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Full-Text Articles in Sociology

Inclusive Psychology Pedagogy Is Linked To Increased Belonging And Reduced Prejudice Toward Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships, Rose Bern, Rachel Dinero, Kate Linenbach, Amy Moors Jan 2026

Inclusive Psychology Pedagogy Is Linked To Increased Belonging And Reduced Prejudice Toward Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships, Rose Bern, Rachel Dinero, Kate Linenbach, Amy Moors

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Students enrolled in an elective psychology course entitled Relationship Science, which emphasized inclusive curricula focused on relationship diversity, completed pre- and postcourse assessments of attitudes toward consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships, relationship skills (e.g., constructive communication), and classroom belonging. Given the established literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+-inclusive pedagogy, attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ individuals were also measured. Comparisons of pre- and postcourse assessments revealed significant reductions in stigma toward individuals engaged in CNM, alongside increased acceptance of CNM relationships more broadly. Students also reported increases in relationship skills and classroom belonging over the course of the …


Repairing Estranged Death: Care, Politics And Ecology In The Us Funeral Industry, Cecilia Catherine Rodriguez Jan 2026

Repairing Estranged Death: Care, Politics And Ecology In The Us Funeral Industry, Cecilia Catherine Rodriguez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The industrialization of death practices in the US has separated humanity from natural cycles while centering white settler colonial norms that marginalize other cultural ways of caring for the dead. Through necropolitics, the contemporary death industry embodies capitalist values of commodification and a monopolization of care, separating death from community and its ecological cycles. Black and Indigenous feminist knowledges understand death as not a discrete event but instead as an ongoing process that shapes our relationships with both the human and more-than-human worlds. Engaging with feminist political ecologies, I extend a conversation about care and repair to contemporary death practices …


Examining Marginalized Sexual Identity Development Through Perry’S Scheme Of Cognitive Development, Miranda Bejda Jan 2026

Examining Marginalized Sexual Identity Development Through Perry’S Scheme Of Cognitive Development, Miranda Bejda

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Existing models of LGBTQ+ sexual identity development are critiqued for their linearity and lack of inclusion for diverse experiences and sexual identities. There is a call for a more robust understanding of the cognitive aspect of sexual identity development. The purpose of this dissertation is to further the understanding of how people think about their sexual identity through the developmental process using Perry’s scheme of cognitive development as a framework. Through semi-structured interviews, I analyze the LGBTQ+ sexual identity development process (Stage 1), how Perry’s scheme applies to LGBTQ+ sexual identity development (Stage 2), and propose a Perry-informed model of …


Social Safety And Social Security: Validating Context-Specific Instruments For Slums, Liss D. Romero, Katherine Palacio, Zacheous Ako Abang, Valeria Silgado, Humberto Llinas, Leidy González, Erika Frydenlund, Daniel Bolivar, Jose J. Padilla Jan 2026

Social Safety And Social Security: Validating Context-Specific Instruments For Slums, Liss D. Romero, Katherine Palacio, Zacheous Ako Abang, Valeria Silgado, Humberto Llinas, Leidy González, Erika Frydenlund, Daniel Bolivar, Jose J. Padilla

VMASC Publications

Social safety and social security are concepts that help explain a community's well-being by assessing how it manages and mitigate existing, or perceived, risks. However, these terms are often conflated, which can limit understanding, particularly in areas with unstable living conditions. This study explores both concepts in the context of residents living in slums. As the number of displaced people grows, slums and informal settlements are becoming increasingly common worldwide, making it essential to clarify these concepts. Residents of slums face numerous hazards, including crime, violence, inadequate housing, overcrowding, and limited access to essential services. To measure social safety and …


Tooth Ablation And The Jōmon - Yayoi Transition In Japan, Laura R. Erickson Jan 2026

Tooth Ablation And The Jōmon - Yayoi Transition In Japan, Laura R. Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

The Jōmon – Yayoi period transition in Japan is marked by many migrants coming through the Korean Peninsula into Kyushu, sparking changes such as the introduction of wet-rice agriculture to the native hunter-gatherer-fisher Jōmon population and decreases in tooth ablation patterns and percentages. Ritual tooth ablation, or the removal of healthy front teeth, is typically seen as a coming-of-age practice, with the Jōmon having a diverse amount of ablation patterns. In this study, I explored how the rates and variation of tooth ablation changed throughout Japan after the arrival of Yayoi migrants from the continent. After calculating ablation rates per …


