Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Isapa 2025: Program Guide, Catherine Carty, Gerard Masdeu Yelamos

Publications

ISAPA 2025 is a landmark international event that brings together global leaders, researchers, practitioners, and advocates in Adapted Physical Activity to ignite systemic change under the unifying theme “Shifting the Dial: From Awareness to Transformation.” Hosted in Kerry, Ireland, under the patronage of UNESCO, the symposium integrates five major events into one dynamic platform.

The program reflects IFAPA’s mission to advance inclusion, research, professional excellence, and international cooperation, while also contributing meaningfully to the implementation of global frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris 2024 Call …

Theorizing Gender And Social Movements Beyond The Binary, Nancy Whittier

Sociology: Faculty Books

This innovative Handbook examines how gender shapes social activism and is shaped by activism. With a unique interdisciplinary focus, it explores the effects of the gender binary on experiences of activism, considering how different movements negotiate and, at times, challenge these traditional conceptions. It then moves beyond the binary to explore how gender is challenged by contemporary movements.

Expert authors discuss the impact and limitations of the gender binary, using examples such as the MeToo movement to demonstrate how viewing men and women as separate, monolithic categories results in countless differences being overlooked. Chapters present a range of global and …

Six Years Of Proposed Ai Legislation Across The Us States: What’S On Policymakers’ Minds?, Luisa Nazareno Phd, Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn Phd, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies expand rapidly, public debate has focused on their societal impacts and the need for regulatory oversight. This report offers the first overview of the “what, where, and when” of AI-related legislation introduced in U.S. state legislatures between 2019 and 2024, analyzing key policy trends, priorities, and equity considerations. Although relatively few bills have been enacted, legislative activity has accelerated, reflecting growing political attention to the promises and risks of AI. Most approved bills focus on regulating public or private sector uses of AI, establishing commissions or study groups, and updating education and workforce development programs. …

The Green Advantage: An Analysis Of Open Access Publications At A Mid-Sized University, Lisa M. Rose-Wiles, Maria A. Barca

Library Publications

Introduction: The escalating cost of journals, loss of access to research results, and mandates by funding agencies favor Open Access (OA). The suggestion that OA publications are cited more than those behind paywalls should appeal to faculty where citations are critical for promotion and tenure. Further, the option to publish Green OA without cost would be advantageous to faculty who lack financial support for OA publications.

Methods: We used data from Scopus to analyze field weighted citation counts (FWCI) for OA publications over 20 years in terms of OA type, document type, subject area, and subject normalized impact factor.

Results: …

Equity Implications Of The Unchanged Federal Minimum Wage Since 2009, Yali Pang Phd, Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn Phd, Cameron Williams, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

This year marks 16 years since the federal minimum wage was raised in 2009. It is the longest period in its history without any increase. Even though over 20 states increased their minimum wage rates in 2025, there are still 20 states adhering to the federal minimum wage of $7.25. While the minimum wage at the federal level and in many states has remained stagnant, the prices of all life essentials have continued to increase across the country, with $1 in July 2009 having the same buying power of $1.46 in July 2024. Today, an individual needs an hourly wage …

Pace Zine Library - A Mini Zine Guidebook, Riley Natalova

Student Zines

This 8-page mini zine is a brief introduction to the Pace Zine Library, what type of materials can be found in its collection and how to visit. This zine was created as part of Pace Zine Library Research Assistantship to promote student and faculty interaction with the collection, promoting it as a great on campus resource for research and creativity. Click here to flip through the pages of the zine.

