Anthropology Commons^™

Heritage Without Equity: Afro-Descendant Representation, State Governance, Museums And The Limits Of Cultural Policy In Belize, Sherilyne L. Jones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how heritage governance in Belize shapes the representation, recognition, and participation of Afro-descendant communities within national cultural institutions and policy frameworks. Focusing on Creole/Kriol and Garifuna communities, the study analyses how law, institutional designs, museum practises, tourism development, and community-based heritage work to produce uneven forms of cultural visibility. I argue that Afro-descendant communities are not absent from Belizean heritage. Rather, their cultural presence has not consistently translated into institutional authority, sustained investments, or meaningful participation in decisions about national representation. Drawing on critical heritage theory, critical museology, post-colonial scholarship, and the concept of authorised heritage discourse, …

“He’S Got The Whole World In His Hands”: Seed Sovereignty And Agricultural Decision Making In Southeastern Kenya, Caroline Stahley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing corporate control of the global seed supply and restrictions to local exchange threaten the autonomy of smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities. This project contributes to agricultural sovereignty movements by examining the decisions farmers make to address climate uncertainty, market volatility, and development agendas. Specifically, how is seed saving practiced and understood in relation to sovereignty? It reimagines what global food systems might look like if investment were directed to producers rather than intermediaries, arguing that cultivators lack support, not knowledge or capacity. Across these domains, seeds act as a motif to describe the concerns, innovations, and visions of farmers.

Situating Stormwater Infrastructure Through Collaborative Design: Insights From A University-Community Partnership, Serena A. Echols

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater ponds help address flooding and partially mitigate nutrient pollution while sometimes serving as a central landscape element in community parks. In underserved urban communities, however, stormwater ponds are sometimes neglected and underutilized, leading to public health and environmental justice challenges. Our research in Tampa, Florida, seeks to develop pathways for residents and other stakeholders to collaboratively co-design infrastructure interventions and pondscape redevelopment for neglected stormwater ponds. Drawing on ethnographic and participatory methods as well as environmental assessment and modeling, we are working with residents of one pond community on cleanup and redevelopment strategies. Results reveal that balancing local and …

Semiotics Of Difference: Language, The Body, And Haitian Personhood In The Dominican Republic, Benjamin Puterbaugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present dissertation is an ethnographic and multimodal semiotic analysis of the role of signs in the daily life of Haitians in the Dominican Republic (DR). I investigate how language and other embodiments of Haitian alterity are perceived and ascribed value by hegemonic social orders. I center the analysis on the popular perceptions of the Haitian person-type or characterological figure (Agha, 2003) as (over)determiners of actual Haitian subjectivity. I investigate the ways that Haitian personhood is translated, that is, perceived and assigned value, in the Dominican context, and the implications this has on realities of Haitian immigrants. In addition to …

Numerals And Other Means Of Expressing Plurality In Language And Thought: A Developmental Perspective Across Cultures., Giovanni Giuseppe G.G. Nicosia Prof.

Numeracy

Several ancient languages use linguistic structures to differentiate between singular, dual, and plural forms that are used when one, two, or many objects are referenced. (Some languages go further, adding a trial form to differentiate two from three.) In many modern languages, numerals are used to convey precise number. After reviewing a range of ways languages express number (including the interesting case of Pirahã which does not express precise number), the paper concludes with a proposed developmental path for the expression of quantity in languages.

Review: Mountains Of Blame: Climate And Culpability In The Philippine Uplands., David Gowey

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

No abstract provided.

Pluralism And Critique In A Renewed Environmental Anthropology, Helen Kopnina

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Environmental anthropology has evolved from early ethnographic traditions that emphasized the interplay between culture and ecology to a field increasingly influenced by ideological perspectives across the political spectrum. Traditionally, anthropologists examined how human societies adapted to their environments through cultural practices, laying the groundwork for ecological anthropology. However, in recent decades, the field has increasingly been shaped by political and theoretical shifts that prioritize critiques of capitalism, colonialism, and environmental injustice—sometimes at the cost of empirical diversity and democratic debate. There are critiques of the broader trend in academia where intellectual discourse becomes dominated by elite-driven ideological conformity. Critics warn …

Book Review: Victim-Centred Peacemaking: Colombia’S Santos–Farc-Ep Peace Process, Patricia M. Rodriguez

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Arts & Literature: Impotent Witness: A Tale Of Two Genocides, And Counting, Lisa M. Simeone

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This essay draws on memory, ethnography, and theory to consider a scholar’s personal and political responsibility as witness.

