Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Lived Experiences, Migration Journey, Religiosity, And Spirituality Depicted In Drawings By Latino Children And Youth Crossing The U.S. Mexican Border: A Qualitative Study., Doroty Magalhaes Sato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Widespread violence forces thousands of Central American children to endure a hazardous journey toward the U.S. Border seeking refuge. In the Latino community, faith serves as a social movement of resistance against oppression, playing a vital role in migration. There is a paucity of research documenting this experience and children's overall journey. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the lived experience of crossing international borders, religiosity, and spirituality depicted in Latino children's drawings used as coping methods to endure the journey toward the U.S. southern border. This investigation employed Art-based approaches to give voices to children's experiences by analyzing 63 …

The Use Of Laja In Construction In Ancient Mesoamerica: A View From The Southern Gulf Lowlands Of Veracruz, Mexico, Lauren Smith

Honors College Theses

The archaeology of the southern Gulf lowlands of Veracruz, Mexico is notable for its research pertaining to the Olmec culture (Jaime-Riveron 2016; Loughlin 2012; Pool 2006). The region was home to the Colossal Olmec Heads: large, easily identifiable sculptures crafted from the volcanic rock of the Tuxtlas Volcanic Field. The use of volcanic resources in such grand presentations may instill a bias in the research of some archaeologists, but it is important to consider how these and other volcanic resources might have been used in everyday life (e.g., Jaime-Riveron 2016: 86). The consolidated volcanic ash in this region is referred …

Wellbeing, Mental Health, And Natural Resource Dependency In Rural Utah, Kristen Rene Koci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation examines wellbeing, mental health, and natural resource (NR) dependency in rural Utah. The following questions are asked: How do wellbeing and mental health vary throughout the state of Utah, including by rural-urban location? What concerns do applied practitioners have regarding mental health in rural parts of the state? How do chronic stress and social dislocation contribute to mental health outcomes in rural NR dependent communities in the state? Four studies were conducted to pursue these research questions.

The first two studies use data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey to explore wellbeing and mental health in Utah communities over …

Hunting For Agriculture: Unraveling Ecological Motivations In The Transition To Farming By The Fremont Cultural Complex, Ryan Mcgrath

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study explored the profound human history shift from foraging to agriculture, focusing on Utah's Fremont cultural complex. Utilizing the Prey-Rank Model, we investigated whether dwindling encounter rates with high-rank prey prompted the Fremont's adoption of agriculture. We quantified past resource trends by analyzing the Utah archaeofaunal database to discern if ecological conditions influenced this transition. If confirmed, it suggests adaptive responses to a decline in high-ranked game led to a more resource-intensive survival strategy. This research provides crucial insights into the motivations behind the Fremont's agricultural adoption, enhancing our understanding of human-environment interactions and adaptations throughout history.

Mishopshno: Remnants Of The Past A Midden Analysis From Carpinteria, California, Alyssa Del Rosario

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

For this study, my primary goals are to determine the depositional history of a shell midden at the archaeological site of Mishopshno (CA-SBA-07) through accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating, examine the artifacts found at the site, and analyze the midden contents. Mishopshno was initially recorded in the 1920s by David Banks Rogers with the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. The portions of midden analyzed for this thesis were excavated during construction monitoring of the sewer loop replacement in the Santa Rosa Campground at Carpinteria State Beach, Carpinteria, California.

Over time, significant disturbances have occurred to the site due to resource …

Bilateral Asymmetry In The First Metacarpal: The Influence Of Handedness In Humans And Non-Human Primates, Lucyna A. Bowland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Muscle attachment sites (entheses) are often used to infer soft tissue anatomy and reconstruct behaviors within skeletal populations, but there remains a significant debate about whether and to what degree muscle use is accurately reflected in bony morphology. One of the most difficult problems in establishing the relationship between variation in muscle use and entheseal development is the inability to exclude a variety of external factors thought to influence enthesis development, including age, sex, body mass, and activity patterns. One way around this is to take advantage of the fact that humans are handed (preferentially using one hand over another, …

