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Frontmatter (Volume 46, Issue 4), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Eurasianism As The Ideological Foundation Of Putin's Russia: Protestant Dimensions., Pavlo Pavlenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the ideological foundations of contemporary Putinist Russia, identifying Eurasianism as a primary socio-philosophical and geopolitical doctrine driving the Kremlin's imperial ambitions. The author traces the evolution of Eurasianism from its origins in "White émigré" circles to its current role as a conceptual bedrock for Russian fascism. A comparative analysis is provided between Eurasianism and the "Russian World" (Russkiy Mir) doctrine, highlighting their distinct approaches to ethnocentrism and continental unity. A significant portion of the study is dedicated to the "Eurasianization" of Protestant denominations within the Russian Federation, illustrating how these communities have been instrumentalized by the state …

The Reconfiguration Of Institutional Trust In The Church In Ukraine During The Full-Scale Russian–Ukrainian War, Nataliia Ishchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the transformation of institutional trust in the Church in Ukraine under the conditions of the full-scale Russian–Ukrainian war. The phenomenon of trust is interpreted as an interdisciplinary concept that makes it possible to combine theological, anthropological, and social approaches to its comprehension. Trust in God and trust in the Church belong to different levels of religious experience: the former has an existential character, while the latter functions as a form of institutional legitimacy. Based on sociological survey data from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) and the Razumkov Centre, it is demonstrated that throughout all the …

The Phenomenon Of Professional Burnout Among Military Chaplains In Ukraine, Artem Makovskyi, Oleg Mateyuk, Oleksandr Bilovskyi, Anton Datskov, Dmytro Oleshko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article presents a comprehensive study of the phenomenon of professional burnout among military chaplains in Ukraine in the context of their personal experience of being in extreme (combat) conditions. The relevance of the problem is due to the prolonged impact of combat operations, high psycho-emotional stress, and the special role of military chaplains in the system of moral and psychological support for Ukraine's security and defense sector. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study was the concept of professional burnout by K. Maslach, the provisions of the person-centered approach, and the theory of personal experience. The empirical study …

The Response Of Diaspora And Religious Institutions On The Refugee Crisis: Case Study Of The Republic Of Croatia, Galyna Sagan Dr., Tetiana Kostiuk Dr.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article is dedicated to the multifaceted support that Ukrainian diaspora and Catholic organizations in the Republic of Croatia have been providing to Ukrainian refugees since the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. The study details the systemic response of such key religious institutions as the Diocese of Križevci, Caritas and the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Particular attention is paid to integration initiatives, like educational programs developed by the Catholic University of Croatia (HKS), and the provision of spiritual and pastoral care, which remains the unique prerogative of the Church. The study emphasizes coordination between ecclesiastical and state …

Who Can We Trust When They Are Watching? Lessons From Communist Surveillance For Today's Hybrid And Authoritarian Realities: An Interview Series, Katharina Kunter

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the intersection of trust, surveillance, and political instrumentalization in authoritarian and hybrid warfare contexts, drawing on interviews with four contemporary witnesses from the Cold War era: Paul Mojzes, Laurens Hogebrink, Renate Ellmenreich, and Markus Meckel. Their experiences—spanning communist surveillance in the GDR, ecumenical diplomacy, and Western peace activism—reveal enduring challenges for churches, activists, and scholars engaging with partners in authoritarian regimes.

