Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons^™

Teaching College Athletes Social Media Appropriateness, Christina Murray

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It may come as no surprise that Twitter is the most popular social media platform where student athletes, particularly men, post inappropriate content. Male student athletes’ inappropriate tweets have become such a problem for universities, athletic departments, and the NCAA that coaches are forced to place a ban on their players’ social media usage or hire third party monitoring systems. Unfortunately, these reactive responses have not alleviated the problem of athletes differentiating what content is appropriate or inappropriate to tweet on their Twitter accounts. Analysis of the data collected from scholarly journal articles, textbooks, and popular press articles revealed that …

Television Viewing And Latino Stereotypes, Gustavo Rivera

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Over the course of a modern lifetime, television viewing accounts for a significant amount of information taken in by viewers. Within that consumption lies a potential problem. Viewers may learn erroneous messages about people and the world. Since television has characterized Latinos in ways that have emphasized cultural stereotypes, viewers may learn to perceive them in a corresponding manner. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 403 students from five universities and two community colleges located in Northern California. The respondents completed a seventy-one item questionnaire. Five key variables were utilized to measure relationships between them. The key variables …

Higher Education And The Dei Climate: Exploring And Understanding The Role Of Social Media, Self Esteem, And Intercultural Communication In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Initiatives On The College Campus, Christian T. Cardona

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to understand the effects and levels of impact that a university student’s intercultural communication competence, social media usage, and self-esteem have on the students’ attitudes towards diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts implemented by institutions of higher education. By studying these three independent variables, this research seeks to improve the understanding of the university students’ attitudes on DEI efforts for leaders and change agents in higher education, providing an inspiration for leaders, administrators, and change agents of higher education to continue collaborating to innovate methods and avenues towards creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus climate, as …

God Of War: Masculinity And Fatherhood Through Procedural Rhetoric, Andrew A. Morgan

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Video games and academia have a long history with one another. Academic researchers have continued to debate the extent to which video games can materialize real world effects. In this thesis, I employ procedural rhetoric and feminist scholarship to analyze the rhetorical power of God of War. I focus on the game’s immersive procedures and the performances of masculinity from Kratos, Atreus, and Baldur. These three characters all perform different masculinities, and their interactions with one another inform the game’s portrayal of masculinity and fatherhood. By engaging in violence and depicting nuanced performances of masculinity, God of War positions the …

Minority Representations In Crime Drama: An Examination Of Roles, Identity, And Power, Megan E. Chatelain

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The storytelling ability of television can be observed in any genre. Crime drama offers a unique perspective because victims and offenders change every episode increasing stereotypes with each new character. In other words, the more victims and criminals observed by the audience, the more likely the show creates the perception of a mean world. Based on previous literature, three questions emerged which this study focused on by asking the extent of Criminal Minds’ ability to portray crime accurately compared to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and the Behavioral Analysis Unit’s (BAU-4) report on serial murderers and …

Censoring Hate In The Music Industry: Shifting Perspectives In Pursuit Of Cultural Equity, Joey A. Tan

Backstage Pass

Music is intended to be expressive and unconstrained, a tool of communicating emotion and bridging humanity. As such, censorship is widely despised among music creators, listeners, publishers, distributors, and other music industry stakeholders. “Freedom of expression,” however, proves to be an applicable argument for both sides of the matter when the censorship concerns hate directed at marginalized communities. Analyzing the concept of censorship through the lens of those with privilege and power fails to recognize the extent to which hate speech impacts its victims and the indirect recipients of the message. As a powerful influencer of popular and youth cultures, …

Poison Ivy's Green Screen Debut: A Rhetorical Criticism On Erasing Identity On Screen, Jennifer Baney

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This project investigates the loss of power on screen for female comic book characters. Specifically, I investigate how scenes create narratives using heteronormativity and over-sexualization of female characters. The artifact of analysis included in this project is Batman and Robin (1997). This text focuses on Poison Ivy, including the background of the character before dissecting her role in the film. Turning to Sonja J. Foss (2009) and her feminist critique as a guide to understanding the implications of this research. Using feminist criticism, I argue that Poison Ivy was put in a lesser position, removed of her power, and was …

The Evolution Of Sunset Magazine's Cooking Department: The Accommodation Of Men's And Women's Cooking In The 1930s, Jennifer Hoolhorst Pagano

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The Western regional magazine Sunset has been published under a series of owners and publishers since 1898. In 1928, Sunset was purchased by Lawrence Lane, a Midwestern magazine executive who transformed it from a failing turn-of-the-century, general interest publication about the West, into a successful magazine about living in the West for the Western middle-class. Sunset had always been a magazine for men and women, and one that appealed to both male and female intellectuals at the time Lane purchased it. Lane and his editors attempted to interject more rigid middle-class ideals into a magazine that had espoused ideas that …