Cultivating Atmosphere In Independent Coffee Shops: Reflections On How Atmospheres Are Created Through Sensory Experiences, Brooke Bierhaus Sutton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Affective atmosphere is a fundamental component to the allure of coffee shops that is cultivated through sensory experience. In this thesis I examine how the sensory experience of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, create atmospheres in coffee shops. I ask, “how do coffee shops cultivate an affective atmosphere?” Through an exploration of material culture, design, affect, and the intentional production of third places, I illustrate the ways in which independent coffee shops have their own unique identities and atmospheres. By using memoir and reflexive analysis of my decade in global coffee culture, as well as an extensive literary review, …

The Role Of The Patterning Cascade Model In Human Mandibular Premolar Variation, Molly Lee Militello

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human mandibular premolars represent a morphologically transitional tooth class, possessing a relatively caniniform third premolar (P3) and a more molariform fourth premolar (P4). Marked variation in cusp height and lingual cusp number are characteristics unique to these postcanine teeth. The aim of this study is to determine if human premolar variation aligns with predictions outlined by the patterning cascade model (PCM). The PCM posits that tooth size and enamel knot spacing/surrounding inhibitory fields (approximated by cusp tip positioning) play a role in determining ultimate crown morphology, providing a predictive framework for examining crown variation within and between individuals. While there …

Constructing Trust Among Large-Scale Organizations: An Archaeological Case Of Collective Action From Tlaxcallan, Mexico, Marc Marino

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within nation-states, agencies, cooperatives, and other groups seeking to coordinate in the management of resources, conflicting interests can hinder cooperation and preclude joint action. Increasing transparency in resource management policies and facilitating communication among groups can reduce cooperative dilemmas by building trust. Developments in collective action research have demonstrated that increased communication and transparency among participants can build trust because future outcomes and behaviors can be predicted based on observations of past actions. Archaeology provides case studies to explore some of the earliest attempts by nation-states to reduce tensions caused by competing factions. This dissertation explores one such case study …

Reconstructing Roman Corinthian Identity, Sophia Loeta Graham

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This project focuses on the ways that social and cultural identity are projected through material culture in Roman-occupied Greece, specifically in the Corinthia region. Using anthropological and archaeological theories on identity, systems, and creolization, I develop an interpretive framework for understanding how Roman Corinthians used material culture to project their identities in a mortuary context. This project is inspired in part by pre-existing research on the fluidity of cultural identity in Roman-occupied Greece but is designed to fill a gap in that scholarship that does not inspect the ways that identity can be displayed in a mortuary context. I use …

Ai-Powered Information Retrieval In Meeting Records And Transcripts Enhancing Efficiency And User Experience, Srushti Nitin Ghadge

Theses and Dissertations

This study compares the traditional search methods, which is to search from video recordings of the meetings by moving the slider back and forth or by keyword search in transcripts versus integrated AI video plus transcript search. Based on the previous test results, we introduced some human-centric design features to the AI and built a new enhanced AI search tool for information retrieval. For search technique efficiency testing, the method had two set of experiments. The first results of the experiment showed that AI-based search algorithms were more accurate and faster than conventional search approaches. Participants were also happier with …

What's In A Name? Plant Naming As Cultural Artifact And Story In The Midwestern United States, Sophie Wesseler

Undergraduate Theses

This project sought to collect and contextualize the historical and contemporary names given to plants by inhabitants of the Midwestern United States, understanding plant names as cultural artifacts that can offer insight into the communities in which they were created and evolved. Formatted as a series of entries, this collection gathered these names and contextualized them within other artifacts of cultural significance, such as art or poetry, and alongside historical research on their origins and cultural environments. Examining plant names through the fields of linguistics, semiology, anthropology, cultural studies, taxonomy, and ethnobotany, this work traces the names of various plants …

Sustaining Community And Identity Through Food At The University Of Maine, Elizabeth Dudevoir

Honors College

International students often travel thousands of miles to attend the University of Maine. Foodways become a way to sustain one’s communal and self-identity. Food is more than nourishment: certain dishes also tell stories and become building blocks for conversation. Here, I focus on how international students use food as a vehicle to build community and understand the role of food to comfort and engage individuals. I also consider access to culturally significant ingredients, as the greater Orono/Bangor area lacks markets and stores that carry certain products. Through interviews, individuals shared their foodways and experiences as international graduate students at the …

