Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Lintheads' Demise: A Study In Economic Dependency For The Piedmont Region Of South Carolina, Jeremy Lewis Ward

Senior Theses

The decline of the Southern textile and apparel industries represent a unique and rich case study in rapid economic change. It is unique because of the speed and uniformity of collapse; rich, because of the geographic differences that exist even within the concentrated Piedmont textile cluster. Truly, globalization has hit this economic cluster with a brutal punch. And yet, not all cities and counties within the region have been equally harmed by the change.

This report concentrates on examining the socioeconomic variations that have taken place in the thirteen foremost textile-producing counties in South Carolina since the collapse, as well …

Space Exploration: Nasa Investment Into The Private Space Sector And Public Opinion, Brooke Ziegenhagen

Senior Theses

The space exploration industry has entered a new era with companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin leading the way to the privatization of space. This paper examines public opinion regarding the source of space exploration funding and proposes possible motivations for these sentiments. This is followed by an assessment on NASA’s investment trends into the commercial space industry. Both probes review the past decade, to reveal the public-private relationship in this new era and finally, conclude whether or not public opinion plays a role in the degree of NASA investment and what that role may be.

Observing The Transformation Of Sketches When Rendered In Different Scenarios, Cade Fallaw

Senior Theses

The purpose of the project was to see how a single image of my house transformed when I drew multiple iterations of it under different conditions. Each condition was applied to the artist (me); either by limiting my physical state or by creating a specific mental frame that I drew from. This project consists of 31 sketches of my house: 24 of them were drawn with applied conditions and 7 were drawn from memory. As expected, the greatest differences between the drawings occurred when a greater constraint was placed on the artist, such as when I drew using three different …

Makeshift Memory: Nostalgia As Collective Solidarity In The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood And Post-Imperial England, Catherine White

Senior Theses

It is a deeply human experience to long for times, people, and places of the past, even pasts we ourselves did not experience. This feeling, which we most often call nostalgia (but has earned many names throughout history) has profound influence especially in how we perceive our collective histories and use these histories to guide us forward. This experience of nostalgia is the underpinning for many of our sources of solidarity (or who we feel loyal or obligated to). However, when we feel these profound connections to the distant past, we often lose the reality of that past in the …

Emergent Trends In The Chinese Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Supply Chain And Opportunities For Public-Private Reform, Mary Monk

Senior Theses

This research seeks to identify and analyze emerging trends in the Chinese counterfeit pharmaceutical trade, extending from the supply chain’s point of origin to domestic and overseas retail dispensary. To aid readability, Chapter 1 of this thesis opens with key conclusions and policy recommendations for various Chinese and U.S. stakeholders based on the shortcomings identified in Chapter 5. Chapter 2 begins with a review of international roadblocks to diagnosing the issue, such as lack of consensus on working definitions and cross-border discrepancies in pharmaceutical oversight regulation. This section also provides a general overview of existing factors driving demand for counterfeit …

Us Vs. Wales: Comparing And Improving Refugee Health Policy, Payton Ramsey

Senior Theses

Inadequate strides have been made to bolster the short and long-term health of growing numbers of refugees awaiting resettlement. The United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as many countries of resettlement, guarantee the right to health as signatories of the UN 1951 Refugee Convention, but in many situations refugee accessibility to healthcare and health resources is limited by time restrictions on benefits, immigration status, and/or financial circumstances.

This thesis provides a synopsis of the historical roots of current policies and legislative frameworks relating to refugee health for Wales and the US. Through the analysis of governmental policy …

The Psychology Of Dance Medicine: Self-Perception Of Dancers, Karina Desai

Senior Theses

Derived from sports medicine, dance medicine is a subcategory that focuses on the health and well-being of dancers on a scientific and medical level. Dancers are considered “elite” athletes and artists, which requires this specific niche of medicine to study the injuries and other health-related issues that develop as a result of dancers’ unique movement. Studies show that in addition to physical injuries, dancers are also susceptible to mental health issues. There are many factors of the dance environment, such as the instructor, peers, and mirrors, that alter the self-perception of dancers. Due to dancers being required to train in …

