Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Agnew, Abc, And Richard Nixon's War On Television, Dale L. Cressman Phd

Faculty Publications

Less than a year into the presidency of Richard Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew launched a series of attacks on television journalists, accusing them of being biased and having too much power to determine what news millions of Americans watched on their televisions. Because the government licensed and regulated their stations, the networks considered Agnew's statements, and other White House criticisms, to be threats. As the smallest, most vulnerable network, ABC found itself at a confluence of relationships with the administration: It employed both Nixon's favorite and least favorite anchors, as well as a highly placed executive who lent sympathy …

Early Latter-Day Saint Missionary Training At The Church Academies, 1883-1925, Rebecca A. Wiederhold

Faculty Publications

View presentation recording here: https://youtu.be/tohMNqlwKhA?t=1366

As the American and European educational landscape progressed toward the end of the 19th century, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began to recognize that proselyting missionaries who “were taken from the plow, the anvil, the shoemaker’s shop and carpenter’s bench” would need general education in order to “keep pace ... with the rest of the world.” To address this emerging need, a training program was developed at Brigham Young Academy in Provo, Utah, to prepare Church members for missionary service through general education and courses on church doctrine. Many of the other …

Covenant Language In Biblical Religions And The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

In this essay I have tried to provide a broad survey of the concept of covenant for Latter-day Saint students of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I began with a sketch of the history of covenant theology in the Christian tradition showing how the early New Testament idea of a baptismal covenant was soon replaced by the Christian institution of sacraments. Although the covenant idea played little role in the historical developments of Christian theology, it did resurge in the Reformation, but without widespread theological impact.

In contrast, over the last century, the role of the covenant idea …

The Language Of Repentance In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Efforts to understand the doctrine of repentance in the Book of Mormon have long been hampered by linguistic considerations—and especially the traditional translation provided in the King James Version of the Bible. Twentieth century studies provide a needed correction to this situation and open a wealth of potential new understandings of Book of Mormon discourse on repentance. Further, the discovery that the Book of Mormon uses the common biblical figure of speech of hendiadys repeatedly to expand and enrich the concept of repentance beyond biblical usage helps readers appreciate the ways in which repentance can be seen as the most …

Faith And Faithfulness In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

The concept of covenantal faithfulness toward Yahweh that Old Testament scholars have recognized and defined over the last century turns out to be a far better account of the Book of Mormon understanding of faith in the Lord, in Jesus Christ, than are any of the competing concepts of faith that have grown out of the Christian tradition over the last two millennia. For the Nephite prophets, faith was an active concept, better understood as faithfulness—as diligent obedience to the commandments the Lord has given to those who have accepted the gospel covenant through repentance and baptism. The divine …

Gottfried Keller And The Fictionalization Of Switzerland, Richard Hacken

Faculty Publications

Gottfried Keller was one of the best-known 19th-century Swiss authors of literary realism. This article compares and contrasts socioeconomic conditions of the Swiss during the Industrial Revolution with those of a counterfeit Switzerland that Keller fictionalized into a decalogy (10 thematically connected novellas) called "The People of Seldwyla." The most frequently quoted titles of the cycle are "A Village Romeo and Juliet" and "Clothes Make the Man."

Reconciling Perception With Production In Southern Speech, Joseph A. Stanley, Rachel M. Olsen, Michael L. Olsen, Lisa Lipani, Margaret E. L. Renwick

Faculty Publications

• Weakening of canonical /aɪ ɔɪ aʊ/ occurs in Southern speech (Thomas 2003)
• /ai/ weakening
• Most prevalent • Triggering feature of the Southern Vowel Shift (SVS) (Labov, Ash & Boberg 2006) • /ɔɪ/ weakening • Most prevalent amongst African Americans, and older European Americans in the South • For everyone before laterals (Thomas 2008) • /aʊ/ weakening • Widespread in European American Southern English (Thomas 2008)

The Language Of The Spirit In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

