Geography Commons^™

Cartographies Of Black Diaspora And Foster Care Diaspora: Arguments Toward Abolition In The Aftermath Of Partus Sequitur Ventrem, Alicia Boyce

CGU Theses & Dissertations

In this dissertation I argue that global foster care and adoption systems should be abolished because they are trauma inducing and grief producing state apparatuses that cyclically act to destabilize Black and “Other” subaltern populations from one generation to the next. Global foster care and adoption systems have become as common sensical as enslavement and chattel slavery all were as these systems are considered widely socially acceptable, common modes of domination and methods for controlling Black and “Other” populations. I coin a diaspora of community and cultural destabilization called the foster care diaspora (FCD), a theory and framing device that …

Earliest Ancient Maya Salt Production In Southern Belize: Excavations At Jay-Yi Nah, Heather Mckillop, Cory Sills

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Salt works along the Yucatan coasts of Mexico and Belize provide a record of salt production for inland trade during the height of Late Classic Maya civilisation (AD 550–800). At the Paynes Creek Salt Works in Belize, production focused on the creation of salt cakes by boiling brine in pots supported over fires in dedicated salt kitchens. Underwater excavations at the Early Classic (AD 250–550) site of Jay-yi Nah now indicate there was a longer and evolving tradition of salt making in the area, one that initially employed large, incurved bowls to meet local or down-the-line trade needs before inland …

Geopolitics And Geospatial Strategies: The Rise Of Regulatory Supply Chain Controls For Semiconductor Gpn In Japan, South Korea And Taiwan, Yuko Aoyama, Eunyeong Song, Shan-Yu Wang

Geography

In this article, we present an analysis of how East Asian states (specifically, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan) are adapting to the emerging geopolitical contexts of the 'great powers competition' between the United States and China. To the extent that the previous literature on GPN/GVC governance included the state as one of the extra-firm actors, geopolitics has not been explicitly dealt with in its role in shaping GPN/GVC governance. We build on the existing research on GPN/GVC governance and propose a shift in perspective, from one of cost-driven to diplomacy-driven governance. Taking the case of the semiconductor industry, we conduct …

Recovering The Nium Trail: A Journey Through Collaboration And Multidisciplinary Mapping, Crystal West

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study explores and maps an ancient, historic, and contemporary travel corridor that follows the San Joaquin River in the Central Sierra Nevada of California. It is called the Nium or People’s Trail by the North Fork Mono Tribe, the French Trail in historic archives, and the Mammoth Trail on contemporary US Forest Service maps. When I agreed to the request by Chairman Ron Goode of the North Fork Mono Tribe to map the Nium Trail, I was saying yes to a different, more broad and inclusive approach than I had previously taken as an archaeologist documenting archaeological sites and …

Tiny Houses (Revisited): Geography Of Tiny House Villages For The Homeless In The United States, Yetimoni Kpeebi

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The increasing adoption of tiny house villages as a solution to homelessness in the United States (US) underscores the need for comprehensive tracking and documentation of their locations, physical attributes, and social characteristics. This is vital to assess their effectiveness, providing advocates and policymakers with the information needed to optimize outcomes, and ensure these initiatives truly benefit the homeless population. While initial efforts were made in 2019 to establish a database for these villages (Evans, 2020), this study represents an improvement by presenting an updated database that reflects the growing popularity of tiny house villages for the homeless. Building upon …

Glacial Deposits, Vol. 48, 2024, Department Of Geography, Geology, And The Environment

Glacial Deposits

Newsletter of the Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment

De Aquí, Y De Allá: Education, Culture, And Identity Development Of Transnational Latinas, Elizabeth Harris-Medina

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

De Aquí, y De Allá: Education, Culture, and Identity Development of Transnational Latinas This ethnographic case study examines the experiences of three transnational Latina women, descendants of families from Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico, exploring how their migration history and educational backgrounds influence their life trajectories. Focusing on these three women, the study aims to better understand their challenges and inform the development of resources to support their success in the U.S. education system. Using ethnographic interviews and Ecological Systems Theory, the research highlights how places and social systems shape views and life paths, offering insights into how best to support these …

Medium Range Prediction Of U.S. Severe Convective Storms, Robert Fritzen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Severe convective storms (SCSs) are responsible for billions of dollars of losses in the United States each year through hazards such as large hail, damaging convective wind gusts, and tornadoes. While techniques for forecasting these SCSs have improved over the years, a majority of these improvements focus on short term forecasting and nowcasting techniques. Little work has been done to analyze the recent advances in numerical weather prediction techniques, and to leverage these advances to the prediction of SCSs at the medium range (defined herein as lead-day 4--8). The primary objectives of this dissertation research are to: 1) explore the …

