Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Incel Bonding: Masculinity And Storytelling In Online Misogynist Spaces, Gunnar Eastman

Honors College

The incel subculture, short for “involuntary celibate,” is one that exists mostly online, but boasts a relatively large number of dedicated members. The goal of this research is to determine how the incel subculture shares their ideology and develops a sense of group identity. The study reviewed 76 threads of posts across two incel forum websites, and was able to conduct three interviews of members from one of those sites. That content was analyzed iteratively for cohesive themes. Several themes emerged, chief among them was the activity of storytelling, which appeared to be done in three different major ways, with …

Evidence-Based Family Strengthening Training In Maine: A Resource Assessment And Proposal To Reduce Barriers And Increase Facilitators, Elaine Thomas

Honors College

The purpose of this research is to conduct a resource assessment of family strengthening training programs in the state of Maine. The primary focus of the resource assessment is to identify the agency and provider-level barriers and facilitators that impact their capacity to provide caregivers with awareness of and access to programs. Prior to presenting the resource assessment, this thesis reviews data about key child and family issues in Maine and examines how family strengthening training is applied as an evidence-based tool to prevent child maltreatment, foster healthy attachments within the family, and nurture positive caregiving skills. The methodologies used …

The Wpath Standards Of Care: Their History And Importance In Advocating For Transgender Health, Alexander Cross

Honors College

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care publication one most-often cited in the defense of increasing attacks on transgender rights to gender-affirming healthcare, as it is the reigning body of clinical guidelines and recommendations for the medical treatment of transgender and gender-diverse populations developed for application in a global context. This paper recounts the history of the WPATH organization––formerly called the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association––and the evolution of its Standards publication. In light of historical and recent attacks on gender-affirming care, an overview of the material implications of the Standards’ changes as they pertain …

Polarized By Design: Does The Structure Of Congress Eliminate Moderates?, James Hotham

Honors College

Over the last few decades scholars have noted the new structure of Congress has become much more leader centric, with them holding more power than they had in the past. This has helped to foster polarization within Congress as a body, by making bipartisanship a more difficult process and poses the question: why would a moderate member of Congress choose to pursue a career where their goal and insights are largely discounted by the rest of the body they serve in? In order to determine whether these new limitations on moderates impact their presence this thesis will analyze a number …

Critical Discourse Analysis: Sexual Violence In Maine Department Of Public Safety (Dps) "Crime In Maine" Reports, Emma V. Grous

Honors College

Sexual violence is incredibly prevalent in the state of Maine. These crimes, which disproportionately affect at-risk communities – women, children, people of color, and impoverished persons – are not accurately represented in legal discourses within Maine. Changes to how victims and survivors of sexual violence are represented and discussed in law enforcement reports and other materials are necessary in order to promote social change and justice for the survivors in our communities.

Critical Discourse Analysis has been used broadly since its conception and has even previously been used in understanding political and social implications of discourse in the United States. …

Adjustment And Social Media Use During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexis Banner

Honors College

Adolescents are highly susceptible to developing depression, given the wide range of social and biological changes that happen during this developmental period. Many late adolescents transition to college, and this experience is associated with more responsibility, higher academic demands, and gains in independence from family, which have been associated with higher levels of depression. Most adolescents today use social media, and this has been linked to many positive effects, such as exploring one’s identity and staying in contact with peers. However, social media use also has been associated with negative effects, such as body-image issues and increased depression levels. The …

Hunting In Maine, Elizabeth Tibbetts

Honors College

Hunting remains a common practice for many people in the state of Maine. While the stories and traditions held by hunters differ from person to person and family to family. There are commonalities that aid in building the sense of community between hunters in the state of Maine. This hunting community is strengthened through the sharing of stories and the common traditions shared by many. These communities remain strong even as the Maine landscape and hunting legislation changes over time. Here a number of questions regarding hunting are explored through the lens of one family spanning multiple generations through oral …