The Autonomy Of Bulgarian Theological Scholarship: Institutional Control And Discursive Transformation Under The Communist Regime (1944–1960s), Diana Petrova Tyurkedzhieva

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the autonomy of theological scholarship in Bulgaria under the communist regime as part of the broader problem of academic freedom under authoritarian rule, focusing on 1944 to the 1960s. While existing research has primarily addressed the relationship between the Orthodox Church and the State through institutional restriction and political repression, this study analyses how theological scholarship was transformed institutionally and discursively. It combines historical and institutional analysis with an examination of speeches, public statements, and academic publications in ecclesiastical and theological periodicals. The article argues that the separation of the Faculty of Theology from Sofia University in …

Italian Missionary Activities In Georgia: Historical Legacy And Modern Inter-Religious Dialogue, Zaza Tsotniashvili

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the historical development, cultural contributions, and contemporary significance of Italian missionary activities in Georgia spanning seven centuries, from medieval Catholic presence through the traumatic Soviet period to the post-independence revival. Drawing upon Georgian, Italian, and Vatican archival sources, including the manuscripts of Arcangelo Lamberti, Cristoforo de Castelli, and Michel Tamarati, the study provides comprehensive analysis of Italian Catholic missionaries' multifaceted engagement with Georgian society. The research demonstrates that Italian missionaries, particularly members of the Theatine, Capuchin, and Augustinian orders, played roles extending far beyond religious evangelization, functioning as diplomatic intermediaries, medical practitioners, linguistic documentarians, ethnographic observers, and …

Imperial Islam And Colonial Control: The Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly As A Mediator Of Russian Rule In The Kazakh Frontier, Zharas Akhan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Examination of the strategic role of the Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly (OMSA) as a pivotal instrument of imperial governance in the Kazakh Steppe during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The study investigates how the Russian Tsarist administration instrumentalized Islamic institutions to exercise political control and facilitate the integration of nomadic Kazakh society into the imperial hierarchy. Drawing on extensive archival evidence, the author analyzes the institutional evolution of the Muftiate, its involvement in diplomatic and intelligence operations, and the intermediary agency of Tatar mullahs who bridged the gap between the Kazakh aristocracy and the Russian bureaucracy. The paper identifies …

Yugoslavia As A Future To Fear: Evangelical Anti-Communism And The Cold War Imagination Of Yugoslavia, Aleksandra Djurić Milovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

For some, Yugoslavia represented an alternative form of socialist modernity. Others, especially those within conservative religious discourse, believed that socialism inevitably leads to moral collapse, and saw Yugoslavia as an example of this idea. In this article, Aleksandra Djurić Milovanović reflects on an unusual archival encounter between competing visions of the future and explains why it matters today.

A Glimpse Of Early Ellensburg, Washington From The 1980'S Excavations At 45kt800, Leah M. Shenyer

All Master's Theses

The Robber’s Roost site, located in the town of Ellensburg, Washington, was excavated in a partnership between Central Washington Archaeological Survey and Kittitas County Youth Services in the summers of 1986 and 1988. In 2023, the collection consisted of 110 boxes of artifacts including bottle glass, ceramics, leather, and faunal remains, with no significant prior analysis and little information on the dig itself. The purpose of this thesis is to document this poorly-known excavation project and gain a better understanding of Ellensburg’s history through analysis of the artifacts recovered. I compiled all the available paper records and communicated  with past …

Gis Is A Tool, Not The Story: The Journey Towards An Ethnographically Informed Gis Analysis Of Frenchman Coulee, Eastern Washington, Joseph T. Gambino

All Master's Theses

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have seen increased use in ethnographic and archaeological studies over the last several decades. Though revolutionary in their ability to predict and document sites of archaeological or cultural significance, they remain limited in their capacity to communicate the full extent of potential values certain geographies offer to both cultural specialists and their communities. These limitations are amplified when attempting to represent how the landscape is experienced within GIS’s statistical framework. In this manuscript I present different approaches to GIS modeling that attempt to identify some of the advantages Frenchman Coulee could have offered to the Indigenous …

Impact Of Family And Social Determinants Of Health On Behavioral And Bmi Outcomes In Adolescents With And Without Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: An Ecological System Perspective, Pingnan Li