What Causes Democratic Backsliding In Latin America? A Comparative Case Study Of Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, And Costa Rica, Samantha Foshee

Honors Program Theses

This study examines the causes of democratic backsliding in Latin America, comparing Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. Events like the January 8th, 2023 riot in Brazil and the use of intimidation tactics by President Bukele in El Salvador demonstrate the erosion that these two countries have faced. On the other hand, Chile and Costa Rica have maintained stable democracies. This study aims to understand what caused these countries’ different paths by examining the levels of political polarization, party deterioration, citizen dissatisfaction, and the presence of populist leaders. Overall, it was found that polarization and party deterioration increase the …

Playing Empathy: The Impacts Of Theatre On Empathy, Isabelle J. Daoust

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to address a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between theatre and empathy; specifically, investigating how varying levels of participation in theatre may influence cognitive and affective empathy. This study examines whether empathy can be fostered through mere observation of theatre or whether active participation yields greater effects. Twenty-eight undergraduate participants, all of whom attend a small liberal arts college in the United States, either participated in three theatre games or observed their fellow participants playing them. The results did not support the primary hypotheses, as most empathy-related measures showed no statistically significant …

Additional Information - Alex Willoughby Interview, Urban Green Lab, Tennessee State University

Hear from Alex Willoughby - Nashvillian in the Tornado's Path

No abstract provided.

Oakwood Cemetery Register, Book 1, Computational Dataset, Department Of Digital Stewardship

Collections as Data

This computational dataset was developed from a transcription of Book 1 of the Oakwood Cemetery Registers, held by Oakwood Cemeteries of Syracuse, Inc. in Syracuse, New York. The project to digitize and transcribe the handwritten register was initiated by Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications and accomplished as a joint project between Newhouse, the Syracuse University Libraries, and the Central New York Library Resources Council.

The register documents interments from 8 November 1859 through 27 March 1902 and includes pertinent information about the deceased. The transcribed information has been normalized by Libraries staff for use as computational data. Please …

Oakwood Cemetery Register, Book 1, Transcription Dataset, Department Of Digital Stewardship

Collections as Data

This dataset contains a transcription of Book 1 of the Oakwood Cemetery Registers, held by Oakwood Cemeteries of Syracuse, Inc. in Syracuse, New York. The project to digitize and transcribe this handwritten register was initiated by Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications and accomplished as a joint project between Newhouse, the Syracuse University Libraries, and the Central New York Library Resources Council.

The register documents interments from 8 November 1859 through 27 March 1902 and includes pertinent information about the deceased.

Please scroll to the bottom of this page to access the read_me under "additional files."

Improving Queries To Retrieval-Augmented Generation Ai Tools By Inferring The Sources Of Bad Results, Julie Arendt

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Since ChatGPT’s wide release, businesses have rushed into expanding their use of generative artificial intelligence. Information providers, including suppliers of library databases and integrated library systems, are joining the trend, with many products combining the verifiability of direct source access and citation with the conversational answers produced through large language models. Retrieval-augmented generation is a common technique that overlays search results with text extracted and processed through generative artificial intelligence. This poster provides an overview of retrieval-augmented generation and summarizes ways that it can produce errors. Strategies for improving results, based on those error modes are suggested.

Longitudinal Growth And Use Of Open Repositories In The U.S. Since 2015, Jimmy Ghaphery

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

One indication of the maturity of institutional repositories (IRs) in 2015 was that the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) added two questions focused on IRs to their Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey. ACRL has continued to collect this data annually, documenting the number of IR items and downloads. This lighting talk will take a longitudinal dive into this data for a quantitative IR portrait of the past decade and include the type of U.S. higher education institution as defined by Carnegie classification. By looking at this self-reported data from the past decade, growth trends and benchmarks can …

Navigating Censorship: The Impact Of Book Challenges On Library Professionals And Advocates In Virginia, Hope Y. Kelly Phd, Easter Digangi

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This work seeks to document the effects of book challenges and other censorship efforts on library professionals and advocates in Virginia in the early 2020s. The results offer insights into the lived experiences of individuals, highlighting the implications of censorship across the state. This work was a collaborative effort with a Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Librarian and an active member of Virginia Library Association’s (VLA) Intellectual Freedom Committee that developed after initial interviews from association leaders (VLA & Virginia Association of School Librarians) had been collected in 2023.

