Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Religious Symbolism In Rhetoric Of Right Populist Parties, Serhii Kostiuchkov, Dmytro Garaschuk, Viacheslav Serhieiev, Kateryna Volkova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the use of religious symbolism in the populist rhetoric of Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party and Hungary's Fidesz party. Both parties leverage historical and cultural narratives emphasizing Christianity's role in their national identities to legitimize their political agendas and mobilize support. The study examines how these populist leaders incorporate religious imagery and language to create a moral dichotomy between the “righteous people” and the “corrupt elite,” thereby deepening societal divisions and undermining democratic governance. In Poland, the PiS party's close alignment with the Catholic Church reinforces its nationalist and anti-EU stance, while in Hungary, Fidesz employs …

Ban Of The Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate In Ukraine: Limitation Of Religious Freedom Or The Fight Against Russian Influence, Bohdan Synchak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article reviews the activity of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine and abroad, particularly in the EU and the USA. The main problem this study deals with is the probable ban of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) in Ukraine, which is potential against the background of the consideration in the 2nd reading of draft law No. 8371, which refers to “impossibility of the activity of religious organizations in Ukraine, the management center (management) of which is located in the state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine.” In the course of our review, the key question is whether …

"Ruskiy Mir" And "Ukrainskyi Svit": Ontological And Anthropological Antagonists, Liudmyla Fylypovych, Oksana Horkusha

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article focuses on a crucial issue of global interest--attempts of the Russian Federation to reformat the world according to the worldview model of the "Ruskiy mir." The paradigm of the "Ruskiy mir" assumes a system of values (ontological, anthropological, theological, and historiographical ideas and behavioral models) programmed by the entire russian history, as defined by russian culture, traditions, and the russian worldview. According to the "Russian worldview," the world should have a different structure, and the global international system should have a different format: Moscow (the Russian Empire and the Russian Federation) should be at the center of the …

Review Of "Faith And Fake News: A Guide To Consuming Information Wisely", Katherine J. Graber

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

The Stylistic Achievement Of Mere Christianity, Gary L. Tandy

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

This essay will not attempt to explain the cultural, sociological, and theological reasons for the ongoing relevance of Lewis’s Mere Christianity. It will, however, look closely at several aspects of the work in order to assess its rhetorical and literary achievement. It will also suggest that, while Lewis’ understanding of Christian doctrine and his mastery of logical argument are important (and have received the bulk of critical attention), the success of Mere Christianity has more to do with the style through which the author communicated its content. Specifically, Lewis’ rhetorical or apologetic theory led him to focus on the …

Jenny Vorpahl And Dirk Schuster (Eds). Communicating Religion And Atheism In Central And Eastern Europe. (Book Review), Oleg Kyselov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Jenny Vorpahl and Dirk Schuster (eds). Communicating Religion and Atheism in Central and Eastern Europe. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020. 312 p. ISBN 978-3-11-054637-8 Hardcover $114.99.

Re-Enchanting Adolescence: Using Story To Give A New Generation Fresh Hope, Susan Stratton

Doctor of Ministry

The repercussions of four distinct world shifts—the Reformation, Renaissance, Enlightenment, and the Scientific Revolution—has produced a narcissistic culture that impedes Gen Z’s ability to cultivate a transcendent personal narrative that is open to authentic spiritual formation. This “immanent buffered self,” so prominent in western culture, is taking a toll on the spiritual lives of 21st-century individuals of every age. The devastation in Gen Z, the newest generation, has severe consequences for the health of Gen Z and also for the church. One in three young adults do not believe in a Divine Being, and those young adults who are in …

Spraying Religion: (Anti-)Religious Graffiti Of The Post-Socialist Transition, Mitja Velikonja

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article discusses graffiti and street art concerning religion, part of the author's much broader and continuous research on contemporary political graffiti and street art in post-socialist Central and Eastern Europe, from the Baltics to the Balkans, from Prague to Moscow, comprising over 20 years of systematic fieldwork.

Teaching Political Science Research Methods Across Delivery Modalities: Comparing Outcomes Between Face-To-Face And Distance-Hybrid Courses, Delton T. Daigle, Aaron Stuvland

Faculty Publications - Department of History and Politics

What delivery modality is most effective in teaching undergraduate, political science research methods? Using systematically collected data from two academic terms and employing a quasi-experimental design, this paper explores variation in learning outcomes between face-to-face and distance-hybrid course offerings. Variation in the dependent variable is observed through measuring attrition (drop or failure), course performance among those who pass, and course satisfaction. While any evidence of difference in attrition rates is marginal when controlling for sex, age, university experience, a background in similar coursework, or whether the course is taken by a major, there is no evidence that modality predicts performance …

“I Don’T Want To Hear Your Language!” White Social Imagination And The Demography Of Roman Corinth, Ekaputra Tupamahu

