International and Area Studies Commons^™

Spiritual Gentrification Amid The Rise Of Platform Urbanism: "Wanghong Temples" And Emerging Buddhist Cultural Economies In Tianzhu Road, Hangzhou, China, Han Zhang, Junxi Qian, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study scrutinizes how the Tianzhu Road in the Lingyin Community - a peri-urban area in Hangzhou ringed by a cluster of temples that constitutes a distinct spiritual enclave - has been reworked through a two-phase gentrification process driven by the spiritual aesthetics and platform logics. Drawing on a two-month ethnography and media content analysis, this study conceptualizes spiritual gentrification as a spiritual aesthetics and culture-oriented recalibration of urban space in which spiritual elements operate as symbolic capital, attracting culturally motivated entrepreneurs and aligning the spiritual atmosphere with slow-life values as an alternative to urban modernity. In particular, platform urbanism …

Using Satellite-Observed Geospatial Inundation Data To Identify The Impacts Of Floods On Firm-Level Performance: The Case Of China During 2000–2009, Pao-Li Chang, Fan Zheng

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper compiles high-resolution geospatial inundation areas of China for the period 2000–2009 based on satellite imagery repositories filtered by the Global Flood Database (GFD). In parallel, we geocode a comprehensive firm-level dataset of China and combine these two sets of geospatial data to identify the set of inundated firms in each year of flood events, as well as the distances of all non-inundated firms from the inundated areas. Given the high-resolution inundation data, we adopt a generalized dynamic-panel specification to estimate dynamic and spatial spillover effects of floods on firm-level production activities (including outputs, capital and labor inputs, and …

Childlessness And Advance Care Planning In Midlife And Late Adulthood: A Mixed-Methods Study In Singapore, Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, Dahye Kim, Pearlyn Hui Min Hui, Christine Ho

Research Collection School Of Economics

Advance care planning (ACP) is critical for ensuring high-quality, cost-effective end-of-life care and is typically facilitated by spouses and adult children. Yet, the growing number of older adults without children has been overlooked in ACP research. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to examine ACP practices and perceptions among childless adults aged 50+ in Singapore, a rapidly aging society with one of the world's highest childlessness rates. Quantitative analyses draw on nationwide survey data (N = 1,500), complemented by interviews with childless respondents (N = 26). We examine multiple dimensions of ACP: formal ACP (e.g., living wills, Lasting Power of …

The Illusion Of Absence, Abraham K. Ali

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Illusion of Absence is a collection of thirty poems with a critical introduction that examines the poetic legacy of paternal absence and the reconfiguration of family in Africa and diasporic narratives. I grew up in Nigeria without my father. His absence has shaped my understanding of love, silence, manhood, and home. This manuscript is an exploration of the lasting legacy of my father’s absence and its place within an exploration of masculinity within the broader context of the African and diasporic experience. My mother became the focal point within the home as she brought cohesion and unity within the …

Miserly Thinking: Understanding The Factors Shaping Public Support Towards Project Wolbachia In Singapore, Shirley S. Ho, Agnes S. F. Chuah, Fiona J. W. Goh, Nova Mengxia Huang, Mengxue Qu, Hye Kyung Kim, Sonny Rosenthal

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Project Wolbachia is a vector control method that releases male Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes to curb dengue transmission in Singapore. While research has primarily focused on its efficacy, few studies have examined public opinion. This study draws upon the cognitive miser model and scientific literacy model to examine the factors shaping public support for Project Wolbachia. A nationally representative door-to-door survey was conducted in Singapore (N = 1,000) using multi-stage stratified random sampling. Our findings revealed that while knowledge about Project Wolbachia explains public support, laypeople may often rely on cognitive shortcuts, such as value predispositions, media attention, and pre-existing perceptions, …

Art As Resistance, Art As Hope: The Crane, The Nopal, And The Knowledge They Carry, Mayra Urbina