Raising Student Engagement With Instructional Videos Through Personalized Feedback, Hope Y. Kelly Phd

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Discover how personalized feedback and targeted video content impacted student engagement and completion rates in a library instruction module at Virginia Commonwealth University.

• Understand the theoretical reasoning that supports simple methods of personalized feedback and its impact on student engagement.

• Gain insights into the benefits of action research in instructional design utilizing analytics tools from a video streaming platform (Kaltura).

• Explore strategies for improving persistence and completion rates of library instruction modules.

Demonstrates how libraries can uplift and support students through reflective instructional strategies. By sharing the methods and results of this action research, gain practical insights into enhancing student …

Toward Positive Retention In Academic Libraries: A Conceptual Framework, Jennifer Stout, Sojourna Cunningham, Samantha Guss

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

It’s been nearly 25 years since ACRL and ARL named recruitment and retention of BIPOC librarians a priority for the profession, but the numbers have stagnated or even decreased. One reason for this could be that research on "recruitment and retention" in academic libraries tends to conflate these concepts and focus on recruitment, which can be more easily quantified. As a result, less attention has been paid to defining, measuring, and improving retention. Here, the researchers present a framework to better define the multiple dimensions of retention and how retention is related to organizational culture in academic libraries.

Rising To Meet The Needs Of All Our Students: The Inclusive Service Excellence Working Group At Vcu Libraries, Jennifer A. Stout, John T. Glover, Laura Crouch, Isabella Pence-Lanctot

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

VCU Libraries’ Inclusive Service Excellence Working Group was established to enrich the patron experience with public service units. Equity and inclusion were its guiding principles as its members reviewed the literature, sought user feedback, and engaged with focus groups. Stop by to learn about the group’s work and long-term impact.

Machine Learning-Driven Music Genre Recognition, Redeate Kidanue

All Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Music is a tool that has been integrated into society for thousands of years; it has influenced social aspects of life and has also aided in communication. Today we have various uses for music that go past our traditional uses for entertainment and self-expression. For example, music therapy has been seen to show improvements in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and PTSD. Additionally, music has played a role in political movements, demonstrating its emotional power. Social media relies heavily on the music industry as many social media posts include music either in the background, or as the forefront of posts. …

Best Practices For Cataloging Digital Media Storage Devices Using Rda And Marc21, Online Audiovisual Catalogers Inc. Cataloging Policy Committee And The Music Library Association Cataloging And Metadata Committee Joint Mla/Olac Media Devices Best Practices Task Force, Kristi Bergland, Bruce Evans, Mary Huismann, Barbara R. Tysinger

OLAC Publications and Training Materials

No abstract provided.

Adaptive Leadership: Strategies Used By U.S. Navy Command Senior Enlisted Leaders To Build Adaptive Capacity In Times Of Great Change, Derek Wayne King

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe strategies used by U.S. Navy command senior enlisted leaders (CSELs) to build an adaptive capacity based on the five key characteristics of adaptive leadership identified by Heifetz et al. (2009).Methodology: This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of U.S. Navy CSELs. Purposeful, convenience sampling was used to identify 10 participants who met the study’s criteria. The semistructured, open-ended interview protocol was developed by a thematic research team of nine peer researchers and three faculty advisors. Data collected from the interviews and artifacts were analyzed to identify themes related …

How Supervisors Can Help Their Subordinates Manage Stress Post-Covid-19: A Phenomenological Qualitative Research Approach Focused On The Lived Experiences Of Police Sergeants And Their Role In Helping Mitigate Stress Among Police Officers, Elvis Nti

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research was to explore how police sergeants effectively lead their police officers in managing stress post-COVID-19 using the leadership traits of collective interest, moral purpose, personal temperament, and resilience (Fast, 2021).

