Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Ghosts Of Grief: An Exploration Of Gothic Influence In 2010s Horror Cinema, Halen Gifford

Senior Independent Study Theses

The purpose of this project is to examine gothic influences in contemporary horror cinema of the 2010s. To fulfill this purpose, the study employs comparative film analysis methods to analyze The Babadook (2014), The Invitation (2015), and Crimson Peak (2015) in order to identify intertextual gothic references in the cinematography, mise en scène, and narratives of the films. Specifically, this project examines the haunted house trope in the horror genre as characterized by the presence of ghosts and the personification of the setting. Through this analysis, four common themes emerged: “Houses with Personality,” “Tragic Losses,” “Memories and Ghosts,” and “Isolation.” …

Colonialism And Sexuality, In Tayeb Salih’S Season Of Migration To The North And Peter Kimani’S Dance Of The Jakaranda., Tomi Adeaga, Peter Kimani

Graduate School of Media and Communications

AbstractThe Sudanese author, Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North and the Kenyan author, Peter Kimani’s Dance of the Jakaranda both interrogate the connection between colonialism and sexuality in an African setting. While the protagonist in Salih’s novel, Mustafa Sa’eed is the epitome of the sexualized, colonized Sudanese subject, Kimani’s novel examines several sexual relationships, including those of Sally McDonald, the British wife of a colonial administrator in Kenya, Ian McDonald. In Kimani’s novel, Sally McDonald represents a counter image to the white woman in need of protection from the sexual appetites of colonized males. Though Salih’s narration exemplifies …

Using Deep Learning-Based Framework For Child Speech Emotion Recognition, Gerald N. Onwujekwe

Theses and Dissertations

Biological languages of the body through which human emotion can be detected abound including heart rate, facial expressions, movement of the eyelids and dilation of the eyes, body postures, skin conductance, and even the speech we make. Speech emotion recognition research started some three decades ago, and the popular Interspeech Emotion Challenge has helped to propagate this research area. However, most speech recognition research is focused on adults and there is very little research on child speech. This dissertation is a description of the development and evaluation of a child speech emotion recognition framework. The higher-level components of the framework …

Gender Violence On Television: Insights And Implications From Female Audiences Of Drama Series, Mary Celeste Clark

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Gender-based violence is pervasive across many television shows that are targeted toward a variety of audiences and cover a range of genres and settings, yet there is a dearth of literature regarding gender violence in fictional television drama series and how female audiences interpret and react to the depictions of gender violence in those programs. For this study, I spoke with 13 women about their experiences viewing programs with depictions of gender violence. The data was analyzed qualitatively using a phronetic iterative approach and demonstrates why these women watch these shows, what affective responses they have, and how they interpret …

An Examination Of Communication Sequencing In Enacted Support Interactions For People With Major Depressive Disorder, Madison Adams

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Social support is integral to helping one manage Major Depressive Disorder [MDD], but enacted social support, or the supportive behavior itself, is not always beneficial. Using a normative theoretical perspective on social support and theory related to sequencing as guiding frameworks, in this thesis I examined common sequential patterns of enacted support between support providers and individuals with MDD. Moreover, I investigated how individuals with MDD evaluated the helpfulness of each of the different sequential patterns. To examine the sequential patterns and how individuals with MDD evaluated their helpfulness, I interviewed 20 participants who had been diagnosed with MDD. The …

Feminist Praxis Of Comparative Rhetoric, Mari Lee Mifsud

Rhetoric and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

Why is a feminist praxis necessary for a comparative study of rhetoric? What would a feminist praxis of comparative rhetoric do? mean? be? What can we come to know with a feminist praxis of comparative rhetoric? Offering first a critique of the idea of a comparative approach through feminist theories challenging binary epistemology and metaphorical meaning making, this essay proceeds to theorize a feminist praxis of comparative rhetoric. This feminist praxis engages the study of histories and theories of rhetoric across cultures by analyzing along intersectional lines of power exposing injustices and exploring potential for equity, decolonizing knowledge, and deconstructing …

Best Practices For Encouraging Instructor/Student Communication And Partnerships In Online Learning, Amanda W. Joyce, Jennifer Morrison, Tanya Romero-González, Martin Kane

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

When students and instructors communicate well, students’ GPAs, GRE scores, educational engagement, personal development, and satisfaction with their learning experience all improve. Similarly, when instructors are transparent in their course decisions and involve students as partners in their education, student retention, academic sense of belonging, student-instructor interactions, and networking opportunities all improve. However, face-to-face techniques for student/instructor communication, like informal before-class conversations or in-class question-and-answer sessions about assignments, can be challenging to implement in an online environment. The purpose of this piece is to discuss evidence-based strategies for improving transparency and communication in an online learning environment.