Shepherding In France: The Ambiguities Of Caring For Nonhuman Animals In The Roya Valley, France, Daina Pupkevičiūtė

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

F

For over half a century, wolves in France were extinct. In the absence of predators, the shepherds became accustomed to leaving the sheep roaming freely in the mountains in relative safety. However, at the end of the 1980s, wolves returned, resulting in many victims, conflicts, and a stark division between those either for or against the wolf or otherwise sometimes framed as those against or for the survival of the mountain pastoralism tradition. This text looks at the caring relationships humans, such as shepherds, villagers, and others, have towards sheep, wolves, and the landscape in the Roya Valley in …

The Public Parks Paradox: Look But Don't Touch, Michael Sheridan, Claire Babbott-Bryan

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Buenos Aires, Argentina is one of the least green cities in the world, with estimates of 1.5 - 6m² of green space per person – far below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 15m². Neoliberal policies continue to fragment and privatize the city’s green spaces, posing serious threats to public health. The remaining parks in Buenos Aires employ physical barriers to preserve the park’s green elements, including metal gates (often painted green), restricted gardens and quads, and signs that prohibit stepping on the grass. These barriers deprive opportunities for sensory engagement, reducing park users’ interactions to passive visual and …

Snake Spirits, Fishermen And Water Birds On Lake Victoria: A Case Study Of Cultural Conservation In The Musambwa Islands, Uganda, And Prospects For Tourism To Improve Local Livelihoods, Joel T. Heinen, Henry Batenda

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Abstract.

Using a combination of site visits, document reviews, focus group and key informant surveys of fishermen, we explore the cultural beliefs, taboos and norms that protect Musambwa Islands, Uganda. The islands form part of a large protected wetland with nesting habitat for thousands of water birds and a large population of highly-venomous forest cobras that coexist in and around fishermen dwellings. There are strong taboos against cutting trees, allowing women on the island, and harming cobras. We present some of our ideas on how to improve the economic situation of fishermen through the promotion of nature-based and cultural tourism …

Durkheim’S Structural Functionalism And The Integration Of Genocide In His Sociological Framework, Anthonie Holslag

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Untangling The Threads Of Hope: A Qualitative Media Analysis Of Discourse Relating To Futures For Sickle Cell Disease, Amanda R. Malerba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide, with a disproportionate burden on people of African ancestry. Life with this illness is characterized by chronic physical pain, overlapping health conditions, and often early death. In the United States, the physical symptoms of the disease are frequently compounded by experiences of racial inequality and oppression embedded in the medical system that contribute to detrimental outcomes. Because of the complex biocultural web of factors contributing to the suffering of people with SCD, much of the anthropological scholarship surrounding this illness prioritizes deconstructing systems of power, oppression, and inequality. …

Cultural Continuity And Identity Preservation In Diaspora: The Role Of African Pentecostal Churches In Maintaining Traditions Within African Communities In The United States, Olamide T. Awoyemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of African Pentecostal churches in preserving cultural traditions andshaping identities among African diaspora communities in the United States, focusing specifically on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Tampa, Florida. Through detailed participant observation and in-depth qualitative interviews, this thesis examines how rituals, religious practices, and community engagement within these churches facilitate cultural continuity and identity negotiation among Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants. Findings reveal that these religious institutions serve as critical sites for resisting cultural erasure, navigating the complex tensions between maintaining African heritage and adapting to American society, and providing …

Between The Land And The Sea: Belizean Voices In Environmental Governance, Kris-An K. Hinds

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal communities around the world are at the epicenter of dynamic socio-environmental transformations driven by the impacts of climate change, shifting human–more-than-human environmental relationships, and the decisions made in response to these challenges. As environmental concerns intensify, the governance decisions made to address these impacts will determine the severity of the impacts and the future of affected coastal areas. In regions such as the Caribbean, Central America, and Latin America, environmental governance is complicated by uneven power dynamics, historical legacies of racialized environmental spaces, and the ongoing challenge of balancing national economic growth with environmental preservation. These transformations are not …

“We Will Tend To It”: The Reconstruction Of The Wimauma, Florida’S Bethune Area Through Archival Research And Oral Histories, Alanah Cooper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on heritage preservation efforts led by Wimauma community members interested in preserving the history and heritage of Wimauma’s Bethune Area—a historically African American community. This study aims to challenge the dominant narratives of Wimauma that erase/silence the tangible and intangible legacy of the Bethune Area. By collecting and drawing upon oral histories from community residents; engaging in participant observations; conducting archival research, my thesis will strive to construct an expanded narrative of Wimauma to include the history and heritage of the Bethune Area and the everyday lives of underrepresented people and families who helped shape Wimauma. This …

