Sociology Commons^™

Unframing Spatial Presence And Resonating Aesthetic Presence : A “Continuous Interaction” Of Visitor Engagement With Chinese Art, Yi Zhu

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Digital technologies, as a prevalent method of display in museums, has been widely used in the presentation and creation of Chinese art, such as software, hardware, and interactive installations in exhibitions. According to Peng Feng (2022), digital technologies can effectively disseminate Chinese classical artworks while enriching visitors’ experience, enhancing their perceptions of aesthetic concepts and facilitating their understanding of the artworks. However, current studies are primarily focused on the social and cultural background information conveyed by the objects, rather than the visitor experiences in the process of interaction with the artworks. Digital technologies can engage visitors through active interaction with …

Benefits And Challenges Of Collaborative Networks Addressing Food System Disruptions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dikshya Dahal, Tania Schusler

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food systems with disproportionate impacts on marginalized social groups, which in the USA included racial and ethnic minorities, working class families, immigrants, seniors, and people with disabilities, among others. The pandemic also greatly affected the operations of nonprofit organizations, which play important roles in disaster response. We explored how social networks supported non-profit organizations’ efforts to address increased food insecurity and food-related business disruptions during the pandemic in the Chicago region, IL, USA. We used mixed methods including a Social Network Analysis (SNA) of 48 organizations and their reported partners plus focus group discussions with representatives …

Community-Engaged Learning For Online Courses, Marsha W. Maxwell Phd, Katarina Friberg-Felsted Phd, Jacqueline L. Eaton Phd, Megan R. Medina, Denise Crismon

Transforming Communities

This article explores how to ensure the quality of community-engaged learning (CEL) course outcomes for online courses. We share insights and knowledge of three instructors who have successfully integrated CEL into their online courses. Based on these instructors' experiences, this article discusses four key topics related to online CEL courses: finding mutually beneficial partnerships, managing expectations, managing student-partner interactions, and following up with students. While we have found that the benefits of CEL outweigh the drawbacks, adding CEL to the dynamics of an online course can prove complicated for instructors, who must consider the time commitment, communication challenges, and course …

Living Arrangements Of Grandparents In The Mountain West, 2021, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, Kristian Thymianos, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet examines data on living arrangements from the U.S. Census Bureau report “Grandparents and Their Coresident Grandchildren: 2021.” This fact sheet includes data on the number of grandparents living with their grandchildren, the percentage of grandparents living with grandchildren, and the percentage of grandparents that are responsible for grandchildren in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

#Clandestini: How Italy's Center-Right Parliamentary Coalition Frames The Migrant Crisis On Social Media, Jenna Lynn Depasquale

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation examines the intersection of Italian neo-fascism, the Mediterranean migrant crisis, and digital media. Through a qualitative content analysis of the Twitter and Instagram posts made by Italy's center-right parliamentary coalition from 2014-2018, this research outlines frameworks that facilitate both the physical and social deaths of migrants. Twitter is a platform on which bite-sized xenophobic messages characterize migrants as criminals, spoiled youth, spreaders of infectious disease, and future terrorists--sometimes in a contradictory fashion. Instagram is a medium for conveying Italian identity and history, which disregards the longstanding contributions of people of color, including Muslims, in Southern Italy. Comment sections …

Latino Threat Perceptions And Immigration Attitudes: An Examination Across Generations Of Latinos, Michelle Angel

Dissertations and Theses

Recently, immigration has been a major focus in U.S. politics, more importantly with the current administration pushing for the implementation of punitive immigration policies. Research shows that perceived Latino threat is associated with support of Trump and harsh border controls. While existing research has expanded the perceived Latino threat and punitive border control attitudes among non-Latinos, less is known about how perceived Latino threat and punitive border control attitudes function within their own group and how they might vary across different generations of Latinos. Accordingly, there has been a shift in Latino voting preferences, specifically across different generations of Latinos. …

Examining The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Service Quality, Student Satisfaction, And Intention To Persist At Different Higher Education Institutions, Denise Hardesty, Aaron W. Hughey

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

Using a correlational research design, this quantitative, descriptive study was conducted at a two-year community college and a four-year public university. A modified version of the Perceived Service Quality (PSQ) instrument was used to survey full-time, undergraduate students at each institution to examine perceptinos of service quality and whether those perceptions impact a student's decision to return the next semester. Students at both institutions in the study reported a high level of satisfaction in all three primary dimensions of service quality; no significant differences were found to exist in the way in which service quality is perceived by students based …

Resilience Of Women Entrepreneurs In Mindanao And The Impact Of Access To Finance And Digital Technologies, World Bank, Ateneo Center For Social Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise Development Partnerships Inc.

Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSEnt)

Executive Summary

This report examines the resilience of women nano- entrepreneurs in Mindanao and explores the impact of access to finance and digital technologies on their business sustainability. Utilizing data from the Social Enterprise Development Partnerships Inc. (SEDPI) and focus group discussions (FGDs), the study identifies key challenges and coping mechanisms employed by women-led nano- enterprises. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and microfinance institutions (MFIs) to design targeted interventions that strengthen the sustainability of these enterprises, particularly in the face of economic and environmental shocks. Women-led nano-enterprises in Mindanao typically operate informally, with assets ranging from PhP3,000 to …

The State Of Asian American Studies In Massachusetts High Schools, Christine Montecillo Leider, Christopher C. Martell

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

This study included a statewide survey of over 150 high school humanities teachers in Massachusetts to gather data on how Asian American studies is being included in the curricula and to learn how prepared the educators feel to teach Asian American studies content. Expanding on the survey are case studies of five Massachusetts Asian American studies teachers and their approaches to teaching Asian American studies.

The study was conducted to provide evidence-based findings to inform teacher education, education policy, and research about best practices for Asian American Studies in humanities classrooms. Three recommendations revolve around increased opportunities for teacher preparation …

Listening Suppers At The Landing Place: Talking With Rockland-Area Youth About School, Work, & Life, Jillian Foley Mppm, Swathi Sivasubramanian, Timothy Atkinson, Olivia Eckert, Emma Schwartz

Justice Policy

This piece (June 2025) is a collaboration with our partners at The Landing Place to amplify youth voices and ideas for systems change that came out of a series of conversations with youth in Rockland, called Listening Suppers which aimed to inspire conversations about school, work, family, community supports, relationships, and more. This short brief highlights the themes that came out of these conversations including community strengths and assets, gaps and youth needs, and youth informed recommendations for change. While much of the conversations were specific to the local Rockland community, the challenges and solutions highlighted are similar to what …

Building Youth Hope: Assessing Community Assets And Opportunities For Supporting Youth Well-Being In The Sagadahoc County Area, Emma Schwartz, Jillian Foley, Timothy Atkinson

Justice Policy

This report aims to build upon previous research and provides updated information on community assets to support youth in the Sagadahoc County area. The report examines the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for community investment with the goal of improving outcomes related to youth hopefulness, belonging, and well-being. The project team engaged community members in a variety of asset mapping and data collection activities which are summarized in this report. The report authors also make recommendations related to expanding youth connections to informal supports and third places, ensuring access to a variety of assets that are responsive to their holistic needs, …

Prevalence And Associated Factors Of Mental And Substance Use Problems Among Adults In Kenya: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study, Patrick Nzivo Mwangala, Anita Kerubo, Millicent Makandi, Rachel Odhiambo, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Data on the burden and determinants of mental and substance use problems among women in urban and rural informal settlements in Kenya is sparse, thus limiting preventive and treatment efforts in these areas. To bridge the gap, we (a) determined the prevalence of depressive, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol and drug use problems among women compared to their spouses and (b) examined the correlates of these outcomes. Data collection for this cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2022 in Mombasa, Kwale and Nairobi counties in Kenya. A total of 1528 adults (1048 women) took part. The 9-Item …

A Research Guide And Annotated Bibliography For The Comparative Study Of Lgbtqia+ Social Movements Across East Asia, San Lee

FIRE Fund Bibliographies

This bibliography includes literature on how LGBTQIA+ movements across East Asia have evolved through local histories, politics, and cultural understandings of sexuality. While many societies had pre-existing, non-Western concepts of same-sex relations, post-1990s democratization and global human rights discourse reshaped activism in distinct ways. Movements in places like the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong engage with nationalism, decolonial perspectives, and social norms to construct unique approaches to queer rights. The guide highlights the need to understand LGBTQIA+ activism through each society’s specific historical and political context.

