Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Does Choice Of Media Amplify Support For Political Violence?, Nathan Palomares

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Acts of political violence have increased in frequency and exposure to American society via news media. Violent rhetoric is a common theme among many forms of media Americans consume, including social media, which has become an essential platform where Americans increasingly get political news information. The events of the January 6 Capitol Riots and the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in late 2024 show how urgent the rise of political violence is and its destabilization of American Democracy. In this paper, I examine the relationship between the types of news media people consume and their potential to increase people’s …

Exploring The Relationship Between Disability And Stress: A Preliminary Study, Katie Mcclyman

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Mental health issues can become disabling, and living with a disability in an ableist world can cause mental health struggles. This project explores what aspects of living with a disability generate stress. This project is a survey that gathered data through a two-questionnaire survey of disabled college-aged students. The need for a project like this came from the fact that there is not substantial research from the field of psychology done on disabled people and the relationship between disability and stress. The results of this study found that the more disability impact increases, so does disability related stress. This means …

The Kinship Of Creatives, Saba Saif Ur Rehman

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

This research essay contends that artists and creative individuals must recognize their agency in shaping societal narratives, particularly during times of technological and political upheaval. The essay draws on the insights and contributions of visionaries like Walter Benjamin, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Tomm Moore to emphasize the power of imagination and creativity in addressing real-world issues. It argues that previous technological advances have often reinforced hierarchical and oppressive systems, benefitting a select few while neglecting the masses. As we enter the fourth Industrial Revolution, this essay calls the artists to reclaim their tools from being co-opted for exclusionary and …

Minimal Wordlist Size For A Phonological Profile: New Evidence From Kra-Dai Languages, Kanyarin Boonkongchuen , '25, Rikker Dockum

Linguistics Faculty Works

This study replicates, and extends to Kra-Dai languages, earlier work on minimal wordlist size needed to make a phonological profile of a language. Previous work on Australian languages recommended approximately 400 randomly sampled words to comprise a minimally complete profile in terms of reliably capturing every phoneme, and with accurate distribution. We survey 55 Kra-Dai languages to show that a longer minimal list is necessary, which we attribute to typological differences like larger consonant/vowel inventories. Given the widespread use of short wordlists in fieldwork, these results hold significance for designing language documentation surveys as well as projects that use legacy …

Neighborhood Cohesion And Psychosocial Well-Being: Differences By Race/Ethnicity, Maverick E. Morales

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Perceived neighborhood cohesion is related to numerous mental health benefits, yet some research suggests racial/ethnic disparities in access to neighborhood cohesion. Much of the existing research investigates only one outcome, limiting the ability to synthesize across findings. The strength of the current study is that it utilized an outcome-wide approach to investigate racial/ethnic differences in associations between perceived neighborhood cohesion and four psychosocial outcomes. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we tested the hypotheses that (1) higher perceived neighborhood cohesion would relate to higher life satisfaction and lower anxiety, loneliness, and perceived stress, and that (2) non-Hispanic White …

Exploring Human-Centered Principles To Improve Lecture Slides, Joshua Harlev, Louanne Boyd

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

As a university emphasizing student participation and attention, lectures are central to the educational experience at Chapman. However, slide-based lectures can widely vary in quality and approach. Considering various debunkings of learning styles over the years, it seems more difficult than ever to understand how to most effectively teach students. Effective use of computerized tools has thus become increasingly important as the pace of change continues to increase. Yet, research is available on the effectiveness of teaching methods that can provide guidelines for instructors. With increasingly connected and capable devices at our fingertips, it is imperative to both use the …

Residential Proximity, Duration, And Health-Related Quality Of Life: Insights From The Fernald Cohort, Sara Burcham, Wei-Wen Hsu, Sharon L. Larson, Phd, Jack Rubinstein, Susan M. Pinney

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

The impact of living near environmental contamination on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is not well understood. This study examined the impacts of the residential proximity (RP) and time spent near a former Department of Energy uranium processing facility (located in Fernald, Ohio) on the surrounding community’s HRQoL outcomes. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the data collected from participants using the Short Form-36 survey at the time of the enrollment in the Fernald Medical Monitoring Program (n = 7957). Mental and physical component summary scores (MCS and PCS, respectively) were computed for each participant. The scores were compared …

Archival Literacy And Primary Source Literacy: A Collaborative Instructional Toolkit For Introductory Composition And Beyond, Kristin B. Leaman, Adriana Harmeyer

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This article is a case study that addresses challenges archivists and introductory composition instructors can experience when working to embed archival and primary source literacy into a course and models how to successfully overcome related obstacles. Building on the excellent work of James Roussain, it employs the archivist-as-educator model not only to teach the students but also to train the disciplinary instructor. Teaching instructors archival and primary source literacy and training them how to teach these types of literacy enhances student success. Acknowledging the literature that discusses the ineffectiveness of one-shot guest lectures, the authors have designed and piloted an …

The Future Of Coaching: Empowering Prospective Educators In Speech And Debate, Willow Keller

Honors Projects

This project addresses a clear and pressing gap in the Ohio Speech and Debate Association’s current strategic plan: the need for formal coach preparation and recruitment. This project combines academic research with actionable, real-world solutions, ensuring that the proposal is both credible and feasible. It is grounded in data and educational best practices, making it highly relevant to the immediate challenges facing Ohio’s forensics community. This project advocates for the creation of a state-approved coaching curriculum, which will be offered to education majors and certify that they are qualified to coach high school and middle school Speech and Debate.