Social Work Theses

Adolescence is a critical developmental period during which behavioral and physical health outcomes are shaped by social and family determinants of health; yet limited research has examined how these determinants operate among adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) within a multilevel ecological framework. To address this gap, this thesis used data from Years 9 and 15 of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), with a final analytic sample of 3,176 adolescents at Year 15, including 150 with IDD. Descriptive analyses first examined the differences in demographic characteristics, behavioral outcomes (externalizing and internalizing behaviors), and physical outcomes …

The Language Of Vulnerable Narcissism: Linguistic And Thematic Patterns Among College Students, Bradly Mcginnis

Dissertations and Theses

Narcissistic personality disorder, as currently described within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), emphasizes grandiose narcissistic traits, such as a need for admiration and an inflated sense of self-importance. However, the current conceptualization of narcissistic personality disorder within the DSM-5-TR does not explicitly include vulnerable narcissistic traits. Vulnerable narcissistic traits may also be mistaken for depressive symptoms due to similarities in their presentation. The present study used a mixed-methods approach to examine linguistic differences among these constructs and explore whether patterns in language could help disentangle their overlap. Quantitative analyses examined differences in linguistic features, including …

Disarmament, Demobilization, And Reintegration And The Compensated Eradication Plan: The United States And Nato’S Counternarcotics Strategies In The War In Afghanistan From 2001-2005, Sungu A. Flottman

Undergraduate Research Posters

Starting in the late 1980s, Afghanistan was a major source of opium production, until the ban on opium in 2000, when Afghanistan’s share in the world’s supply of opium decreased. The United States’ intervention in Afghanistan in 2001 removed this ban on opium, which indicates that the United States may not have been prioritized stopping the narcotics trade. Consequently, the task of counternarcotics fell to the British. The question then becomes whether the British counternarcotics strategies were effective in curbing the Afghan narcotics trade, which may reveal the possible complacency behind the United States intervention in Afghanistan. Current research on …

Interpreting “Vampire” Burials In Medieval Eastern Europe, Arleen Chau

Undergraduate Research Posters

Since the early twentieth century, various atypical or deviant graves have been excavated across Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland. These discoveries have prompted much speculation, as the individuals were interred with items such as sickles placed over their necks or abdomens, along with other mortuary artifacts not considered normative compared to those found in typical community burials. Such practices suggest that these individuals were regarded as deviant or pariahs within their social contexts. Consequently, many have been quick to label these as “vampire burials,” interpreting them as measures intended to keep the dead from rising. However, this definition is problematic, …

Did Our Prehistoric Ancestors Engage In Mortuary Practices?, Regina E. Mcrae

Undergraduate Research Posters

Abstract

Mortuary practice is defined as how humans dispose of and treat their dead. We are familiar with elaborate burials such as the entombment of pharaohs in the pyramids at Giza; Necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and Queens; the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; the Taj Mahal in India; Viking funeral pyres on boats; and the modern jazz funerals of New Orleans. Caring for our dead is believed to be a modern concept, practiced by Homo Sapiens. However, archeological excavations and scientific analyses show burial practices predate modern man, practiced by our ancient ancestors such as Neanderthal, Homo Naledi, and …

A Sustainable & Universal Redesign Of Hickory Hill Park In Richmond, Virginia, Ren Hollis, Cynthia Lin, Kira Miller, Jackson Nivera, Patrick O’Shea, Corinne Tsou, Hayston Wines

Undergraduate Research Posters

Urban green spaces provide essential environmental, psychological, and physical benefits, yet access to these resources is often inequitable. Cities are increasingly vulnerable to climate change, highlighting the need for adaptive design. This study focuses on the redesign of Hickory Hill Park in Southside Richmond, selected through a combination of site suitability analysis and qualitative survey. The guiding research question is: How can a park in Richmond be designed to optimize environmental resilience, accessibility, and community benefits?

