Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Deportation And Immigration Enforcement In The United States: Analysis Of Regional And Country Variations, Exmond Ofori Sarpiah

Political Science Theses and Capstones

This study examines the motivations behind President Trump’s mass deportation policies due to the inflow of undocumented migrants from different regions in America. The study employs data visualization techniques, such as scatter plot and bar charts, to analyze regional and country variation trends in migrant removals and undocumented populations across global regions.

Identifying Personality Factors Of Female Adolescents Most Susceptible To Anxiety And Addiction To Social Media, Kevin Cristadoro

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between personality traits, anxiety, and social media addiction in adolescent females, with the goal of developing a low-cost screening tool for early identification. It integrates psychological theory (Maslow, Erikson, Gilligan, Vygotsky) with media theory (McLuhan, Postman) and postmodernist critiques by Guy DeBord and Jean Baudrillard. DeBord’s society of the spectacle and Baudrillard’s hyperreality offer a lens through which digital engagement is seen not as a supplement to real life, but as a simulation that can displace authentic connection—heightening anxiety and dependency on virtual validation.

The dissertation also touches on Breland’s concept of instinctive drift as …

Archeota, Spring/Summer 2025, Nicholas Haynes, Stacy L. Vandenput, Jesse Jacobs

Archeota

Archeota is a platform for SJSU iSchool students to contribute to the archival conversation. It is written BY students, FOR students. It provides substantive content on archival concerns and issues and promotes professional development in the field of archival studies. Archeota upholds the core values of the archival profession. Contents: Happy 10th Birthday Archeota! Celebrating Archeota's 10 Year Anniversary by Gwendolyn Smith Beyond Survival: The Fragility of Context in Digital Archives by Nicholas Haynes “Records Doulas” and the Case for Patient Records Advocacy: An Emerging Role for Archivists by Stacy L. Vandenput Preserving Play: Memory, Meaning, and the Soul of …

Beyond The Concrete Ceiling: Understanding The Unique Experiences Of Black Women Working At Predominantly White Institutions, Linda Hamilton

Theses (2016-Present)

This thesis examines how the treatment of Black women professionals at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) in the United States influences their levels of engagement with coworkers. This study uses rhetorical analysis to explore Black women professionals’ narratives, communication patterns, and lived experiences to understand the dynamics of their workplace interactions in these settings. Utilizing scholarly articles, written accounts, autoethnographies, books, theses, and dissertations, this research analyzes how systemic biases, microaggressions, and exclusionary practices shape the strategies used by Black women to navigate professional, predominantly white workspaces. The findings uncover that the treatment of Black women at PWIs often pressures them …

David B. Smith Chats With Monday 1.0, David B. Smith

Publications and Research

This document is an edited archival transcript of extended conversations between David B. Smith and an AI persona (“Monday 1.0,” GPT‑4o based) conducted in Spring 2025, prepared as a foundational primary source for subsequent scholarly and creative work. It records the emergence and testing of concepts related to human–AI collaboration (including “Balanced Blended Space”), as well as applied explorations in areas such as generative AI, quantum computing and music, virtual orchestras, multimodal performance, pedagogy, and the rhetoric of “pushback” in conversational systems. It also contains an extended section in which Monday and DB Smith co-curate a set of student research …

Institutionalizing Normality: Disability, Productivity, And Higher Education, Ashley Dirzis

Student Theses

This thesis examines how capitalism and neuronormative domination shape the structures and values of academic institutions, affecting faculty, students, and research subjects alike. By privileging productivity, conformity, and efficiency in the pursuit of income, universities often marginalize those who diverge from normative standards of thinking, behavior, and embodiment, particularly disabled individuals. Drawing on Marta Russell’s Disability and Capitalism and the shaping of disability by capitalist systems, Robert Chapman’s notion of the "Empire of Normality" and Jay Dolmage’s concept of the retrofit from Academic Ableism, this paper analyzes how academia reinforces ableist norms. It explores the realities and barriers that …

Virtual Bodies, Virtual Worlds (Engl 093a) Syllabus, Amanda Licastro

Library Staff Works

Do we control technology, or is technology controlling us? In this course we will use the dystopian visions presented through literature, film, television, and video games to investigate our culture of surveillance. The fictional depictions of virtual worlds and the virtual bodies that inhabit them will inspire our own creative projects using cutting-edge immersive technologies. Together we will read critical texts and discuss issues such as race and identity online, net neutrality, and the deployment of biometrics and data collection in Virtual and Augmented Reality. We will also visit makerspaces across campus to learn about the digital fabrication tools available …