This study provides students of the Book of Mormon with the first comprehensive analysis of the many ways in which the word spirit is used in that volume of scripture. It demonstrates how the titles Holy Ghost, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Holy Spirit, and the Spirit are used interchangeably to refer to the third member of the God. It also shows that the Holy Ghost was understood to be a separate being. The analysis is thoroughly integrated with scholarly studies of references to the spirit ( rûah ) in the Hebrew Bible. The functions of the Holy …

The Great Plans Of The Eternal God, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

The concept that God had a plan from the beginning was clearly taught by the first generation of Nephite prophets in the sixth century BCE as it provided both them and their successors over the next thousand years with the background or context they could use to preach and explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to their people. The plan of salvation they taught made the relevance of the gospel of Jesus Christ for every individual born into this world perfectly clear. It explained the great blessings that would come to those who would repent and embrace all elements of …

Stories Of Scribbling Women: Hands-On Research In Book History With Women's Studies Students, Maggie Kopp

Faculty Publications

BYU Special Collections curators taught an Honors Western Civilization survey course with our collections for over two decades, but after a reboot of the Honors curriculum the course was dropped. A new opportunity arose in 2014 when the Women’s Studies program wanted to expand their offerings. But the course needed a major overhaul. This poster describes some of the changes that were made.

The Ancient Doctrine Of The Two Ways In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Consistent with their preexilic Hebrew Bible predecessors, the Book of Mormon prophets taught a version of the Two Ways doctrine that featured (1) invitations to repentance defined as turning or returning to God’s way, (2) the context of the Abrahamic covenant, (3) the blessings and cursings that would come from obedience or disobedience, and (4) the contrast of the path of righteousness that leads to life with the path of evil that leads to death. But this analysis has also produced a number of expansions or refinements of the Two Ways doctrine that are not reflected in biblical treatments of …

El "Juego" De Los Voladores: Adaptación Indígena Y Vida Festiva En La Nueva España, Matthew J.K. Hill

Faculty Publications

El rito conocido como “los Voladores” existe hoy en día como testimonio a la tenacidad de los grupos indígenas en adaptar sus antiguas prácticas al nuevo orden sociopolítico impuesto por los españoles. Aunque parte del significado y las prácticas asociadas con este rito prehispánico se haya perdido, el hecho de que la práctica haya sobrevivido en lo más mínimo todavía resulta sorprendente. Dada la tendencia de los españoles por erradicar o modificar el pasado pre-Conquista, ¿cómo podía un rito de tal visibilidad como los Voladores permanecer más o menos intacto hasta hoy? En contestación a ese interrogatorio se examinarán algunos …

Alles Deutsch, Oder Nicht?: Übersicht Über Deutsche Bibliotheksbestände In Den Vereinigten Staaten, Richard Hacken, Brian Vetruba, Heidi Madden

Faculty Publications

Overview of German-language collections in the United States. Published in German Library Science journal BuB: Forum Bibliothek und Information. English translation available: German Studies Collections in the United States. Also, see A Selection of Readings on German Language Collections in the United States.

2016 sind die USA das Gastland des Leipziger Bibliothekskongresses. Dass englischspachige Literatur hierzulande von großer Bedeutung ist, ist unbestritten. Aber wie sieht es umgekehrt aus? Welche Bestände deutscher Literatur gibt es in den USA? Die Bibliothekare Richard Hacken, Heidi Madden, und Brian Vetruba haben eine Übersicht hierzu erstellt.

A Genealogical Gold Mine: The Harold B. Lee Library At Byu, Therrin C. Dahlin

Faculty Publications

This article highlights the vast resources available in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University (BYU) for those conducting genealogical research. The BYU Family History Library and other library departments provide extensive collections of genealogical records in print and online as well as experienced librarians, missionaries, and staff to help genealogists find needed information about their ancestors.

Finding Religion: An Analysis Of Theology Libguides, Gerrit Van Dyk

Faculty Publications

This paper will compare various LibGuides in theology from thirty-seven different institutions. These institutions include universities granting undergraduate and graduate degrees in religion or theology as well as seminaries for professional clergy. Data on LibGuides content, such as books, ebooks, journals, databases, librarian contact information, and others, will be compared and analyzed. Resources especially tailored to religious and theological studies will also be highlighted.

