS in Utah somewhat different than in other areas. Through a series of interviews with members of the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist (National Baptist Convention), Buddhist, and Jewish faiths, this thesis produced a large body of qualitative data concerning the non-LDS experience in Utah.

The experience of non-LDS people in Utah can by typified, with a few exceptions, as a traditional majority/minority interaction. Elements of …

Adolescents' Use Of Discretionary Time: A Time Use Study Of The Central Utah Area, Rebecca Hirschi

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides Central Utah school and recreation leaders with local data on which to base their program development by collecting and analyzing data on adolescents' use of time, and to compare local statistics with national data. The research included participants from Nephi, Spanish Fork, and Provo schools. Each participant completed 7 days of a leisure time diary, which detailed daily activities. Single sample t-tests on the data revealed that Central Utah adolescents' time use is significantly different from national statistics. The differences in the statistics indicate that school and recreation leaders need local data on which to base adolescent …

Aberrant Mormon Settlers: The Homesteaders Of Highland, Utah, David T. Durfey

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a history of the original thirty-seven homesteaders of Highland, Utah. It covers a period of about twenty-five years, 1875-1900. The study provides an example of a aberrant community which was not established in the same, distinctive style of settlement as the typical Mormon village. In addition it describes the relationship between the original residents and non-residents of Highland with the surrounding villages of Lehi, American Fork, and Alpine.

The Geographical Analysis Of Mormon Temple Sites In Utah, Garth R. Liston

Theses and Dissertations

The first eight temple sites in Utah were studied to determine important geographical characteristics of each, and to test the hypothesis that Mormon temple sites conform to definitions of sacred space. President Brigham Young of the Church greatly influenced the selection of the first four temple sites, and the construction of each until his death in 1877. Claimed revelation from God to Young and other leaders and members of the Church, was evident concerning the temple sites. The later four temple sites of the twentieth century were approved by the First Presidency of the Church, but local Church leaders and …

Utah Indians And The Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption Program And Its Effect On The Indian Slaves, Robert M. Muhlestein

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a study of the Mormon adoption program developed by the Mormons in response to the Indian slave trade in Utah, 1850-1880. It focuses on the Mormon justifications, as enumerated by Brigham Young, for the adoption policy and it links those justifications to expected results. Further this thesis compares the Mormon's expected results with the actual results of the adoption program through an analysis of historical accounts and Mormon ordinance records.

A Mormon Melting Pot: Ethnicity Acculturation In Cedar City, Utah, 1880-1915, Vida Leigh

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the ethnicity of the five ethnic groups found in Cedar City, Utah, during the 1880-to-1915 period. Those five groups were originally sent by Brigham Young to found the Iron Mission, as a two-fold project: (1) developing the iron mining industry, and (2) building a united community of Latter-day Saints.

The demographics, kinship, ties, marriage patterns, occupations, wealth, and elites in church government and society have been examined in detail through US censuses, Iron county assessment records, marriage records, Cedar City municipal records, LDS church records, diaries, histories, and personal histories. By comparing all the ethnic groups within …

The Level And Determinants Of Burnout Of Mormon Mothers In A Utah Suburban Town, Christina Mordock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine burnout in Mormon mothers in a suburban Utah town. Specifically the amount and some determinants of burnout among these Mormon women was studied. A random sample of 266 Mormon mothers completed a questionnaire and a modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) which consisted of three subscales, (Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment), and two categories in each subscale (Frequency and Intensity). The subjects scored in the moderately burned out category in each subscale. Significant relationships were found between the amount of burnout and the following: the age of the mother, …

The Development And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley

Theses and Dissertations

Many agricultural communities have developed in Utah since the first settlement, but many no longer exist today. Some of these early communities experienced a "boom and bust," while others struggled for several years and were eventually abandoned. Johns Valley is a good example of these historic communities, as it experienced rapid growth and times of success and prosperity, yet it struggled and was eventually abandoned.
The situation in Johns Valley, from its early settlement to its demise, demonstrates the hope of the people who settled there and their efforts to make Johns Valley a productive and successful area. History also …

A Demographic Examination Of Household Heads In Salt Lake City, Utah, 1850-1870, Larry W. Draper

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the demographic characteristics of household heads in Salt Lake City, Utah at three points in its history: 1850, 1860, and 1870. Data was compiled on population growth, nativity, sex, age, occupation, wealth, and persistence from the United States Census for those years.

