Anthropology Commons^™

Understanding The Role Of Support Groups In The Lives Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Amelia Leggett

Anthropology

The birth of a child with disabilities forces parents to rewrite narratives of family and what it means to raise a child with disabilities. Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) often find that their child’s behavior and development makes it difficult to relate with parents of typically developing children, and so support groups become a place to find parents who share similar experiences. This study examines the role of support groups in the lives of parents of children with ASD. It asks how the support group differs from other sources of support and relationships, what information is sought …

Spatial Patterns Of Rural And Exurban Residential Settlement And Agricultural Trends In The Intermountain West, Saleh Ahmed

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Population growth is often linked to negative impacts on agriculture. However, the effects of residential development likely depends on the spatial pattern of development, such as whether housing is clustered or dispersed, and whether it is located near or away from important farmland. For several decades, rural and urban planners have advocated policies to encourage consolidated forms of development as one strategy to protect agriculture and preserve open space. To date, relatively little empirical research has been conducted on the actual effects of different spatial patterns of residential settlement on agricultural. This study aims to fill that gap with a …

Cooking Outside Of States And Markets: Food As A Common, Christopher Abbott

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Food Not Bombs is a global social movement that gathers food deemed to be waste to cook and give it away to whoever wants to eat it. The movement is challenging poverty, hunger, and war through mutual aid, instead of charity. What role does food play in this work? How does it serve as a common?

The Feminized Culture Of Dieting As A Social Construct, Molly Cox

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

This research project explores dieting as a culturally constructed concept. It examines the motivating factors for women to begin dieting, the goals they hope to achieve through dieting, and whether or not these are attainable. Drawing on interviews conducted with women on Colby's campus, both those who diet and those who do not, I explore questions concerning what dieting means to those who practice it as well as how normative discourses about food and body image influence these understandings.

Gender Performances And Virtual Community In Women's Cooking Blogs, Alicia Fawcett

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Cooking blogs are a unique medium that allow many people, especially women, to express their love and talent for cooking, while other media is much less accessible to both writers and readers. The majority of cooking blogs are written by women, and the most popular of these offer a distinct performance of gender by their authors and facilitate a community with and among their readers. Each cooking blog is unique in its gender performance and the type of community it creates, influenced by the gender, racial, and classist structures that have permeated other cooking media in its own way. This …

Cooking Solo: Complicating Off-Campus Culinary Independence, William Harley

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

People have traditionally learned how to cook from helping and watching their parents. However, many people today teach themselves how to cook when they first live on their own and have to feed themselves. My friend Sarunas moved off campus in January and is currently teaching himself how to cook. Over the past month and a half, I've met with Sarunas to observe how he shops, preps, and cooks his meals in an attempt to understand what resources he draws from to make himself cheap, healthy, and delicious food.

#Foodies Feeding Gender And Social Class, Catherine Powell

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

At the most basic level, a Foodie is someone who loves food. Interviewing students and friends, studying Instagram Foodie profiles, and analyzing scholarly articles revealed that the Foodie identity includes much more than a love of food. The Foodie identity is an exclusive privilege accessible mainly to white upper class females with access to smartphones and internet. Some themes that I explore include the relationship of food consumption to modernity, gender, and social class, and the racism implied and perpetuated through the Foodie identity.

Boyd, Richard, Jr. (Fa 809), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archive Project 809. This collection contains information about folklore in Kentucky’s Pennyroyal Region collected by Western Kentucky University student Richard Boyd, Jr. for credit in a folklore class. Information included in the collection includes such things as agricultural practices, beliefs, and legends from the region.

Andy Dawson (Fa 806), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archive Project 806. This collection contains information about Bullitt County, Kentucky, folklore collected by Andy Dawson for credit in a folklore class at Western Kentucky University. Collection includes recipes, folk medicine beliefs, and stories from Bullitt County.

Molly Banks (Fa 810), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archive Project 810. This collection contains information about Appalachian folklore, specifically from Letcher County, Kentucky, collected by Western Kentucky University student Molly Banks for credit in a folklore class. Information in the collection includes such things as beliefs, recipes, and ballads from the region.