Protein Residue Analysis In Archaeology: A Geological Contamination Experiment, Theresa Popp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Protein residue analysis has been used by archaeologists for decades to explore ancient diets and hunting behaviors based on proteins deposited on tools and artifacts, however, protein contamination of buried artifacts has been assumed but lacked formal study. Through a contamination experiment testing different geological contexts (e.g. water movement and freeze-thaw), possible routes of protein contamination within soil were identified, adversely impacting protein residue analysis conducted on buried artifacts. Protein was found to move through soil in large enough concentrations to elicit positive protein residue results on sterile artifacts that never made direct contact with the protein source used in …

Mixed Methods Approach To Assess ‘Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor’ Activity Within ‘Alternative’ Health Contexts Of Human Maternal Placentophagy, Jacob C. White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Rats with elevated opioid levels experience an even greater increase in pain threshold after placenta or amniotic fluid consumption via placental opioid-enhancing factor (POEF) in the afterbirth. POEF only enhances opioid hypoalgesia; it cannot produce hypoalgesia alone. Although the POEF molecule remains unidentified and its efficacy in humans is unknown, it could be a safe, novel pain treatment. People who consume placenta as an alternative postpartum health practice are ideal for testing POEF bioactivity. Though rat models show that bioactive POEF is highly sensitive, some forms of the practice in humans may conserve POEF. This project is the first attempt …

Tinjauan Kritis Konservasi Tekstil Koleksi Jubah Sultan Thaha Museum Kebangkitan Nasional, Zulfa Nurdina Fitri, Ali Akbar

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

A museum plays a central role in conserving cultural heritage. Hence, conserving museum collections is pivotal for preserving the values of the collection. The museum of National Awakening has a potential national collection that requires curative conservation due to its damaged condition, i.e., Sultan Thaha Robes. However, the conservation effort lacked written and visual documentation of the collection due to the collection's urgency, causing it difficult for conservators to access the conservation-related information. This paper presents a critical review of conservation stages performed on Sultan Thaha Robes while suggesting a complete, systematic conservation solution based on the theoretical collaboration of …

Batu Nisan Di Situs Binanga Sebagai Indikasi Pemukiman Muslim Kuno Di Pantai Barat Aceh, Amir Husni, Sanusi Ismail, Nasruddin As Nasruddin As, Bustami Abubakar, Reza Idria, Hermansyah Hermansyah, Ruhamah Ruhamah, Muhajir Al Fairusy

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article aims to discuss the development of ancient Muslim settlements on the west coast of Aceh based on the findings of Islamic gravestones at the Binanga site in Subulussalam City, Aceh. This site is very unique, it is located inland and right on the banks of the Singkel River, which is connected to the highlands of Sumatra. There are 131 Islamic gravestones, and their shapes vary greatly. The results of the morphological analysis show that the gravestones were divided into two groups: Aceh gravestones (batu Aceh) and Barus gravestones (nisan Barus). There are no biographical inscriptions carved …

Pendidikan Selera Dalam Perkembangan Restoran Hindia Belanda Dan Rijsttafel Di Belanda Pada Periode Kolonial, Andika Ariwibowo

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article discusses the early development of rijsttafel and Dutch East Indies restaurants in the Netherlands during colonial period between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. The study takes a closer look at the early development of rijsttafel and Dutch East Indies restaurants in the Netherlands during the colonial period, as well as the role of actors in introducing rijsttafel and Dutch East Indies ethnic food in the Netherlands. This study aims to provide an alternative way of studying the history of culinary and gastronomic development and the influence of Dutch East Indies culture in the Netherlands. The historical sources used …

Persepsi Pemerintah Dan Masyarakat Dalam Pelestarian Cagar Budaya: Studi Kasus Kawasan Cagar Budaya Pusat Pemerintahan Kesultanan Siak Sri Indrapura, Agi Ginanjar

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This study discusses the interpretation of the importance of government versus community in the preservation and potential use of the Siak Sri Indrapura Cultural Heritage Area. Efforts for preservation in accordance with the law are not easy, since in practice various problems arise, especially those related to their use. The purpose of this study is to combine the interpretation of important values of government and society in the preservation of cultural heritage areas and their potential use by taking into account socio-cultural and economic values. This study was designed using a convergent qualitative and quantitative approach (convergent mixed methods approach), …