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

This article aims to deconstruct the hidden pervasive whiteness in biblical scholarship and to propose another way to reimagine the linguistic dynamic of Roman Corinth from an Asian American perspective. It highlights the legal and historical interconnectedness of whiteness and the dominance of English. English is a critical marker of whiteness in the United States. In this context, immigrants are expected to conform to and assimilate themselves with whiteness by performing English. This particular racialized context has influenced and resulted in a scholarly historical reconstruction of immigrants in Roman Corinth as “Greek speaking im/migrants.” Immigrants can come from many different …

Social Media Polarization And The Ministry Of Reconciliation, Douglas Bursch

Doctor of Ministry

Online communication is becoming increasingly divisive. This dissertation argues that the best way for individuals to decrease social media polarization is for people to engage in the ministry of reconciliation in their social media interactions. Section One describes how social media polarizes because the medium promotes networked individualism, exaggerates dehumanizing “discarnate” communication and numbs humanity’s ability to form meaningful relationships. The left-brain focused argumentation, writing-centered communication and depersonalized nature of online interactions increase a lack of empathy in social media users and add to the polarizing chaos evident in many social media conflicts. Section Two examines how individuals have unsuccessfully …

Gilden's "Articles, Articles, Articles!" (Book Review), Jennifer Argueta

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Riley's "Be The Parent, Please: Stop Banning Seesaws And Start Banning Snapchat: Strategies For Solving The Real Parenting Problems" (Book Review), Laura E. Walton

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Anker's "Beautiful Light: Religious Meaning In Film" (Book Review), Terri Bogan

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

A History Of Christian Publishing, Erinn Huebner

The Christian Librarian

This essay will address the histories of four major publishing companies in Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Baker, Eerdmans, and Kregel. These publishing companies, through their individual and interwoven histories have shaped and sustained the publishing industry in the Midwest, and Grand Rapids in particular. These publishing houses are significant to the history of books and publishing because, for roughly a century, these publishing houses have been producing Bibles and other evangelical materials that are educating people the world over, from the youngest Sunday school pupils to the oldest seminarian. Finally, the paper will discuss the impact these companies had collectively on …

On Lament, Steven Classen

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Not long ago, I had the privilege of participating in an invigorating roundtable conversation with regionally-based artists, scholars, and administrators in downtown Portland. We met to discuss the funding of the arts as well as strategies and concerns connected to issues of “Faith and Art” in the region. We convened in a beautiful space—the remodeled Pacific Northwest College of the Arts. It was a heady time, marked by generous curiosity. We talked art, faith, futures, frustrations and dreams. We initiated new friendships and discussed new projects. I was inspired and encouraged.

Martinson's "Story: The Power Of Narrative For Christian Leaders" (Book Review), Curt Rice

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Mortification And Apodiorizo: Re-Framing Apologia, Kevin T. Jones, James Richard Briscoe

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Image restoration strategies and apologia have been used for years to explain how speakers engage in verbal self-defense. Kategoria has expanded our understanding of apologia when rhetors counter with an accusation to explain or justify their behavior. In recent years, however, a new tactic has emerged in apologia in which speakers admit to the transgression but then accuse the media of invading their privacy by stalking their families. Following the accusation, these speakers draw a boundary with the media and the audience regarding what the media can and cannot do. This strategy is unique because the rhetor does not attempt …

Dearmond, D., & Dearmond. R.'S "Don’T Go To Bed Angry: Stay Up And Fight" (Book Review), Carrie Consalvi

The Christian Librarian

DeArmond, D., & DeArmond. R. (2016). Don’t go to bed angry: Stay up and fight. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 179 pp. $14.99. ISBN 9781426790935

Mentoring At-Risk Middle School Students To Reduce Communication Apprehension, Kevin Jones, Claire H. Procopio

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of mentoring at-risk students in a number of fields from physical education to math and science. While separate research has found that many atrisk students lack effective communication skills, little research has explored the potential of communication mentoring in improving at-risk students’ communication efficacy. In our study, we examined the effectiveness of communication majors in a senior capstone course mentoring at-risk middle school students. Mentors were assigned a protégé and were required to design a curriculum targeting specific communication apprehension concerns identified in each student and implement the curriculum over a 10-week period. Analysis of …

Television (From The Mississippi Encyclopedia), Steven Classen

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Television came relatively late to Mississippi and several other southern states. Following a federal freeze on licensing new stations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), television stations came on air in 1953 in Mississippi, Arkansas, and South Carolina. Over the next three years Mississippians built six stations-first WJTV and WLBT in Jackson and WCOC in Meridian and later WCBI in Columbus, WDAM in Hattiesburg, and WTWV in Tupelo. Anticipating WJTV's first broadcast, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower's January 1953 inauguration, the station's general manager, John Rossitor, told city leaders and educators that television would "bring the world into your home and …

Comprehension Models Of Audiovisual Discourse Processing, Courtney Anderegg, Fashina Alade, David R. Ewoldsen, Zheng Wang