An Analysis Of Ceramic Vessel Form And Function At The Pockoy Island Shell Rings, Catherine Garcia

Senior Theses

Four thousand years ago, Late Archaic peoples along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia accumulated mollusk shells into enormous, circular structures known as shell rings. The purpose of these rings has been a subject of archaeological debate for decades, with no clear consensus as to whether they are accidental accumulations of domestic refuse, or intentionally constructed landscape markers with ceremonial or symbolic meaning. This paper presents the results of a morphological and functional analysis of ceramic vessels excavated from the Pockoy Island Shell Rings, a double shell ring site located on the shore of Edisto Island, South Carolina, in …

Emergency Management: A Case Study Of Special Needs Populations And Disaster Preparedness, Jessica Ann Marie Windsor

Masters Theses

This research study intends to analyze the information and knowledge that is obtained by emergency managers and mitigation plans regarding the special needs population to better assist the resilience of the individuals within that population. This study focuses on whether the emergency managers' understanding of the demands of the special needs population affects the finalized mitigation plans for their respective locations in terms of the action plans developed to assist the special needs population. This study uses a mixed-methods research approach in which quantitative research was conducted utilizing quantitative and conducts a survey, using qualitative research, to participants and examination …

Waste Politics In Asia And Global Repercussions, Adam Liebman

Sociology & Anthropology Faculty publications

No abstract provided.

The Beef Industry: The Social Costs From An Ecological, Economic, And Social Perspective, Timothy Keathley

Student Papers in Local and Global Regional Economies

Beef products are a staple of western diets and are quickly becoming normalized in more parts of the world. Americans from 1910 to present day have consumed an average of 60 pounds of beef each year, with total beef consumption annually over 27 billion pounds (Beef, 2005). Red meat is a tempestuous topic of discussion. Red meat is a product that has nutritional benefits, is a symbol of status, and has a favored taste for many of its consumers. It can also be said that red meat is associated with health issues, animal cruelty, and environmental sustainability concerns. Jochimsen said …

Reinvigorating Vacant Properties Through A Federal Jobs Guarantee, Derrick Busch

Student Papers in Local and Global Regional Economies

Dayton, Ohio is a city currently in transition; once a technological and business hub, Dayton has gradually lost private businesses and with business left jobs, one of the most recent hits being the closure of the General Motors plant just south of the city. Over the past couple of years, a cultural renaissance has emerged within the city, with thriving bar districts and countless commercial buildings becoming residential apartment and mixed use complexes. The city is now at historically low commercial vacancy rates, however, many of the scars of fleeing residents and private businesses still remain. This urban resurgence has …

Support For Me Key Takeaways Of The Care Integration Assessment, Rachel M. Gallo Mph, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba, Evelyn Ali Bs, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma, Mark Richards Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Olivia Dooley Mpa

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

In 2019, Maine’s Department of Health & Human Services received a $2.1 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) SUPPORT Act, establishing the SUPPORT for ME initiative within the Office of MaineCare Services. The primary goal of this planning grant is to increase MaineCare providers’ capacity to deliver Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery services for Medicaid beneficiaries. One key component of this project is an assessment to collect information from Maine organizations to help MaineCare better understand levels of care integrations within organizations and across several dimensions of care (“Care Integration Assessment”). This condensed …

Budgeting For Library Programming, Shannon D. Jones

MUSC Faculty Bookshelf

This chapter draws on the author’s experience as an outreach librarian to provide practical guidance for budgeting library programs in financially constrained environments. It emphasizes that limited funding should not stifle creativity; rather, it should inspire innovation and strategic thinking. The chapter outlines approaches for developing strong program proposals, identifying key budget components, and aligning initiatives with institutional priorities. It also explores various funding strategies, including internal support, partnerships, grants, revenue generation, and crowdfunding. Ultimately, the chapter encourages library professionals to think broadly and design meaningful programs that enhance the library’s visibility, impact, and value.