The Obsessional Information Professional: Four Decades Of Versifying Libraries And Librarians, Richard Hacken

Faculty Publications

Occasional poetry and parodies written by Richard Hacken from the 1980s to 2016 in honor of libraries and librarians:

In chronological order from the Harold B. Lee Library: John Taylor; Janet O. Francis; Gerald K. Dick; Sterling Albrecht; Roy Daniel; Keith Stirling; Don Howard; Haybron Adams; Christina Almond; Marvin Wiggins; Gary Gillum; Susan Fales; Randy Olsen; Richard Jensen; Karen Griggs; Deb Hatch; Julene Butler; Mark Grover; Tom Wright; Marianne Siegmund

Occasions: retirements, HBLL Christmas parties, introductions, farewells, BYU Library School reunion

From Northwestern University: Jeff Garrett. From Harvard University: Charles Fineman. From University of Wisconsin: Barbara Walden. From University of …

“Much Dispute And Wonderful Contentions”: Modern First Amendment Values In The Book Of Mormon, Edward L. Carter

Faculty Publications

The First Amendment’s free speech clause, like the religious exercise clause, is profoundly counter-majoritarian. So the fact that a religious point of view is unpopular or out of step with a majority of society is not justification to suppress its expression. Rather, the unpopularity of religious views is the very reason why religious expression should be protected from government or private censorship. Free speech, including religious expression, strengthens and stabilizes society, enables the search for truth, provides a check on government power, facilitates self-governance and fosters autonomy. The Book of Mormon teaches Mormons to respect the contributions of free expression …

The Hispanic Mortality Paradox: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of The Longitudinal Literature, J. Ruiz, P. Steffen, Timothy B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Objectives: The current objective was to compare Hispanic mortality rates to those of other racial/ethnic groups in order to investigate the possibility of a Hispanic mortality advantage.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published longitudinal literature reporting Hispanic individuals’ mortality of any cause compared with that of any other racial/ethnic group.

Results: Across 58 studies (4,615,747 participants), the random effects weighted average effect size was OR = 0.825 (P < .001, 95% CI = 0.75 to 0.91), corresponding to a 17.5% lower risk of mortality among Hispanic populations compared to other racial groups. The difference in mortality risk tended to be greater among older populations and varied as a function of pre-existing health condition, with effects apparent for initially healthy samples and for those with cardiovascular diseases. The results also differed by racial group comparison: Hispanics had lower overall risk for mortality than non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks, but overall higher risk for mortality than Asian Americans.

Conclusions: These findings provide evidence of a small Hispanic mortality advantage, with implications for conceptualizing and addressing racial/ethnic health disparities.

Media, Mormonism, And Mormon Media Studies, Sherry Baker

Faculty Publications

Bosco Bae has asked me to write a reflection about the Mormon Media Studies Symposia that were held at Brigham Young University in 2010 and 2012, and to provide some "general thoughts" about the relationship between media, Mormonism, and Mormons. I also will address the topic of Mormon Media Studies as an emerging discipline, and will conclude with some thoughts about Mormons, the media, and the Mormon Moment. My comments are meant only to be conversational in tone. They certainly do not purport to be definitive or comprehensive statements about the topics discussed.

Mormon Media Studies Symposium - 2012, Sherry Baker

Faculty Publications

Website for the Mormon Media Studies Symposium year 2012.

Provo City Library: Building Across A Century, Gregory M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

The public library in Provo City, Utah has undergone significant changes since the founding of the original 1906 building that was funded by Andrew Carnegie. The library has changed according to the needs of the community as it has adapted from its pioneer heritage to a modern service information organization. As it has adapted, however, the Provo Library has maintained its focus on community service with its physical facilities, collection development, community outreach and quality staffing.

Utah And The Civil War Press, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

A discussion of how Mormons were treated in the national press during the American Civil War with an emphasis on polygamy, statehood requests, loyalty, and Brigham Young.

This chapter was originally published (and reprinted in "Civil War Saints" with permission):

Kenneth L. Alford, “Utah and the Civil War Press.” Utah Historical Quarterly 80, no. 1 (Winter 2012): 75–92.