Beyond Climate In Placencia, Belize: Navigating Environmental Change In The Anthropocene, Rory E. Mckenna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Examining opportunities for climate resilience requires an evaluation of lived experiences of environmental change which benefits from transdisciplinary perspectives. This research examines those experiences through the lens of anthropogenic change which allows for a critical focus on local conditions of environmental change specific to Placencia Village, Belize, over time. An anthropology of the anthropocene framing shifts the focus from the results of the global phenomenon responsible for climate change to the implications of local human-caused environmental change on natural systems, human-environment relationships and dynamics, and the future trajectories of these relationships. Through the use of interviews, go-alongs, participatory mapping, transdisciplinary …

Narratives Of Resilience: The Power Of Creative Expression And Community Support During Familial Incarceration, Alana Alexander

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Existing literature stresses that the far-reaching effects of mass incarceration extend beyond prison walls, profoundly shaping familial experiences. Despite this, families remain consistently overlooked in criminal justice discourse, leading to heightened stress and diminished resilience. This thesis is a program review of a community-based program, referred to here as the Storytelling, Creativity, and Care (SCC) program, to protect the confidentiality of its participants and activities. The SCC program integrates neuroscience and narrative theory to explore how storytelling influences cultural perceptions, shapes lived experiences, and supports psychological and physiological healing. Additionally, this work investigates the socio-political narratives that perpetuate stigma and …

Life History Of Men Who Experienced Childhood Maternal Absence, Renice Obure

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project explored the impact of childhood maternal absence on the life history outcomes of adult men. An integrated theoretical model of developmental-evolutionary framework was developed to guide research design and conduct. This model combined sex-differentiated life history framework and fathering resource theory. The study consisted of three components: a scoping review of 29 relevant studies conducted in the United States between 1990-2023, a quantitative analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (Add Health) waves I and IV (n=6932), and a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with a sample of 22 fathers who experienced childhood …

Navigating Change: Youth Civic Engagement At Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, Alex R. Whitacre

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of gentrification on the Tampa Heights community in Florida, focusing on the role of Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association (THJCA) in fostering civic engagement and youth empowerment amidst urban transformation. Using a mixed-methods ethnographic approach, including participant observation, archival review, spatial analysis, surveys, and interviews, the research investigates how THJCA affiliates conceptualize and respond to gentrification, space, and community change. Employing urban place theories and social capital frameworks, the research challenges deficit-oriented narratives in examining the experiences of current and former residents, the effects of gentrification on youth educational services, and THJCA's strategies for maintaining …

The Monsters In Twentieth And Twenty-First Century Illustrated Adaptation Of Beowulf For Children And Young Adults, Johanna Katharine Burton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examine how some authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult literature adapt the old English Beowulf, how critics receive their works, and the functions these adaptations serve. My focus is on how the interplay between the visual and verbal text modifies or amplifies the overall story as well as how theories of translation/adaptation, monster, gender, and post-colonialism provide insight and aid in analysis. My ultimate objective is to demonstrate the significance of children’s and young adult adaptations of Beowulf and how these texts contribute to a rich and varied corpus. I argue that the adapter’s social/cultural context affected …

The Application Of Multi-Isotope Analysis To Assist In Geoprofiling Unidentified Decedents Within Florida, Liotta D. Noche-Dowdy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The biochemistry of human tissues can provide information for geoprofiling (geographic birthplace or migration patterns) of an unidentified decedent. Utilizing isotope analyses (both stable and radiogenic) from teeth, bone, nails, and/or hair reveals specific isotopic information that correlates to diverse geographic regions reflecting an individual’s birthplace and migration patterns. Isotope analysis of enamel and bone has been employed in bioarchaeology for decades to reconstruct the diet, health, and migration patterns of past populations. Isotope ratios measured from enamel can then be compared to isotope ratios measured from bone of the individual to track patterns of migration. The enamel from the …

“Siguiendo Adelante”/ "Moving Forward:" Gender-Based Violence (Gbv) Service-Seeking And Survivorship Among Indigenous Guatemalan Women, Caitlynn C. Carr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines Indigenous women’s access to and beliefs regarding gender-based violence (GBV) services and the Guatemalan legal system. It illuminates the legal, structural, and institutional challenges and power dynamics associated with seeking support and justice for women in Guatemala, as well as why and how women decide to seek formal assistance. This research also investigates changes in attitudes and beliefs regarding women’s rights, gender roles, and formal and informal forms of support for GBV survivors. Utilizing a mixed-methods, engaged anthropological approach during 10 months of ethnographic fieldwork in two primary locations in Guatemala, this dissertation explicates qualitative data collected …