Identifying The Interconnection Between Maine's Lobster Industry And The North Atlantic Right Whale Population In Order To Guide Federal Action, Devon Lammert

Honors College

North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) are on the verge of going extinct because of human activity. Entanglements in fixed fishing gear and vessel strikes are killing NARW at such a rate that their extinction is inevitable unless human-caused deaths are significantly reduced. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has subjected Maine’s lobster fishery to regulations aimed at protecting whales since 1997 as part of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. Recently proposed changes to the plan would effectively regulate Maine’s lobster industry out of existence. Lobstering is a cultural and …

Imagining Gender Euphorias, Willow Wind

Honors College

Our society needs to talk about gender, but we aren’t very good at it. Avoiding these discussions has harmful impacts on body image and various health disparities (The Trevor Project, 2020). What if we have better and regular conversations about ways we can positively experience gender? This study’s model of negotiating gender can be used by families and educators seeking affirming exploratory learning opportunities. Insights into meanings of gender euphoria help validate diverse sets of experiences, informing a broader cultural discourse that increasingly questions gender binarism (Griffin, 2020).

This study explores conceptualizations and enactment of gender euphoria across demographics and …

The Embodied Performance Of Tics And Tourette Syndrome In The Academic Environment, Benjamin Allen

Honors College

This thesis examines the lived experience of tic disorders, such as Tourette Syndrome, and discusses how that lived experience has been impacted by ableist ideological medical theorizations of the “ticcing body.” In my review of the medical discourse on TS, I point out how the failure to adequately account for the experience of “ticcing” has obfuscated some of the most important characteristics of tic disorders, including the experience of performing tics in social settings as opposed to performing tics away from others. I believe this obfuscation is not intentional, but it is the effect of a discourse that is not …

A Study On The Effect Of The #Metoo Movement On State Level Policy Making, Claire Shaw

Honors College

This thesis analyzes the effects of social movements, specifically the #MeToo Movement, on state legislation. To do so, this thesis examines the timing and processes of two cases of passed legislation in Missouri and Texas. Though the #MeToo Movement was founded in 2006, the height of the movement in 2017 provided an open policy window in which political actors and entrepreneurs were able to pursue their prepared proposals. In Missouri, the rise of #MeToo inspired political ally Senator Holly Rehder to first publish a personal essay detailing her experience with sexual assault before sponsoring and introducing Senate Bill 775. This …

Exploring Interfaith Sex Education, Bailey Lewis

Honors College

Sacred Sexuality explores the intersections of religion and sexuality. I worked with Dr. Birthisel, Director of the Wilson Center, and Kate Dawson, co-facilitator of the sex education class, to survey the sex education class participants on how the experience has been for them. I surveyed the sex education class participants after the class to analyze their opinions of the sex education class, interfaith dialogue, and how their spirituality or religious perspectives inform their beliefs around sexuality. Overall, the sex education class was highly recommended and gave an interesting look into how faith and sexuality interact. While the sex education class …

The Impacts Of Covid-19 On Friendship Reciprocity In Adolescents, Tori Lucia

Honors College

The current study looks at how COVID-19 affected adolescents’ interpersonal relationships due to safety restrictions. Adolescent friendships are particularly important in adolescence (Yu and Deutsch, 2021; Adler & Adler, 1995; Parker et al, 2006). Emerging research suggests that interpersonal relationships were impacted during COVID-19 (Shoshani & Kor, 2022), but there is more to understand about precisely how adolescent friendships were impacted. Specifically, it is not known whether the onset of the pandemic impacted the number of reciprocated friendships, the stability of reciprocation in best friendships, and both positive and negative friendship quality in adolescents’ lives. The current study tests whether …

Best Practices Guide For Building Sustainable, Mutually Beneficial Relationships Between The Lewiston/Auburn Community Market And Local Farmers Within The Greater Lewiston/Auburn Area, Hannah Mathieu

