Sociology Commons^™

"We'll Never Get This Opportunity Again": Lived Experiences Of Platform-Based Gig Workers, Catey Hoehn

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Platform-based gig work has rapidly expanded in the United States, leading to growing concerns about economic precarity, algorithmic management, and the sustainability of labor performed through apps. Gig work has been accused of fostering exploitative conditions, masking control through the language of flexibility, and deepening cycles of debt and insecurity for workers. However, the lived experiences of gig workers often reveal complexities that differ from public narratives and company portrayals. This thesis builds on sociological studies of labor precarity to examine how platform-based gig workers experience, internalize, and resist algorithmic control. Utilizing qualitative semi-structured interviews, fifteen rideshare and delivery drivers …

Comparison Of The Division And Fairness Of Household Labor Between The 1980s And Early 2000s, Madeline Rose Provins

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this thesis is to examine change in the gendered division of household labor between the 1980s and early 2000s. The division of household labor has historically been inequitable reflecting parallel social hierarchies, power imbalances, and systemic inequalities outside the home.

I used a cohort sample of 1,157 respondents combined from the 1988 Wave 1 of the National Survey of Family and Households (NSFH) and the 2003 Wave 3 to test four hypotheses related to gender and household labor. I found that between 1988 and 2003, the gender gap closed in mean hours a week devoted to indoor …

The Effects Of Chronic Absenteeism On Average Daily Attendance Funding In Humboldt County Elementary Schools, Corabelle A. Esmailian

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Chronic absenteeism is linked to poor academic performance and lower social-emotional skills, both of which can have long-term effects on students and their communities. The California Department of Education uses average daily attendance (ADA) to determine most of the funding that public schools receive. When a student is absent, their school loses a portion of potential funding for that day. This study explores chronic absenteeism’s impact on the funding of Humboldt County’s elementary schools with a sequential exploratory research strategy and critical systems lens. Interviews with elementary administrators were conducted using a phenomenological approach to understand how this affects their …

Sex Work And Covid-19: An Intersectional Discussion Of U.S.-Based Sex Worker Experiences During The Pandemic, Sabrina M. Grandia

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all forms of industry, including that of sex work. Between October 2020 until November 2022, I did field research and interviews with nine U.S.-based sex workers throughout those months of the pandemic. Using a grounded theory approach, I asked open-ended questions about their entrance into the industry, business practices, and personal experiences before and during the pandemic. Their stories allow us to gain insight into the impact the pandemic had on them as individuals and their broader communities. My analysis highlights a prominent influence of anti-trafficking policy, politicization of the virus, and the impact of Black …

Looking At God, Looking At America: Examining The Relationship Between Beliefs About God And Support For Social Movements And Government Policies, Tess Starman Phd

Sociology: Faculty Publications

Scholars have long studied the relationship between religion and politics. This study aims to add to the conversation on this relationship by assessing a unique religiosity measure, that of beliefs about the character of God. Utilizing the 2021 Values and Beliefs of the American Public (n=1,336), this study assesses how beliefs about God independently and comparatively impact support for government policies and social movements. Results show that the belief that God is active in the world has the greatest association with policy attitudes. Further, racial identity is a significant moderator for the relationship between belief that God is active and …

Narrative Inquiry Into The Socio Economic Integration And Resilience Of The Mien Community In The United States, Teresa M. Saefong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the socioeconomic integration of the Mien community, a refugee minority sometimes overlooked in research and policy discussions, in the United States. Five participants shared their experiences through in-depth interviews and community observations. The study utilizes narrative inquiry and is informed by community cultural wealth and resilience theory. The analysis incorporated restorying, comparative, and performative approaches. The findings suggested that Mien integration depended on intergenerational storytelling, clan-based networks, multilingual skills, and the adaption of traditional practices within U.S. institutions. Community organizations were important for keeping culture alive and filling in the gaps in institutional services by giving …