Rekonstruksi Nama Jember Dalam Lakon Babad Jember Ludruk Surya Utama, Fahmy H. Abdillah

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This study entitled “Reconstruction name of Jember in Babad Jember Play Ludruk Surya Utama”, is a study of ludruk play that are suspected of having participated in producing or distributing the origins name of Jember, through babad Jember play which performed with Madura, Java and Indonesia language. The reconstruction was based on a structural review; plot, theme, character and toponymy in babad Jember play by Surya Utama group. Examine the mixed use of language based on texture; the dialogue of the Jember babad play which consists of (a) external dialogue in the form of communication between actors, especially in conflicts …

Ketoprak Dor: Awal Mula Keberadaannya Di Aceh Tengah, Susandro Susandro, Afrizal H

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article presents how the origin of the Ketoprak Dor art in Central Aceh. This topic is interesting because the change or development of an art scene does not only occur from within the artist's creative process alone, but perhaps by the surrounding factors that influence it. So, a qualitative research approach with descriptive analysis method is the choice to investigate this phenomenon. As a result, the Ketoprak Dor art in Central Aceh, to be precise in the gampong (village) of Paya Tumpi - Kebayakan, originates from Deli, North Sumatra. There were two events that prompted its emergence: 1) in …

Kontestasi Kuasa Dalam Perdagangan Rempah Di Pantai Barat Dan Selatan Aceh Abad Ke 18 Hingga 19 M, Muhajir Al Fairusy Ma, Jovial Pally Taran Jpt, R. Michael Feener Mf, Haikal Haikal Hk

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The spice route has become a national discourse in the context of strengthening the Indonesian nation's maritime cultural identity. As one of the big nations, the archipelago was once a cross-national melting pot in the context of hunting and trading spices on an international scale. After all, spices were the prima donna commodity of their time, which raised the name of the archipelago to the international trade stage. This research was conducted to find out the history of the spice route in one of the archipelago regions, especially in Aceh. After all, Islam and the spice trade have become a …

Loyalitas Masyarakat Jawa Kuno Kepada Raja Berdasarkan Data Prasasti Abad Xiii–Xv Masehi, Victoria Geraldine, Andriyati Rahayu

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The sima inscription is an edict issued by the king as a gift given to certain parties. One of the reasons for its bestowment is as a reward to those who have shown him loyalty. This paper studies the forms of loyalty shown by the Ancient Javanese People to the king and the factors that influenced it. The study aims to give an understanding of the relationship that existed between the Ancient Javanese people and the king in the XIII–XV Centuries AD. The results of this research provides new insight for the effort to reconstruct the life of the Ancient …

Museum Dan Sekolah: Sinergi Kebijakan Demokratisasi Kebudayaan Melalui Program Pembelajaran Seni Dan Budaya Di Kota La Rochelle - Prancis, Agung Wibowo, Dwi Winarsih, Atik Catur Budiati

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Our article describes the relationship between museums and schools as a policy of democratisation of French culture, a policy that has encouraged the ministry of education and the ministry of culture to work together in designing arts and cultural learning programmes in museums and in schools. The case study of the implementation of the national policy of democratisation of culture by the municipality of La Rochelle is an important consideration that can help us to understand how the locality of public policy implementation in France can contribute specific characteristics to the cultural development and management of museums and schools. Arts …

“Somebody’S Gotta Try And Go Forward”: Musical Identity And The (Re)Construction Of Authenticity In Hawai‘I And Mongolia, Heather E. Cook

Anthropology Honors Projects

Based on thirty-seven interviews with musicians and performers in Mongolia and Hawaiʻi, this ethnography explores the complex relationships between nationalism, cultural imperialism, hybridity, and conceptions of authenticity in the colonial context through the lens of folk music. Engaging with theories of practice and postcolonialism, I argue that within contemporary contexts of globalization and cultural imperialism, musicians and performers have formed a sense of musical and cultural identity dependent on nationalist conceptions of tradition, yet the notion of cultural authenticity no longer depends on the absence of Western influence, but on the cultural sovereignty of the artist and the agency of …

