Community-Based Research Commons^™

Analyzing The Missing Meal Gap Beyond Elementary School, Timothy Loney, Samantha Milheiser, Brittney Wacholz

Public Sociology Publications and Projects

This paper examines ways in which Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP) can productively expand on its current work to alleviate hunger in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. This report contains a literature review addressing hunger and food insecurity, a needs assessment of hunger in Blue Earth County, case studies of existing programs, and qualitative interviews with professionals who work with the youth in these programs. We conclude by recommending three potential ways that FOCP can expand their current programs to address hunger among school-aged youth in Blue Earth County.

Race And Punishment: Demographic Disparities And Patterns In The Blue Earth County Court System, Aaron Guerdet, Alyssa Haugly, Kelsey Mischke

Public Sociology Publications and Projects

This study examines potential race and gender disparities in sentencing decisions in Blue Earth County, MN courts. Using qualitative field observations and a grounded theory approach, authors observed and analyzed court proceedings. In total, three researchers conducted seven weeks of observations; the final sample consisted of 95 observed court sessions, 50 of them being closed court cases. Results show little discrepancy in gender and charges and sentencing rates. Though there are racial discrepancies in charges that suggest discriminatory policing decisions, the data shows that minority members are being sentenced at a similar rate compared to white defendants. In all cases …

Accessing Canal Pride: The Intersection Of Identities For Lgbt People With Physical Disabilities At A Global Event, Margaret Webb

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research is the study of the intersection between queerness and disability within the context of Amsterdam Gay Pride, specifically the Canal Parade. The study examines the intersection between LGBT identity and physical disability at the event and in surrounding organization and events within the Amsterdam LGBT community. The primary research question was: how does Amsterdam Canal Pride’s accessibility affect both the positioning of the LGBT and disabled identifying community in Amsterdam and the relevance of the event as a place of activism and celebration? Five interviewees identifying as lesbian or gay, possessing a physical disability, participating in activism within …

La Educación Y El Lucro No Se Mezclan: Un Examen De Las Políticas Y Las Consecuencias De Los Colegios Particulares Subvencionados En Chile / Education And Profits Don't Mix : A Review Of Policies And The Consequences Of Subsidized Private Schools In Chile, Sophie Sharps

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With the arrival of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile (lasting from 1973-1990) came the implementation of a neoliberal economic model based on tenants such as privatization, deregulation, growth of a free market economy, and a passive government to uphold the private sector. This economic model manifested itself through structural reforms that distinctly changed the function of all institutions, including the educational system. Due to a series of changes in laws and ideology, a new educational sector (referred to as “particular subvencionado”) arose, and has only strengthened and augmented since the end of the dictatorship. In this sector, individuals, …

La Psiquiatría Comunitaria En La Corporación Bresky / Community Psychiatry In The Bresky Corporation, Connery O’Brien

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight on the community model of rehabilitation for individuals with mental health disorders in Chile with a specific focus on schizophrenia. Stigmas surrounding mental health are still very prevalent in this society. These stigmas make it difficult for patients to integrate themselves into society, and in turn, add stress to the patients’ families, who must support and care for them. The community model of mental health rehabilitation is important to consider in the efforts to re-integrate these patients into society. La Corporación Bresky, a rehabilitation center in Peñablanca, will be used as …

We Are Not The Future, We Are The Present: Cantera, Young People, And Community Development, Emily Rapport

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

CANTERA, a community organization in Ciudad Sandino with a popular education methodology, has a mission that emphasizes both personal development of its participants and social change in its community as outcomes of its work. The author of this paper looks at the connection between personal and community development in the youth programs at CANTERA, which include a variety of sociocultural and advocacy groups. The author spent three and a half weeks conducting participant observation of CANTERA's youth programs and interviewing its young people and staff members. The author presents her findings in three distinct sections. First, two case studies of …

Hispanic Entrepreneurship In Nebraska: Trends And Economic Profile, Lissette Aliaga-Linares

Latino/Latin American Studies Policy Briefs

The growth of the Hispanic population in Nebraska was accompanied by a significant increase in Hispanic entrepreneurship at the beginning of the 2000s. From 2002 to 2007, the 3,065 Hispanic-owned businesses constituted a small but dynamic and resilient segment of business growth in the state. Did participation in self-employment decrease for Hispanics after the economic crisis of 2008? What are the characteristics of Hispanic-owned businesses and Hispanics business-owners in Nebraska? Do some of these characteristics reveal social or economic barriers that could prevent these businesses from succeeding?