An Analysis Of (Hu)Manid Using The Usf Donated Skeletal Collection: Estimating Sex And Ancestry For Edentulous Individuals, Natalie S. Wise

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Human Mandible Identification program, (hu)MANid©, enables anthropologists to estimate the sex and ancestry of unidentified skeletal remains from metric and morphoscopic variables from the mandible. The program is suitable for a variety of anthropological contexts, including forensic casework and bioarchaeological or paleoanthropological analyses. The purpose of this research project is to test the accuracy and applicability of the (hu)MANid program on edentulous mandibles. While the authors of (hu)MANid warn against data collection for edentulous mandibles, there are many circumstances in applied forensic casework where the unidentified person is edentulous. Edentulous individuals experience alveolar resorption, which is the loss of …

Cues And Identity: Assessing Substance Use Cues, Life Experience, And Context, Katelynn Carlsen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project employs Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) methods alongside semi-structured interviews to examine substance use cues, or “triggers”, in the everyday context. This includes repeated assessment of participants’ behaviors and thoughts over time. EMA allows researchers to sample phenomena the moment they occur within the context. These methods are most used in psychology and clinical science. Current research on substance use relies on lab-based assessments to understand cues and their relationship to consumption (Carter and Tiffany 1999, Conklin and Tiffany 2003, Witteman et al. 2015). This analysis uses data collected by the Cues in the Everyday (CITED) Team. The CITED …

Slot Machine Addiction: The Untold Story Of Contradictions Between Self And America's Neoliberal Risk Society, Melanie C. Falconer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to take risks is nothing short of heroism in the modern United States which thrives on a diet of hyper mobility, technological progress, and globalized, deregulated “free” markets. Such relentless instability affirms scholarly contentions that the U.S. is now a “risk society.” Indeed, in Gambling with the Myth of the American Dream: The Pokerization of America, rhetoric scholar Aaron Duncan suggests that media stories of modern poker tournaments signify a collective desire to grapple with this heightened modern “chanciness” within our established gambling lore and make it cohere with our deeply cherished notions of American individualism. While Duncan …

Clinically Applied Anthropology: A Syndemic Intervention., Jason W. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation demonstrates that a critical, clinically applied anthropology is possible by testing a hypothesis that a syndemic intervention, and use of a structural vulnerability assessment tool, can achieve improved healthcare outcomes. A critical, clinically applied anthropology integrates social scientists into healthcare delivery, alongside biomedical providers, through the co-creation of new diagnostic and patient care pathways that utilize anthropological methods (ethnographically informed care, syndemics, thematic/mixed methods data analysis) and advance anthropological theory (biomedicine and culture, structural violence, structural competency/vulnerability, ontology, assemblage theory, and entanglements) to decrease healthcare inequities.

Medical anthropology has previously engaged biomedicine and other attempts at a clinical …

Adaptation Of Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises In The Food Sector During The Pandemic: Position The Brand As Part Of The Community, Hardian E. Nurseto, Nila A. Windasari, Prasanti W. Sarli

Journal of Global Business Insights

This study explains how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food sector adapted during the pandemic. In-depth, semi-structured, hybrid interviews were conducted with fifteen SME owners in the food sector in Bandung, Indonesia. The study describes five business adaptation strategies using service-dominant logic (S-DL) and structural-functionalism theory: (a) relationship adaptation with suppliers and landlords, (b) employee adaptation, (c) product and sales adaptation, (d) operations adaptation, and (e) promotion adaptation. Findings show a holistic view of actor involvement in the business adaptation process linked to altruism, in which the business and all actors (i.e., suppliers, landlords, customers, employees, government, online …

Selective Framing And Narrative As Anthropocentric Agents In Yellowstone: America’S Eden, Breanna Lee Hansen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Yellowstone: America’s Eden is but one example of nature documentaries tackling the complexities of nature-culture relationships during the age of the Anthropocene. Yellowstone National Park, the first to be named, is a primary example of how our relationship to the natural world developed through conservation and commodification. Yellowstone: America’s Eden demonstrates how film techniques conceal nature as a human construct through selective framing and narrative. By analyzing editing techniques made in the representation of Yellowstone National Park, this thesis bridges anthropocentrism to nature documentaries. Drawing on interdisciplinary research from media studies, environmental humanities, and anthropology, this thesis analyzes the ways …