The Impact Of Legacy-Building On Older Adults' Well-Being In End-Of-Life Care., Samantha Sanchez-Garcia

2025 Symposium

Many terminally ill patients, specifically older adults often struggle with feelings of existential crisis. As they approach the end of life, their focus frequently shifts from asking, “What is the meaning of my life now?” to “What impact will my life have after I’m gone?” (Timoteo et al., 2024). In response, this poster explores how integrating legacy-building activities into end-of-life care can enhance individuals’ well-being while emphasizing the importance of offering these activities as a standard care option, given the limited awareness of their effectiveness. For instance, Hesse et al. (2019) found that legacy interventions improve psychological well-being by fostering …

Dancing On My Own: Examining Character Development In Hbo’S Girls, Phoebe Portnoy

Honors College Theses

In recent years, the HBO series Girls has experienced a resurgence in viewership and public discourse. Situated within the landscape of postfeminist television, there have been many conversations about how the show represents the privileged, self-involved, and unmotivated behaviors of many millennials. However, there was a lack of research focused on the growth of the lead characters from the series’ beginning to its end. I conducted a textual analysis of Girls, examining the four main characters’ development in career, romance, and female friendship. I examined their goals, emotions, and actions in these categories throughout seven episodes across three seasons …

Government Trust And Its Influence On Voter Turnout During Wartime, Samantha Claire Richard

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

What impact does the public's level of trust in government during wartime have on voter turnout in US elections? Previous research focuses primarily on the impact public trust has on political parties and tends to neglect the impact wartimes may have on these factors. I will argue that during wartime, there is a negative relationship between public trust and voter turnout. Oftentimes, those who find themselves not trusting the government have a stronger desire to vote in hopes of changing the system; in comparison to those who have a high level of government trust, they feel a weaker desire to …

What Impacts Does Immigration Have On Support For Increasingly Right-Wing Ideology?, Matt D. Cristol

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

How do perceptions of immigration influence support for right-wing ideology? In the current literature, political scientists propose a relationship between immigration and the expansion of immigration policies. Scholars, particularly in Europe are interested in examining the connection between immigration and the rise of right-wing ideologies in increasingly diverse communities. These two variables appear to be inversely related. As immigration increases, support for left-wing ideologies tends to decline in European societies. Recently, right wing ideology has led to mistrust in society, particularly towards immigrants who are blamed for societal problems and used as a scapegoat for many economic problems. Thus, voters …

Social Media News Consumption & Alternative Für Deutschland Support Among Voters In Germany, Jackson Pace Campbell

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study investigates the relationship between social media news consumption and support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party among male voters in Germany. Utilizing logistic regression analysis, the research explores how exposure to news content on social media platforms influences political attitudes and voting behavior. Drawing on survey data from German male voters, the study examines the extent to which social media news consumption correlates with AfD support. Preliminary findings suggest a significant positive association between frequent social media news consumption and increased likelihood of supporting AfD, particularly among male and less educated voters. These results highlight the …

Facilitating Design Of Effective, Scalable Digital Mental Health Care, Himanshu Mahesh Patil

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis tackles the challenges of designing effective, scalable digital mental health care solutions by integrating psychological research with human-computer interaction (HCI) principles. An exploration of self-care technologies (SCTs) for mental health is conducted to highlight challenges to comparative analysis, like fragmented research outcomes. Two research questions are posed to investigate how mental health interventions can be designed to be effective and overcome practical challenges to implementation. A theoretical framework in clinical psychology is adapted to bridge the gap between psychology and HCI. A methodology for conducting standardized, structured comparative analysis of mental health interventions is identified. The identified method …

North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, Part I: Helps Producers Manage Risks, Christine Lockert, Sheila Aikanathan Johnson, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

Educating producers to manage risk and position their farm or ranch for future growth and success is the fundamental purpose of the Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) program.

The ERME program, funded by United States Department of Aagriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, provides training to help producers learn new strategies to manage complex and growing agricultural risks.