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This reflection explores the crane-and-nopal motif in Talavera Poblana ceramics as a lens for understanding artisan knowledge, cultural identity, and the impacts of globalization on Indigenous communities. Through my own painting of a Talavera-style vase, I trace the layered colonial history embedded in this motif — including the quiet resistance of Indigenous artisans who encoded Aztec memory into colonial art forms by replacing the eagle with the crane. The reflection examines how globalization threatens artisan traditions through fast-fashion appropriation, the limitations of Mexico's 2022 cultural heritage protection law, and the displacement of Indigenous artisans in Mexico City. Ultimately, I argue …

Field Notes: Introducing Godly Play In Cross-Cultural Contexts: Notes From A Short-Term Mission Trip In Kenya, Shannon Clarkson Rains

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This field note explores the use of Godly Play in a short-term mission context in Kitale, Kenya. It focuses on the author’s experience using this method to limit the temptation to impose one’s own theological and cultural interpretation when teaching Bible stories. While Godly Play emphasizes open-ended wondering, participants often hesitated to respond, reflecting familiarity with didactic learning environments. The study highlights how prior knowledge, language, and adult mediation influence theological engagement. It argues that pedagogy itself is culturally embedded and offers practical implications for cross-cultural ministry, including the need for cultural awareness, translator preparation, and realistic expectations for short-term …

Negosiasi Diplomasi Budaya K-Pop Di Indonesia: Studi Kasus Boikot Penggemar Ateez, Dhannya Febryana

Multikultura

This study examines the boycott by Indonesian fans against the K-pop group ATEEZ as part of the dynamics of South Korea’s cultural diplomacy in Southeast Asia. Building on the understanding of K-pop as an important instrument of soft power in South Korea’s cultural diplomacy strategy, this research highlights how regional audiences do not always passively accept such practices. Using a qualitative approach with digital discourse analysis, the study analyzes boycott-related discourses circulating on social media and in online news coverage to explore the narratives, meanings, and cultural implications of this action. The fan boycott is not merely an expression of …

Framing Digital Donation: Innovation And Audience Engagement In Short Video Fundraising On Douyin, Qiuyi Chen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Short video platforms are increasingly adopted by nonprofit organizations as tools for charitable communication and fundraising. However, limited research has examined how donation appeals are structured and interpreted within these environments. Existing studies focus on emotional appeal, influencer involvement, and algorithmic visibility, yet donation is often treated as a behavioral outcome rather than as a communicative process.

This study conceptualizes charitable donation as a social situation that must be framed and recognized by audiences in short video contexts. Drawing on Goffman’s frame analysis and employing the Visual–Verbal Video Analysis (VVVA) method, the study analyzes 32 publicly available videos from a …

Toward Healing And Justice: Building Equitable Relationships With Community Archives In El Salvador, Giada Ferrucci, Amanda Oliver, Tom Belton, Fernando Chacon

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

The article examines an archival component of a larger research initiative. Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador is a multidisciplinary, cross-sector partnership. The overall methodology of the project is participatory and survivor-centered. It aims to document and commemorate the history of the Salvadoran Civil War (1980-1992) and prevent future violence. The component of the Surviving Memory partnership the authors describe in this article elucidates the crucial importance of community archival practices undertaken to support memory, healing, and justice in El Salvador. The authors are co-investigators and collaborators who have supported the work of community archivists in El Salvador through a …

Threats To Cleared Industry, Think Tanks, And Academia From Malign Nations Focusing On Federally Funded Research And Development Centers, James E. Equels

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The world of academia, think tanks, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) in the United States face increasing vulnerabilities to foreign intelligence exploitation, particularly by China and Russia. Espionage, cyber intrusions, insider threats, and intellectual property theft enable adversarial nations to leverage academic collaboration to access sensitive research. These threats are executed through foreign-sponsored partnerships, talent recruitment programs like China’s Thousand Talents Program, and infiltration via Confucius Institutes and other state-affiliated initiatives. Academic openness is routinely exploited to gain strategic military and technological innovation advantages. Operations by malign nations compromise federally funded research, while insider threats - both …

Considering Moderating Forces As A Critical Lens For Understanding The Internationalization Of Higher Education, Jonah M. Otto

Critical Internationalization Studies Review

No abstract provided.

