Sociology Commons^™

การประมาณค่าความน่าจะเป็นของการเปลี่ยนสถานะทางสุขภาพ โดยใช้ข้อมูลภาคตัดขวาง จากข้อมูลการสำรวจประชากรสูงอายุในประเทศไทย พ.ศ. 2564 และ 2567, ณัฐธชนพงศ์ เธียรวรคุณ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษาพลวัตทางสถานะสุขภาพของประชากรสูงอายุมีความสำคัญต่อการเตรียมความพร้อมระบบสาธารณสุขในอนาคต โดยปกติการวิเคราะห์มักใช้แบบจำลองหลายสถานะ (multi-state model) ผ่านข้อมูลการติดตามระยะยาว (longitudinal data) อย่างไรก็ตาม ด้วยสภาพความจำกัดของข้อมูลประเภทดังกล่าวในประเทศไทย งานศึกษาฉบับนี้จึงได้พัฒนาแบบจำลองหลายสถานะรูปแบบมาร์คอฟ (Markov) โดยประยุกต์ใช้ข้อมูลภาคตัดขวาง จากการสำรวจประชากรสูงอายุในประเทศไทยสองรอบล่าสุด คือ พ.ศ. 2564 และ 2567 เพื่อประมาณค่าความน่าจะเป็นของการเปลี่ยนสถานะทางสุขภาพ ระหว่างสถานะอิสระ พึ่งพิง และการตาย ในช่วง 3 ปี รวมทั้ง เพื่อคาดประมาณประชากรจำแนกตามสถานะทางสุขภาพ จนถึง พ.ศ. 2579 และประเมินความเป็นไปได้ในการบรรลุเป้าหมาย เรื่องอัตราส่วนประชากรสถานะอิสระต่อประชากรสถานะพึ่งพิง ตามแผนยุทธศาสตร์ชาติระยะ 20 ปี ด้านสาธารณสุข ผลการศึกษาพบว่า ความน่าจะเป็นของการคงอยู่ในสถานะอิสระ และการคงอยู่ในสถานะพึ่งพิง จะมีแนวโน้มลดลงเมื่ออายุเพิ่มขึ้น ในขณะที่ความน่าจะเป็นของการเปลี่ยนสถานะจากอิสระเป็นพึ่งพิงกลับมีแนวโน้มเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างต่อเนื่อง ซึ่งสอดคล้องกับธรรมชาติของการเสื่อมถอยทางสุขภาพ และการเพิ่มขึ้นของความเสี่ยงในการเสียชีวิต ซึ่งสะท้อนผ่านแนวโน้มของความน่าจะเป็นในการเสียชีวิต ทั้งจากสถานะอิสระและสถานะพึ่งพิง ที่สูงขึ้นตามอายุ โดยในเชิงทฤษฎี ผลการศึกษายืนยันการดำรงอยู่ของปรากฏการณ์ความย้อนแย้งระหว่างการเจ็บป่วยและการเสียชีวิต (morbidity–mortality paradox) กล่าวคือ ประชากรเพศชายมีความน่าจะเป็นของการเสียชีวิตจากสถานะอิสระสูง แต่มีความน่าจะเป็นของการเข้าสู่สถานะพึ่งพิงต่ำ ในขณะที่ประชากรเพศหญิงแม้จะมีแนวโน้มอายุยืนยาวมากกว่า แต่ต้องใช้ชีวิตร่วมกับสถานะพึ่งพิงเป็นระยะเวลานาน นอกจากนี้ สำหรับการประเมินความเป็นไปได้ของอัตราส่วนเป้าหมาย ที่คำนวณจากประชากรคาดประมาณ พ.ศ. 2579 การศึกษาพบว่า อัตราส่วนภาพรวมทุกกลุ่มอายุที่คำนวณได้สูงกว่าเกณฑ์เป้าหมายเป็นอย่างมาก โดยเฉพาะเพศชาย อย่างไรก็ตาม ค่าที่สูงนี้อาจไม่ได้สะท้อนว่าประชากรจะมีสุขภาพดีอย่างแท้จริง เนื่องจากเป็นผลกระทบจากอัตราการเสียชีวิตที่สูง จึงส่งผลให้ตัวหารของอัตราส่วนมีค่าน้อย อีกทั้งเมื่อวิเคราะห์รายกลุ่มอายุกลับพบว่า ประชากรเพศหญิงที่มีอายุ 81 ปีขึ้นไป มีอัตราส่วนต่ำกว่าเกณฑ์เป้าหมาย ผลการศึกษานี้จึงชี้ให้เห็นถึงความสำคัญของการพิจารณารายละเอียดของประชากรอย่างถี่ถ้วน เพื่อค้นหากลุ่มประชากรที่เปราะบางทางสุขภาพ และนำไปสู่การพัฒนานโยบายสาธารณสุขที่เฉพาะเจาะจงสำหรับแต่ละกลุ่มประชากรอย่างแท้จริง