Political Sociology, Talha C. Issevenler

Open Educational Resources

This open-access textbook on political sociology introduces and problematizes the classical categories and parameters of the field. It explores the main approaches to the state and governance, while conceptualizing a turn toward network power. Specific chapters address political spacetime, violence, secrecy, social movements, politicization, interdisciplinarity, media, biopolitics, and event-analysis. Multimedia pedagogical exercises accompany the conceptual exposition.

A Comprehensive Science Mapping Of Tourism And Hospitality Research: Tribes, Territories And Networks, Songshan (Sam) Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliographic analysis of the field of tourism and hospitality research by mapping the contributions of researchers, research institutions and evolution of research topics and collaboration networks. Metadata from 27 SSCI and 30 ESCI tourism and hospitality journals were collected from Web of Science. Data analysis was conducted utilizing R package of Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny, adhering to the guidelines of bibliometric analysis. The study identified topics of sustainability and IT technology applications in tourism and hospitality as the recent research fronts. An increasing number of Chinese origin researchers emerged in the author collaboration network, …

Criminal Organizations And Nuclear Threats In Southeast Asia, Gary Ackerman, Thomas Guarrieri, Justin V. Hastings, Steven Hoodjer

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Increasing global interest in nuclear energy and peaceful uses of nuclear technology has led to facilities in emerging countries with nuclear materials and radioactive sources that could be stolen, sabotaged, or otherwise accessed by criminals. In this paper, we created a framework to assess the motivations and capabilities of criminal networks and measure the threats they may pose to different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle in emerging nuclear states. We applied the framework to a unique dataset, capturing characteristics of criminal organizations active in Southeast Asia, which allowed us to assess which criminal organizations are most likely to pose …

Nursing Education Research In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review And Bibliometric Analysis, Beth Waweru, Peter Gatiti, Serah Wachira

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Nursing education is pivotal for ensuring competent healthcare professionals, and its improvement is essential for enhancing the quality of health care systems globally. This study focuses on nursing education research in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over the last decade, employing both bibliometric analysis and systematic review methodologies. The bibliometric analysis reveals an evolving landscape of nursing education research in SSA, offering insights into trends, key countries, journals, and predominant research themes. Notably, the study identifies a scarcity of literature using bibliometric approaches in nursing research, addressing this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the field.The systematic review, guided by the …

Aging In Harwich: A Community Needs Assessment, Claire E. Wickersham, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

At a time of such significant population aging, the Harwich Council on Aging commissioned a community-wide needs assessment with support from the Friends of the Harwich Council on Aging. The specific goal of this report is to support the strategic planning of the Harwich Council on Aging. An additional goal is to present information useful to other Harwich departments and organizations interacting with older residents planning for the future of Harwich. This report presents the results of a comprehensive examination of issues relating to aging in Harwich. Results presented here focus on the characteristics and needs of Harwich residents aged …

An Intervention To Increase Belonging And Support Retention For Faculty Of Color And Women Faculty, Robyn K. Mallett, Zahra Naqi-Hasnain, Dana Garbarski, Christine Li-Grining, David Ensminger, Walter Tangarife, Badia Ahad

Sociology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Faculty of Color and women faculty face significant obstacles (e.g., isolation, marginalization, tokenism) on the road to tenure and promotion. We translate social psychological research on the contact hypothesis and belonging and adapt previous interventions at other universities to deliver an institutional-level intervention designed to support faculty belonging and retention. This study utilizes a faculty climate survey and institutional-level demographic data to assess tenure-track faculty belonging and retention following the intervention. We observe greater perceptions of institutional support for diversity and lesser disparities in belonging and tenure rates among historically marginalized faculty over three years following the intervention. We discuss …

Enditnow Impact Study Findings, Shannon M. Trecartin, René Drumm, Petr Cincala, Ellen Nogueira Rodrigues, Yazmik Cantillano, Kayla-Hope Bruno, Lalramliani Ralte