A Theoretical And Empirical Adaptation Of Signaling Theory For Digital Communication: Examining Organizational Brand Identity And Credibility, Victoria Barbeisch

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation adapts signaling theory for digital communication and tests its relevance in strategic communication, specifically concerning unobservable organizational traits like brand identity values. Signaling theory explains how parties with unequal information (senders/signalers and receivers) use signals to bridge knowledge gaps and influence decision-making. While rooted in biology and economics, its application in computer-mediated communication (CMC) remains limited. This research addresses this gap through two primary aims. Aim 1 presents the first comprehensive theoretical adaptation of signaling theory for digital communication, consolidating fragmented research across multiple disciplines. Aim 2 investigates the theory's relevance in strategic communication related to unobservable brand …

Crises, Coloniality, And Energy Transformations In Puerto Rico, Laura Kuhl, Marla Perez-Lugo, Carlos Arriaga Serrano, Cecilio Ortiz Garcia, Ryan Ellis, Jennie C. Stephens

Sociology Faculty Publications

Increased attention to inclusive processes is essential to ensure injustices are not perpetuated during energy transitions. Crises, such as the collapse of the electric grid in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, present the promise of opening windows of opportunity for new ideas and voices to inform the future, but they also create opportunities for powerful interests to reinforce existing power dynamics. While coloniality has been recognized as a barrier to sustainable energy transformations, greater integration of the literature on climate coloniality and sustainability transitions is needed. This chapter analyzes visions of the future of the energy system among diverse constituents …

Permeability Of Politics: Exploring The Impact Of Mobilization On Political Discussions In A Closed Religious Community, Sara K. Guthrie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In 2016, the Amish PAC was formed with the intent of mobilizing a group of low propensity voters who they believed could help secure political victory in critical swing states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. These efforts continued through the 2020 election as the PAC continued to court voters within a closed religious community in an attempt to encourage political activity amongst those who ideologically remain apolitical. Specifically, this mobilization effort targeted those within the Amish and Mennonite communities, discussed throughout this dissertation as the ‘Plain Community’. This dissertation analyzes the mobilization attempt by measuring changes in the way the …

Community Belonging: Experiences Of Outsiderness In Appalachia, Erin Hudnall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study demonstrates the potential long standing social impacts of extractive industries in Appalachia, supported by historical data and literature that defines the region as a sacrifice zone or as resource cursed. As represented by key informants and the communities under observational study, West Virginia communities can exhibit dynamics indicative of collective trauma that is emplaced and complex in nature, given a historical high level of industrial intervention and social control that induced precarious economic, environmental, and social circumstances. Some of the main “symptoms” of this collective trauma are an aversion to outsider intervention and nostalgia about the past that …

Securitization Of African Migrants In Europe And North America, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The securitization of African migrants in Europe and North America refers to the framing of immigrants as an existential security threat rather than a socioeconomic or humanitarian concerns. This discourse driven by political rhetoric, media narratives, and policy measures, often depict African migrants as risks to national security, cultural identity, and economic stability. Governments in host countries employ stringent border controls, detention and deportation policies often justified by counterterrorism and crime prevention frameworks. However, critics argue that securitization exacerbates xenophobia, violates human rights, and fails to address root causes of migration, such as conflict, poverty, and climate change. This paper …

The Black-Market Commodification Of Human Organs And Bones: A Marxist Perspective, Erik Schulz

Nebraska Anthropologist

The trade and treatment of human remains, while seemingly straightforward, have increasingly become subjects of ethical and moral debate. Over time and in light of recent events, questions have emerged regarding the appropriateness of how human remains are handled and exchanged. This paper examines these issues through the lens of Marxist framework and the perspective of forensic anthropology. The objective is to provide contextual understanding and encourage a reevaluation of current practices, particularly within academic settings, to ensure that human morals, dignity and ethical standards are upheld.

