Theory, Knowledge and Science Commons^™

Introduction, Special Issue On Pandemic Secrecy: The Covid Origin Story And Pandemic Risk Society, Susan Maret

Secrecy and Society

No abstract provided.

In Memoriam - Nora Sabelli: Master Orchestrator Of Grant Programs And Mentor For Advancing The Interdisciplinary Learning Sciences Field, Eric Hamilton, Jeremy Roschelle, Roy Pea, Barbara Means, Louis Gomez, Kim Gomez, Nancy Butler Songer

Education Division Scholarship

On Friday, September 6, 2024, the learning sciences field lost a giant in Dr. Nora Sabelli, 87 years old, a personal mentor to many researchers and an inspiration to so many learning scientists and STEM leaders. Nora’s first professional career was as a computational chemist, and later she became a passionate leader in research for improving STEM education. Nora’s time as a senior program officer at the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Education and Human Resources (EHR) directorate was legendary; she was a force of nature who reshaped funding priorities for stronger science and a stronger connection of science to education …

“A Safe Place”: Exploring Black Couples’ Perceptions Of Black Love And Relationship Coping In The Context Of Their Lived Experiences With Racism, Melinda Murdock

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Historically, Black couples have not been studied within the context of their lived experiences as it relates to the effects of racism on relationship health. Only in the last decade have relationship scholars begun to consistently link racism-related stressors to relationship processes and outcomes. Despite the growing literature, recent studies are primarily quantitative in method and rely on samples, theoretical models, and measures that predominantly represent White couples’ experiences. It remains unclear how Black couples’ perceptions of love and relationship coping lead to resilient outcomes despite the negative effects of racism.

Therefore, the goal of the present study is to …

Towards A Sociological Theory Of Consent And Coercion In Sexual Violence Against Women, Lisa Kistler

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Recent data estimate that 26.8% of adult women in the U.S. have experienced rape in their lifetime. In this context, the phrase “consent to sex” is a prominent narrative countering sexual violence. Yet, there is no consensus on the meaning of consent, nor how the practice of consent is affected by coercion, resulting in a puzzle of consent. In response, the present project brings together existing research and theory to conceptualize consent and coercion in new ways. It asks, broadly, how do different forms of coercion complicate sexual consent and contribute to sexual violence against women today and answers this …

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 …

The Ascendance Of Influencers: Saints Of Capitalism In The Digital Age, Riley R. Hourihan

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

This thesis examines the rise of social media influencers as modern-day saints within the cultural and economic framework of late capitalism. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship from religious studies, media theory, and cultural criticism, it argues that influencer culture does not replace religion but retools its structures—ritual, authority, devotion, and community—for the digital age. Through detailed case studies ranging from Hailey Bieber and Taylor Swift to Ballerina Farm and MrBeast, the paper explores how influencers shape identity, mediate ethics, and mobilize affect through algorithmic rituals and parasocial relationships. Influencers perform a form of digital sanctity that parallels traditional hagiography, guiding followers …

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 …

Ai Fetishism And Perverse Climate Disavowal: Why Denying Destructiveness Facilitates Our Ecological Collapse, Alexander M. Stoner, Alexander M. Stoner, Anthony J. Knowles

Journal Articles

As ecological crises intensify, scholars and activists increasingly question the sustainability of economic growth. Yet, the dominant growth-oriented paradigm remains foundational to advanced capitalist societies and cannot be altered without significant social disruption. The resulting tension between ecological limits and the imperative for continuous growth generates “climate anxiety.” This article advances the concept of perverse climate disavowal: a mode of climate denial that acknowledges climate threats while maintaining faith in the illusion of infinite economic expansion. This disavowal functions as a psychological defense mechanism, enabling individuals and institutions to avoid confronting structural contradictions. The article examines the increasing use of …

Demystifying Research Paradigms: Navigating Ontology, Epistemology, And Axiology In Research, Lynette Pretorius

The Qualitative Report

A sound understanding of research paradigms is crucial for developing coherent and philosophically grounded research designs, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. This paper offers an accessible overview of the most common research paradigms: positivism, post-positivism, constructivism, social constructionism, interpretivism, pragmatism, and critical realism. These paradigms differ in their approaches to ontology (the nature of reality), epistemology (the nature of knowledge), and axiology (the role of values in research). The paper also discusses the methodological and ethical implications of these paradigms. Reflexivity and ethical responsibility are emphasised, where researchers must account for how their own biases and values influence …

The Challenges Of Co-Developing Climate-Smart Strategies, Practices, And Technologies Among Research And Extension Teams, Michelle R. Worosz, Hannah Stewart, Mckayla Robinette, Brenda Ortiz, Rishi Prasad, Audrey Gambel, Leah Duzy

Journal of Extension

With climate-smart agriculture as the context, we explore one aspect of transdisciplinarity, the co-development of knowledge (CDK). Challenges were identified via matrix coding and word frequency queries of field day, meeting, and interview transcripts. Focusing on the Research-Extension team, we found they highly value collaboration and participatory-based projects, but developing trust-based relationships, enhancing long-term stakeholder investment, and understanding both team and stakeholder capacity was difficult. This paper informs transdisciplinary projects aimed at climate adaptation by illustrating the need for Research-Extension teams to take incremental steps towards CDK, to engage stakeholders before program planning, and to increase both interaction and reflexivity.

Full Issue

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

The Latino Bench At Fortuna High School

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Promotorx 2024 Team

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Native American Mural At Eureka High School

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Mural Of Josiah Lawson At Arcata High School

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Mural At Cal Poly Humboldt

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Mural At Eureka High School

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Josiah Lawson Mural

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

A Timeline Of Nuestra Historia En Humboldt

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Zaira, Zaira Angon

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.