Life In Laughter: Comedy’S Impact On Student Health And Success, Julia Weinstein Jan 2026

Life In Laughter: Comedy’S Impact On Student Health And Success, Julia Weinstein

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College students face rising rates of anxiety, depression, and stress, highlighting the need for accessible, stigma-free wellness interventions. While comedy is often seen as entertainment, research indicates laughter produces measurable psychological and physiological benefits, including reduced cortisol and increased endorphins. Life in Laughter, a creative-research hybrid project, investigates how live and digital comedy experiences affect college students’ mood, stress, and sense of belonging. Using mixed methods, data were collected through anonymous audience surveys, app-based reflections via JoyScroll, and interviews, supplemented by a mini-documentary. Findings suggest humor functions as both an emotional regulation tool and a means of fostering …


Lenses Of Faith And Culture: Christian College Students' Perspectives On Infertility, Mary Samuels Jan 2026

Lenses Of Faith And Culture: Christian College Students' Perspectives On Infertility, Mary Samuels

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis investigates the perspectives of Christian college students on infertility, adoption, and assisted reproductive technologies through focus group discussions. Following the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision, 13 states have established a total abortion ban, and 28 states have established abortion bans based on gestational duration. This study materializes because recently developed state-level abortion laws may impact in vitro fertilization (IVF) access if states expand legal protection of fetal personhood. Previous research has described that while Christian traditions demonstrate cultural pronatalism and opposition to abortion, Christian individuals’ concepts of infertility and views of treatments such …


“How Far Do These Roots Go Down”: An Exploration Of Latinx And Latina Fans On Representation In Disney's Encanto, Noemi Nunez Jan 2026

“How Far Do These Roots Go Down”: An Exploration Of Latinx And Latina Fans On Representation In Disney's Encanto, Noemi Nunez

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In this dissertation, I examine how Latinx and Latina audiences engaged with and interpreted Disney’s 2021 Encanto, an animated film celebrated for its representation of Colombian and broader Latinx culture. While scholarship on Latinx representation in media has expanded, less attention has been given to how Latinx audiences themselves respond to narratives that are meant to represent them, particularly within fan studies. Focusing on both a broader Latinx fan community and first-generation Latinas in the United States, this project explores how audiences negotiate representation and recognition using Encanto as a media text that centered a Latinx story. Drawing from …


Rhetoric Of Opportunity: An Analysis Of Gullah Geechee Histories Through The Lens Of Counterstory, Xaria Arthur Jan 2026

Rhetoric Of Opportunity: An Analysis Of Gullah Geechee Histories Through The Lens Of Counterstory, Xaria Arthur

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Counterstory as a method/ology has been used in a variety of disciplines to share experiences of individuals and communities whose voices have been historically silenced or suppressed. Utilizing this methodological framework, my study shares the stories of six Gullah Geechee descendants with ancestral roots in the unincorporated community of Nesmith in Williamsburg County, SC. Treating these minoritized and individual stories as experiential knowledge, I trace the counterstories as topoi to introduce and develop the theoretical concept that I call the rhetoric of opportunity, which refers to memories or stories that have come to motivate individuals toward or away from …


Illusions Of Fairness And Sacrifice, Brady Schwertfeger Jan 2026

Illusions Of Fairness And Sacrifice, Brady Schwertfeger

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The American West is a shifting landscape. An incongruous expanse of isolation and urbanity, wilderness and extraction, wealth and welfare, clear water and fire. Fifteen years ago, I moved to my mother’s ancestral homeland of Montana, and have been here ever since. Before that, I was born and raised in Texas, both the West and the South (and often something else entirely), depending on who you ask. My experiences in this region have shaped me indelibly, and have inspired this collection of essays built around culture, politics, and justice in the West. “Pinedale, Wyoming” considers the musician as itinerant wanderer …


Taking A Seat In The Circle: Decolonizing Gender Roles That Argue Against The Participation Of Feminine Bodies At The Big Drum, Juli Suzukawa Jan 2026

Taking A Seat In The Circle: Decolonizing Gender Roles That Argue Against The Participation Of Feminine Bodies At The Big Drum, Juli Suzukawa