Canepa Family: Thomas Canepa (Youth), Lucy Buck

Italian American Stories

As the alarm sounds, a teenager wakes up from his slumber and begins his daily routine. It is Friday morning, so after school, he’ll be able to hang out with his friends. Unfortunately, the teen, Thomas Canepa, won't be able to stay out late. The next day is Saturday, and he has to work. When he was younger, Thomas relished the freedom of playing with his friends without having any family obligations. But at age 16, Thomas has a part time job at the family business, a car wash where he pumps gas and prints receipts for customers…

Podesta Family: James (Ernie) Podesta (Elder), Brent Kaufman

Italian American Stories

James Ernest Podesta, or “Ernie” as most people call him, is today in his 80s, the proud patriarch of an Italian American family. He has traveled a long road from his adolescence when he was uncomfortable with his ethnicity, to success as an adult in business and in the broader community. His parents were immigrants from Northern Italy. They chose Northern California because its climate and terrain were similar to what they had known in Italy. They were part of the second wave of Italians to migrate to Calfornia, and like others who came with them, hailed from a rural …

Podesta Family: Pamela Salmon (Middle), Chris Bauer

Italian American Stories

Pamela Salmon wants her children and grandchildren to know that farming is a wonderful way to bring families together and to feel closer to the earth. To Pam, farming is much more than a business. Its special rewards cannot be measured in dollars and cents…

Podesta Family: Kathleen Salmon (Youth), Jessica D'Anza

Italian American Stories

Kathleen Salmon is that rare young American who thoroughly enjoys being rooted in family life. Now, 20 years old, she loves her Italian American family, its customs, teachings and celebrations. As an only child, Kathleen Salmon was the center of her parents attention. Raised on a farm in Linden, she was part of a loving, extended family. She came to value rural life—the natural surroundings and the integration of work and home. She has never rebelled against her background, but instead prided herself on the strengths and values that have framed her world…

Canepa Family: Remo Canepa (Elder), Regina Beltrama

Italian American Stories

During his first 18 years, Remo Canepa lived the conventional life of an only child. As the twinkle in mother’s eye, and the future of the family name, Remo was the source of pride and joy for his parents. They wanted only the best for him, as most parents do. But the day would soon come, when he would have to stand on his own…

Canepa Family: Steven J. Canepa (Middle), Christopher Anderson

Italian American Stories

Many early Italian immigrants to Stockton were entrepreneurs and quite industrious. Steven’s grandfather was a partner in a thriving grocery/delicatessen, and his father founded Canepa’s car wash, which has remained a family business. As others from Steven’s generation, Italians had the choice either to begin their own careers or to join an established family enterprise. At the age of 10, Steven began helping out in his father's car wash business. After he began working, he noticed his family began to treat him more like an adult…

Lo Family: Chue Lo (Elder), Nancy Snider

Hmong American Stories

At the age of 55, Chue Lo is the elder of his family. Chue was born in Laos the second of six children. While his parents might have known a time of stability in Laos, Chue and his siblings grew up with difficult and unstable conditions caused by a period of political unrest. Despite this, Chue’s parents insisted he continue to attend school. In his studies, he learned to speak several languages in addition to his native Hmong. According to Chue, there are no specific rituals to signify coming-of-age. His family recognized him as an adult when he had completed …

Lo Family: Shoua Lo (Middle), Amy E. Smith

Hmong American Stories

Coming-of-age can happen abruptly, through a single experience—or it can be a process. For Shoua Lo, a cheerful man who laughs easily, the process began at age 19, when he decided to marry and start a family of his own. For Americans of all ethnicities, starting a family is a rite of passage that can open the door of adulthood. When you have children of your own, it is harder to continue to think of yourself as a child. Shoua, born the second oldest in a family of seven sons and three daughters, knew very well what sort of responsibilities …

Lo Family: Teng Lo (Elder), Amy E. Smith

Hmong American Stories

“If you work like a slave first—eventually, you’ll get to eat and live like a leader. If you eat and live like a leader first—eventually, you’ll have to eat and live like a slave.”

These are words of wisdom, words that anyone can learn from. They’re words that Teng Lo has never forgotten. Now seventy years old, he has learned many things in life—but those words, spoken by his Hmong elders, are as meaningful today as when he first heard them, years ago and in a very different place, as a twelve-year-old boy.

Lo Family: William Yang (Youth), Christina Conrardy

Hmong American Stories

Seeing San Francisco for the first time, at the age of three, after immigrating from Loas will always be a special memory for William Yang now age 16. The sky scrapers of San Francisco were a great contrast to the jungles and life he had just left. In Laos, he lived with his family in a typical rural village where the houses were made of bamboo, thatched roofs and had dirt floors. The villagers would work in their fields to gather food, which they cooked on an open fire. Leaving his parents behind, accompanied only by his grandfather, the trip …

Lo Family: Toubee Yang (Middle), Andrew Gelber

Hmong American Stories

Toubee Yang is a Stockton citizen who traveled over the ocean from his birthplace to find a new home and culture that he now embraces. His life is memorable partly because of the experiences he has had traveling and learning about the culture of the United States. His story is about a family broken in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, of a child growing up in a nation that did not readily respect his heritage, and also as a refugee in a totally foreign environment…