ผลกระทบการเปลี่ยนแปลงทางประชากร ทุนมนุษย์ และความเหลื่อมล้ำทางรายได้ ต่อการเจริญเติบโตทางเศรษฐกิจ, สราวัลย์ ตั้งปัทมชาติ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ (1) วิเคราะห์แนวโน้มโครงสร้างทางประชากร ทุนมนุษย์ และความเหลื่อมล้ำทางรายได้ที่มีต่อการเจริญเติบโตทางเศรษฐกิจทั่วโลกในช่วงปี ค.ศ. 1960–2020 (2) เปรียบเทียบผลกระทบของปัจจัยดังกล่าวในกลุ่มประเทศที่จำแนกตามสถานะการเข้าสู่สังคมสูงอายุ ณ ปี ค.ศ. 2020 และ (3) เสนอแนะแนวทางเชิงนโยบายเพื่อการพัฒนาเศรษฐกิจอย่างยั่งยืนภายใต้บริบทสังคมสูงวัย โดยใช้ข้อมูลพาเนลแบบไม่สมดุล (Unbalanced panel data) จาก 123 ประเทศ และวิเคราะห์ด้วยแบบจำลอง Fixed effects, Random effects และ Two-stage least squares (2SLS)ผลการศึกษาชี้ให้เห็นว่า โครงสร้างอายุประชากรมีผลต่อการเติบโตทางเศรษฐกิจแตกต่างกันตามระดับการเข้าสู่สังคมสูงอายุ โดยในประเทศสังคมสูงอายุ ประชากรวัยแรงงานยังคงเป็นแรงขับเคลื่อนหลัก ในขณะที่การเพิ่มขึ้นของอายุคาดเฉลี่ยเมื่อแรกเกิดมีส่วนสนับสนุนการเจริญเติบโตทางเศรษฐกิจ ซึ่งสะท้อนความสำคัญของนโยบายด้านสุขภาพ คุณภาพชีวิต และการส่งเสริมการทำงานในวัยสูงอายุ อันเอื้อต่อการบรรจบกันทางเศรษฐกิจ (Economic convergence) ในทางตรงกันข้าม ภาพรวมทั่วโลกและประเทศที่ยังไม่เข้าสู่สังคมสูงอายุกลับพบความสัมพันธ์เชิงลบ โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่งการเพิ่มขึ้นของประชากรวัยพึ่งพิง (ประชากรวัยเด็กและวัยสูงอายุ) และการย้ายถิ่นที่ขาดการบูรณาการทักษะอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ ซึ่งส่งผลให้เศรษฐกิจชะลอตัวนอกจากนี้ ทุนมนุษย์ที่วัดจากจำนวนปีการศึกษาเฉลี่ยเพียงอย่างเดียวไม่เพียงพอต่อการเติบโตในระยะยาว หากไม่พัฒนาทักษะให้สอดคล้องกับตลาดแรงงาน ในขณะที่การเปิดเสรีทางการค้ามีบทบาทสำคัญต่อการเติบโตและการบรรจบกันทางเศรษฐกิจในทุกกลุ่มประเทศ อย่างไรก็ดี การเพิ่มขึ้นของทุนต่อรายประชากรสะท้อนข้อจำกัดด้านประสิทธิภาพการใช้ทุนหรือผลตอบแทนส่วนเพิ่มที่ลดลง โดยภาพรวมชี้ให้เห็นว่า ประเทศรายได้น้อยยังมีศักยภาพในการเจริญเติบโตทางเศรษฐกิจได้ทันประเทศรายได้สูง ภายใต้การบริหารจัดการโครงสร้างประชากร การยกระดับคุณภาพทุนมนุษย์ และนโยบายเศรษฐกิจที่สอดรับกับบริบทสังคมสูงอายุ