Economic Security And Strategic Rivalry: Industrial Policy And The U.S.–China Security Dilemma, Nurielle Rahav

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

In an era of geopolitical competition and technological dominance, industrial policy has reemerged as a crucial tool of economic strategy in both the United States and China. Industrial policies, particularly in the advanced manufacturing sector, were formerly understood as tools for strengthening the domestic economy. However, against the backdrop of the U.S.–China trade war, new industrial policies carry significant geopolitical implications. This paper argues that industrial policy intensifies the U.S.–China security dilemma, as both governments increasingly interpret economic self-sufficiency in advanced manufacturing as a matter of national security. Through an analysis of two cases, the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act …

The Costs Of Selective Intervention: Why The Obama Administration Chose To Intervene In Libya Over Syria, Rayanne Attar

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

This paper examines the Obama administration’s selective military intervention during the Arab Spring, comparing case studies of Libya and Syria. I argue that the decision for the Obama administration to militarily intervene in Libya but not Syria was justified because intervention in Syria was far more costly in terms of risks. In Libya, Qaddafi’s regime lacked strong external support, relied on dated military systems, and faced a fragmented opposition, making intervention politically feasible. In contrast, in Syria, Assad’s alliance with Russia and Iran, threatening air defense capabilities, and internal sociopolitical divisions made military action highly risky and unlikely to produce …

Shu World Review- April 27th 2026, Diplolab, Seton Hall University

SHU World Review

No abstract provided.

Caste, Religion, And Inequality In India, Chloe Johnson, Elyse O’Leary, Diana Tarazi, Claire Geis, Francesca Bambara

Global Studies Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Misrepresentation Of American Sign Language And Deaf Culture In Mainstream Film Media A Call For Inclusive Representation, Katherine M. Hamilton, Dr. Lisalee Egbert

Global Insight

Mass film media has the power to shape popular culture and influence public opinions and perceptions; thus, properly portraying Deaf characters, the correct linguistic model of American Sign Language (ASL), and Deaf Culture in this powerful medium is crucial. This research examines the misrepresentation of Deaf Culture and ASL in film and its impact on realworld interactions between Deaf and hearing c/Communties. By analyzing historical film trends, bringing modern trends to light, and creating educational tools, this study aims to create measurable change in media practice. The study uses online questionnaires and interviews with ASL-fluent participants from the Deaf Community …

Social Hierarchy And Purity Of Blood In New Spain, Paula Currie

Global Insight

Racial inequality, white superiority, and socialized economic poverty are issues currently affecting the world. These problems plaguing our nation seem hopeless with no apparent end in sight. All these issues have been repeated time and again throughout history. When the Spanish colonized the New World, they brought with them an ideology known as limpieza de sangre or purity of blood. This rigid ideology was based on the premise of White Spanish superiority, which was imposed upon the people of New Spain. Limpieza de sangre influenced nobility, socio-economic racial hierarchy, life, and art in New Spain. To fully understand the effects …

Russian Political Warfare: What It Is, What It's Not, And Why It Isn't Working, Lance Bokinskie

Global Insight

This article defines Russia’s multifaceted approach to political warfare and analyzes its effectiveness in achieving foreign policy objectives. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is an exemplary case study to define the aspects of 21st-century Russian political warfare and analyze its efficacy as an approach to foreign policy. This case study will lend meaningful support to the claim that the utility of Russian political warfare is severely limited by the adhocratic foreign policy encouraged by the Kremlin—specifically, the lack of an overarching proscriptive foreign policy strategy and a functioning bureaucracy to enforce the pursuit of outlined objectives, definitive organizational purviews, and …

Regulating The Animal Testing Industry, Preston Gerst

Global Insight

Animal testing has been a customary practice in numerous civilizations throughout human history. Humanity tends to want to understand the true nature of our physiology as a whole, and animals have been beneficial to help satisfy this curiosity. Yet ethically speaking, scientists argue for the protection of the rights of humans, while many fail to do so for our natural counterparts, animals. Current standards of the industry bring up concern for the ethical treatment of animals; additionally, many of the standards that exist are outdated and not systematized throughout the scientific world. Furthermore, new scientific developments can possibly allow for …