Legislative And Executive Efforts To Curb Section 230 Of The 1996 Communications Decency Act, Natalie Fay

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was intended to reform the telecommunications industry, most especially with its inclusion of the Communications Decency Act (CDA). The CDA can be viewed as the first act of Congress attempting to regulate the Internet. One of the most prominent parts of this act includes Section 230, which states that websites and Internet providers are not legally responsible for third-party content, including the content of their users and consumers (1996). Since the rapid growth of social media and advancement of technology, Section 230 of the CDA has been a subject of debate. Congress is debating whether …

Appropriation Vs. Authenticity: The Use Of Black Vernacular English By White Speakers, Tamara Petrov

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This research investigates the authenticity of white speakers of Black Vernacular English (BVE). The scope of the paper is limited to white speakers of BVE in America, including European immigrants. The paper explores how authenticity is determined, revealing a complex vetting process performed by Black, in-group speakers. Research indicates that many of the white BV users exhibit appropriate use, wherein the speaker employs a speech pattern from a community to which they do not belong. The paper supports that the root of white appropriation of BVE is the desire to project characteristics of “toughness” associated with stereotypes of Black masculinity. …

Information, Identification, Or Both? A Rhetorical Analysis Of How Blm Uses Their Official Website, Candice L. Edrington

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

“Intervista E Suksesshme Në Mediat E Shkruara Në Kosovë Dhe Aftësia E Intervistuesit”, Kujtesë Berisha

Theses and Dissertations

Në këtë punim do të ofrojë vlerësime profesionale se çfarë është intervista.

Gjatë kësaj teme të diplomës do të kuptoni më shumë rreth historisë së gazetave në Kosovë. Cilat ishin gazetat e para në Kosovë, sa lexoheshin ato dhe sa lexohen sot.

Të gjitha këto duke u bazuar në shtypin periodik shqiptar gjatë viteve 2000-2005.

Në veçanti do të shfletohen arkivat e gazetave “Koha Ditore”, “Epoka e re”, “Zëri. Të cilat cilësohen si gazetat më të lexuara në Kosovë.

Do të ketë një krahasim të vogël mes gazetave dikur dhe gazetave të ditëve të sotme.

Gjithashtu do të intervistohen gazetarët …

Thai Viewers’ Exposure, Engagement, And Purchase Intention On The Youtube Advertisements During Covid-19 Pandemic, Xinxin Ye

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research aimed to analyze the Thai viewers’ exposure, engagement, and purchase intention on the YouTube advertisements during covid-19 pandemic. The research explored the relationship between the exposure to YouTube advertisements and Thai viewers’ engagement with YouTube advertisements, as well as the relationship between Thai viewers’ engagement with YouTube advertisements and their purchase intention. This study focused especially in the personal care products category. This quantitative research was conducted through an online questionnaire which collected data from a total of 206 valid respondents, aged between 18 and 55 years old who lives in Thailand. The results from the study reveals …

คลิปสปอยล์หนังในฐานะสารนอกตัวบทและปรากฏการณ์ทางวัฒนธรรมในประเทศไทย, ไพรัตน์ โคสะพละกิจ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