Assessing Karen Indigenous Governance In Kaw Thay Ghu, Kawthoolei Through The Lens Of The Governance Vitality Framework, Phapi Rakdamrongphorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines how the traditional Karen governance institution of the Kaw sustains environmental conservation and community well-being in Kaw Thay Ghu, an Indigenous territory in Kawthoolei (Karen State, Myanmar). Situated within a conflict-affected landscape facing challenges from armed violence, displacement, and climate change, this study employs a qualitative case study approach, combining focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with elders, leaders, and youth. The research applies the Governance Vitality Framework (GVF) to assess how the five interrelated dimensions of governance are articulated within the Kaw system: Strategic Adaptability, Connectivity and Collaboration, Wisdom from Local Experience, Creativity and Empowerment, and …

From Rice Farming To Plastic Recycling: Local Innovation And Agrarian Change In Minh Khai Village, Hung Yen Province, Vietnam, Phuong Linh Pham

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research analyzes the initiation and expansion of the plastic waste recycling business from the perspective of local innovation, and the agrarian consequences of this business in Minh Khai village, Hung Yen, Vietnam. Originating in the 1980s as individual efforts to diversify household livelihoods amid poverty, Minh Khai’s plastic recycling industry gradually evolved into a community-based economic ecosystem. This development was shaped by the opportunities created through economic reforms, the geographical advantages of certain regions, and the strong role of kinship networks in sharing knowledge and new livelihood models. This transformation in livelihood patterns has driven a transition in land …

Chinese Students’ Mothers In Thailand: Transnational Education And Migration, Shan Li

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research focuses on Chinese mothers accompanying their children to study in Thailand, exploring their life experiences, identity transformation, and social adaptation within this transnational educational migration phenomenon. A mixed research method (questionnaire survey and interviews) was employed, systematically analyzing data from 151 questionnaires and 13 interviewed mothers. Results show that these accompanying mothers generally possess high levels of education and economic capability, with most abandoning their original professions for their children's education, forming a transnational family structure of husband remaining in China, wife accompanying her child in Thailand. While this model reinforces traditional gender roles, it also encourages women …

A Woman’S World Through The Lens Of Socialized Politics: How Accurate Knowledge Politically And Socially Empowers A Woman’S Autonomy, Claire G. Herzog

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women have dealt with being perceived as inferior to men, defective, and in need of control. My research draws a connection between the ways societal beliefs, judicial action and political action interact with each other to reinforce and reproduce these limiting beliefs about women. The interaction between these institutions result in underlying policies that target women's rights, silencing their voices and sense of independence, all while aiming to control the female body completely. Despite the perception that modern society has moved away from the sexist beliefs that had been created and ingrained into society centuries ago, we are left with …

Getting It “Right”: Educators’ Experiences With School Diversity In A Gentrifying Neighborhood, Jennifer B. Ayscue, Kfir Mordechay, Gage F. Matthews, Julie Whetzel