Increases In Regional Brain Volume Across Two Native South American Male Populations, Nikhil N. Chaudhari, Phoebe E. Imms, Nathan F. Chowdhury, Margaret Gatz, Benjamin Trumble, Wendy J. Mack, E. Meng Law, M. Linda Sutherland, James D. Sutherland, Christopher J. Rowan, L. Samuel Wann, Adel H. Allam, Randall C. Thompson, David E. Michalik, Michael I. Miyamoto, Guido Lombardi, Daniel Cummings, Edmond Seabright, Sarah Alami, Angela R. Garcia, Daniel E. Rodriguez, Raul Quispe Gutierrez, Adrian J. Copajira, Paul L. Hooper, Kenneth Buetow, Jonathan Stieglitz, Michael D. Gurven, Gregory S. Thomas, Hillard Kaplan, Caleb E. Finch, Andrei Irimia

ESI Publications

Industrialized environments, despite benefits such as higher levels of formal education and lower rates of infections, can also have pernicious impacts upon brain atrophy. Partly for this reason, comparing age-related brain volume trajectories between industrialized and non-industrialized populations can help to suggest lifestyle correlates of brain health. The Tsimane, indigenous to the Bolivian Amazon, derive their subsistence from foraging and horticulture and are physically active. The Moseten, a mixed-ethnicity farming population, are physically active but less than the Tsimane. Within both populations (N = 1024; age range = 46–83), we calculated regional brain volumes from computed tomography and compared …

Racing The Tides: Three Virginia Islands Threatened By Climate Change And The Challenge Of Preserving Their Stories, Sean M. Restivo

History Honors Projects

Among the tidal marshes of Virginia’s York River, there are three relatively obscure groups of uninhabited islands, all with fascinating stories, and all rapidly disappearing: the Goodwin Islands, the Catlett Islands, and Poropotank Island. These islands have been almost entirely overlooked by existing historical and archaeological research, and they are all imminently threatened by climate change-induced sea level rise and erosion. In the summer of 2023, I embarked on an interdisciplinary research project to study cultural heritage sites scattered across the islands. Drawing on my experience of studying these islands, as well as other related case studies, I demonstrate that …

Well-Being In The Context Of Indigenous Heritage Management: A Hach Winik Perspective From Metzabok, Chiapas, Mexico, Christopher Hernandez, Armando Valenzuela Gomez

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In this article, we examine what local well-being means in the contexts of collaborative heritage management and national development in Mexico. Driven by the request of Lacandon Mayas (including the second author) who live in Puerto Bello Metzabok, Chiapas, Mexico, in 2018, we engaged in archeological consolidation and heritage management to promote local tourism and sustainable economic development. This collaboration raised a series of ethical and practical questions of how to engage with the Eurocentric project of development. Addressing these issues has become critical, as the Mexican president's signature infrastructure project, Tren Maya (Maya Train), is designed to promote nationwide …

Georgia Ghosts: History, Folklore, And The Roots Of The Southern Gothic, Katherine M. Mcdowell

Master's Projects

There is something quintessentially human about ghost stories, yet particular regions tend to be more powerfully associated with haunted folktales than others. One of the regions is the southeastern United States. In fact, these oral traditions appear to have influenced the area's best-known literary subgenre: the Southern Gothic.

Why is the South considered haunted? Are there particular qualities in historical events that make them more likely to engender ghost stories? What makes the South's folkloric spirits so powerful that they appear even in modern literature? Most of all, what connects the region's history and folklore with the Southern Gothic? By …

Charge The Cockpit Or Die: An Anatomy Of Fear-Driven Political Rhetoric In American Conservatism, Daniel Hostetter

Senior Honors Theses

Subthreshold negative emotions have superseded conscious reason as the initial and strongest motivators of political behavior. Political neuroscience uses the concepts of negativity bias and terror management theory to explore why fear-driven rhetoric plays such an outsized role in determining human political actions. These mechanisms of human anthropology are explored by competing explanations from biblical and evolutionary scholars who attempt to understand their contribution to human vulnerabilities to fear. When these mechanisms are observed in fear-driven political rhetoric, three common characteristics emerge: exaggerated threat, tribal combat, and religious apocalypse, which provide a new framework for explaining how modern populist leaders …