Early, Linda (Fa 807), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding Aid only for Folklife Archives Project 807. This collection contains information about Breckinridge, Logan, and Simpson County, Kentucky, folklore collected by Western Kentucky University student Linda Early for credit in a folklore class. Information included in the collection includes such things as fiddle tunes, vernacular architecture, and agricultural information from the counties.

Taylor, William B. (Fa 808), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archvie Project 808. This collection contains information about south central Kentucky, folklore collected by Western Kentucky University student William B. Taylor for credit in folklore class. Information included in the collection includes such things as agricultural practices, beliefs, and legends from the county.

Evidence For Patterns Of Selective Urban Migration In The Greater Indus Valley (2600-1900 Bc): A Lead And Strontium Isotope Mortuary Analysis, Benjamin Valentine, George D. Kamenov, Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, Vasant Shinde, Veena Mushrif-Tripathy, Erik Otarola-Castillo, John Krigbaum

Dartmouth Scholarship

Just as modern nation-states struggle to manage the cultural and economic impacts of migration, ancient civilizations dealt with similar external pressures and set policies to regulate people’s movements. In one of the earliest urban societies, the Indus Civilization, mechanisms linking city populations to hinterland groups remain enigmatic in the absence of written documents. However, isotopic data from human tooth enamel associated with Harappa Phase (2600-1900 BC) cemetery burials at Harappa (Pakistan) and Farmana (India) provide individual biogeochemical life histories of migration. Strontium and lead isotope ratios allow us to reinterpret the Indus tradition of cemetery inhumation as part of a …

Comparing Antibiotic Self-Medication In Two Socio-Economic Groups In Guatemala City: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study, Brooke M. Ramay, Paola Lambour, Alejandro Cerón

Anthropology: Faculty Scholarship

Background

Self-medication with antibiotics may result in antimicrobial resistance and its high prevalence is of particular concern in Low to Middle Income Countries (LMIC) like Guatemala. A better understanding of self-medication with antibiotics may represent an opportunity to develop interventions guiding the rational use of antibiotics. We aimed to compare the magnitude of antibiotic self-medication and the characteristics of those who self-medicate in two pharmacies serving disparate socio-economic communities in Guatemala City.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study in one Suburban pharmacy and one City Center pharmacy in Guatemala City. We used a questionnaire to gather information about frequency …

Medical Collections In The Manuscripts & Folklife Archives - Western Kentucky University (Fa 1017), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text bibliography for Folklife Archives Project 1017. An annotated bibliography (70 pp.) of collections in Manuscripts & Folklife Archives at Western Kentucky University that discuss folk medicine and allied medical topics, compiled by folk studies graduate student Azadeh Vatanpour.

Bone Deterioration Due To Domesticated Rodent Scavenging, Logan N. Howard

Symposium of Student Scholars

This project examines the deterioration of bone caused by rat scavenging. Additionally, it will focus on what types of bones rats prefer when scavenging remains. The expected outcome is that the rodents will prefer the antler, with concentrated scavenging on the diaphysis due to the marrow withim the core.

The purpose for this project is to compare the markings left upon bones from rat gnawing. Knowing the effects of rat markings on remains are important when differentiating between traumatic damages and postmortem scavenging. Rat gnawing on human bones sometimes causes breakage associated with skeletal trauma, so distinguishing between the two …

The Revolution Of Fitness: A Contemporary Analysis Of How Technology And Personal Training Influences Consumer Behavior In Two Atlanta, Georgia Fitness Centers, Krista L. Cross

Symposium of Student Scholars

The Revolution of Fitness: A Contemporary Analysis of How Technological and Personal Training Influences Consumer Behavior in Two Atlanta, Georgia Fitness Centers

Krista Cross (Kennesaw State University)

"Krista Cross"

Today, fitness gyms and private health clubs are globally recognized as multi-billion-dollar establishments. This study explores the development of the modern gym and fitness culture, particularly the emergence of fitness trends such as personal training and technology. This paper aims to understand how and why training in the gym has become so important for people. A comparative case study approach was used to consider personal training and technological influences, which are …