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Schools in gentrifying neighborhoods often experience demographic changes in enrollment. The purpose of this qualitative holistic case study is to describe how leaders and teachers in a diversifying elementary school in a gentrifying neighborhood perceive and experience diversity. Drawing on Turner’s value of diversity framework, we use inductive coding to analyze interviews and also use documents to inform our findings. Although Greenleaf was striving to be intentionally diverse, consensus did not exist about the meaning of “diversity” or the desired form of diversity. Challenges associated with decentering Whiteness and resisting upholding the racial contract existed as educators worked to establish …

Mismeasuring Stem?: Assessing Stem Course Taking Among Us Bachelor’S Degree Graduates, Daniel Douglas, Hal Salzman, Khudodod Khudododov

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

STEM refers to four fields of study and occupation: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. But STEM has taken on social and political meaning far beyond the sum of its component parts. Public and policy discussions of STEM, whether in education or employment, rest on a startling lack of clarity about what counts as STEM. Most studies of postsecondary STEM education focus on students’ programs of study as the measure of STEM education, but we find this metric leads to substantial mismeasurement. Instead, we argue that examining STEM course taking is a more accurate measure of STEM preparation among college students. …

Consumptive Femininity: (De)Constructions Of Gender And Colonization In Korean Diaspora Literature, Jack Kelly

Honors Program Theses

This paper explores how two authors with Korean heritage use similar metaphors to write about the same historical traumas. I engage close readings of two novels—Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko and Yu Miri’s The End of August—to interrogate how each author uses images of food/food preparation as well as images of sexual encounters to draw links between exploited bodies and exploited land. Ultimately, I find that the differences in these two authors’ approaches reflect their distance from modern centers of empire. This reminds us of the importance of having a diverse literary and historical canon that centers on authors who have …

Social Determinants Of Health And Aging In Africa: Structural Inequality, Vulnerability, And The Future Of Care, Aremu Umor Lukman, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Abdulrauf Olaitan Taofeeq

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Population aging is accelerating across Africa yet remains underrepresented in research, policy, and public health planning. This review critically examines how social determinants shape aging experiences across the continent, focusing on health, care systems, and structural inequalities. While traditional African societies have historically valued older adults, modernization, migration, and economic hardship have eroded support systems, leaving many to face old age with limited resources. Older Africans, particularly women and rural residents, contend with lifelong disadvantages including low education, informal labor, poverty, and gendered caregiving roles that contribute to poor health and social vulnerability. Health systems remain poorly equipped to address …

Western Reserve Independent Living Center: Leaders In Disability Advocacy For Eastern Ohio, Lillie Greiman, Luke Santore, Rayna Sage

Independent Living and Community Participation

Western Reserve Independent Living Center (WRILC) is a Center for Independent Living (CIL) that provides services that promote independence, advocacy, and leadership among the people with disabilities they serve. WRILC's approach is rooted in a deep commitment to empowering individuals through personalized support, peer connections, and skills development. RTC:Rural researchers explore WRILC's relationship-based community advocacy approach through the Rural Community Living Development project.

“Finally Girls Hitting A Celly:” Emotions And Gender Embodiment In Competitive Swimmers’ Post-Race Celebrations, Lauren Q. Rohde , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

In athletic competitions, the moment of achievement is often extremely cathartic and results in a visible celebration. In competitive swimming, these reactions to success are isolated to the end of a race, completely individual, and often feature interaction with one’s surroundings, such as the water or lane lines. These moments are also highly visible and usually well-photographed, and the visibility of these actions contributes to a growing culture in the sport around post-race celebrations. The exposure of the body in competitive swimming additionally contributes to its visibility, further complicating behaviors and norms around celebrating race outcomes. This research aims to …

Go Birds: Sports Fandom And Civic Identity, Benjamin Rotko , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Leaden Circles, Eternal Springs, And Rusty Pumps: Time, Nature, And Industry In Mrs. Dalloway, Katherine Evans