วิทยานิพนธ์เรื่อง “คลิปสปอยล์หนังในฐานะสารนอกตัวบทและปรากฏการณ์ทางวัฒนธรรมในประเทศไทย” โดยการวิจัยครั้งนี้เป็นการวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ (Qualitative Research) มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ 1.ศึกษาคลิปสปอยล์หนังในไทยในฐานะสารนอกตัวบท ผ่านการศึกษาโครงสร้าง เนื้อหาการสปอยล์ ระดับการสปอยล์ ประเภทภาพยนตร์ที่ถูกสปอยล์ ด้วยวิธีการวิเคราะห์ตัวบทและข้อความการแสดงความคิดเห็นใต้คลิปจากผู้ที่เข้ามาชมคลิปสปอยล์หนัง จากช่องยูทูบ 5 ช่องของไทยที่ได้รับความนิยมเรียงตามลำดับ และมีผู้ติดตามมากกว่า 1 แสนคนขึ้นไป ได้แก่ 1.ช่อง จดอ JUSTดูIT. 2.ช่อง คอเป็นหนัง 3.ช่อง สองสตูดิโอ 4.ช่อง GU Channel 5.ช่อง SNEAK channel อีกทั้ง 2.เพื่อศึกษาปฏิบัติการของผู้ผลิตและติดตามเนื้อหา และมุมมองที่มีต่อคลิปสปอยล์หนังจากผู้มีส่วนได้ส่วนเสีย ได้แก่ 1.กลุ่มคนทำคลิปสปอยล์หนัง 2.กลุ่มผู้เชี่ยวชาญและนักวิชาการภาพยนตร์ 3.กลุ่มผู้สร้างและผู้ผลิตภาพยนตร์ 4.กลุ่มผู้มีความเชี่ยวชาญด้านกฎหมายลิขสิทธิ์และทรัพย์สินทางปัญญา 5.กลุ่มคนรักหนังที่ชอบดูคลิปสปอยล์หนัง 6.กลุ่มคนรักหนังที่หลีกเลี่ยงการดูคลิปสปอยล์หนัง โดยกาiสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึกและการสนทนากลุ่ม โดยข้อมูลเหล่านี้จะนำมาอภิปรายต่อในลำดับต่อไปด้วยการบรรยายหรือการวิจัยเชิงพรรณนา (Descriptive Research) เพื่ออธิบายข้อเท็จจริงเกี่ยวกับสภาพการณ์และปัจจัยแวดล้อมที่ทำให้คลิปสปอยล์หนังกลายเป็นปรากฏการณ์ทางวัฒนธรรมในประเทศไทย ผลการวิจัยพบว่าสื่อในปัจจุบันมีเนื้อหาหลากหลายและมีช่องทางในการรับชมหลายหลาก จึงทำให้ผู้คนในสังคมสามารถเลือกเสพสื่อได้ตามใจชอบและตามรสนิยมที่มีอยู่ในตัวบุคคลผู้นั้น อีกทั้งปัจจัยสำคัญอื่นๆ เช่น 1.ปัจจัยด้านสังคมและวัฒนธรรม 2.ปัจจัยด้านระบบนิเวศสื่อใหม่ 3.ปัจจัยด้านเวลา 4.ปัจจัยด้านเศรษฐกิจ ที่ทำให้คลิปสปอยล์หนังได้รับความนิยมจนก่อให้เกิดปรากฏการณ์ทางวัฒนธรรมในประเทศไทย การศึกษาคลิป สปอยล์หนังในฐานะสารนอกตัวบทและปรากฏการณ์ทางวัฒนธรรมสามารถสร้างความเข้าใจต่อวัฒนธรรมภาพยนตร์ร่วมสมัยที่มีความสลับซับซ้อนในประเทศไทยและสามารถนำไปสู่ข้อเสนอแนะที่เป็นประโยชน์ต่อวงวิชาการและอุตสาหกรรมภาพยนตร์ในอนาคต

Modeling Austrian Consumer Responses To A Vignette Television Commercial Drama For A Vacation Resort Destination, Ozcan Kilic, Michael Stoica, Andreas Nachbagauer, Darryl Miller

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract- This project involved the formulation and test of a model of Austrian consumers' cognitive and affective responses to a vignette television commercial drama for a vacation resort area, the Halkidiki region of Greece. Results indicate that response to the commercial was both cognitive and affective with sympathy and empathy, mediating the influence of verisimilitude on attitudes toward the ad and brand. These results were consistent with what was expected from a sample of consumers from a low power distance and moderate individualistic culture such as Austria. Results suggest that to promote tourism services effectively, a commercial's production value and …