Honors College

Lewiston/Auburn Community Market’s business model is to provide a no-to-low- cost grocery store, shared commercial kitchen space, and rentable cold storage for residents of Lewiston/Auburn. After reviewing their business plan and speaking with a representative, I identified two challenges that the LACM may face—building community infrastructure around their program and effective communication. I chose to focus my research on coordinating local farmers, a key piece of local infrastructure, through my research question—What best practices can be utilized to build sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships between the Lewiston/Auburn Community Market and local farmers within the greater Lewiston/Auburn area? To determine the best …

"I Want You The Feel The Fear That I Feel Every Day": An Analysis Of How Climate Change Affects Youth Political Participation, Kristina Norbury

Honors College

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the connection between climate change and youth political participation. Using data from a large, cross-national survey done by the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, this project analyzed young people’s emotional responses to climate change. This project synthesized and brought together two threads of scholarly literature in order to make claims about how emotional responses to climate change may be influencing youth political engagement. The line of scholarship explores how emotions traditionally influence political behavior. This research indicated that emotions such as anxiety can have a debilitating effect on people and …

S8e6: What Is The Umaine Honors College Experience?, Ron Lisnet, Ellen Weinauer

The Maine Question

Established in 1935, the University of Maine Honors College is one of the oldest continuously-running honors programs in the U.S.

Its intellectually-curious students, who are among the top undergraduates at UMaine, explore texts, ideas, the arts and current events through an interdisciplinary lens in an academically rigorous environment. Their class sizes are small and emphasize student engagement and lively discussion. In their senior year, honors students work on a thesis or project that pertains to their major and caters to their passions.

In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, Dean Ellen Weinauer and four students discuss what it’s like …

S8e5: How Do Athletics Help Universities Fulfill Their Missions?, Ron Lisnet, Jude Killy

The Maine Question

University of Maine Athletics, the state’s only Division I athletics program, is undergoing some major changes. A new director, Jude Killy, stepped up to bat in January, and several facilities are undergoing extensive upgrades as part of a $110 million master plan, funded primarily by the Harold Alfond Foundation as part of the UMS TRANSFORMS initiative.

In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Killy, who previously worked for the Division I schools Miami University and University of Pittsburgh, discusses the facility renovations and other updates to Black Bear sports, the evolving landscape of college athletics and how they help …

Fogler Library: Steam In Horror Fiction, Lindsay Decker, Christopher Clark, Heather Perrone

UMaine Video

This video slideshow explores aspects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in works of horror and fiction. It was part of a display in Fogler Library October 17, 2022 through November 18, 2022. For more information on science resources and instruction at Fogler Library, the science reference librarians are here to help. No audio.

S8e4: How Can Art Help Enrich Our Lives And Solve Everyday Problems?, Ron Lisnet

The Maine Question

Art — whether it’s created on a page or computer or in a studio or theater — can do more than showcase creativity for amusement and cultural enrichment. Art can help teach people about historical and contemporary societies, advance research, support economic development and combat daily and systemic issues.

Inspired by the significance and utility of art, the University of Maine Arts Initiative was formed to increase resources and support for creative works, reinforce their significance and enhance their visibility. The initiative also aims to break down the silos between artists, scientists, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders so they can work …

S8e3: How Can Athletic Trainers Help People Live More Healthy, Active Lives?, Ron Lisnet, Christopher Nightingale

The Maine Question

Athletic trainers help both athletes and non-athletes recover from injuries and get back in the game, and their services are in high demand. Job opportunities in athletic training have been growing rapidly in recent years, and so too have the places in which athletic trainers work.