Anthós

This article explores often-overlooked ecocritical aspects in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, analyzing Woolf’s literary intersection of time, nature, and industry as a precursor to contemporary Anthropocene discourse. Acknowledging prevailing interpretations of Mrs. Dalloway through social lenses of trauma, class, and gender, Evans reveals how Woolf’s exploration of human-environment relationships is not only present but integral to interpreting the text fully. Drawing from textual close readings, scholarship on Woolf, and environmental humanities frameworks, Evans demonstrates how Woolf utilizes the Big Ben and a beggar woman to symbolize human-nature relationships. Evans’ ecocritical reading of Mrs. Dalloway repositions the 1925 novel within contemporary …

Seizing The Moment: Post-Covid-19 Enrollment Trends Among Nontraditional Honors Students, Solomon Aleph

Anthós

This article investigates the motivations behind the rising enrollment of nontraditional students at Portland State University’s Honors College, which nearly doubled from 2019 to 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic. Aleph argues that nontraditional students viewed education as a means of reclaiming agency and reshaping their futures. Through interviews and a focus group with four nontraditional students, Aleph explores how the pandemic created disruption and opportunities. The study finds that while economic instability and isolation were factors, intrinsic motivations—especially a desire for self-improvement, intellectual challenge, and rewriting personal narratives—were more prominent factors shaping enrollment decisions. Drawing from this qualitative analysis, Aleph …

Young Adults’ Views On Personal Death, Victor N. Soto

Anthós

Within academic discussions of death and dying, there is a deficit of qualitative studies on how young adults view personal death. This article explores young adults’ (18-24) views on personal death using inductive coding of the transcriptions of three 1:1 interviews and one focus group. Soto’s findings show that young adults view their personal death in three ways: 1) they reflect on family death experiences as frames of reference for personal death, 2) they rely on a life well- lived to ease anxiety around personal death, and 3) they use humor as a coping mechanism in thinking about and discussing …

The Role Of Cooperative Extension In Community Development: A Study Of Success Stories And Leadership Practices, George Grant

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

The Cooperative Extension System (CES) plays a vital role in community education and development across the United States. CES agents and specialists work directly with community members to identify needs, mobilize existing assets, and empower action. Despite the overlap in the fields of CES and community development, few studies have systematically analyzed the specific practices used by extension personnel who act as facilitators of change within communities. To address this gap in knowledge, a qualitative study was conducted using directed content analysis of CES success stories published through the University of Kentucky to identify practices used among two integral positions …

Cultural Learning Of Metacognition: Evidence From Blind Individuals, Marissa Renee Bamberger, Lindsay N. Harris

CISLL Publications

The cultural origins hypothesis posits conscious metacognitive abilities in humans are acquired through cultural selection facilitated by cultural learning. Interpersonal broadcasting, much of which is nonverbal, is hypothesized to be one conduit of cultural learning. Thus, individuals with no or limited access to nonverbal information, such as blind persons, should have metacognitive abilities different from those of the larger culture. To test this prediction, we asked blind (n = 23) and sighted (n = 20) adults to recall the modality (Spoken or Written) of words whose definitions they had learned, and to indicate their degree of confidence in …

Displaced: Distinguishing Housing Outcomes From Judicial Outcomes In Oregon’S Eviction Cases, Colleen Carroll, Minji Cho, Lisa K. Bates

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

In an eviction case, the tenant’s housing outcome refers to whether the tenant remains in their home (the unit) at the end of the eviction process. At the end of the eviction process, either the tenant remained in the home or was displaced. Unfortunately, housing outcomes are not systematically recorded as part of the eviction process. In some cases, the tenant’s housing outcome is recorded in the case records or court documents, but this is not always consistent. To address this, we developed three categories of housing outcomes—remained, displaced, and undeterminable—to measure the outcomes of eviction cases filed in Multnomah …