Register Of The Camp Floyd Field School Records, J. Michael Hunter

Faculty Publications

The Brigham Young University Field School of Archaeology excavated part of Camp Floyd during the 1980s. College credit was offered to both university and high school students for participating in the field work. This Register contains an inventory of 4 boxes of materials from 1982 to 1992, including field school correspondence, field notes, laboratory notes, historical research notes, photos, copy orders, flyers, student information, budgets, artifact records, newspapers articles, journal articles, historical records such as enlistments, deaths, and supply inventories. The materials inventoried are housed in the Camp Floyd State Park Museum at Camp Floyd Stagecoach Inn State Park, 18035 …

Louisa May Alcott In Her Own Time: An Introduction Through Her Printed Works, Maggie Kopp

Faculty Publications

Text and slides of presentation given at Orem Public Library, 19 April 2011.

A 17-Year Longitudinal Study Of Religion And Mental Health In A Mormon Sample, Jeremy D. Bartz, P. Scott Richards, Timothy B. Smith, Lane Fischer

Faculty Publications

In 1984, 1987, and 2001, data were collected on a religiously devout group of college students (N=53) in an effort to better understand the process of religious development and the relationship between religiosity and mental health. This study analyzes those data by examining the relationship between devoutness and psychopathology over time, the correlations between intrinsic religiosity and indices of psychopathology, the stability of religious motivations over the course of adulthood, and the stability of two different religious development styles that were identified in 1984. This study found that (1) these religiously devout individuals have consistently fallen within the normal range …

Free E-Books And Print Sales, John Hilton Iii, David Wiley

Faculty Publications

Digital technologies now enable books and other digital resources to be openly available to those with access to the Internet. This study examined the financial viability of a religious publisher that put free digital versions of eight of its print books on the Internet. The cost to put these eight books online was $940. Over a 10-week period, these books were downloaded 102,256 times and sales of these books increased 26%. Online sales increased at a much higher rate. Comparisons with historical book sales and sales of comparable titles indicate that that this increase may have been connected to the …

Mormon Media Studies Symposium - 2010, Sherry Baker

Faculty Publications

Website for the Mormon Media Studies Symposium year 2010.

The Short-Term Influence Of Free Digital Versions Of Books On Print Sales, John Hilton Iii, David Wiley

Faculty Publications

Increasingly, authors and publishers are freely distributing their books electronically to increase the visibility of their work. A vital question for those with a commercial stake in selling books is, “What happens to book sales if digital versions are given away?” We used BookScan sales data for four categories of books (a total of 41 books) for which we could identify the date when the free digital versions of the books were made available to determine whether the free version affected print sales. We analyzed the data on book sales for the eight weeks before and after the free versions …

Outcomes Of Religious And Spiritual Adaptations To Psychotherapy: A Meta-Analytic Review, Timothy B. Smith, Jeremy Bartz, P. Scott Richards

Faculty Publications

The use of spiritually oriented psychotherapies has increased dramatically during the past decade. This article reports a meta-analysis of 31 outcome studies of spiritual therapies conducted from 1984 to 2005 with clients suffering from a variety of psychological problems. Across the 31 studies, the random-effects weighted average effect size was 0.56. This finding provides some empirical evidence that spiritually oriented psychotherapy approaches may be beneficial to individuals with certain psychological problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders). Recommendations for future research in this domain are offered.

The Association Of Racial Attitudes And Spiritual Beliefs In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Timothy B. Smith, Christopher R. Stones, Christopher E. Peck, Anthony V. Naidoo

Faculty Publications

Previous research has investigated the complex association between religious beliefs and racism. Many studies have found that fundamentalist religious beliefs are positively associated with racial prejudice among European and European American populations. However, few studies have examined whether this association is found in other cultures or whether the association also characterizes spiritual beliefs. Data from 493 South African university students from three racial backgrounds revealed significant differences among the groups. A positive association between fundamentalism and racial prejudice was found among participants, but general spiritual beliefs were negatively associated with racist attitudes. The results emphasize the need to address contextual …