Diversity And Tolerance: Acceptance Of Non-Christian Religious Faiths On A University Campus, Michele Kumar

Symposium of Student Scholars

Michele Kumar - Email: [email protected]

Diversity and Tolerance: Acceptance of Non-Christian Religious Faiths on a University Campus

The purpose of this research was to explore the diversity of non-Christian belifs on a university campus to better understand the acceptance and tolerance of these religious affiliations and belief systems. In doing humanistic, exploratory research using both deductive and inductive methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviewing, this study asked, how do the students of non-Christian faiths or belief systems at a southeastern comprehensive university feel about the level of acceptance and tolerance toward their beliefs on campus? Organizations such as the …

Examination Of Blunt Force Skeletal Injuries As A Result Of Falls From Heights, Michele Kumar

Symposium of Student Scholars

Michele Kumar - Email: [email protected]

Title: Examination of Blunt Force Skeletal Injuries as a Result of Falls from Heights

Damage to the skeleton can be extensive with falls from heights. Using measurements such as the height of the fall, the weight of the individual to calculate acceleration due to gravity, velocity of the launch speed, and the take-off distance in cases of homicide or suicide, certain occurrences can be predicted (Cross 2006:93). The position of the body, in conjunction with the surface and angle of impact can identify skeletal trauma in cases where the manner of death is unknown. Although …

Positional Relationship Of The Fibula Relative To The Tibia In Collegiate Athletes, Kat Lane

Symposium of Student Scholars

The research being conducted for a Practicum in Anthropology is related to the cross-sectional geometric properties of the tibia and fibula. Wolff’s Law states that form follows function, or that when stresses are placed on bone, the bone will remodel through either absorption or deposition in order to maintain optimal strain levels. The majority of research in cross-sectional bone geometry has been on the femur, and that which has been examining the lower leg usually focused on only the tibia. The tibia has managed to escape the focus of research due to the assumption of its lack of importance due …

The Girl With The Peanut Necklace: Experiences Of Infertility And In Vitro Fertilization In China, Ruoxi Yu

Student Work

A 2014-2015 William Prize for best essay in East Asian Studies was awarded to Ruoxi Yu (Berkeley College '15) for her essay submitted to the Department of Anthropology, “The Girl with the Peanut Necklace: Experiences of Infertility and in vitro Fertilization in China.” (Marcia Inhorn, William K. Lanman Jr. Professor of Anthropology, advisor; Susan Brownell, Professor of Anthropology at USML, secondary reader.)

Ruoxi Yu’s essay, “The Girl with the Peanut Necklace: Experiences of Infertility and in vitro Fertilization in China,” situates original research within the history of the one-child birth control policy and the tension between the …

Bridging The Gap: The St. Cloud Somali Community’S View Of Illness And Disease In A Western Society & Its Effects On Patient Care, Jeffry J. Anderson, Sinloria C. Macrae, Katee A. Meckeler, Jennifer N. Yang, Sheng Xiong

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

In this ethnographic study, we looked at how the Somali people view illness and disease in a Western society. In addition, we looked at how differing views and cultural practices affected their treatment and interpretation of Western medicine. Due to the ongoing increase of Somali people in the United States, this topic is important in showcasing the difficulties that newcomers face when it comes to medicine and how these experiences shape their view of Western medicine. These difficulties include language barriers and cultural differences. Our main focus was on the St. Cloud area due to its close proximity to the …

Wilk, Amy Jo, B. 1970 (Fa 805), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archive Project 805. This collection, “Voices from the Homestead,” contains digital interviews with various individuals, primarily in Metcalfe County in south central Kentucky, who participated in the homestead movement during the 1970s. Other counties included in the project are Green, Cumberland, Warren, and Fayette. The movement is characterized by the leaving of individuals from urban settings to settle into a more rural atmosphere. All interviews were conducted by Amy Wilk. All interviews are in digital format.