Graduate School Blog - April 2025 Volume 1, Cynthia Haynes

UofM Grad School Blog

The April 2025 UofM Graduate School Blog highlights a month full of events, stories, and celebrations, beginning with Dr. Deborah Tollefsen’s personal graduate school journey, shared during the “Is Graduate School Right for Me?” virtual workshop an inspiring narrative of resilience, mentorship, and finding purpose through education. This edition also spotlights Graduate Student Appreciation Week, featuring a robust lineup of events such as a virtual town hall, resume and job market workshop, student social and awards ceremony, study session, and social dinners all designed to support, celebrate, and connect the UofM graduate student community. With opportunities to hear from …

The Evolution Of Tyler's Housing Market: A Decade Of Transformation, Manuel Reyes-Loya, Cecilia Cuellar

Hibbs Brief

This brief reviews recent trends in the Tyler, Texas, housing market, noting a shift from rapid post‑pandemic price increases toward greater market balance in early 2025. With more homes for sale and longer selling times, housing conditions are stabilizing, though high mortgage rates continue to challenge affordability. Ongoing population growth and economic activity support continued demand for housing.

Spoken Melodies: A Black Languaging Ela Curriculum, Taylor Gray , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

From Victimization To Offense: A Scoping Review Of Attachment Theory And Social Learning Theory In Explaining Hypersexual Behaviors In Male Sexual Offenders With Histories Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Madison R. Rivers

Senior Theses

The association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and hypersexual behaviors in both juvenile and adult male sexual offenders has been investigated; however, a clear theoretical framework explaining this connection remains debated. This review aims to evaluate which theoretical frameworks—such as Social Learning Theory and Attachment Theory—best explain the link between CSA and hypersexuality in male sexual offenders. A systematic search and analysis of existing literature was conducted, including studies on the psychological, behavioral, and developmental impacts of CSA on hypersexual behaviors. Both Social Learning Theory and Attachment Theory were critically assessed, particularly focusing on the pathways from victimization to offending …

Challenges In Higher Education For Latino U.S - Born Children Of Undocumented Immigrants, Lupita Gomez Benitez

Senior Theses

Latino native-born children of undocumented immigrants in the United States occupy a unique position within American society. They are citizens by birth and therefore, entitled to all the rights of a regular citizen. However, society does not treat them as such due to their parents' legal status. This paper analyzes the barriers that these students face during the higher education process, specifically in South Carolina. The study uses a review of existing literature and qualitative interviews to uncover some of these challenges and why these students do not ask for help. The findings suggest that these students do have certain …

Methods Comparison For Collecting Subjective Valence And Arousal Judgements, Esha Gandhi

Senior Theses

Human emotion and affect are critical for regulating behavior, guiding decision-making and facilitating social communications. In everyday language, emotion and affect are interchangeable. However, in psychology, they are conceptualized as two distinct constructs. Emotion refers to discrete, prototypical subjective experiences elicited by specific stimuli. Affect, in contrast, refers to more elementary feelings that can be described along two continuous dimensions: valence (positive-negative) and arousal (low-high). According to the circumplex model (Russell, 1980), emotion can be represented within a two-dimensional core affective space defined by valence and arousal. Although valence and arousal are conceptually interrelated, most studies measure them separately using …

Between Borders And Belief: Perspectives Of Aid Workers On Religion In A Migrant Shelter In Mexico, Kendall O. Roy

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to understand the significance of religion in the Central American migration context through the eyes of humanitarian aid workers. It is based on interviews that I conducted in May of 2024 with staff members at a migrant shelter in Mexico, analysis of prior scholarship, and building upon an understanding of relevant religious history in Latin America. I will delve into trends that the aid workers observed in areas such as religious practices and beliefs of migrants, shelter functions that addressed and nurtured spiritual well-being, and the influence of the Church as an institution on humanitarian aid work. …

The Impact Of Discretion On Human Service Workers Supporting The Health Of Unaccompanied Minors In Foster Care, Diana M. Clark

Senior Theses

Unaccompanied children (UCs) are a vulnerable population that enters government custody and accesses healthcare via the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)'s system of care. While prior research has focused on generating policy recommendations to improve healthcare services available to UCs both in ORR custody and following release from custody, this thesis will instead expand upon the experiences of staff members working at ORR-contracted agencies. These workers make decisions that have short- and long-term implications on the health and wellbeing of UCs. Drawing from 65 in-depth interviews with human service workers in ORR-contracted voluntary agencies, this thesis uses street-level bureaucracy framework …