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The origins of the Big Drum can be traced back to the 1860s when Tail Feather Woman, a Dakota woman, had a vision of its creation as a tool of resistance. The Big Drum has since expanded and can now be seen at various Indigenous ceremonies and social events. However, there has been controversy regarding the participation of feminine and queer bodies. While reasons for this vary, it has also contributed to harm amongst Indigenous youths that have a more fluid stand on gender identity and may not conform to colonial “gender norms”. In this paper, I will explore how …


Injury To Insight: Exploring The Influence Of Media On Acl Rehabilitation Experiences Of Female Soccer Players, Chynna Ho-Young Cadogan, Jill Tracey Jan 2026

Injury To Insight: Exploring The Influence Of Media On Acl Rehabilitation Experiences Of Female Soccer Players, Chynna Ho-Young Cadogan, Jill Tracey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Participation in soccer inherently carries a risk of injury, with female athletes facing a significantly higher susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (Campbell et al., 2014; Le et al., 2025; Silvers-Granelli, 2021). The increasing participation in women’s soccer, coupled with the growing demand for its consumption through spectatorship, has contributed to a rise in ACL injuries, and increase in media coverage on this phenomenon (Parsons et al., 2021). Understanding how media narratives surrounding ACL injuries and recovery may influence rehabilitation experiences can educate coaches, mental performance consultants, athletic therapists, and female soccer players to better understand and navigate ACL …


Cultivating Diversity In Sustainable Food Systems: Black Farming And Lived Experience In Rural Southern Ontario, Kadeem Jerofy Morgan-Adamson Mr. Jan 2026

Cultivating Diversity In Sustainable Food Systems: Black Farming And Lived Experience In Rural Southern Ontario, Kadeem Jerofy Morgan-Adamson Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research examines the lived experiences of Black food growers in rural Southern Ontario to understand how their perspectives challenge dominant narratives of rurality and inform broader discussions on food sovereignty in Canada. Grounded in postcolonial theory, the study highlights how historical dispossession and persistent inequities shape the access of Black communities to land and resources. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, semi-structured interviews, and reflexive journaling within a community-based research framework, the study documents the barriers Black food growers face. These include limited land access, insufficient funding, inadequate training pathways, and experiences of racial isolation in rural contexts. …


Confucian Thought As A Strategic Veil: How Western Strategy Should Correctly Compete With China, Owen Miller Jan 2026

Confucian Thought As A Strategic Veil: How Western Strategy Should Correctly Compete With China, Owen Miller

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The rise of the People's Republic of China as a peer competitor to the United States constitutes the defining geopolitical challenge of the twenty-first century, but even so, Western strategic analysis has consistently failed to engage China on its own terms. The recurrent pattern of Western misinterpretation results from projecting Western assumptions onto a state whose institutional and cultural drivers operate under fundamentally different premises, where key elements of Chinese strategic culture and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) instrumentalization of Confucianism as a moral veil are instruments of domestic legitimacy and external strategic narrative. The United States must recognize that …


I, Cock-A-Doodle-Do: Reclaiming Masculinity Through Queer Joy And Humorous Self-Exploration, Nelson J. Garcia Jan 2026

I, Cock-A-Doodle-Do: Reclaiming Masculinity Through Queer Joy And Humorous Self-Exploration, Nelson J. Garcia

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

I examine the contemporary norms of masculinity. My research wrestles with ultimately unresolvable stereotypes and imagery influencing current masculine behavior. I unearth queer potential through the physicality and behavior of the stereotypical “man’s man”. I infuse my own queer identity into my studio practice with an emphasis on humor and joy to subvert traditional models of male performance. This process drives self-exploration that allows me to personally respond, react, be directed, and redirected by the interactions between queerness and masculinity. Masculine and queer representations across various media, such as film, music, and television, historically and continuously inform restrictive cultural norms. …


Belief, Religious Practice, And Religious Self-Description: A Comparative Analysis Of World Values Survey Wave 7 Data From Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, And Uzbekistan, Margulan Alpysbay, Dinara Utebayeva, Asset Kuranbek Jan 2026

Belief, Religious Practice, And Religious Self-Description: A Comparative Analysis Of World Values Survey Wave 7 Data From Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, And Uzbekistan, Margulan Alpysbay, Dinara Utebayeva, Asset Kuranbek