Wondrous Uncertainty: Transforming Student Educational Experiences Using Restorative Practices, Zachary C. Schafer

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

One of the primary purposes of education is to help students make sense of their lived experiences. In the process of becoming, students navigate multiple relationships (school, peers, adults, and with self). These relationships often cause conditions of uncertainty which can be managed and transformed using restorative practices in tandem with the academic disciplines taught in school. Over the last decade this has been my inquiry puzzle, “As educators, how can we embrace uncertainty with students as a way of helping to empower them through their dignity, with the academic disciplines as a lens through which relational learning occurs in …

An Interpretative Phenomenological Study Of Sexual Assault Investigations In Sexual Assault Response Teams (Sarts), Caitlyn Marie Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide further insight into sexual assault investigations and response from the lived experiences of Sexual Assault Response Team and Task Force criminal justice professionals. There has been limited research on Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs), Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs), and Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF) units, specifically encompassing the lived experiences of their members. This interpretative phenomenological study sought to explore these collaborative multidisciplinary teams from the lived experiences of the criminal justice professionals who represent them and to analyze the factors of sexual assault investigations and response that these members find significant.

In this …

Teacher Perception On The Implementation Of A Culturally Responsive Ela Curriculum, Erica Tate Dial

Theses and Dissertations

While the principles of culturally responsive and culturally relevant teaching hold transformative potential, they can only be fully realized if educators are genuinely equipped and empowered to implement them. This qualitative study examined teacher perceptions of an English Language Arts curriculum through the lens of culturally relevant and culturally responsive teaching. A diverse group of teachers, varying in experience, age, gender, and race, were interviewed to gather a range of perspectives on the implementation of this curriculum. The study focused on addressing the following research questions: 1. What are teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive and culturally relevant instruction and academic …

The Geography Of Care: Rural Versus Urban Caregiver Perspectives On Community Resources For Parkinson’S Disease Management, Rebecca Jones

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated the experiences and perceptions of caregivers for individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) in rural versus urban settings, with particular emphasis on their access to and utilization of community resources. Through semi-structured interviews with 30 caregivers, the research explored how geographical location impacts caregiving challenges, support systems, and resource accessibility. Using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use as a theoretical framework, the study revealed both universal caregiving challenges and location-specific barriers. While all caregivers reported significant emotional burden and healthcare system navigation difficulties, rural caregivers faced distinct challenges related to resource accessibility and specialized care availability. …

Racial And Ethnic Threat And The Accessibility Of The Legal Recreational Cannabis Market In California, Kathryn L. Burnham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Racial and Ethnic Threat and the Accessibility of the Legal Recreational Cannabis Market in California

By Kathryn L. Burnham

Drug prohibition has a racialized history in the United States (US). Cannabis became synonymous with the perceived enhanced criminality of Black and Hispanic populations by the White public. Despite similar prevalence of cannabis use among people who are Black, White, and Hispanic, the vilification and stigmatization of Black and Hispanic cannabis users began in the early 1900s and continued for over a century. As individual states continue to legalize cannabis use and public opinion favors the federal legalization of cannabis, it …

Girl Gamers, Online Community, And Social Identity Theory: The Role Of Positive Distinction Strategies On Group Engagement On R/Girlgamers, Rachael Green

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identity theorists have studied the complex relationship between gender and gaming for over two decades, but research on how women persist in gaming communities despite harassment remains underdeveloped. Grounded in Social Identity Theory, this dissertation examines the subreddit r/GirlGamers to evaluate the prevalence and impact of positive distinction strategies in countering identity threats. Based on a mixed-methods approach, the findings highlight three key strategies (group permeability, social creativity, and social competition) alongside themes of emotion, structural inequality, and interpersonal violence. Statistical tests indicate that posts employing at least one positive distinction strategy receive significantly more upvotes and comments than those …

Global China In Pakistan: Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Symbolic Domination, Social Media Geopolitics, And Security Corridors, Davide Giacomo Zoppolato