Post-Prohibition Changes In Cannabis Genetics, Caleb Y. Chen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This research examines changes in Cannabis genetics with a focus on Cannabis genetic bottlenecking. Significant knowledge gaps exist in the study of how and why Cannabis genetics have changed over time. To fill these gaps, a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with self-identified Cannabis breeders around the world. Previous qualitative Cannabis research has centered around users, growers, and dealers with few studies looking exclusively at Cannabis breeders. Results include insights into becoming a Cannabis breeder, Cannabis ideotypes, as well as Cannabis genetic bottlenecking due to unanticipated genetic linkages combined with the emphasis on breeding for agronomic factors such …

Girls First Fund: External Evaluation—Endline Evaluation Report, Brian Medina Carranza, Neelanjana Pandey, Angel Del Valle, Fatima Zahra

Adolescents and Young People

The Population Council is leading an evaluation of programs funded by the Girls First Fund (GFF) in the Dominican Republic (DR), India, and Niger. These three countries were chosen to maximize geographic, social, cultural, and economic diversity across contexts, but common to all three is the continued persistence of child marriage and the presence of collective efforts to eliminate it. The broader goal of this evaluation is to: 1) demonstrate proof of concept for the impact of  GFF-supported programs; 2) examine key outcomes of interest to the GFF and the community-based organizations that it funds, including education, child marriage, and …

Queer In & Out Of Montana: Oral Histories Of The Lgbtq+ Exodus From Montana, Erin T. Heaton

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This project will summarize findings from six oral histories of LGBTQ+ people who lived in Montana, but have left or are leaving in the near future. This project will explore the questions: Why are queer and transgender people leaving Montana? What are common experiences for LGBTQ+ people living in Montana? The answer to these questions will be derived from the stories of the Narrators who provided their oral histories. The questions utilized in the oral histories covered topics of identity, “coming out,” living history, cultural observations, community experiences and perceptions, well-being, healthcare, laws, and reasons for leaving. Thematic Analysis was …

Social Determinants Of Mental Health Outcomes, Ariana Fein

Honors Theses

Mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression, are a growing global concern with profound consequences on individuals' well-being and societal functioning. The burden of these disorders is not only psychological but also economic, affecting quality of life. Mental health outcomes are heavily influenced by a range of social determinants, such as financial status, education, and access to healthcare. While extensive research has focused on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) countries, there remains a significant gap in understanding how these determinants affect mental health in low-resource settings or non-WEIRD countries. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the …

Climate Change And Parenthood: Impact On Family Size Decision-Making, Minha Hossain, Jennifer Lai, Mindy Engle-Friedman

Publications and Research

This study explores how parental status relates to childbearing decisions in the context of climate change and builds on prior research linking climate anxiety to reduced family size intentions. A survey of 114 participants revealed that non-parents were significantly more likely than parents to plan to have fewer children and to express concerns about climate change. These findings underscore differences in how parents and non-parents approach future reproductive decisions and highlight the role of climate-related concerns in shaping family planning intentions.

When Emotions Flare: Solar Rhythms, Emotions And Cycles Of Political Revolution, Andreas Hernandez, Carolina Zilli Vieira, Alexandra Smith, Rebecca Olson

Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Revolutions are among the most transformative events in human history. Analyzing 395 revolutionary episodes from 1900 to 2014, we find that major waves cluster around solar maxima - periods of intensified geomagnetic activity. Drawing on biomedical research linking geomagnetic disturbances to cardiovascular and stress regulation, and thus to emotional states, we propose that solar cycles modulate the affective ecologies within which revolutions arise. Solar activity may accelerate, shape, and amplify revolutionary cycles by heightening emotional climates and tipping fragile systems toward mass mobilization. This reframes revolutions as planetary events - entanglements of political conflict, embodied emotion, and cosmic …

Debbie Alicen Reclaimed Her Voice And Started The Human Rights Campaign In Lincoln, Nebraska, Morgan Grey, Debbie Alicen, Moni Usasz

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A story about Debbie Alicen's efforts in the early 1980s to have an amendment added to Lincoln, Nebraska's Human Rights Ordinance that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual preference.

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 …