Essays On Public Finance And International Finance, Deepti Sikri

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The first chapter examines New York State's Fiscal Score Monitoring program to find the effect of two quality labels on school district outcomes: fiscal stress scores, reflecting the budget solvency, and environmental stress labels reflecting economic and demographic conditions. Using the NYS school district data from 2013-22, I employ the regression discontinuity design to find the effect of stress labels, in response to the political pressure on district finances, housing, and school outcomes. I find the effect of fiscal stress label is limited, leading to a decrease in the fund balance ratio and an increase in the tax rate. However, …

Riverview Community Park Commoning Plan, Haley B. Keene

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Riverview Community Park began as an illegal DIY skatepark in the Maymont neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. Now, although it is a city park, it is still entirely managed by volunteer community groups (skateboarders, the neighborhood Civic League, and a community garden) who view the park as a creative, experimental community-led spatial project. Due to a dearth of communication between the three groups, the park has suffered political strife between the groups and a chaotic physical atmosphere. This plan utilizes a commons governance framework and participatory, asset-based community design to usher in a new era of enhanced collaboration, common narratives, and …

Whose Vote Is It Anyway? A Geospatial Analysis Of The California Voter's Choice Act Ballot Drop Box Criteria In Santa Cruz County, Judith Heher

Master's Projects

The way Californians vote is changing. While some of the laws surrounding these changes are close to a decade old, the events of 2020 surrounding the November Presidential Election and the COVID-19 pandemic both accelerated and expanded the adoption of contactless voting approaches such as vote-by-mail and the ballot drop box. Neither tool is new to California voters. Vote-by-mail was introduced to the state in 1962 (CA Secretary of State, unknown) and ballot drop boxes were first used in 2014 (Sherman, 2020). In 2016 California Senate Bill 450 (SB-450, 2016) was signed into law. Also known as the Voters Choice …

'We' Instead Of 'Me': How Buen Vivir Indigenous Cosmopraxes Allow Us To Conceive Security Differently And Face Insecurities Together, Juliano Cortinhas, Yara Martinelli, Ricardo Barbosa

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Although Critical Security Studies (CSS) has done much to advance security debates, some shortcomings remain. Its excessive focus on the individual - which we term 'me' - reduces CSS' capacity to propose solutions to current global security problems such as pandemics and climate change. This paper contributes to the emerging scholarship on the potential of relational ontologies in Security Studies by introducing Buen Vivir Indigenous cosmopraxes into the debate. Indigenous cosmopraxes such as Sumak Kawsay, Suma Qamaña, and Teko Kavi, we argue, can inform CSS by providing alternative considerations to the pluriverse of ideas that address security crises. These cosmopraxes, …

Assessment Of Spatial Distribution Patterns And Infestation Risk Over Time Of Spotted Lanterfly (Lycorma Delicatula) In New York State, Alanna Richman

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive treehopper native to Asia. It was first introduced to Pennsylvania in 2014, and as of 2020 it has expanded to New York state. Their preferred host tree is the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), but they will feed on over 173 different plants worldwide. Preferred host species in New York state include agricultural vegetation such as grape vines and fruit trees. Positive Spotted Lanternfly site data collected by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets and iMapInvasives were analyzed using ArcGIS Pro to assess spatial distribution patterns. …

Investigating Flash Flood Occurrence Using Negative Binomial Models In Maryland, United States Of America, Zainab O. Akinsemoyin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Globally, as extreme weather patterns intensify, flash floods have emerged as one of the most destructive and immediate environmental threats. In Maryland, flash floods are particularly concerning due to its diverse topography and increasing urban development, which exacerbates runoff and overwhelms drainage systems. The state has experienced significant flash flood events, highlighting the need for effective models to manage risks and inform mitigation strategies. While regression models such as the Negative Binomial (NB) and Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) are commonly used for count data analysis, their application to flash flood modeling in the USA, including regions like Maryland, remains limited …

Road Extraction On Remote Sensing Imagery: Historical Mapping Of The Brazilian Amazon, Jonas Paiva Botelho Jr