Layers Of Home: Dharamsala And The Changing Home Of Tibetans, Lydia Talen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

McLeod Ganj, a major suburb of Dharamsala, has been the home of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile for the past 54 years. The arrival of His Holiness caused a surge of development in McLeod Ganj. My independent study project studies the resulting changes in the physical infrastructure, the way people use space in McLeod Ganj and whether Tibetans perceive McLeod Ganj as their home. I hope to further understand the complexity and fluidity of the idea of home, specifically for Tibetan refugees, through the examination of physical changes in McLeod Ganj.

¿Cómo Amigos Comparten La Salud? Las Redes Sociales Y Factores De Riesgo. / How Do Friends Share Health? Social Networks And Risk Factors., Joanna Emerson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: How are health risk factors shared between people by means of their social networks? Objectives: The main objective of the study is to determine the correlation between a person's social network and which health risk factors are most prevalent in network members. The first specific objective is to evaluate the rates of the most common risk factors in social networks and how these disperse throughout the network. The second is to analyze whether people with similar health risk factors have similar social tendencies. The final objective is to identify the risk factors most transmittable through social networks. Background: …

Predicting Employment Intention Of Ssa Beneficiaries: A Theory-Based Approach, James Mather Ii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Employment has become an integral aspect of American society. Each year, millions of Americans engage in job search as a result of economic conditions, involuntary job loss, completion of their education, or the desire to pursue a new career opportunity. However, the employment reality for persons with disabilities remains stark. In 2012 the employment rate of working-age people with disabilities was 32.7 percent, compared to 73.6 percent for those without disabilities. Given the long-standing employment gap between persons with disabilities and those without disabilities, this exploratory research utilizes the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to predict determinates of Social Security …

Educar Para Liberar Una Investigación Del Sistema De Educación En Ex. Penitenciario Y Colina 2 Y Sus Efectos / Educating For Liberty An Investigation Of The Education System In Ex. Prison And Hill 2 And Its Effects, Patrick Miller

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar cómo funciona el sistema de educación en las cárceles de Chile y aprender los efectos de educación en los hombres encarcelados. La investigación trata de responder las siguientes preguntas: 1) ¿Qué es la motivación del estado para educar personas encarceladas? 2) ¿Qué efectos tiene educación en las cárceles? 3) ¿Cuáles son los efectos en las personas una vez que salen en libertad? Son preguntas profundas y ésta investigación solo ofrece una breve respuesta a cada uno. Esta investigación realizó entrevistas formales con un director y sub director de un liceo dentro de un …

A Community Conversation On Adolescent Pregnancy And Parenting Services: Networks Of Support, Gatekeepers To Care, And Non-Compulsory Fathering In A Black Urban Community, Tamara G.J. Leech, Elizabeth A. Adams, Marci Bounds Littlefield

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study employed Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods to document needs and capacity around adolescent pregnancy and parenting in one predominately Black, low-income urban community. Using an iterative focus group method, we engaged 60 participants in a two-day community conversation. Quantitative data from an enrollment questionnaire and qualitative transcripts of the discussions are analyzed. Our results indicate that the community’s greatest capacity lies in a network of women. Men tend to participate in parenting more holistically once formal paternity is established. Neighborhood women typically introduce adolescents to prenatal care, so delays in revealing the pregnancy to them serves as a …

Integrating Community Service Into Scholarship: Youth Engagement By Active Participation Case Study Of Ruwwad, Eunjee Anna Koh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project applies Asset-Based Community Development theory to Ruwwad, a community-based organization in Al-Natheef. As a marginalized community, the approach to community development must be investigated to ensure that it does not worsen the community dependency. Through the Myoub Khorma Youth Education and Empowerment Fund, Ruwwad provides scholarships for youth from the neighborhood and surrounding areas. The impact of the scholarship on youth was investigated through conducting student interviews and collected material culture published by the organization. Ruwwad exemplifies an example of asset-based community development in the Middle East and youth have shown that they feel empowered through an …

Fearless Friday: Erin O'Connor, Christina L. Bassler

SURGE

For fearless Friday, Surge would like to commend Silent Leader Award recipient, Erin O’Connor. The Silent Leader Award was given this year in memory of Emily Silverstein ’11, a passionate member of the campus community and a fervent advocate for peace at yesterday’s Fall Convocation. [excerpt]

Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Central Ohio Evaluation, Karen Miner-Romanoff, Kelly M. Swope

Learning Showcase 2014

This evaluation reviewed the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio (BBBSCO) Project Mentor program, specifically the program’s incorporation of AmeriCorps members as Project Coordinators during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. The evaluation was focused on answering the following questions:

1. Did the AmeriCorps members serve the target audience identified in the original grant application? If not, why not?
2. Were the AmeriCorps members utilized in the manner described in the original grant application? If not, how did the utilization of the members change from the original plan? Did these changes have a positive or negative impact on the program?
3. What …

Social Connections, Safety, And Local Environment In Three Manchester, New Hampshire, Neighborhoods Survey Of Residents’ Perceptions, Justin R. Young

Carsey Publications

This fact sheet uses data from a survey of Bakersville, Beech Street, and Gossler Park residents in Manchester, New Hampshire, to draw attention to the current state of connectedness, trust, and perceptions of the local environment in these three neighborhoods. Author Justin Young finds that residents of these neighborhoods report that they generally feel safe during the day, that they are comfortable reporting crimes to the police, and that they are hopeful that if a child was hurt or scared, there would be a trustworthy adult nearby to help. Only about half of respondents in these neighborhoods felt there was …

Opinion: Too Many Veterans With Children Are Still Homeless, Christopher R. Fee, Joshua L. Stewart

English Faculty Publications

Don’t ignore homeless veterans.

As we pause this Veterans Day to reflect on those who have sacrificed in the service of our country, let us not neglect to address the plight of those who have returned to a civilian life with far less promise than they have every right to expect. [excerpt]

Successful Communities: What Is Desired And What Is Present In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska, 2014 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans are looking for many things in a community. The characteristics of a community that most believe are absolutely essential include social dimensions (sense of personal safety), economic dimensions (jobs/economic opportunities), some basic services (a quality school system, available medical services, affordable housing, quality housing and well maintained infrastructure) and environmental dimensions (a clean and attractive natural environment).

Unfortunately, when asked if these characteristics are present in their current community, some of these areas are lacking. One of the more extreme cases involves jobs/economic opportunities. Seventy-seven percent of the respondents say these are absolutely essential in order for them …

Parental Factors That Influence Swimming In Children And Adolescents, Jennifer Pharr, Carol C. Irwin, Richard L. Irwin

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Swimming can be an important source of physical activity across the life-span. Researchers have found that parents influence physical activity behaviors of their children. The purpose of this study was to determine what parental factors influenced the number of days that children swam. Survey respondents (n = 1,909) from six cities across the United States were surveyed at local YMCAs. Children were found to swim significantly more if their parents encouraged them to swim, members of the family knew how to swim and swam with them, or their parents were not afraid of the children drowning or afraid of …

Open Scholarship For Open Education: Building The Justpublics@365 Pooc, Shawn(Ta) Smith-Cruz, Polly Thistlethwaite, Jessie Daniels

Publications and Research

This article outlines the collaboration between librarians at the Graduate Center Library of the City University of New York (CUNY) and JustPublics@365 (http://justpublics365.commons.gc.cuny.edu/about/), an initiative designed to open scholarly communication in ways that connect to social justice activism, part of which involved producing an open, online interdisciplinary course with a geographical focus on East Harlem. This Participatory Open Online Course, or POOC, was developed locally without a licensed provider platform or licensed scholarly content. It was designed to be open to CUNY students, to citizens of East Harlem, and to a global public with an interest in social …

When Words Inflict Harm: Documenting Sexuality And Gender Identity Microaggressions In Schools For Lgbtqq Youth, Darla Linville

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

With the adoption of anti-bullying laws and policies, it may seem that things are looking up for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or questioning (LGBTQQ) youth. We might assume that these laws and policies would better protect them from insults, harassment and violence at the hands of their peers and teachers. In fact, this is sometimes the case. But it is also the case that the insults become more covert, more implicit. Looking at microaggressions gives educational researchers and school personnel the opportunity to examine how gender nonconforming or non-heterosexual youth, or those perceived to be non-heterosexual, are assaulted, invalidated …

On Air With The Community An Exploration Of Five Community Radio Stations In The Western Cape, Kelsey Warren

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The closing of apartheid in South Africa was brought by new measures for democracy in 1994. Community radio stations were seen as measures for local communication and involvement in giving different communities voices that has formerly been lost. This paper attempts to discover the relevance of community radio stations twenty years after democracy and just how citizens are participating.