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Although religiosity may appear straightforward to measure empirically, no single survey item captures it fully. This limitation is particularly evident in societies where belief in God is widespread: belief may not correspond to religious attendance, prayer frequency, or self- description as a religious person. Treating these differences as merely methodological would obscure important variation in how religiosity is expressed. A comparison of five empirical indicators of religiosity in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. It examines how belief in God, the importance of God in life, religious attendance, prayer frequency, and religious self-description converge or diverge. The analysis uses World Values Survey …


The Romanian Orthodox Church And Ukrainian Refugees: Humanitarian Response And Ecclesial Solidarity, Damian Buchiu Jan 2026

The Romanian Orthodox Church And Ukrainian Refugees: Humanitarian Response And Ecclesial Solidarity, Damian Buchiu

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Romanian Orthodox Church’s public response to Ukrainian displacement combined emergency assistance with forms of solidarity that became increasingly connected to ecclesial life. A purposive corpus of twenty-four English-language items published by the Basilica News Agency, the official news agency of the Romanian Patriarchate, between February 2022 and December 2025 forms the principal source base. These materials record humanitarian and pastoral activity while also showing how the Church publicly interpreted its response. The early response relied heavily on structures already present in dioceses and local communities, which could be redirected quickly toward …


"Just Let Your Soul Glo": Humorous Music In Black American Comedy Films, Drew Brady Jan 2026

"Just Let Your Soul Glo": Humorous Music In Black American Comedy Films, Drew Brady

Music Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I inspect ways in which music has been used to create humor and meaning in black American cinema. In doing so, I address gaps in film music scholarship, as music in comedy films and in black cinema are both neglected topics. I suggest that humor in these films arises out of a particular blend of musical irony, parody, and satire, the exact combination of which is contingent on various historical, cultural, and political factors. In order to track this trend, I analyze humorous music in eight films, each representing a unique manifestation of this tradition: Watermelon Man …


The Gender Binary And Its Effects On Athletes And Society At Large As Described In Newspaper Accounts Of Competitors In The Summer 2024 Olympics, Neo Zheng Jan 2026

The Gender Binary And Its Effects On Athletes And Society At Large As Described In Newspaper Accounts Of Competitors In The Summer 2024 Olympics, Neo Zheng

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this paper is to look at the impact of gendered language and gender rhetoric on the continued social maintenance of gender, especially as it relates to athletes. This project focuses on the patterns that arise in language of news articles on two female athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics who are accused of being transgender or male, shedding light on how media outlets talk about the topic of gender in athletes specifically, and society itself more generally.


Family Dementia Caregivers’ Disaster Preparedness In Chinese American Communities In New York City, Weiyu Mao, Bei Wu, Yaolin Pei, Zhen Cong Dec 2025

Family Dementia Caregivers’ Disaster Preparedness In Chinese American Communities In New York City, Weiyu Mao, Bei Wu, Yaolin Pei, Zhen Cong

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Disaster preparedness is a significant public health concern. Disasters manifest in different forms and often lead to disruption of daily life. This is especially challenging for family dementia caregivers and their care recipients in the community. There remains much unknown regarding dementia caregiver disaster preparedness, especially in ethnic and racial communities. Guided by Protection Motivation Theory, with the backdrop of Hurricane Ida, this study explored the association between caregiving-related characteristics, cognitive appraisals, and disaster preparedness among caregivers in Chinese American communities. Data came from a pilot study on Chinese American family dementia caregivers in New York City between November 2021 …


Coolies Of Shimla: Modern Slavery As Relic Of The British Raj, Priya Kapoor Dec 2025

Coolies Of Shimla: Modern Slavery As Relic Of The British Raj, Priya Kapoor

Politics and Global Affairs Faculty Publications and Presentations

Coolie labor needs to be understood as a contemporary transnational practice rooted in local practices of feudal kings and the British Empire. When the British Raj established Shimla as its summer capital in 1864, they did not eliminate archaic labor practices; instead, they cleverly modified them to serve the Empire’s infrastructural needs. Under the guise of reform, the British introduced nominal pay to bypass anti-slavery laws, effectively rebranding the forced laborer as the "coolie"—a racialized linguistic construct that signified a state of permanent subalternity. This labor force was the veritable backbone of the Raj, manually carving the treacherous Hindustan-Tibet Road …