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This work proposes an artificial intelligence model based on U-Net architecture to map road networks in the Brazilian Amazon. Over the years, the Amazon region has been heavily exploited, leading to increased deforestation rates, contributing to CO2 emissions, amplifying global warming, and causing a disturbance in local fauna and flora. The expansion into the forest by illegal miners, loggers, and land grabbers can be tracked down by the construction of roads, which we can refer to as the arteries of deforestation. Previous works on the matter proposed algorithms that use high-resolution imagery to map roads precisely. However, this work approach …

Regional And Landscape Scale Examination And Attribution Of Vegetation Changes To Social-Environmental System Drivers In Kazakhstan, Venkatesh Kolluru

Dissertations and Theses

Kazakhstan (KZ) experienced widespread changes in ecosystem structure and function. The country is a climate and land cover/use change “hotspot” owing to political reforms, intensified grazing, and extreme climatic events. Despite their importance, there is a lack of consensus about vegetation changes, trends, and drivers in KZ. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial for effectively managing and restoring grassland ecosystems. However, a pressing challenge is discerning anthropogenic-driven vegetation changes from climate variability and decomposing the responses to the complex human-environmental forcings. Motivated by these challenges, I employed statistical and machine learning algorithms to detect and attribute vegetation changes to social-environmental …

Climate Change And Critical Agrarian Studies, Ian Scoones, Saturnino M. Borras Jr., Amita Baviskar, Marc Edelman, Nancy Peluso, Wendy Wolford

Publications and Research

Climate change is perhaps the greatest threat to humanity today and plays out as a cruel engine of myriad forms of injustice, violence and destruction. The effects of climate change from human-made emissions of greenhouse gases are devastating and accelerating; yet are uncertain and uneven both in terms of geography and socio-economic impacts. Emerging from the dynamics of capitalism since the industrial revolution — as well as industrialisation under state-led socialism — the consequences of climate change are especially profound for the countryside and its inhabitants. The book interrogates the narratives and strategies that frame climate change and examines the …

Baaf: Bishop Airfield’S Contribution To The ‘Greatest Generation’, Jack Fisher

Eastern Sierra History Journal

The Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor attack changed everything in America including the Owens River Valley where most of its landing fields became sites for pilot training. One of these was the Bishop (CA) Air Field, leased by the Army from Inyo County effective June 10, 1942. It was was designated a tactical military facility and its history, hitherto untold, forms the basis of this article.

Utilizing Arcgis Storymap To Raise Awareness: Double Dispossession Of The Gullah Geechee On Sapelo Island, Noah A. Moulton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the Sea Islands of the Atlantic Coast, represent a resilient community whose heritage and practices have endured despite centuries of systemic oppression. This research examines the intersection of history, land dispossession, and environmental threats to the Gullah Geechee community, particularly on Sapelo Island. By exploring the enduring agricultural knowledge, language, and practices, this work underscores the significance of the Gullah Geechee's connection to their ancestral lands, which have been essential for the preservation of their identity. The dual forces of gentrification and climate change present pressing challenges, manifesting as both …

Stories, People, And Industrial Heritage Landscapes: Integrating Spatial Narratives And Deep Mapping For Use In Public Heritage, James A. Juip

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Understanding the complexity of the industrial heritage landscape and working towards its holistic representation are long standing challenges for heritage practitioners and scholars alike. This dissertation focuses on addressing a gap in industrial heritage scholarship by addressing the question; can the integration of spatial narratives and deep mapping theory and practice improve upon the practice of public discourse in industrial heritage? Community heritage narratives are an important intangible aspect of the industrial heritage landscape that forms a discursive relationship with authorized heritage sources. Influencing this discourse can alter contemporary power relations that intertwine modern issues with perceptions of the past. …

Green Spaces And Socioeconomic Disparities In São Paulo City, Brazil: A Spatial Analysis Approach, Flavia Vieira Xavier

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Urban green spaces are an invaluable asset for the benefits they provide to human well-being and environmental sustainability. São Paulo, one of the largest cities in the world, well-known for its demographic complexity, prosperous economy, and cultural diversity, presents great disparities in the distribution and quality of green spaces. Besides that, different socioeconomic groups have different access to these spaces. The significant challenge to achieving equitable urban development invites us to investigate these spaces further, associated with socioeconomic parameters, to understand which groups benefit most from urban green spaces and to advance in the environmental justice discussion. This dissertation contains …

Housing Markets, Residential Preferences And Segregation: Unraveling Spatial Dynamics In Quito, Ecuador, Felipe Miguel Valdez Gomez De La Torre