The data shows that between 1850 and 1870 the makeup of Salt Lake City household heads changed dramatically from predominately American-born to predominately foreign-born. This change in the nativity of household heads over time significantly influenced several demographic characteristics including the location of immigrant settlement, occupational tendencies, and a high level of stratification of real …

Cohesion In A Utah Sample Of Latter-Day Saint Couples, Joe Edgar Glenn

Theses and Dissertations

It was hypothesized by Olson and his colleagues (Olson, et al., 1983) that "Mormons" were more likely to be enmeshed than many other cultural/religious groups. The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) scored significantly more often in the enmeshed category of the cohesion dimension of the Circumplex Model, using FACES III data, than the norming sample for the FACES III instrument. The study also examined the level of satisfaction that the Mormon sample expressed for their level of cohesion. Data from 61 L.D.S. married couples living …

Hoary-Headed Saints: The Aged In Nineteenth-Century Mormon Culture, Brian D. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

This study paints a picture of prevalent attitudes toward the Mormon elderly in the nineteenth century. It identifies some characteristics of the aged population, and discusses feelings expressed by individual older persons about different aspects of their lives. It is a first step in gaining a greater understanding of how they fit into the larger pictures of old age and the Mormon Church in nineteenth century America.

Assessment Of Influence That The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Has On Exercise Habit Of Members Living In Utah County, Gary L. Preston

Theses and Dissertations

This study identified and analyzed the influence the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had on the decision of 309 respondents to exercise. The data obtained from the questionaires were analyzed using chi-square to compare males and females. Within the limitations of this study, the following conclusions were justified: women were more influenced by the LDS Church to exercise than men; LDS males and females exercised more than average American adults; walking, jogging, and aerobic dance were the most popular choices of LDS exercisers; and, there is a need to improve the awareness of LDS members concerning the Physical …

Precinct Government In Salt Lake County, Utah 1852-1904, Steven K. Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis traces the origin, development, and decline, from 1852 to 1904, of Salt Lake County's judicial precincts. A precinct functioned as the basic subdivision of county government. Its boundaries were generally coterminous with those of local communities. It was established to allow for a degree of local control by the people.
Chapter two reveals that precinct justices experienced over time a marked decline in socio-political prominence. This is largely due to legislative statutes that decreased their jurisdictional powers. Chapter three examines the evolution of precinct boundaries. It is demonstrated that geographic distribution of individuals played a major role in …

The Girl Scouts In Utah: An Administrative History, 1921-1985, Jennifer L. Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Girl Scouting began in Utah in 1921 out of a desire of several wealthy women to help build the character of young girls in Ogden. Exhibiting many elements of the "social gospel" aspect of progressivism, they adopted the Girl Scout program which emphasized preparation for practical living, appreciation of nature, and development of character.
Since the first troops were organized in Ogden, Girl Scouting slowly spread throughout the rest of the state, resulting in several Councils and Lone Troops. After responding to a call for consolidation from the National Girl Scout Council the Utah Scouts made a dramatic change in …

Radicals And Immigrants: Senator William H. King's Response To Nativism, 1917-1924, Craig D. Galli

Theses and Dissertations

When Senator William Henry King took office in 1917, Utah and the nation were apprehensive about the presence of large numbers of foreign born aliens and citizens. Utah's King joined the wartime hysteria and promoted many nativistic policies directed against the foreign born population. During the post-war Red Scare he continued his crusade, concentrating on the suppression of Bolsheviks and the Industrial Workers of the World.

But when Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1924--a nativistic law designed to curtail the immigration of southern and eastern Europeans--King was the bill's only opponent from the West or South. Since anti-radicalism and …

Selected Aspects Of Family Change In Provo, Utah: A Replication Of Canning's 1955 Survey, Richard B. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a replication of Canning's 1955 survey of family life in Provo, Utah. The original sample consisted of 239 couples who were married and currently living there. The replication was a 1983 mail survey that used many of Canning's original questions and included a sample of 255 Provo families.