Living Through Adversity: Understanding Discrimination, Resilience, And Psychological Well-Being Among Filipino Transgender Youth, Allaiza Liz M. Sarino, Athena Christine P. Garcia, Kirsten Jada P. Hinto, Stella P. Go Dec 2025

Living Through Adversity: Understanding Discrimination, Resilience, And Psychological Well-Being Among Filipino Transgender Youth, Allaiza Liz M. Sarino, Athena Christine P. Garcia, Kirsten Jada P. Hinto, Stella P. Go

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Transgender youth continue to face systemic discrimination and social marginalization. These barriers can hinder their development and negatively affect their psychological well-being. However, little is known about the specific ways Filipino transgender youth experience discrimination and develop resilience. To address this gap, this study sought to understand the lived experiences of Filipino transgender youth, focusing on the discrimination they face and the resilience factors that contribute to their psychological well-being. This study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach, utilizing online in-depth interviews with nine transgender youth aged 17 to 23 from Metro Manila, comprising five female-to-male and four male-to-female individuals, who …


Decoding The Girl Code: Exploring The Unwritten Norms In Female Adolescent Friendships, Lindsay Angela F. Azura, Annica Mariz G. Ilagan, Krystine Jean O. Obia, Natalie Allyana P. Talplacido, Stella P. Go Dec 2025

Decoding The Girl Code: Exploring The Unwritten Norms In Female Adolescent Friendships, Lindsay Angela F. Azura, Annica Mariz G. Ilagan, Krystine Jean O. Obia, Natalie Allyana P. Talplacido, Stella P. Go

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

The girl code refers to a set of unspoken social rules that shape how adolescent girls form, maintain, and navigate close female friendships. These unwritten norms influence how they provide support, handle emotional challenges, and navigate moral decisions. Despite its significant impact on female adolescent relationships, research on the girl code, especially within the Philippine context, remains limited. This qualitative exploratory study examines how the girl code operates among cisgender Filipino adolescent girls, focusing on its key aspects, underlying values, development, enforcement, and consequences. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among close-knit female friendship groups of senior high school …


From Universities, Streets, To Modern Contemporary Society: Becoming, Being, And Living As "Babaeng Aktibista", Mariah Alyssa Lorico Ampat, Jameelah Mikaellah Ahliya C. Robles, Zedrick Sombria Roa, Jessica Louise Cruz Clauna, Leo Vicentino Dec 2025

From Universities, Streets, To Modern Contemporary Society: Becoming, Being, And Living As "Babaeng Aktibista", Mariah Alyssa Lorico Ampat, Jameelah Mikaellah Ahliya C. Robles, Zedrick Sombria Roa, Jessica Louise Cruz Clauna, Leo Vicentino

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Historically, women faced patterns of prejudice and gender-based oppression, resulting in the denial of their fundamental rights. Through years of ingrained subordination under authoritarian regimes, activism birthed various movements and organizations that sought liberation. As militant groups gained traction, withstanding large-scale issues, women’s struggles were seldom addressed within nationalist movements. Literature has documented the roots of activism, women’s organizations, and the socio-political conditions throughout Philippine history. However, there is a narrow understanding of women’s experiences and how these mold their individual identities in response to shared struggles. This study attempts to design a local framework elucidating the motivations and drivers …


Embedded Paradox : The Integration Of Internationalization And Localization In Sino-Foreign Cooperative Universities, Jiaxin Guo Dec 2025

Embedded Paradox : The Integration Of Internationalization And Localization In Sino-Foreign Cooperative Universities, Jiaxin Guo

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

With the rapid development of Sino-foreign cooperative universities and their growing prominence in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), existing research has begun to focus on this niche sector. While prior studies have examined the tensions of global integration and local responsiveness in such institutions at a macro level, limited attention has been paid to students and faculty—the primary agents of educational practice. To address this gap, this study conducts fieldwork at CUHK-Shenzhen, a cross-border collaborative university in the GBA. This study adopted a qualitative research method and collected field data over six months, including teaching activities and campus …


Guidos And Grenades: Shaming Discourses In Mtv’S Jersey Shore, Mackenzie K. Mickavicz Ms., Aubree A. Herman Dec 2025