Established in 2001 and located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agricultural Economics Department, the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (NCERMEC) has a long history of supporting risk management education programs serving producers in the region. NCERMEC, in conjunction …

Law School News: Rising Leaders In Justice: Celebrating Rwu Law's Class Of 2025 Honorees 05-07-2025, Jane Govednik

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

The Management Of Elections In Namibia: An Appraisal, Lesley Blaauw

Journal of African Policy Studies

Namibia's accession to independence in 1990 culminated in the holding of elections in November 1989. What was called the "independence elections" was supervised by the United Nations (UN) and occurred in an "expectant" and almost carnival-like atmosphere. The outcome of the 1989 elections was accepted by all contending parties. In the aftermath of independence, an electoral commission established in 1992 had the primary purpose of managing elections in Namibia. During the first decade of independence, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) was successful in arranging National Assembly elections in both 1994 and 1999. While minor problems were reported by the …

Peacemaking Or Pacification For The Pool: The Restoration Of State Authority In A Rebellious Region Of Congo-Brazzaville, John F. Clark, Brett Carter

Journal of African Policy Studies

Congo (Brazzaville) has experienced a succession of periods of civil violence that has included an outbreak of ethno-political killing in 1993-1994, two full scale civil wars in 1997 and 1998-1999, and another round of regional rebellion in 2002-2003. Since 2003, the Pool region, site of the last round of serious fighting, has often been the scene of continuing episodes of banditry and corollary government crackdowns. The civil war of 1997 brought back to power Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Congo's ruler under a nominally Marxist regime between 1979 and 1991. Since 1997, Sassou has operated as an "electoral authoritarian" ruler; that is, he …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Youth Participation In Local And National Development In Ghana, Ca. 1620–2013, Ransford Gyampo, Franklin Obeng-Odoom

Journal of African Policy Studies

While there has been a long tradition in development studies on analyzing types of participation and their effectiveness, the idea that participation is not stationary, but that it can evolve with variegated experiences, is relatively unexplored. This paper takes up the challenge of showing how participation in development planning can change, the role of underlying institutions, and the implications of evolutionary participatory development for policy making. It uses a critical postcolonial approach and zooms in on the role of the youth in development planning in Ghana. It knits together the diverse processes and dynamics of youth participation in postcolonial Ghana …

Uganda Intervention, Saba Jallow

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Women And Politics In Nigeria: A Typology And An Assessment, Emma Chukwuemeka

Journal of African Policy Studies

The study was carried out to investigate the extent women participate in politics in Nigeria. Abia and Imo states were closely studied. Two hypotheses were formulated. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. A total of 354 copies of questionnaire were distributed, out of this number, 349 copies were completed and returned by the respondents. Z-test statistical tool was used to analyze the data, Based on the analysis, the major findings revealed that violence against women deters women from getting actively involved in politics in Nigeria. Also culture and traditional ethos prevent the advancement …

Political Corruption, Critical Governance Problem Facing The Nigerian State: Comparative Assessment Of Various Regimes, Brian-Vincent Ikejiaku

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines political corruption as the most critical problem of Governance besieging Nigeria, by looking at, assessing and comparing the various administrations, both the civil and the military. The state of poverty, peace and development in each government were used as assessment indicators. The focus is from 1979 when democracy was introduced in Nigeria to 2007 when President Obasanjo left the corridor of power. Whereas this paper uses few direct citations and evidence from other works/reports to support its case, it however argues that political corruption impacted negatively on the poverty, peace and development of the Nigerian state. The …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

The Responsibility To Protect (R2p) And The Democratic Republic Of The Congo (Drc): An Analysis, Carrie Crawford

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the tragedy resulting from the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and raises the question as to why the International Community has not responded throughout the many years the conflict has been going on. Using the UN doctrine of Responsibility to Protect (R2P), the paper shows the inconsistency in the application of the doctrine by the UN when it comes to the conflict in the DRC. This inconsistency, the paper argues, is due to the fact that the major powers do not see the DRC as sufficiently being in their national interest as say …

Insecurity And The African State: The Myth And Reality Of Armed Non-State Actors, Eliza M. Johannes

Journal of African Policy Studies

Armed non-state militia groups of different shades—comprising rebels, criminals, extremist religious militants, and other opportunistic outfits—have played a significant role in creating instability and undermining human security in Africa. The militia and rebel groups, including the Islamist militant groups have fomented unending ethnic and religious tensions and conflicts in the region. Cognizant of this state of affairs, in this paper I analyze and try to explain the rise of some notable militia groups in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic. While focusing on the Mungiki, the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) in …

Waste Of Colossal Oil Revenues, Corruption And Lack Of Development In Nigeria: Five Decades Of Self-Governance And Four Decades Of Oil-Driven Economy, Tonyesima Furro

Journal of African Policy Studies

The study examines the circumstances that have continually plagued the Nigerian state to remain in its doldrums of underdevelopment after five decades of self-governance and four decades of oil driven economy. The nation has not been able to catapult itself from a Third World to that of developed nation such as South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia - all of which are less naturally endowed than Nigeria. The nation's economy has been supported by oil over the last 40 years. However, successive administrations both the generals and civilian rule have continued to follow similar patterns of squandering vast resources of the …

Anti-Corruption Inspections: A Missing Element Of The Imf/World Bank Agenda?, Stuart S. Yeh

Journal of African Policy Studies

This article draws upon a range of empirical and theoretical literature to advance a theoretical argument that an international treaty is needed to establish international inspectors who would be empowered to conduct independent investigations into allegations of corruption. This type of treaty could serve to deter and reduce the level of corruption in sub-Saharan Africa, thereby promoting the rule of law, good governance, and economic growth in this region. In this view, a change in international law is needed to deter corruption and lay a foundation for good governance that would permit Western assistance to be effective. In contrast, the …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.