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative research approach focused on the lived experiences of police sergeants and aimed to explain how they reduce stress among police officers. Participants were selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Semistructured interviews were conducted with police sergeants from the Los Angeles Police Department. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. Themes naturally emerged and were compared across participants to identify …

They Do Not See What I Carry: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Male Educational Leaders And The Quiet Weight Of Imposter Syndrome, Malik A. Richard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Black male educational leaders experience and cope with Impostor Syndrome (IS) as defined by Zorn’s (2005) nine elements—anxiety, lack of self-confidence, depression, perfectionism, procrastination, self-presentation, emotional exhaustion, fear of failure, and fear of success, within their organizational, social, and cultural contexts. Methodology: Guided by Moustakas’s (1994) phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals from Black male leaders in K–12 educational settings in the Boston region. Purposeful sampling (Patton, 2014) ensured participants had significant leadership experience. Data were thematically coded, aligned with Zorn’s nine elements, and …

Report Of Key Themes Of October 2025 Listening Sessions, Uab Social Work Partnership

College of Arts & Sciences Professional Work

In October 2025, the UAB Social Work Partnership (SWP) held listening sessions to understand the experiences, priorities, and advocacy needs of social workers across the UAB Enterprise. Sixty-two participants joined a virtual session or submitted written input, building on the 2024 Needs Assessment findings. Participants emphasized social workers’ essential role in linking healthcare with the social and environmental factors that shape patient outcomes, highlighting their impact on quality, safety, access, and equity. Key themes included the need for salary equity, transparent career ladders, and greater leadership representation. Recommendations called for establishing licensure and supervision pay differentials, developing a structured compensation …

Salary Equity In Social Work: An Annotated Bibliography, Uab Social Work Partnership, Lana Turner, Laurel Hitchcock

College of Arts & Sciences Professional Work

This annotated bibliography, developed by the UAB Social Work Partnership, compiles key research and advocacy materials addressing salary equity in the social work profession. The collection examines wage disparities by gender, race, and professional setting; explores how compensation influences job satisfaction, retention, and workforce stability; and identifies data sources that shape national workforce policy. Included studies analyze pay gaps across clinical, academic, and nonprofit contexts, while highlighting ethical and human rights implications of persistent inequities. National datasets from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Association of Social Work Boards, and the National Association of Social Workers provide essential context for …

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2024/25, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

Titled “SMU at 25: Celebrating Innovation and Impact”, this year’s report marks the University’s 25th anniversary alongside Singapore’s 60th year of independence. It showcases SMU’s progress in education, research, innovation and societal engagement, and how the University continues to shape meaningful impact in Singapore and across Asia.

Vcu And The 2025 Virginia Course Materials Survey, Abbey Childs

Open and Affordable Course Content at VCU

No abstract provided.

Front Matter: The State Of The Region, Hampton Roads 2025, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Cover, Front Matter, Table of Contents, Sponsors, and other materials for the 2025 The State of the Region Report authored by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University.

Part 7: Hampton Roads' Collaborative Spirit Produces Regional Results, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University, Drew Lumpkin

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

In this chapter, Drew Lumpkin, lead author, examines how collaboration has improved in Hampton Roads over the last two decades. He highlights specific examples of regional collaboration and how these efforts have changed the conversation in Hampton Roads.

Part 2: Defense, The Port, And Tourism: The Pillars Of The Economy, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

There was (mostly) good news to report about the pillars of the Hampton Roads economy in 2024. More defense spending flowed into the region in 2024, and defense spending is likely to increase in 2025 and 2026. The Port of Virginia experienced gains in traffic in 2024, but tariffs has created headwinds in 2025. The hotel industry’s growth has slowed, and increasing uncertainty may undermine prospects for growth in 2025 and 2026.

Part 3: Heads Carolina, Tails Somewhere Else, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

From 2021 to 2024, Hampton Roads grew more quickly and created jobs at a faster pace than the previous decade. Even after accounting for the impacts of inflation, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), wages, and incomes were higher than 2019. The region’s economic performance relative to other metropolitan areas, however, has left much to be desired. One reflection of Hampton Roads economic performance has been the continued outmigration of residents to other locales in the Commonwealth and, in some cases, other states.