This study measured changes in several courtship and family variables using the companionship family as an ideal type. Findings included increases in the emphasis on the role of romantic love in mate selection, handsomeness as an attractive quality that women seek in a spouse, family members seeking recreation outside …

Storm Over The Summit: A Political History Of Summit County To 1882, Rodney L. Peck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a more complete understanding of Mormon politics in territorial Utah by studying the growth and development of the political process in Summit County to 1882.

The study suggests that the county was governed by a relatively small but growing group of politically minded men, many of whom also ecclesiastical trust or who were among the pioneers of the area. The study also suggests that the Mormon teaching of unity in all things and fair representation among county offices from the county's major population centers were the governing principles of Mormon political action …

Population Movement And Growth In Utah County, Utah 1940 To 1980, Brian W. Maxfield

Theses and Dissertations

Utah County, Utah, and more particularly the Utah Valley area, has undergone an enormous change during the last forty years. Rapid growth and urbanization brings with it the problems of urban sprawl. Controlling this sprawl is determined often times by an effective growth policy. Mapping and analyzing growth patterns and trends is a useful method in determining the effectiveness of the "growth towards the cities" policy of Utah County. Research was conducted by using maps, air photos, and field work in locating the growth history of the county.
Growth has been influenced by several factors among which are the physical, …

Printed Maps Of Utah To 1900: An Annotated Cartobibliography, Riley Moore Moffat

Theses and Dissertations

Old maps are valuable research tools in many fields. Finding and identifying them, however, is often difficult. This annotated cartobibliography attempts to identify all maps of Utah printed before 1900. Entries give the distinguishing features, peculiarities, inaccuracies, and a general description as well as the map's provenance and citations in other lists and bibliographies.

The maps are listed chronologically and include all maps located in research collections in Utah, and in the catalogs of the Library of Congress and the Bancroft Library. Although the first entry is dated 1777, the first map of Utah made from actual observation, earlier maps …

Utah's Anti-Polygamy Society, 1878-1884, Barbara Hayward

Theses and Dissertations

The Anti-Polygamy Society was established in 1878 to try to encourage Congress to abolish the practice of plural marriage tn Utah Territory. In the brief time that it existed, the women of this Utah-based group sent petitions, circulars, and letters to Congress and many leaders of the country urging that laws be passed to end polygamy. Much of their work was also carried out in the society's newspaper, the Anti-polygamy Standard.

By the time that laws were passed that restricted polygamy, the Anti-polygamy Society no longer existed. Nonetheless, the society was important in the anti-polygamy crusade because it was …

Sex, Sickness And Statehood: The Influence Of Victorian Medical Opinion On Self-Government In Utah, E. Victoria Grover-Swank

Theses and Dissertations

In the struggle for self-government which occupied the Mormon population of Utah between their entry into the Great Basin in 1847 and statehood in 1896, the issue of polygamy dominated public discussion. The non-Mormon population of the United States generally objected to the practice of polygamy, in large part because of Victorian attitudes towards sexual activity and the presumed physical and mental results of violating Victorian sexual norms. It was assumed by most Americans that polygamy, by violating those norms, caused real physical damage to the Latter-day Saints in Utah; damage that disqualified them from holding full and equal political …

Mccarthyism In Utah, Richard Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

The exaggerated anti-Communist crusade of Senator Joseph McCarthy allegedly gained the support of a majority of Americans during the early 1950's. It is historically important and interesting to question that supposition by considering the character of McCarthy's following in each state. This study shows that in Utah sympathy for the second Red Scare abounded and evidences of McCarthyism were readily apparent.

Three indicators illustrate Utah's support for the Wisconsin senator. The defeat of Elbert Thomas in 1950 dramatically epitomizes the successful use of incriminating allegations effectively employed by McCarthy. The election, or re-election, of McCarthy supporters and the defeat of …