The paper begins with a review of history of community radio on different levels around the world through the use of literature. The arguments made centralize around the necessity of specialized community stations, the effect of community engagement, the lack of …

Exploring Barriers: An Analysis Of Access To Effective Tuberculosis Care In Cape Town, Yvonne Okaka

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My independent study project (ISP) examines factors that hinder access to tuberculosis (TB) healthcare and its effective implementation in Cape Town. In order to expand research on the topic, important barriers will be examined and explained. This project is relevant due to the high prevalence and mortality rates of tuberculosis in South Africa, as well as the fact that an overwhelming emphasis on HIV can lead to overlooking the serious nature of TB as a public healthcare issue. It is hoped that this study will provide more insight into improving access to TB care, and be a resource for those …

Identity Crisis: Making Sense Of Post-Apartheid Relationships Between Whiteness And Antiracism, Justin Bradshaw

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This independent study project sought to explore white South African antiracist identities during post-apartheid South Africa and how the ways of making meaning of an antiracist identity contribute to and reflect the conceptual frameworks that already exist. Furthermore, this study intended to illuminate how white identifying antiracist persons in post-apartheid South Africa can be allies in the struggle for a more racially equitable society. The frameworks involved in this project are the academic study of whiteness, critical race theory, and antiracism.

In this study the researcher interviewed four white South Africans who, in one way or another, are intellectually involved …

Ua23 Progression Through Partnerships, Aurelia Spaulding Editor, Leah Ashwill Director

ALIVE Center Publications

No abstract provided.

Chess Improves Cancer Caregivers' Burden And Mood: Results Of An Ehealth Rct, Lori L. Dubenske, David H. Gustafson, Kang Namkoong, Robert P. Hawkins, Amy K. Atwood, Roger L. Brown, Ming-Yuan Chih, Fiona Mctavish, Cindy L. Carmack, Mary K. Buss, Ramaswamy Govindan, James F. Cleary

Community & Leadership Development Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: Informal caregivers (family and friends) of people with cancer are often unprepared for their caregiving role, leading to increased burden or distress. Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) is a Web-based lung cancer information, communication, and coaching system for caregivers. This randomized trial reports the impact on caregiver burden, disruptiveness, and mood of providing caregivers access to CHESS versus the Internet with a list of recommended lung cancer websites.

METHODS: A total of 285 informal caregivers of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer were randomly assigned to a comparison group that received Internet or a treatment group that …

The Streets Are Cold, The Gangs Are Warm: An Interrogation Of Why People Join Gangs, Sanna Strand

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project is looking to examine and understand the reasons why some people join gangs while others avoid involvement with gangsterism. Gangsterism in Cape Town today is an extremely current topic due to the large numbers of gangs and gang members in the region and the violence that is connected to it. The study sought to look into the multiple and possible reasons why a life of gangsterism seem to be so attractive to many young people. To understand the other side of the issue, a second objective was to understand why other people stay away from gangsterism, which include …

The Cult Of Campus: An Analysis Of Gettysburg College Students’ Fixation On The Physical Aspects Of Their Campus, Jeffrey L. Lauck

Student Publications

This research paper takes a critical look at how Gettysburg College students interacted with a select few areas on and off the campus grounds both in the 1920s and the 2010s. This work focuses specifically on how these interactions have changed or remained the same. The majority of research was collected through Gettysburg College publications like The Blister and Cannon Bawl, which can be found in the Special Collections at Gettysburg College's Musselman Library.

A Community Conversation On Adolescent Pregnancy And Parenting Services: Networks Of Support, Gatekeepers To Care, And Non-Compulsory Fathering In A Black Urban Community, Tamara Leech, Elizabeth A. Adams, Marci Littlefield

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

This study employed Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods to document needs and capacity around adolescent pregnancy and parenting in one predominately Black, low-income urban community. Using an iterative focus group method, we engaged 60 participants in a two-day community conversation. Quantitative data from an enrollment questionnaire and qualitative transcripts of the discussions are analyzed. Our results indicate that the community’s greatest capacity lies in a network of women. Men tend to participate in parenting more holistically once formal paternity is established. Neighborhood women typically introduce adolescents to prenatal care, so delays in revealing the pregnancy to them serve as a …

Upaya Perlindungan Anak Melalui Pelayanan Shelter Anak : Studi Deskriptif Rumah Peduli Anak Tenaga Kerja Indonesia, Dyah Susilowati, Sofyan Cholid

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research discussed about the efforts of child protection through the implementation of shelter children service at Rumah Peduli Anak Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (RPA-TKI). The purpose of this research is to describe on the protection of and services provided by RPA-TKI to children who are vulnerable to the TKI neglect and child trafficking. This research is qualitative research with the kind of descriptive research. The results of this research described that the service which is provided by RPA-TKI is child protection services in the form of children’s shelter in order to meet the basic needs of TKI’s children. The service …