Traveling Exhibit Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts Of Health And Illness, Patricia Bradley, Laura J. Hall, Gale Hannigan

Posters and Presentations

This exhibit, organized by the National Library of Medicine and hosted at UNM, explores the intersections of health, illness, and culture among Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. Through oral histories, healers, elders, and other key figures recount the impact of epidemics, land loss, and cultural disruption on Native health. The exhibit presents an inspiring narrative of resilience, endurance, and self-determination. Curated locally by Patricia Bradley, Laura J. Hall, and Gale Hannigan, it was displayed at the Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education. April 22, 2015 - October 18, 2015

Opinions On Divorce In Georgia Between Different Demographic Groups, Rachel A. Melcher

Honors College Theses

Divorce has always been a divisive topic; indeed, divorce rates differ wildly among members of different demographic groups. What of their opinions, though? What are the differences in opinions on divorce in Georgia between separate different demographic groups? My research suggests that the different lines of thought are drawn largely on religious and ethnic lines, rather than such factors as gender, age or annual household income.

Osteology Of A Burial Vessel From The Late Prehistoric/Early Contact Period Pine Harbor Site (9mc64), Amanda C. Shively

Honors College Theses

This research focuses on osteological examination of a single urn-burial’s contents from Pine Harbor (9MC64), a late prehistoric to early contact period archaeological site excavated on the coast of Georgia in 1978. Analysis generated from this study seeks to shed light on burial demographics and practices of its native occupants.

To The Savannah Irish: An Ethnohistory Of The Culture From 1812-1880, Sarah A. Ryniker

Honors College Theses

Between the years of 1812-1880, the Savannah Irish created and maintained an identity based on the Irish ideologies of separatism, independence, and egalitarianism. Through an analysis of Hibernian Society archival toasts and semi-structured interviews, the social, economic, and political institutions which influenced the Savannah-Irish culture emerged. While many aspects of Irish life in Savannah are left to be explored, this research serves to illuminate the creation of identity in the public space between Savannah and the Irish through social, economic, and political means.

Was It For Walrus? Viking Age Settlement And Medieval Walrus Ivory Trade In Iceland And Greenland, Karen M. Frei, Ashley N. Coutu, Konrad Smiarowski, Ramona Harrison, Christian K. Madsen, Jette Arneborg, Robert Frei, Gardar Guðmundsson, Søren M. Sindbækg, James Woollett, Steven Hartman, Megan Hicks, Thomas Mcgovern

Publications and Research

Walrus-tusk ivory and walrus-hide rope were highly desired goods in Viking Age north-west Europe. New finds of walrus bone and ivory in early Viking Age contexts in Iceland are concentrated in the south-west, and suggest extensive exploitation of nearby walrus for meat, hide and ivory during the first century of settlement. In Greenland, archaeofauna suggest a very different specialized long-distance hunting of the much larger walrus populations in the Disko Bay area that brought mainly ivory to the settlement areas and eventually to European markets. New lead isotopic analysis of archaeological walrus ivory and bone from Greenland and Iceland offers …

Rib Fracture Patterns In Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents, Cristina Lynn Kelbaugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rib fractures are present in 25 percent of all trauma-related deaths, making the mechanism and pattern of rib fractures an important area of trauma research (Lien et al. 2009). Rib fractures are important to consider when researching trauma because they can cause serious complications contributing to an individual's mortality.

This retrospective research study focuses on rib fracture patterns in fatal motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). The sample consists of 105 MVA victims--68 males and 37 females. Data was collected at the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office in Tampa, Florida. The study investigates motor-vehicle-related deaths from 2011 to 2013 to establish rib …

A Comparison Of United States And Chinese Societal Views On Corporal Punishment, Kirili Stauch, Charles Spingwood, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Views on punishment differ from one society to another. What is viewed as culturally acceptable in one society may be frowned upon in a different society. In order to understand these differing views, it is crucial to place them within the context of societal norms. It is important to distinguish each society’s definition of corporal punishment. Once a set definition is established within the cultural context, interviews can be used as case studies. These interviews provide an insider perspective on the subject, allowing for a deeper understanding of views on corporal punishment.