แรงจูงใจในการมีปฏิสัมพันธ์บนทวิตเตอร์ของผู้รับชมรายการโหนกระแส, ดามิยา พงศ์ตานี

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษาเรื่อง “แรงจูงใจในการมีปฏิสัมพันธ์บนทวิตเตอร์ของผู้รับชมรายการ โหนกระแส” เป็นงานวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ (Qualitative Research) มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาแรงจูงใจของผู้รับชมรายการโหนกระแสที่จะมีส่วนร่วมในการแสดงความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับเนื้อหารายการโหนกระแส และเพื่อศึกษาบทบาทของทวิตเตอร์ต่อการมีส่วนร่วมในการแสดงความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับเนื้อหารายการโหนกระแส จากการวิเคราะห์กลุ่มตัวอย่างที่รับชมรายการโหนกระแสและใช้งานทวิตเตอร์ระหว่างรับชมรายการ ช่วงอายุระหว่าง 18 – 35 ปี (กลุ่มวัยทำงานตอนต้น) จำนวน 20 คน พบว่า ความอยากรู้ เป็นแรงจูงใจที่ทำให้ผู้รับชมที่เลือกรับชมรายการโหนกระแส ซึ่งมีทั้งผู้ที่อยากรู้เพื่อให้ทันเหตุการณ์และผู้ที่อยากรู้เนื่องจากเป็นประเด็นที่ตนสนใจ โดยจากการศึกษาครั้งนี้ พบแรงจูงใจ 4 ประเภทที่ทำให้เกิดพฤติกรรมการใช้งานทวิตเตอร์ระหว่างการรับชมรายการโหนกระแส ได้แก่ 1) แรงจูงใจในการแสดงความคิดเห็น 2) แรงจูงใจในการอยากรู้ความคิดเห็นของผู้อื่น 3) แรงจูงใจในการเข้าถึงข้อมูลข่าวสาร และ 4) แรงจูงใจในการเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของผู้รับชม ซึ่งจากแรงจูงใจทั้ง 4 ประเภทนี้ ทำให้เห็นว่า การมีส่วนร่วมของผู้รับชมนั้นเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของพฤติกรรมการรับชมรายการในลักษณะโซเชียลทีวี (Social TV) ที่ทำให้ผู้รับชมมีความรู้สึกถึงการเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของกลุ่มผู้รับชม ซึ่งมีความสอดคล้องกับความต้องการพื้นฐานของมนุษย์ด้านสังคมตามทฤษฎีมาสโลว์ (Love and Belonging needs) อีกทั้งยังพบว่า ทวิตเตอร์เป็นแพลตฟอร์มที่สามารถตอบสนองความต้องการและความพึงพอใจของผู้รับชมระหว่างการรับชมรายการโหนกระแสได้ โดยให้ความรู้สึกในแง่ของการมีตัวตนทางสังคม (Social Presence) การเปรียบเทียบทางสังคม (Social Comparison) และการรู้สึกถึงการเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของสังคม (Sense of Belonging) ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น การเลือกใช้ทวิตเตอร์ระหว่างการรับชมยังสามารถสร้างความพึงพอใจในระหว่างการรับชมรายการได้ตามความต้องการตามทฤษฎีการใช้ประโยชน์และความพึงพอใจ (Uses and Gratification Theory: UGT) จึงทำให้เห็นว่า ทวิตเตอร์สามารถตอบสนองความต้องการของผู้รับชมระหว่างรับชมรายการหรือพฤติกรรมการรับชมรายการในรูปแบบโซเชียลทีวี (Social TV) นั่นเอง

The Impact Of Social Media On Teenage Females Self-Esteem, Amanda C. Perkovich

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Social media has become the way we connect with the world. Social networking sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok, allow users to share intimate details of their lives, upload photographs, initiate and maintain relationships, plan social gatherings, observe the lives of others and express beliefs, values and emotions. In the last ten years, numerous articles have focused on the relationship between social media use and mental health however, very few studies have concentrated on self-esteem, especially in teenage females. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the associations between increased social media activity (greater than 2 …

Conflict Communication In Law Enforcement, Don Zheng

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This paper will focus on addressing conflict communication in law enforcement and what literature are available and the gaps within them. Conflict communication can range from the way's words are used, what words are used, and when those words are used when police officers interact with the public. Due to the lack of extensive research done within communication studies and law enforcement, this paper aims to aid in getting future research studies done within the professions. Conflict communication within law enforcement is a topic that should be talked about more to possibly lower the number of instances where physical and/or …