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Housing issues in cities paradoxically manifest as growing inaccessibility and an oversupply with high prices. Urban public policies have been insufficient to reverse this pattern because they fail to address its root cause: the socio-spatial process resulting in uneven development. This dissertation starts with the premise that housing problems are not isolated but intricately linked to social dynamics and spatial configurations.Latin American cities represent a particular case study due to their high degree of urbanization combined with high inequality, leading to unique and highly segregated urban forms such as self-built settlements and gated communities in close proximity. We take the …

Lidar Remote Sensing And The Monitoring Of Brazilian Amazon Forest Structure: Tackling Issues And Finding New Possibilities, Pedro Valle De Carvalho E Oliveira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and around 60% of it is in Brazil. The amount of carbon stored in the region uncertain, the impacts of land use and climate changes are unknown, and what drives the dynamic of the forest structure is still under a heated debate. Optical remote sensing has been used for a long time to assist the monitoring of the Brazilian Amazon. However, optical remote sensing only allows a comprehensive study from the top of the forest canopy. In contrast, lidar remote sensing of forests can produce robust information regarding the canopy …

A Tale Of Two Working Landscapes, Sage C. Sutcliffe

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Local Visions For Patagonia: Drivers And Dynamics Of Collaborative Environmental Governance In Aysén, Chile, Zachary J. Hummel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Collaborative governance (CG) has emerged as a tool for addressing increasingly complex societal problems by engaging a diverse of set of cross-sector actors in a deliberative process with the aim of realizing consensus-driven outcomes. Emerson et al.’s (2011) Integrated Framework for Collaborative Governance (IFCG) attempts to improve understanding of these arrangements by articulating causal connections between collaborative drivers and dynamics across different contexts. Answering researchers’ call for more empirical support for the IFCG in non-US/European contexts, I used the framework to guide 10 interviews with collaborative governance practitioners in the comanaged marine protected area, AMCP-MU Pitipalena Añihue, located in Aysén, …

Sustainability Starts Small: Initiatives From Cuba To The Bitterroot Valley, Kathryn Marie Simecek

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Sustainability and sustainable business practices look different across every resource and industry.

From recreational scuba diving to grassroots recycling efforts, sustainability is driven by local communities with a vested interest in protecting their environments long-term. Access to these sustainability efforts and awareness about their existence are barriers that require intentional participation in sustainable resource use from relevant parties. In this professional paper, sustainability efforts will be examined across three domains. Food-grade glass is one of the easiest and most efficient items to recycle, but relatively little of it is recycled. Discarded glass can take various paths, from community-led recycling events …

Grappling With Real Property Supremacy In Us Urban Climate Finance, Julia Wagner, Mark Kear, Sarah Knuth, Sahar Zavareh Hofmann, Zac E. Taylor

Student Publications [Scholarly]

In US cities, drives to secure property value against climate risks have become a preoccupation for mainstream climate finance. This real property bias sidelines non-owners and inhabitants of historically marginalized housing types, limiting their capacity to prepare for and recover from climate change events. In this intervention, we survey major pathways of existing climate finance, before turning to emerging trends for residential ‘climate-proofing,’ retrofitting efforts that bring climate finance ‘home’ to the building level. Building on the concept of ‘real property supremacy,’ we demonstrate how resourcing climate response is limited by the privileging of real property in the structure and …

Mapping Accessibility To Emergency Care Using Public Transportation, Bach Tran

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Intro: Public transit offers various advantages for both communities and individuals in terms of mobility and has the potential to serve as a practical alternative to private motorized transportation. Timely and convenient public transit becomes a lifeline for people who cannot access other types of transportation, especially when it comes to emergency care. Method: We built a private network analysis within ArcGIS Pro using coordinate data from hospitals and stand-alone emergency rooms as designated by the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) and public transit data from Orlando, FL. Establishing the accessible time as 30 minutes, we computed and visualized …

Terror And Time: Analyzing Homegrown Terrorism In The United States, Kyser Daniels-Baessler

Theses and Dissertations

The events of September 11th, 2001, prompted a global reckoning with the threat of international terrorism, leading to intensified awareness and policy responses worldwide. However, amidst this heightened global focus, the United States has faced a concerning rise in politically motivated violence on its soil. Against this backdrop, this thesis delves into the phenomenon of homegrown terrorism within the United States from 2000 to 2020. By employing advanced geospatial techniques, this study seeks to pinpoint areas nationwide with elevated rates of homegrown terrorist incidents. Moreover, it endeavors to uncover potential temporal correlations between these acts of violence and significant events, …

2024 Bber Economic Seminar - Montana Tourism Outlook Presentation, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

No abstract provided.