Faculty Publications

In January 2025, researchers at Andrews University (AU) initiated a study to evaluate Seventh-day Adventist churches’ engagement with the 2024 Abuse Prevention or enditnow Sabbath. The purpose of the study was initially to assess visibility and participation through the publicly available digital platforms of the sampled churches. The findings from that investigation were reported to the Departments of Archives and Statistics and Women’s Ministries in June 2025. The study’s scope expanded when researchers received a faculty research grant from Andrews University’s Office of Research to further investigate how Adventist churches across the NAD participate in the enditnow Sabbath. This report …

The Heart Of The Defense: Exploring The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Competence, And Client-Centered Lawyering In Public Defense, Cherise Burdeen

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), cultural competence, and client-centered lawyering (CCL) within the public defense system. Using a mixed-methods design, this study analyzed quantitative data from 96 White public defenders and qualitative data from a focus group of 7 experienced public defense trainers. Because of the disparate racialized impact of the criminal legal system and anti-Blackness as a foundational component of the United States, cultural competence was operationalized as antiracism. Pearson correlations revealed significant, positive relationships between EI and CCL, r = .483, p < .001; antiracism and CCL, r = .356, p < .001; and EI and antiracism, r = .225, p = .027). Regression analyses indicated that EI significantly predicted both antiracism (β = .225, p =.027) and CCL (β = .483, p < .001), and that antiracism independently predicted CCL (β = .260, p =.004). A combined model including both EI and antiracism accounted for 29.7% of the variance in CCL scores, R² = .297, p < .001. Qualitative findings revealed that CCL and cultural competence are often viewed by attorneys as intuitive or already mastered, yet training on these skills typically provokes emotional dysregulation and resistance. The qualitative and quantitative analysis resulted in the Emotion-First Praxis Theory (EFPT), which posits that EI is a prerequisite for antiracist and client-centered practice, and that if contextualized in antiracist work, emotionally developed White facilitators should work with White people, to prepare them for the kinds of collaborations needed to ensure tangible results. Recommendations are offered to improve antiracism work in and beyond public defense systems. Future research should validate the CCL measure with clients, expand sampling, and empirically test EFPT in diverse settings.

Land Access As Liberation: A Qualitative Study On Faith, Food, And Farming Of Urban And Rural Black Land Stewards In The United States, Dominique Edwards

Dissertations

Since 1920, Black farmers in the United States have held less than 2% of the nation's farmland, a direct result of race-based discriminatory policies embedded within federal, state, local, and county-level institutions (Daniel, 2013). Structural barriers—ranging from exclusionary lending practices by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the systematic dispossession of land through legal loopholes, heirs’ property laws, and violent racial terror—have contributed to this staggering decline in Black land ownership (Gilbert et al., 2002). The erosion of Black agrarian landholdings intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, as government programs, civil rights legislation, and technological advancements, …

“You Can Rise Back Up Again”: Using Photovoice To Understand Healing From Intimate Partner Violence Among Lgbtq+ Racial-Ethnic Minority College Students, Stephanie Lim

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a longstanding public health crisis that has been linked to deleterious mental and physical health issues and negative academic outcomes among college students. Further, IPV disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ individuals and certain racial-ethnic minority students. Campus services are not adequately meeting the needs of these survivors and these efforts would be better informed by centering students disproportionately affected by IPV. Guided by intersectionality and minority stress theories, the current photovoice study examined the strengths that fostered healing and the challenges that LGBTQ+ racial-ethnic minority survivors faced in their recovery journeys. Participants were eight LGBTQ+ racial-ethnic minority …

Health And Wellbeing: A Report Of The 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, A. Rastogi, L. Menard, G. H. Miller, W. Cole, Daniel Laurison, J. Caballero, S. Murano-Kinney, R. Heng-Lehtinen

Sociology & Anthropology Faculty Works

The 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) is the largest survey that examines the experiences of transgender people in the United States. The National Center for Transgender Equality (now Advocates for Trans Equality) conducted the survey in the fall of 2022 and 92,329 binary and nonbinary transgender respondents from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. military bases took the survey. The USTS was an anonymous, online survey for transgender people ages 16 and older in the United States and was available in both English and Spanish. The 2022 survey followed the 2015 USTS …

