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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Incivility In 2022 Senatorial Elections, Mark Meyer Dec 2023

Incivility In 2022 Senatorial Elections, Mark Meyer

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This honors capstone project will examine the effect of social media, specifically Twitter, on U.S. senate elections in 2022. It will track the tweets of personal and official campaign Twitter accounts from the end of the primary until election night in two “Toss Up” or highly contested seats in the 2022 senate elections. This project will examine the winner of the Republican and Democrat primaries only. All the tweets from the timeframe will be tracked and categorized by intention or use of the tweet. These categories will break down the tweet into what it was meant to do be it …


Systematic Barriers To Success: The Impact Of Redlining On Modern Educational Outcomes In Omaha Public Schools, Sarah Sedivy May 2023

Systematic Barriers To Success: The Impact Of Redlining On Modern Educational Outcomes In Omaha Public Schools, Sarah Sedivy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The systemic denial of mortgages, loans, and other financial services to specific neighborhoods on the basis of race, a practice known as redlining, has continued to have a disproportionately negative effect on communities of color since its inception in the 1930s. The contemporary impacts of redlining can be seen in ongoing disparities in household income, property values, generational wealth, and more. This paper uses a three-pronged approach to extensively examine the history, application, and implications of redlining, with an emphasis on how the practice affects modern educational outcomes in Omaha public schools. The paper analyzes statistical data from the Nebraska …


Hate In The Heartland: Examining Hate Groups In Nebraska’S Past And Present, Grant Van Robays May 2022

Hate In The Heartland: Examining Hate Groups In Nebraska’S Past And Present, Grant Van Robays

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Hate groups that malign entire classes of people based on race, religion, sexuality, gender, or other characteristic appear in every U.S. state. Nebraska is home to nine such groups, one of the highest figures in the country on a per capita basis. While notoriously secretive, previous research and watchdog reporting has pulled back the curtain on hate groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan and various neo-Nazi organizations, positing theories on how and why groups form. Minimal research has described in depth hate groups in a single state, let alone a quaint state like Nebraska. This case study of hate …


Diets, Detoxes, And Dysmorphia: Health, Wellness, And Misinformation On Tiktok, Courtney Kilroy May 2022

Diets, Detoxes, And Dysmorphia: Health, Wellness, And Misinformation On Tiktok, Courtney Kilroy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The worlds of social media and wellness have been similarly categorized as “Wild West” industries. Innovation in science and technology are growing exponentially and are increasingly a part of most people’s everyday lives. TikTok began in 2016 and has since accumulated 78.7 million users in the United States. The wellness industry was valued at $4.37 trillion worldwide in 2020, likely due in no small part to the concept’s proliferation across social media platforms like TikTok. This rapid growth has come with unforeseen consequences, both positive and negative. A negative consequence that has been more frequently discussed and researched in the …


A Study Of Young American Women, Conservatism, And Feminism, Laurel Lux May 2021

A Study Of Young American Women, Conservatism, And Feminism, Laurel Lux

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

As of June 2020, only 31% of self-identified conservatives in the United States were women. Modern political conservatism is known for rejecting modern feminism as well, which is often stereotyped as a women’s issue. With such a small percentage of women identifying as conservative, the question arises as to why young American women reject modern feminism and identify with modern political conservatism. In this study I examined the literature comparing modern conservatism, conservative women’s movements, and modern feminism, and conducted a small questionnaire of conservative women 18-24. I concluded by describing three generalized schools of thought regarding conservative women’s views …


The Violence Against Women's Act: From The Criminalization Of Domestic Violence Through Modern Political Challenges, Carrie Anderson May 2020

The Violence Against Women's Act: From The Criminalization Of Domestic Violence Through Modern Political Challenges, Carrie Anderson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The Violence Against Women’s Act, or VAWA, is a landmark piece of federal legislation to combat domestic violence in the United States. It passed in 1994 following various state efforts to stop intimate partner violence. Broad federal legislation was needed to end domestic violence because of the unique nature of the crime including the strong connection between victims and perpetrators, the vast scale of the problem, and the reoccurring nature of domestic violence (Fagan, p. 28-29, 1996). VAWA has been expanded through reauthorization efforts in 2000, 2005, and 2013. Reform efforts have focused on increasing protections for victims especially focusing …


Factors Influencing Participation In Liberal Student Organizations On College Campuses, Nathan Johnson May 2020

Factors Influencing Participation In Liberal Student Organizations On College Campuses, Nathan Johnson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Despite a long history of student organizations on college campuses there is relatively little research on participation and student experiences in such groups, especially on what factors motivate students to become involved. This study sought to examine factors that influence participation in political organizations on college campuses through dependent variables of attendance and holding a leadership role. The sample focused on groups understood to be “liberal” such as the College Democrats, environmental groups, and others. Respondents were reached through personal connections, social media, and distributing the survey to student organizations. The examined factors accounted for less than a fifth of …


The Truth About Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Cassandra Griffin Dec 2019

The Truth About Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Cassandra Griffin

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This research aims to explore the practices and impacts of Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) in the United States. CPCs are centers whose primary purpose is to dissuade pregnant people from obtaining an abortion. Oftentimes they will provide services free of cost, such as ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. Their main feature is the counseling they provide against seeking abortion services. This paper explores the national affiliates of CPCs in the United States, their practices and advertising, misinformation spread by CPCs, their sources of funding and lobbying activities, and the political implications of their efforts.


Analyzing The Necessity And Feasibility Of The Freedom Dividend, Patrick Hodson Dec 2019

Analyzing The Necessity And Feasibility Of The Freedom Dividend, Patrick Hodson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Job displacement stemming from automation has already taken away millions of jobs in the United States. Andrew Yang fears that future advancements could replace further jobs and exacerbate the wealth inequality already prevalent in our country. This has motivated his plan for change, the Freedom Dividend. This paper was designed to begin with an analysis of the motives for Yang’s plan. It then goes on to cover the details of his plan and assess the economic and administrative feasibility. The paper is concluded by looking at the potential outcomes of the plan and identifying major problem areas that need to …


Designing And Teaching With Role-Playing Games And Simulations In College Classrooms, Xavier Royer May 2018

Designing And Teaching With Role-Playing Games And Simulations In College Classrooms, Xavier Royer

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Role-Playing games and simulations are growing in popularity as pedagogical tools in college classrooms. This capstone examines the current research on this type of teaching method and on how to design them successfully. Then, it will document the author’s own games that he designed throughout the course of semester. This capstone will examine three games done by other over various topics. The paper concludes with a brief statement by the other of lessons he learned not covered in previous sections and his findings on the application of role-playing and simulations in college classrooms.