The selection of a research location and scope used a mixed-methods approach integrating spatial analysis, environmental assessment, and community engagement. A site suitability analysis …

The Effects Of Coping Motives On Alcohol Use Consequences, Madisyn E. Feliciano, Samantha Pelfrey

Undergraduate Research Posters

The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in alcohol use consequences between those who drink to cope with anxiety or depression symptoms and those who do not. Our research aimed to expand on earlier studies by placing emphasis on how coping with anxiety and depression influences alcohol consequences using constructs aligned with DSM-V symptom criteria. Research has consistently shown that those who drink to regulate distressing emotions experience more harmful consequences, making this an imperative area for prevention efforts. It was hypothesized that coping motivated drinking would be associated with an increased amount of alcohol related consequences. …

Analyzing The Impact Of Positive Youth Development Programming On Youth Critical Consciousness, Jaylin Pate

Undergraduate Research Posters

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is an approach to research where young people have active involvement in the research process. By uplifting youth voices and allowing the next generation to partner as co-researchers, YPAR strengthens their empowerment and agency (Anyon et. al, 2018). This study explored the impacts of YPAR programming on youth critical consciousness. Youth Voices, a community-based program, aims to support high school students in understanding positive youth development opportunities. Participants in the program attended weekly meetings and were compared to a control group with no similar intervention. Both groups completed Likert-scale surveys. Results that the intervention had …

Designing With Foresight: Premortem And Human-Centered Evaluation Of Emerging Technologies, Anusha Kannan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in safety-critical systems, including transportation, where people must make fast decisions under uncertainty and high risk. As AI takes on a larger role in supporting human judgment, researchers and designers must evaluate more than just its technical performance, they must ask whether people can understand the system and use it effectively in high-risk settings.

This dissertation presents two distinct evaluation methodologies. First, the Human-Centered Evaluation, examines how intelligent in-vehicle alert systems influence driver decision behavior across two experiments. In Experiment 1 (n=24) and Experiment 2 (n=26), participants completed a driving simulator study in which our …

Mapping Historical Neighborhoods With Geospatial Viewshed Buffers, James B. Townsend

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The concept of neighborhood has been long studied with little agreement beyond the notion that neighborhoods are somewhat self-contained areas within a wider urban environment. Despite the lack of a finite definition, there is wide agreement of the importance of studying population dynamics at the neighborhood scale. Many attempts have been made to spatially define, measure, and quantify contemporary neighborhoods, but less attention has been given to methods to spatially define historical neighborhoods. In this paper, we utilize a historical spatial data infrastructure for the city of London, Ontario to develop a viewshed methodology that recognizes that ‘neighborhood’ is unique …

How Does Consumer Animosity Affect Consumer Behavior? The Case Of Filipino College Students As Consumers Amid The West Philippine Sea Conflict, Reynaldo Bautista Jr., Luz Suplico Jeong, Myla Arcinas

DLSU Business & Economics Review

There are consumers who participate in political consumerism by avoiding, rejecting, or condemning products and services from countries perceived as aggressors through their military or economic action. This study examines how Filipino college students in Metro Manila, Philippines, who are frequently exposed to social media, will be affected as consumers amid the current tension in the West Philippine Sea. Using the theories of social identity, uses and gratifications, and echo chamber as frameworks, 770 college students from private and public universities in Metro Manila were surveyed. The results show that consumer animosity strongly predicts both purchase intention (β = 0.591, …

Detection Of Financial And Political Fake News As A Measure To Prevent Instability In Financial Markets, Konstantyn Malyshenko

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This article explores the role of social networks as a catalyst for instability in financial markets. Its purpose is to present strategies for mitigating the media’s influence on adverse outcomes, primarily by analyzing the information cascades and related transactions in stock markets. The innovative aspect of this research lies in the development of methods for analyzing specific types of information, particularly media reports, to identify indicators of fake that distort public perception. The focus of this study is on fake news and the analysis of its potential linguistic features for identification purposes. A significant outcome of this research is the …