Sexual Assault In The News, Sydney Blair

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research has evaluated the presence of blame, myths, and stigma that sexual assault survivors experience online and within interactions with others. In the era of the #MeToo movement, has that changed? With perpetrators recently being held legally accountable for their crimes, my research addresses the current representation(s) of sexual assault through a content analysis of existing news media. I found a variety of rhetoric that supports survivors, #MeToo and perpetrators accountability, with additional evidence that negatively counters those positive changes. My research is important because these findings contribute to social science literature by examining the current representation of sexual …

We Are Our Memories: Evaluating The Efficacy Of A New Caregiver-Mediated Intervention To Support Episodic Memory In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ashley Rae Brien

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Episodic memory (EM) is memory for past personal experiences; it is foundational to the development of imagination, introspection, future thinking, and social problem-solving and it shapes one’s self-concept, identity, and life story. EM and theory of mind (ToM) are developmentally intertwined and functionally dependent, and impairments in each are well-documented in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite tremendous empirical and theoretical import for the construal of EM as a core deficit in the social challenges in ASD, no formal interventions have been developed to support EM in this population. Meanwhile, an impressive body of literature has documented that one particular caregiver …

A World Grappling With Pope Francis: Laudato Si' And The Contested Frames Of A Secular-Minded Church, Joseph R. Blaney

Faculty Publications - Communications

Pope Francis has been misunderstood by liberals and conservatives alike, confusing an emphasized pastoral tone and approach for theological departure. This confusion is exacerbated in the United States where the faithful are tempted to understand and evaluate pastoral figures in terms of secular political ideologies. This study extends Blaney’s (2017) media framing study of news coverage of cardinalate appointments by examining commentary about the papal encyclical Laudato Si’ found among readers of the National Catholic Register, the National Catholic Reporter, and The New York Times. Thematic analyses affirm that the faithful of the U.S. church succumb to the same secular …

The Relationship Between The Stigmatization Of Mental Illness, Communication Apprehension And The Willingness To Communicate, Madeleine Louise Winkler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This project explores how mental health stigmatization influences communication apprehension and the willingness to communicate about mental illness. A total of 153 people completed an online survey regarding three variables. Perceived stigma and communication apprehension when communicating about their own mental health were found to be positively correlated. Perceived stigma and communication apprehension when communicating about someone else’s mental health was also found to be positively correlated. Communicating about one’s own mental illness lead to higher levels of communication apprehension compared to communicating about someone else’s mental illness. Communication apprehension when talking about one’s own mental health and willingness to …

“Whose Team Is It Anyway?”: Exploring The Impact Of Coaching Changes On Forensics Team Culture, Brenton Lynn Mitchell

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research in the field has documented the many aspects of coaching difficulties faced by forensic teams (Chouinard & Kuyper, 2010; Louis, 2011; Outzen, 2016; White, 2005 & 2010). While research in this area is necessary to understand the struggles associated with a coaching change and the impact it has on team culture, little research has been done to analyze how the students are affected by the shift in coaches and the changing culture of the team. This thesis examines how collegiate forensics competitors navigate these difficult transitions in an activity that heavily influences the creation of close relationships between …

Lessons From Our Living Rooms: Illuminating Lockdowns With Technology Domestication Insights, Sun Sun Lim, Yang Wang

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

With at least half of humanity under lockdown to arrest the spread of COVID-19 (Sandford, 2020), adults have been working from home and children engaging in home schooling for months on end. Competing for scarce resources such as digital devices, bandwidth, as well as physical and personal space, families have had to contend with rising tensions around the quality of digital engagement, children’s learning abilities, parent-child relationships and overall familial wellbeing. This fraught situation shone the spotlight on the household context of technology use but also enabled us to marshal academic insights to advance advocacy and public education. The pandemic …

Icts And Transnational Householding: The Double Burden Of Polymedia Connectivity For International ‘Study Mothers’, Yang Wang, Sun Sun Lim

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

In contemporary society, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are widely cherished for helping transnational households preserve a coherent sense of familyhood despite geographical separation. By virtue of the constant connectivity bestowed by ICTs, international migrants and their left-behind family members can remain involved in the mundane experiences of each other’s everyday lives and perform familial responsibilities from afar on a daily basis. However, the same polymedia environment that serves as the ‘social glue of transnationalism’ can also bring about deficiencies and potential negative implications for family functioning and well-being of family members. Drawing on both literature review and empirical evidence, …