Lo Family: John Lo (Youth), Jillian Altfest

Hmong American Stories

John Lo’s parents were often away from the home, so John took on the parental responsibilities when they were gone. By age 13, he cooked, cleaned and took care of his younger brothers and sisters. Older siblings were not available to help. Although often frustrated, he accepted these responsibilities. Looking back he feels he did a good job; in fact, this may have been his first step toward adulthood…

Juanitas Family: Eudosia Juanitas (Elder), Tucker Corriveau

Filipino American Stories

Eudosia Juanitas is a registered nurse among a family of physicians, pharmacists and scientists. Upon first glance, it might appear that Eudosia simply took advantage of the opportunities presented to a woman in a privileged family. However, deeper inspection reveals a woman who has fought against difficult odds to create a life of realized dreams…

Juanitas Family: P. Felomina Hufana (Middle), Gina Beltrama

Filipino American Stories

Football games, pep rallies, basketball games, and dances—these are the memories that Felomina cherishes most about her past. Coming from a large family of seven children, there was always something going on in the Juanitas’ household. Attending cultural events, along with high school activities, was a significant part of life for Felomina and it is something that she still treasures today…

Carido Family: Gloria Nomura (Middle), G. Lee

Filipino American Stories

Gloria Carido Nomura was the second to youngest child in a large, close-knit family. Until she was 11 years old, Gloria spent her days as did many youngsters: doing a few chores, but mostly going to school and playing with her friends. Sometimes, she would daydream about what she would do when she got older—places she might visit, where she might attend school, jobs she might attain. As a child, there was always an adult to supervise and guide her…

Juanitas Family: Catherine Hufana (Youth), Lori Iwamasa

Filipino American Stories

Catherine Hufana grew up in Stockton, California. Her Filipino culture runs deep in her family and she has always felt “Filipino.” However, after visiting the Phillipines in 1992, Catherine realized that she identified much more strongly with Americans than native Filipinos. As an American, Catherine’s upbringing was much different than her parents. She was raised in a household that spoke mostly English, although her parents are bilingual. As Catherine struggled to fit in with her American peers, her parents continued to introduce her to their own Filipino culture…

Carido Family: Kathleen Nomura (Youth), G. Lee

Filipino American Stories

Although she’s now well past the age of maturity, Kathleen Nomura thinks that her elders in her large extended family do not yet see her as an adult. In reply to the question, “When did your family start treating you like an adult?” with a good-natured laugh, she answers, “They still don’t.” Yet, there were milestones along the way that indicated to her she was becoming an adult—being able to drive, moving away from home, and having to be responsible for her own bills. It was a long process, which has not reached a culmination in their minds, although she …

Carido Family: Camila Carido (Elder), G. Lee

Filipino American Stories

Camila Carido’s early years prepared her well for the adult responsibilities that were thrust upon her. Born in 1910, in the village of Hinundayan, Leyte in the Phillipine Islands, she and three sisters were left behind with their mother, Macaria, when her father emigrated to the U.S. Without a father in the house, mother and children had to fend for themselves in the coastal plains in the island where they lived…

Wong Family: Nancy Wong (Elder), May Lin

Chinese American Stories

Nancy Wong was born in Ung Hong village, Toy San District, China, to a restaurant owner and housewife. Growing up, Nancy felt like a child who did not know much about the world. When Nancy was seven, her mother left Nancy and her younger brother to travel to the U.S. Nancy and her brother Donald, were left with their grandmother. At age nine, her grandmother sent her to school. When Nancy was 15, her mother returned to China with three sisters and four brothers for which Nancy was to care. This began her adulthood in her mind…

Wong Family: Kecia Won-Jones (Youth), Tucker Corriveau

Chinese American Stories

Growing up, Kecia Won-Jones experienced a plethora of cultures. She is Chinese, but was born and raised in a multi-cultural America. Though she is a third generation Chinese American, she feels a strong connection to her ethnic past. On the other hand, she confesses that her parents were assimilated into American culture, and that she has lived only in this country. Kecia likes to think she has the better of two worlds. Kecia is grateful for the opportunity to celebrate her cultural traditions as well as those of others. Navigating diversity has been one of her paths to maturity…

Wong Family: Debbie Nozuka (Youth), Riley Buck

Chinese American Stories

In October 1915, a brave man left his home country of China to come to America in search of something better in “Gum San,” the land of the “Golden Hills.” Because of this man, Debbie was given the opportunity to begin her life in the U.S. This man was her grandfather. “As a family, people share a unique bond, ” Debbie explains. “Even though I cannot communicate well with my…older relatives because of a language barrier, I cherish and value the time I spend with them…”

Wong Family: Sandra Won (Middle), Oksana Ivashchenko

Chinese American Stories

Growing up in a close-knit Chinese family, Sandra Won had a happy upbringing with parents who didn’t impose adult roles on her. They made sure that she had time to be a child, to play and to experience a wide variety of activities. Her entrance into adulthood was gradual and, in her mind, was marked by a variety of ordinary events in her life…