Exploring The Determinants Of Brain Drain: Evidence From A Cross-Country Panel From 2013 To 2021, Martha Joy J. Abing, Charlyn M. Capulong, Maria Rizalia Y. Teves, Resa Mae C. Laygan, Diane Mae P. Sangga, Junrie C. Vendra, Adama D. Villarico, Honey Mae E. Beruela

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study investigates the factors influencing brain drain, the flight of human capital from their home country. The study examines the drivers of brain drain by looking into the effects of the following: global peace index, CO2 emissions per capita, real minimum wage, and happiness index and its individual indicators. Using pooled OLS on an unbalanced panel, the results reveal a statistically significant yet negative effect of the happiness index and the real minimum wage on brain

drain. This suggests that happy nations attract skilled professionals and emphasizes reduced skilled emigration in high- income countries. Results highlight the impact of …

Privatising International (Organizations) Law, Melissa (M.J.) Durkee

Scholarship@WashULaw

This essay explores the increasing role of private commercial actors within international organizations (IOs) and the implications for international law. Once conceived as state-centred institutions, IOs now routinely involve corporations, trade associations, and philanthropic foundations in lawmaking, policy-setting, financing, and implementation. These actors participate through multiple channels: as observers, delegates, stakeholders, funders, and partners. While private involvement has historical precedents, its contemporary scale and formalization mark a significant transformation in global governance. International law, however, offers little guidance on the boundary between public and private authority, leaving legitimacy concerns unresolved. To evaluate privatization, the article identifies two competing logics: a …

Advanced Introduction To Family Law In The Us, Susan Frelich Appleton

Scholarship@WashULaw

This Elgar Advanced Introduction provides key insights into family law in the US. In the midst of consequential changes wrought by the US Supreme Court, this book traces the evolution of the field from its origins in the law of domestic relations to the more modern regime of family law.

Key features include:
● Integrates state law, federal law, legal scholarship, and literature from other disciplines.
● Identifies the regulation of sex and the policy of keeping dependency private as family law''s principal enduring features.
● Surveys different topics in family law including: marriage, nonmarriage, and dissolution; pregnancy; parentage; and …

Justifying The Fourth Amendment, Daniel Epps

Scholarship@WashULaw

Why does the Fourth Amendment belong in the Constitution? This question is not whether society should impose some legal restraints on government searches and seizures. Rather, why should such protections reside in our national charter, superior to other forms of law and insulated from change via ordinary majoritarian political processes? Despite major disputes about the Fourth Amendment’s content, Fourth Amendment theorists rarely ask this question. Almost all agree that the Fourth Amendment’s constitutional protections are critically important—even if no one can agree exactly what those protections are.

This Article seeks a justification for the Fourth Amendment—the reason why search-and-seizure protections …

Seeing International Organizations In A Shifting Landscape: Law, Practice, And Authority, Melissa (M.J.) Durkee

Scholarship@WashULaw

This book review symposium comes at a moment of visible strain in the postwar legal order. As of this writing, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has described a "rupture" in the rules-based world order, warning that multilateral institutions and the architecture of collective problem-solving are under threat. Notably, Carney issued that warning at the World Economic Forum in Davos, before an audience of "companies and countries." The setting underscores a broader shift in global governance, in which states, firms, and philanthropic actors increasingly occupy shared institutional spaces, unsettling assumptions about law and power at the international level. The books under …

Sustainability Assurance, Andrew F. Tuch, Luca Enriques, Alessandro Romano

Scholarship@WashULaw

A robust literature examines sustainability disclosures by public corporations, but legal scholarship has largely overlooked the role of third-party assurance—or verification—of such disclosures. This is a notable omission given the extensive literature on the auditing of financial statements, a related form of assurance.

This article responds by examining the role of assurance in sustainability reporting. In keeping with the theme of this symposium volume, it draws on US and EU law. Our discussion begins in Part I with sustainability disclosures, focusing on the requirements and practices of public companies. In Part II, we introduce sustainability assurance as well as assurance …