Pathways To Retention Of Alternatively Licensed Special Education Teachers, Meghan W. Sinning

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Special Education teacher retention has been a chronic concern for administrators for the past 45 years. Since 1975 when the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was passed, providing Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with exceptionalities, school districts' ability to hire appropriately licensed Special Education teachers has been a continual concern. Additionally, Special Education teachers’ turnover rate exceeds that of many other content areas in education. The Special Education teacher's attrition rates who have completed an alternate route to licensure program have been even greater than traditionally trained Special Education teachers. The study’s quantitative research has focused on a …

An Economic Analysis Of The Effects Of Streaming On The Music Industry In Response To Criticism From Taylor Swift, Hugh Zehr

Major Themes in Economics

Since its introduction in the early 2010s, music streaming has transformed the industry. Streaming has both fans and critics. One of the most notable critics is superstar Taylor Swift, who has questioned streaming’s ability to adequately compensate those involved in music creation. My analysis acknowledges her critique and looks specifically into how streaming services have affected all participants in the industry. While streaming initially decreased profits in the music industry as a whole, the industry has adjusted and has seen returns from this new model of music consumption. Streaming services increase benefits to all players in the music industry by …

Practising Intimate Labour: Birth Doulas Respond During Covid-19, Angela N. Castañeda, Julie Searcy

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Birth doulas provide non-medical intimate support to pregnant people and their families. This support starts at the very foundation of life – breath. Doulas remind, encourage and accompany people through labour by breathing with them. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted doulas’ intimate work, and they are forced to navigate new restrictions surrounding birth practices. Based on data collected from a qualitative survey of over five-hundred doulas as well as subsequent follow-up interviews with select doulas, we find intimacy at births disrupted and reshaped. We suggest that an analysis of doulas provides a unique way to think through the …

Montana Voices Amplified: A Parent’S Perspective: Plexiglass Butterflies – Lessons Learned At The Children’S Hospital, Elizabeth Hill, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

I used to be offended when someone would comment innocently, “I don’t know how you do it.” “It” being raising a child with special needs. Now, with a few more years of wisdom and empathy under my belt, I recognize the meaning and message behind their words.

Covid-19 Exacerbates Existing System Factors That Disadvantage Defendants: Findings From A National Survey Of Defense Attorneys, Tarika Daftary-Kapur, Kelsey S. Henderson, Tina M. Zottoli

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

COVID-19 has impacted many facets of daily life and the legal system is no exception. Legal scholars have hypothesized that the effects of the pandemic may contribute to more coercive plea bargains (Cannon, 2020; Johnson, 2020). In this study, we explored defense attorneys' perceptions of whether and how the plea process has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Patriarchy In Publishing: Examining Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Women (Non-Men) In The Publishing Industry, Grace E. Hansen

Book Publishing Final Research Papers

The purpose of my research was to determine how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted non-men in the publishing industry, and what this impact means for the patriarchal institutions in publishing in regards to the wage-gap, workplace sexism, and other factors explored in this paper. The research conducted includes anonymous survey data from thirty-four publishing employees, interviews with three professional women in management and other publishing industry leadership roles, and secondary research to substantiate my findings. A data overview suggests aspects of the patriarchal infrastructure in the professional world have been worsening with the pandemic for non-men: work-life balance, salary gaps, and …

The Effect Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Disordered Eating Behaviors, Casper Sturm, Chelsea Adams

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The goal of this study was to evaluate whether people have exhibited more disordered eating behaviors (e.g. binging, restricting food, purging, etc.) during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. While the general survey evaluated these behaviors in a general sample, we were also interested in investigating if there was a difference in the change of these symptoms in people who had eating disorders before the onset of the pandemic. We predicted that there would be an increase in disordered eating behaviors as a result of the pandemic. We also predicted that people with pre-existing eating disorders would have experienced a …

Conspiracy Theories And Political Affiliation, Amanda Palmer, Tyler Duffer, Shannon Wilms

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

For this study, we are addressing whether an individual who is more extreme in their political ideation is more likely to have a conspiracy mindset than individuals who identify as more moderate. We hypothesize that as political extremism increases among individuals, the likelihood of having a conspiracy mindset also increases compared to those who are more moderate. To test this prediction, we incorporated two preexisting questionnaires to gather information on political ideation and conspiracy beliefs.