Understanding Gender Differences In Digital Readiness During Digital Transformation In Accounting Functions: Accounting Professionals’ Perspective, Benjamin Lee, Clarence Goh, Gary Pan, Poh-Sun Seow

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Research aims: To examine gender differences in digital readiness during digital transformation in accounting functions, addressing a knowledge gap in current accounting literature. Design/Methodology/Approach: Survey of 297 accounting professionals (180 men, 117 women) with 27 questions on digital readiness perceptions, analysed using exploratory factor analysis and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests. Research findings: Women exhibited higher overall digital readiness than men, particularly feeling more empowered by senior management and better equipped to continue job tasks during digital transformation. No gender differences were found in perceptions of knowledge and skills, barriers, or organisational strategy. Theoretical contribution/Originality: Challenges traditional stereotypes about …

The Rose That Grew From Concrete: Exploring The Romantic Experiences Of Black Men With Histories Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Tatyana Nichelle Smith

Dissertations

Contemporary research typically characterizes Black heterosexual relationships by dismal marriage and divorce rates, largely ignoring the reality of how Black men develop attachments with their romantic partners and therefore continuing to perpetuate deficit perspectives of Black men (e.g., the cause of conflictual romantic relationships and “broken” Black families). What may be less understood about these relationships is the influence of childhood trauma, such as childhood sexual abuse, and Black men’s experiences of gender role conflict. Research shows that Black men’s experiences of childhood sexual abuse and socialization about masculinity have important implications for how they come to view themselves and …

Down Syndrome In Africa: Challenges, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Eimear Mcglinchey, Salina Tewolde, Amanda He, Juan Fortea, Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza, Ayda Tefera, Emmanuel Epenge, Jason Hassenstab, Rachel Maina, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

INTRODUCTION: As life expectancy improves for people with Down syndrome (DS) in Africa, the risk of developing DS-associated Alzheimer’s disease (DSAD) will rise. There is a pressing need to plan for this emerging challenge, particularly in the context of existing health and social disparities.

METHODS: This work emerged from a pan-African collaboration, including discussions at the Brain Ageing and Dementia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries conference held in Nairobi in 2024, where stakeholders identified regional priorities for DS and dementia care.

RESULTS: Limited epidemiological, cognitive, biomarker data, delayed diagnoses, and gaps in specialized services may impact access …

Ecological Grief Among Farmers And Pastoralists In Ethiopia And Kenya, Syed Shabab Wahid, Christine Musyimi, Benjamin Oestericher, Linda Khakali, Lauren Carruth, Emily Mendenhall, Edna Bosire

Brain and Mind Institute

Climate change is a major cause of mental distress worldwide. In many ways, climate change has become a chronic disaster, while in other ways each acute event can accumulate and present challenges within and between communities. A growing body of evidence indicates that a changing climate can precipitate a cluster of negative affective states scholars call “ecological grief.” Ecological grief reflects psychological responses to climate changes and destruction of nature, species, culturally significant or sacred spaces. Until now, ecological grief has been conceptualized as a psychological response connected primarily to the destruction of the natural environment, and has not fully …

Indigenous Science And The Legacy Of Fire: Resilience, Fuels, Mosaics, And Eco-Cultural Landscapes In Oregon’S Coastal And Cascade Range, Julia Alcalá

University Honors Theses

Most of Oregon's western Cascade and Coastal range is a landscape that has historically been considered devoid of mid to low-intensity fires by Western science. However, for time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have been stewarding the forests through the use of "good fire," creating diverse and heterogenous landscapes with mixed fire regimes, ranging from less than a decade to several centuries since the last fire, resulting in a mosaic of patchy forest, oak savannas, prairies, and wetlands. Yet centuries of Indigenous displacement, cultural assimilation, and suppression of cultural burning contributed to this prevailing belief. Despite that, in recent decades, Western scientists …

Identity, Bodies, And Time: Analysis Of Transgender Education Curricula In K Through 12 Grades, Dean Weiler-Zilberman

University Honors Theses

The author analyzes lesson plans that focus on education around gender and transgender subjects--sourced from Sexual Orientation and Gender Institute (SOGI) 123 and Advocates for Youth (AFY)--and puts them in conversation with key literature on transgender education. What surfaces from their interaction are clear strong areas that support transgender education and gaps that fail transgender students.