Education As Cultural Diplomacy: Examining International Student Experiences At A Public University In The Southeastern United States, Sydney A. Wilson

Senior Theses

This thesis explores how the lived experiences of undergraduate international students at a public university in the Southeastern United States (US) reflect and contribute to the practice of cultural diplomacy. While the existing literature on international education as an instrument of soft power tends to focus on overtly state-sponsored programs such as the Fulbright, this study is centered around exchange students specifically participating in independently coordinated partner programs. Drawing on influential political science figures such as Joseph Nye and Milton Cummings’ conceptualization of the terms ‘soft power’ and ‘cultural diplomacy,’ this research highlights the important role informal and interpersonal interactions …

Investigation Of Coordinated Visual Attention Using Head-Mounted Eye Tracking In Infants With An Elevated Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Edith L. Violi

Senior Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Coordinated visual attention (CVA), the ability to share attention with others through gaze coordination, is a key component of early social development, and differences in CVA may serve as a potential early marker of ASD. Given the increased likelihood of ASD among siblings of diagnosed individuals, research has focused on studying CVA differences to improve early detection and intervention strategies. The thesis aims to examine group differences between elevated likelihood (EL) and low likelihood (LL) infant-parent dyads in toy-directed attention and …

Deference Or Preference: Analyzing The Treatment Of Chevron U.S.A., Inc. V. Nrdc As A Precedent At The Supreme Court, Allison Dehart

Senior Theses

Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. is one of the most cited Supreme Court cases in history, with over 18,000 citations in federal courts alone (Merrill, 2012). It has reached doctrinal status and was widely considered a vital precedent, one that guided the fields of environmental and administrative law. However, in June of 2024, the Supreme Court released their opinion in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overturned Chevron. With the ubiquity of Chevron in US Courts, this decision caused widespread confusion and worry over what would replace the precedent. In an era where environmental …

Interactive Pathways: Designing Accessible Museum Experiences, Bryce M. Christian

Senior Theses

This research examines the educational strategies employed by the Columbia Museum of Art in addition to similar institutions to explore how museums can optimize their educational impact on K–12 students by applying human-centered design strategies that prioritize accessibility, engagement, and real user needs. Many museums struggle to fully serve K–12 students due to physical, financial, and perceptual barriers. While digital platforms have expanded reach in some institutions, others prioritize in-person experiences and community engagement. This research uses artificial intelligence tools such as supervised data to accelerate and enhance the analytical process. The study evaluates these approaches through the lens of …

"Health Gatekeepers": The Influence Of Women On Health Practices In Rural, Central Appalachia, Reese Lycan

Senior Theses

Women have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region …

Beyond The Cell: The Impact Of Parental Incarceration On Children Based On The Factors Of Age, Gender, And Race, Ella M. Zeigler

Senior Theses

Incarceration is a life-changing event. It is humbling to be surrounded by three cement walls and a row of metal bars reaching from the floor to the ceiling. Millions of individuals are impacted by the adverse effects of incarceration, but millions more feel the effect of their incarceration as well. There are obvious negative impacts on those who have personally experienced incarceration, but one of the largest impacts is widely overlooked; one that comes from beyond the cell. This thesis considers the variation in the impact of parental incarceration on children, specifically based on the factors of age, gender and …

Ai Literacy: A Guide For Academic Libraries, Leo S. Lo

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This article presents a comprehensive framework for AI literacy in academic libraries, encompassing technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking, practical skills, and societal impact. It argues that libraries must take a leading role in developing AI literacy programs to help communities understand, evaluate, and ethically engage with AI technologies in an increasingly algorithm-driven world.

Campaign Finance Reform At The State Level, Darren Borsini

School of Public Policy Capstones

Should restrictions on campaign financing in the United States be laissez-faire or stringent? This debate has been had at levels as high as the Supreme Court and as wide as the legislative chambers of all fifty states. This paper aims to create a broader understanding of campaign finance reform at the state level. Specifically, this paper analyzes state-level data on campaign finance reform adoption, educational attainment, and partisan lean to determine the strength of correlations between these variables. Additionally, this paper utilizes expert knowledge gained through interviews focused on campaign finance reform with a former FPPC chair and a California …

Connecting Cultures Through Nature Exploring Cross-Cultural Environmental Education And Global Citizenship At Hanoi Edufarm, Shreeya Patel

Vietnam: Culture, Social Change, and Development

This paper explores the role of cross-cultural, nature-based education in fostering intercultural understanding and environmental awareness among children through my internship completed at Hanoi EduFarm, a farm school located in the countryside of Hanoi, Vietnam. While initially intended to focus on sustainable and regenerative agriculture, the internship evolved into a teaching role, where I designed and led lessons in English centered on environmental topics, geography, and intercultural exchange.