Encroachment: College Athletes’ Experiences With Identity Development As Affected By Media Representations Of Social Justice Demonstrations, Madison Remi Vanwalleghen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to understand how communication and identity are experienced by Black university athletes in asking about their experiences and how they gauge mainstream media portrayals of Black NFL athletes making verbal or physical statements about or in protest of social injustice, racism, and inequality in America. I interviewed five university athletes identifying as Black/African American or Mixed- Race using media representations of Black NFL athletes’ protests since the NFL has dominated mainstream media headlines regarding recent athletes’ protests, especially in connection to the Black Lives Matter social movement. I also used several theories to interpret the data …

“But Everyone Does It!”: A Look Into The Psychosexual Outcomes Of Pornography Use In College-Aged Men And Women, Rose-Sienna Medina

West Chester University Master’s Theses

In the current digital age, pornography is rapidly increasing in popularity amongst emerging adults and college students. Research from a variety of fields have found that consumption of pornography poses neurological, physiological, and psychological threats to emerging adults (Wordecha et al., 2018; Wright et al., 2018). Notably, many consequences of pornography consumption differ across gender (Brown & L’engle, 2016; Fritz & Paul, 2017). College students are more likely than the general public to experience cybersex addiction, with male students significantly more likely to meet the criteria than their female counterparts (Giordano & Cashwell, 2017). A clear link between negative mental …

"Because It’S 2015!": Justin Trudeau’S Yoga Body, Masculinity, And Canadian Nation-Building, Jennifer Musial, Judith Mintz

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

In 2015, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters he chose a gender-balanced cabinet “because it’s 2015,” a sentiment that resonated with Leftists and feminists. Trudeau showed he was a different kind of male politician through his yoga practice. Through candid yoga photographs, Trudeau represented himself as a sensitive new age guy who challenged hegemonic masculinity through wellness, playfulness, and a commitment to multiculturalism. Using discourse analysis, we examine visual, print, and social media texts that feature Trudeau’s connection to yoga, masculinity, and nation-building. We argue that Trudeau’s yoga body projects a “hybrid masculinity” (Bridges 2014; Demetriou 2001) that constructs …

Media And Information Literate Citizens: Think Critically, Click Wisely!, Alton Grizzle, Carolyn Wilson, Ramon Tuazon, Chi Kim Cheung, Jesus Lau, Rachel Fischer, Dorothy Gordon, Kwame Akyempong, Jagtar Singh, Paul R. Carr, Kristine N. Stewart, Samy Tayie, Olunifesi Suraj, Maarit Jaakkola, Gina Thésée, Curmira Gulston

All Works

Can we improve our societies by clicking wisely?

Content providers such as libraries, archives, museums, media and digital communications companies can enable inclusive and sustainable development. However, they do not always live up to these ideals, which creates challenges for the users of these services. Content providers of all types open up new opportunities for lifelong learning. But at the same time, they open up challenges such as misinformation and disinformation, hate speech, and infringement of online privacy, among others.

Media and information literacy is a set of competencies that help people to maximize advantages and minimize harms. Media and …

Black Outside: A Film Exploring Black People’S Relationships With Outdoor Spaces, Zoie Bills

Senior Independent Study Theses

Spending time in nature is regarded as a great way to have fun and improve one’s mental or physical health. Black people are largely underrepresented in public parks and other outdoor spaces. My film explores the lack of Black presence in outdoor spaces in an effort to promote Black people’s usage of these places. I used interviews with students, environmental activists, and my own family in order to explore the scholarly, structural, cultural, and personal factors that impact Black folks’ engagement with the outdoors. The interviews revealed several major takeaways including that Black people have historical roots in outdoor spaces …

Breaking News: Sustainable Fashion Is In And Fast Fashion Is Out; Constructions Of Sustainable Consumption In Fast Fashion Advertising, Camryn Eve Rosenstein

Senior Independent Study Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the pivotal role advertising plays in fast fashion consumption and shaping young consumers ideas and values about the fashion industry, fast fashion, sustainable consumption, and sustainability. This study contributes to limited research into greenwashing and consumer perceptions and attitudes towards sustainable consumption. Moreover, this study highlights the increased relevance of the sustainable fashion movement in mainstream society. The researcher recruited 30 college students to participants in focus group sessions and individual interviews. An H&M advertisement and a video clip from a documentary, The True Cost, were shown to participants, so …