The University of Maine has long offered a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, and alumni from it have found careers at high schools, major league sports like the National Hockey League, rehabilitation facilities and in other settings. This year, however, UMaine has reincorporated its program as a master’s degree, which prepares students to join …

Aquaculture Research Institute Newsletter, March 8, 2023, Aquaculture Research Institute

General University of Maine Publications

Undergraduate Students (AquEOUS) Fellowship. This new USDA Research and Extension Experience for Undergraduates (REEU) at the University of Maine's Wabanaki Center and Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) and in collaboration with Wabanaki Youth in Science offers undergraduate students from around the nation an opportunity to combine traditional ecological knowledge from indigenous science with STEM concepts from western science to solve real-world problems in aquaculture at the University of Maine’s world-class aquaculture facilities.

S8e2: What Role Do Libraries Play In The Digital Age?, Ron Lisnet, Daisy Domínguez Singh

The Maine Question

Libraries are vital resources for many communities, and their services have evolved over time with the advent of new technology and demands. The University of Maine Raymond H. Fogler Library, a more than 150-year-old institution and the largest research library in the state, has adopted several new offerings in recent years to meet the needs of students, faculty and the general public in the digital age.

In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Daisy Domínguez Singh, dean of libraries at UMaine, discusses the latest developments in library services, including those at Fogler, and the role these repositories for knowledge …

2023 Film Series: Human Dimensions Of Climate Change, Jennifer L. Bonnet, Cindy Isenhour

Library Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Landings, Vol. 31, No. 3, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance, Patrice Mccarron, Melissa Waterman, Matt Talbot, Susie Arnold, Eric Layland

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to Maine's lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

For more information, please visit the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) website.

S8e1: How Can Maine Grow And Diversify Its Economy?, Ron Lisnet, Jake Ward

The Maine Question

Maine’s economy is evolving with several burgeoning industries, like artificial intelligence and alternative energy, and new opportunities in its quintessential natural resource sectors, such as commercial fishing and forestry. The University of Maine’s Office of Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Resources and Engagement, or SPIRE, is supporting statewide economic growth by connecting startups and expanding companies with resources and experts at UMaine, and building strategic partnerships that grow talent, innovation and investment in the state and beyond.

In the first episode of “The Maine Question” Season 8, Jake Ward, UMaine vice president of innovation and economic development, and Renee Kelly, associate vice …

Landings, Vol. 31, No. 2, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance, Patrice Mccarron, Patrick Keliher, Fiona Hogan, Melissa Waterman, Kevin Kelley

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to Maine's lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

For more information, please visit the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) website.

Aquaculture Research Institute Newsletter, January 24, 2023, Aquaculture Research Institute

General University of Maine Publications

ARI now has a Podcast! "Salty Talks - Conversations on Sustainable Aquaculture in Maine." In discussion-style episodes, we speak with people across multiple disciplines to highlight some of the most exciting innovations happening in Maine aquaculture!

Technology & Tradition: Shaping Indigenous Collections For The Future, Gretchen Faulkner, Harold Jacobs, Alex Cole, Jonathan Roy, Reed Hayden, Anna Martin, Duane Shimmel

Technical Publications

The Hudson Museum received a UMAI seed grant to support
a collaboration with the Advanced Structures and Composites
Center and Intermedia Programs to replicate a culturally -
sensitive object in our collection. This is a technical publication to describe the process of replicating a Tlingit Frog Clan Helmet (HM5040) requested for repatriation by the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA).

Landings, Vol. 31, No. 1, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance, Patrice Mccarron, Alexa Dayton, Togue Brawn, Dustin Delano, Steven Dickens, Ann Backus, Melissa Waterman

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to Maine's lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

For more information, please visit the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) website.

A General Interview Guide, Edward D. Ives

Northeast Folklore Monographs

What follows is in no sense exhaustive or complete. I started from O'Sullivan's Handbook of Irish Folklore (that's where the basic structure comes from), and then I adapted it to the scene here in the Northeast by adding some questions and changing others. For any one of the aspects covered here, you can get more suggestions by looking al O'Sullivan's work.

I don't recommend trying to work straight through this guide with an informant. Nor do I particularly recommend interviewing with "guide in hand," and I'm dead against it for the first interview. Read the Guide through a few times …