Beliefs In Internet Use, Lauren Baird, Morgan Lovgren, Madaline Johnston

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

For this study, we are addressing the question: Does internet adherence effect an individual's belief in conspiracy theories? We are predicting that individuals with a higher level of internet adherence will have a stronger belief in conspiracy theories, while individuals with a lower level of internet adherence will have less of a belief in conspiracy theories. To test this prediction, participants took two surveys which test these two variables. To measure an individual's belief in conspiracy theories, we used the Conspiracist Belief Scale questionnaire and the Items of Internet Use questionnaire to measure levels of internet adherence.

My Green Thumb, Devin Karpowich, Yenci Reyes

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Video displaying app in development

A Policy Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Hot Spot Policing, Ashley King

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness of Hot Spot Policing efforts in reducing rates of crime in high concentrated areas. A systematic review of studies conducted to assess the impact of this policy found that this policy is an effective means of reducing crime rates. In addition, this policy has also allowed for police agencies to make use of their limited resources in an effective manner.

Correlations Between Interpersonal Trust And Agreeableness With Belief In Conspiracy Theories, Patrick Muse, Ivy Stevens, Sean Murphy

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

We encountered a disagreement in the literature related to this topic between whether agreeableness was a predictor of conspiracy beliefs or not. The purpose of our study was to determine whether interpersonal trust was a better predictor of conspiracy beliefs than agreeableness, the big five personality that trust is a part of. Our results supported this hypothesis, as trust was significantly correlated with conspiracy beliefs while agreeableness was not.

The Correlation Between Personality And Depression Experienced During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Mallory Talbert, Sydney Sommer, Samantha Mullally

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The purpose of this study is to find out if there is a correlation between personality, specifically extroversion and introversion, and levels of depression experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was chosen because although pandemics are have occurred in the past, there is limited information on what this Covid-19 pandemic means for mental health. We hypothesized that there will be a positive correlation between extroversion and levels of depression experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. We hypothesized this based on aspects of personalities and the restrictions and effects of the pandemic. Participants took two brief surveys, one based on the Beck …

The Effects Of Academic Support At Longwood, Kyanna Bojorquez, Emily Cutcliff, Tabatha Davis, Kelly Williford

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

If the academic support needs of students are not being met, how can we expect them to succeed? More and more often, college students are withdrawing from classes, changing majors, transferring or even dropping out of school and this is largely due to lack of academic resources or simply the lack of awareness that these resources exist. Based on personal testimonies and survey data collected from students at Longwood, this issue is a campus-wide issue. Our goal is to make students more aware of the academic support resources on college so drop-out rates and to see that the number of …

Policy Analysis On The Effectiveness Of Mental Health Courts, Madison Johnson

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness of mental health courts in reducing recidivism rates with mentally ill offenders. A systematic review of studies was conducted to assess the impact that mental health courts have in reducing recidivism. This research found these courts to be effective in reducing recidivism as well as being an effective means of intervention for mentally ill offenders.

A Policy Analysis On The Effectiveness Of Domestic Violence Courts, Sara Beth Stansberry

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness of Domestic Violence Courts in increasing offender accountability and recidivism, providing victim and offender services and safety, altering the view of domestic violence in the eyes of both the Criminal Justice System and citizens, and improving court processes and procedures. A systematic review of studies conducted to assess the impact of this policy on stated outcomes indicates that Domestic Violence Courts effectively reduce the negative effects that traditionally coincide with domestic violence cases. In addition, this policy has altered how victims are more confident in coming forward about their incident …