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the discursive and material dimensions of China’s global rise through a case study of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Pakistan. As China becomes a leading provider of development finance, its infrastructure-led approach is reshaping geographies across the Global South. Focusing on the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—the BRI’s flagship project—I examine how Chinese and Pakistani actors co-produce development through discourses, infrastructures, and security regimes. Structured around three articles, the dissertation analyzes: (1) the official diplomatic discourses of Chinese state institutions and their reception by Pakistani media outlets; (2) the curated geopolitical discourses of Chinese social media …

Application Of Machine Learning And Natural Language Processing To Understand The Partisan Mobilization Of Ethnic Minorities, Ani Tepnadze

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores how competing interests across secondary dimensions of identity shape marginalized groups' capacity to institutionalize their grievances, particularly ethnic minorities. More specifically, I explore two mechanisms, intragroup cohesiveness and distinctiveness, as a driving force of grievance mobilization. This research is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories from political sociology, political communications, and computational social science. I examine the question of ethnic group particization in two stages. In the first stage, I developed an original machine learning pipeline to process large text corpora and identify the indicators of the strength of collective ethnic grievances in online group discussions. In the second …

Toward A University-Led Community Indicator Project For West Virginia, Daniel Carson Eades

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rural communities across the United States are experiencing profound social and economic transitions that demand innovative, asset-based approaches to community development (CD). This study responds to calls from West Virginia (WV) community development practitioners, funders, and university leaders for a standardized, contextually relevant framework to assess and track community well-being. The objective of this study was to develop a university-led community indicator project in West Virginia (WV CIP) that incorporates best practices recognized by the literature as critical to successful community-based indicator projects, specifically, the identification of scientifically and normatively grounded indicators rooted in a conceptual framework (the Community Capital …

The Role Of Interpersonal Communication With Clients In Supporting Work Effectiveness At Pt. Antavaya Tour & Travel, Dennisa Arofani Aurellia

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

Humans are social creatures who cannot live without other people around us. Humans also need to communicate with each other in order to become a basic need to share information with each other. Communication is also used as a measure of the effectiveness of a job. Communication is also divided into several meanings, one of which is interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is also used in the document division at PT. Antavaya Tour & Travel to support work effectiveness. Generally, the document division of PT. Antavaya Tour & Travel acts as a provider and service provider for making travel documents. Therefore, …

Permission To Unpack: Releasing The Traumas From Toxic Relationships, One Brick At A Time, Tomasa Villaronga

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

"Permission to Unpack: Releasing the Traumas from Toxic Relationships, One Brick at a Time" is a transformative manuscript designed to empower women to confront and heal from the traumas tied to toxic relationships. This book serves as a comprehensive guide, offering practical tools and insights to help readers engage in self-discovery and healing at their own pace. Central to the narrative are the principles of transformational leadership, guiding women on a journey of self-exploration and empowerment.

The text delves into critical themes such as Depression, Cycles, Love Bombing, Domestic Violence, Relapse, Sex, Narcissism, Trauma Bonds, Rebounding, Grief, and Forgiveness, providing …

Psychological Impacts In Exercise Riders And Professional Jockeys Following Injury, Kelley M. Renner

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

One of the most well-known equestrian sports, horse racing, is not only a cornerstone of Kentucky’s economy, but also a vital part of its culture, with professional jockeys playing an essential role in the local communities and traditions that define the state. Despite its popularity and financial impact, mental health challenges within the sport have continually been shrouded in silence and ignored in research (Ball et al., 2007). Equally concerning is the high injury prevalence, and psychological impact of these injuries (e.g., psychological distress, depression, anxiety, loss of identity, and self-esteem (King et al., 2022; Losty et al., 2019; McConn-Palfreyman …

More Than Players, More Than Coaches: Institutional Agents And Youth Development In Urban And Suburban Minority-Majority Neighborhoods, Rainah N. Folk