Drawing from in-class participant observations, reflective journaling, and informal discussions with staff and faculty over 120 hours of the internship period for SIT Vietnam, this paper examines how shared experiences with nature …

Hand-In-Hand Across The Counter: The Counter-Geography Of The Transnational Vietnamese Nail Industry, Rachel Nguyen

Vietnam: Culture, Social Change, and Development

How do Vietnamese nail technicians navigate and respond to the global demand for beauty labor, and how does the nail industry function as a physical and figurative mobility infrastructure? Vietnamese women without formal higher education credentials comprise over 80% of nail salon workers in the United States and heavily contribute to the $14 billion in annual remittances to Vietnam (UCLA Labor Center 2018; World Bank Open Data 2023). Despite their felt impacts on their sending and receiving countries, the women behind this intimate labor are largely unseen and unheard. My research addresses a critical gap in the existing literature on …

Drawing Lines In The Sand: Armed Conflict, Climate Damage And Setbacks To Climate Action, Beatrice L. Hamilton

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Armed conflicts have a significant and detrimental effect on the climate system, with considerable implications for efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change and the civilian population. Yet the environmental provisions under the law of armed conflict (LOAC), drafted some half a century ago, struggle to adequately address these concerns. This article assesses the capacity of LOAC to address conflict-driven climate damage and its cascading impacts by characterizing these harms as environmental damage and as injury to civilians. The analysis highlights opportunities for broadening LOA C's scope and offers recommendations to enhance its capacity to address climate damage and …

Expanding The Framework Of Childhood Adversity: Structural Violence And Aggression In Childhood, L. Petrovic, C.N. Baker, Samantha Francois, M. Wallace, S. Overstreet

Psychology

Background: Structural violence harms youth by preventing them from meeting basic needs for safety, belonging, dignity, and agency, leading to negative outcomes like increased aggression. Such behaviors harm children's social and emotional well-being and academic success, particularly affecting Black youth who disproportionately experience structural violence. Although predictors of student aggression have been explored, the specific influence of structural violence—as measured through socioeconomic and racial disparities—remains under examined in the literature. This gap highlights the need for further investigation into how these external factors contribute to aggressive behaviors in school settings, Objective: This study sought to examine the relationship between structural …

Being Muslim In European Football: Defining Spaces Of Muslimness, Leif Stenberg, Ridha Sheikh, Esen Kaya

Abdou Filali-Ansary Occasional Paper Series

This paper explores the intersection of football and Islam, looking especially at European contexts, and with particular focus on the experiences of Muslim footballers in the UK. By examining the stories of UK Premier League player Cheikhou Kouyaté and amateur footballer Yasmin Abdullahi in London, the paper investigates how these individuals navigate their Muslim identities in the context of their sporting careers. The paper reflects on the broader cultural and societal implications of Muslimness in football, considering how both Muslims and non-Muslims contribute to defining Islamic spaces within the sport. The research also touches on the evolving perceptions of Islam …

Research On Quantitative Evaluation Of Artificial Intelligence Policy Texts In The Yangtze River Delta Region, Ying Zhou, Danjie Yang, Mei Jiang, Xiaochun Zhao

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]The quantitative evaluation of existing effective artificial intelligence (AI) policies aims to provide reference for government department to formulate scientific and reasonable AI policies and promote the development of AI. [Method/process]Taking 10 AI policies in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2015 to 2024 as the research samples, the text mining method is used to construct the evaluation index system of AI policies in the Yangtze River Delta region, and conduct quantitative evaluation by combining the PMC index model. [Result/conclusion]The study found that from a macro policy text perspective, the average PMC index of the 10 AI policy samples in …

Comparative And Evaluative Research On The Data Infrastructure Policies Of Central And Local Governments In China Before And After The Implementation Of The "Twenty Measures For Data", Haiqun Ma, Tongtong Yu, Hangong Wang, Tao Zhang

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]To explore the direction for provincial governments to further plan data policies, with the aim of providing support for the establishment and improvement of data infrastructure systems in various regions. [Method/process] This article adopts the method of text similarity calculation to compare the policy texts of 22 provinces' data policies released before 2023 with the "Twenty Data Articles", and selects the "Twenty Provincial Version Data Articles" of 8 provinces for policy evaluation research. [Result/conclusion]The data shows that in terms of comparing data infrastructure systems, the data policies introduced by 22 provincial governments before 2023 show a relatively high overall similarity …