Guidos And Grenades: Shaming Discourses In Mtv’S Jersey Shore, Mackenzie K. Mickavicz Ms., Aubree A. Herman

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

MTV’s Jersey Shore, launched in 2009, reached nearly 9 million viewers at the peak of its popularity. Inspired by the language used by the show’s male cast members to criticize a woman’s weight and appearance, such as “grenade” and “atomic bomb,” this study applies social congitive theory and reality television framework to analyze instances of shaming on Jersey Shore. Through a mixed-methods analysis, this study identifies the various forms of shaming depicted and explores how gender dynamics and character relationships affect these interactions. Findings reveal the most frequent forms of shaming, shame targets, and shame initiators as well as …


Tinig-Karakter Sa Mga Pader: Graffiti, Bandalismo, At Mga Banyulatin Sa Piling Panitikang Filipino (Character-Voices On Walls: Graffiti, Vandalism, And Latrinalia In Select Philippine Literature), Harvey James G. Castillo Dec 2025

Tinig-Karakter Sa Mga Pader: Graffiti, Bandalismo, At Mga Banyulatin Sa Piling Panitikang Filipino (Character-Voices On Walls: Graffiti, Vandalism, And Latrinalia In Select Philippine Literature), Harvey James G. Castillo

Filipino Faculty Publications

Makailang beses lilitaw sa tradisyonal na midya at social media sa nagdaang kalahating dekada ang ilang pagtutol, pagbabawal, at pandidiri sa mga graffiti at nagsusulat ng mga graffiti mula sa parehong mamamayan at maykapangyarihan. Bunsod ng paggamit ng mga militanteng grupo sa graffiti bilang anyong pamprotesta sa Kalakhang Maynila, tatagurian ng nakararami ang gayong mga sulatin bilang bandalismo o paninira lamang sa pampubliko o pribadong pagmamay-ari. Taliwas ito sa balintunang paggamit din ng estado at merkado sa graffiti, o estetika ng graffiti, sa pamamahala ng espasyo o pagbebenta ng produkto. Sa ganang ito, bumabaling ang pag-aaral sa panitikan bilang lunan …


Late-Stage Capitalism And Consumerism In Higher Education: A Morphogenetic Analysis, Kallen Zhou Dec 2025

Late-Stage Capitalism And Consumerism In Higher Education: A Morphogenetic Analysis, Kallen Zhou

Publications

Facing widespread student disengagement and dissatisfaction, U.S. higher education is undergoing a paradigm shift, detaching from its civic and pedagogical origins. A key force driving this transformation is the rise of student consumerism. While existing literature documents market-driven actions adopted by higher education institutions (HEIs) and the consumer roles students play, it overlooks structural market forces. Specifically, little theorization exists on the relationship between late-stage capitalism and student consumerism. This paper addresses that gap through two steps: first, offering a historical analysis of the traditional university model, late-stage capitalism, academic capitalism, and the decline of the liberal arts; second, developing …


Inside The Gen Z Vote Across Gender And Race, Juliet La Sala Dec 2025

Inside The Gen Z Vote Across Gender And Race, Juliet La Sala

Capstones

This capstone examines how two people from two different Gen Z groups are navigating the 2024 U.S. election. One story revolves around a young woman adopting a U.S. version of South Korea’s 4B Movement and another reflects on a Gen Z Arab American responding to the Israel–Hamas war. Through reported stories and interviews, it explores how personal experience, gender and ethnic violence, and political disillusionment shaped these young voters’ choices and activism. Sierra Bee's story is in light of Trump's election and Liam's is right before the 2024 election took place. Together, the pieces highlight how global events and identity-based …


Gamergate And The Woke Mind Virus, Gavin Graves Dec 2025

Gamergate And The Woke Mind Virus, Gavin Graves

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This text concerns the formation of beliefs that would shape the 2014 harassment campaign of GamerGate. Specifically, how GamerGate was perpetuated by stereotypes and ideas in Geekdom that spanned from the 60’s Disco Demolition to the Internet’s Wild West that ended in 2013. These include ideas like simulated ethnicity, geek melodrama, nerd determinism, and nerd fatalism. It also discusses the views and beliefs on anonymity, critique, and social capitals of the Wild West Internet and how the changing views of these led to resentment that started the movement. Drawing from historical research, I studied the history of moral panics like …