Theses and Dissertations

Institutional agents play a crucial role in shaping youth development. While the institutional agent framework is well established in postsecondary research, less is known about its role during mid-adolescence. Using relational ethnography and responsive interviewing, this study compares an urban and a suburban high school in minority-majority neighborhoods in Cook County, Illinois, to explore how development is influenced through relationships between sport coaches and high school athletes. Athletes in both contexts face significant challenges tied to neighborhood conditions and socioeconomic status. In response, coaches form deeply caring and supportive relationships, though their roles diverge in ways shaped by their urban …

Interfaith Marriages: Exploring The Role Of Upbringing And Lived Experiences On Interfaith Couples' Unions, Meghna Gogoi

Theses and Dissertations

This study on interfaith marriages is an example of the micro-macro linkage that we seek to make in sociology. Marriage is a “primary,” intimate relationship, but one that increasingly involves “intermarriage” across lines of race/ethnicity, religion, and cultural backgrounds. Interfaith marriages, which refer to unions between individuals from different religious backgrounds, are becoming more common in today’s contemporary society. Therefore, it is relevant to understand the experiences of couples in interfaith marriages. It highlights how individual decisions in intimate relationships are influenced by larger social structures, such as religious norms and cultural expectations. This study explores how upbringing and lived …

Cultural Identity In Mental Health Services And Helpseeking Behaviours Among African International Students, Mark Ofosu Asirifi

Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation stress impacts international students’ psychological well-being and academic success, yet research on African students remains limited. For African international students, this stress is intensified by cultural stigma surrounding mental health services, deterring help-seeking due to fears of judgment and ostracization. This identity negotiation complicates their willingness to access support, reinforcing cultural barriers to mental health care. This study explores how cultural identity shapes the mental health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors of African international students in the United States. Grounded in the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and the Health Belief Model (HBM), the research examines how acculturative stress, stigma, …

A New Theater For Age-Old Social Patterns: An Exploratory Study Of Interpersonal Dynamics And The Overlay Of Gender Within Ai Companionship, Miriam Wolff

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) companions fundamentally shifts the landscape of interpersonal communication, introducing artificial entities as relational partners rather than mere facilitators of human-to-human interaction. This exploratory study examines the interplay of machine gendering, self-disclosure, perceived partner responsiveness (PPR), and interpersonal satisfaction within human-AI interactions. Participants engaged in conversations with gendered AI companions through the program Replika, completed structured surveys, and participated in qualitative interviews. Findings indicate that users' willingness to self-disclose was influenced by their perceptions of AI responsiveness, while gendered characteristics of AI significantly shaped user expectations and communication patterns. Specifically, users often attributed distinct personality …

Experienscape And The Interior Environment: A Case Study At A Bar With Entertainment, Paige J. Hendrickson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to understand what aspects of the interior environment at a bar with bowling affect customers’ willingness to return and word-of-mouth sharing. The dimensions of the experiencescape model were used to guide the research, focusing on sensory, functional, social, and hospitality culture. A mixed qualitative methods approach was used, combining observations, focus group interviews, and moment maps to investigate customer comfort, satisfaction, excitement, memorability, and the difference in one’s perception of their experience based on ethnicity. It was found that the unique atmosphere, price, staff, and diversity were the main reasons customers returned or shared …

Perceptions And Treatment Decisions For A Drug Offender Based On Social Class, Cocaine Type, Personal Characteristics, And Compassionate Love: A Vignette Study, Yasmin A. Odeh

Theses and Dissertations

Problem: The shift from a focus on rehabilitation to the more punitive, “tough on crime” approach to illegal behavior in the U.S. has been enacted in no small way by policies connected to the use and abuse of drugs. The disparities between crack and powder cocaine—two chemically similar substances—have headlined this shift (Vagins and McCurdy 2006). However, research is scarce on laypeople’s approval of deterrence approaches for drug offenses, including as a function of types (e.g., powder vs. cocaine possession). This study examined people’s perceptions of prosecutorial decisions for drug offenders—whether they are punished, rehabilitated, or both—and whether people perceived …