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Comprehension is integral to enjoyment of media narratives, yet our understanding of how viewers create the situation models that underlie comprehension is limited.This study utilizes two models of comprehension that had previously been tested with factual texts/videos to predict viewers’ recall of entertainment media. Across five television/film clips, the landscape model explained at least 29% of the variance in recall. A dual coding version that assumed separate verbal and visual representations of the story significantly improved the model fit in four of the clips, accounting for an additional 15–29% of the variance. The dimensions of the event-indexingmodel (time, space, protagonist, …

Why Knowing How To "Engage" Cross-Culturally Matters: Kenyan Principals' Experiences In Cross-Cultural Collaboration, Andrea Nelson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

How Kenyan principals engage cross-culturally may provide applicable approaches for others in education. This study sought to examine how Kenyan principals navigate the complexities of working in such a diverse country as Kenya, with over 40 native tribes. Through the interview process the principals shared their many challenges working cross-culturally, but more importantly, what strategies and approaches they use to navigate these complex relationships. This study also examined how these strategies and approaches align with the current cultural frameworks; cultural competence, cultural intelligence and cultural humility. The findings show that Kenyan principals use multiple approaches that align with all three …

Turbulence, Turmoil, And Termination: The Dark Side Of Social Networking Sites For Romantic Relationships, Courtney Anderegg

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Excerpt: "Social networking websites (SNSs) have become an integral medium for communicating within and about interpersonal relationships (boyd & Ellison, 2008; Stafford & Hillyer, 2012). SNSs have been lauded for their ability to unite distal friends, maintain relational ties, facilitate relationship development, and promote social capital (e.g., Ellison, Vitak, Gray, & Lampe, 2014; Fox, Warber, & Makstaller, 2013; McEwan, 2013). Although considerable research has elected to focus on the benefits of using SNSs, it is also important to examine the dark side of computer-mediated communication (DeAndrea, Tong, & Walther, 2011). For example, SNS use has been tied to decreases in …

Teaching At-Risk High School Students Communication Competence Skills Through Facework And Improved Self-Monitoring, Kevin Jones, Jeff Birdsell

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

The relationship between communication apprehension and at-risk students has been given a fair amount of attention in academic research. While it has been determined that at-risk students tend to have higher degrees of communication apprehension,1 little research has been done to explore what other communication skills deficiencies at-risk students might possess. Two studies were conducted to assess a group of 29 at-risk student’s communication abilities. In the first study, we compare the students’ competence and communication apprehension to national averages and discover that the students find themselves above average in competence but also more apprehensive about communicating. The second study …

Both Insiders And Outsiders: Identity And Interreligious Dialogue In The Discourse Of Islamic Communities In Croatia And Serbia Concerning European Integration, Angela Ilić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"The European Union has been hit hard by the international financial crisis, which has con-tributed to weakening the already precarious economies of member states such as Greece, Spain, and Portugal. Concurrently, the Union has been experiencing an identity crisis, with lack of clarity and consensus about which shared values hold the diverse states of Europe together beyond the common economic and political interests. Both processes have led to increased Euroskepticism across the continent.2 Parallel to these developments an alarming upsurge in re-ligiously and racially intolerant rhetoric and even acts of violence have occurred.

This essay presents, within the complex European …

Exploring The Influence Of Smartphone Technology Within The Context Of Marriage: An Intervention Study, Joshua Shea Borrelli

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Abstract The introduction of smartphones and their use into the everyday lives of a significantly large population has changed the way people communicate and interact. The purpose of this study is to examine any possible negative or positive effects smart phone use may have on partner satisfaction and couple-communication within a married/partnered couple. Participants were divided into a control group and an experimental group. The constructs of communication and relationship satisfaction were measured through a repeated-measures design. The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS) was used to measure relational satisfaction, and the Primary Communication Inventory was used to measure partner communication. …

What Presidential Speeches Can Teach Us About Audience Analysis, Kevin Jones

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

No abstract provided.

At-Risk Students And Communication Skill Deficiencies: A Preliminary Study, Kevin Jones

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Early research has explored the relationship between at-risk students and communication apprehension. At-risk students have been found to have high levels of apprehension in a variety of communication settings. However, little attention has been given to exploring at-risk students perceptions of their communication skills and other areas of communication competency beyond general communication apprehension or fear of speaking. This study explores the relationship between at-risk students; self reported levels of communication competence, communication apprehension, and additional areas of communication skills such as self-monitoring and verbal aggressiveness. The results of this study show that at-risk students tend to report having high …

Romantic Relationship Stages And Social Networking Sites: Uncertainty Reduction Strategies And Perceived Relational Norms On Facebook, Jesse Fox, Courtney Anderegg

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Due to their pervasiveness and unique affordances, social media play a distinct role in the development of modern romantic relationships. This study examines how a social networking site is used for information seeking about a potential or current romantic partner. In a survey, Facebook users (N= 517) were presented with Facebook behaviors categorized as passive (e.g., reading a partner’s profile), active (e.g., ‘‘friending’’ a common third party), or interactive (e.g., commenting on the partner’s wall) uncertainty reduction strategies. Participants reported how normative they perceived these behaviors to be during four possible stages of relationship development (before meeting face-to-face, after meeting …