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Theses and Dissertations

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Neural Mechanisms Of Lexical Semantics: Investigating The Roles Of Hubs And Distributed Action-Perception Systems, Nicholas Andrew Riccardi Jul 2023

Neural Mechanisms Of Lexical Semantics: Investigating The Roles Of Hubs And Distributed Action-Perception Systems, Nicholas Andrew Riccardi

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the meaning of words and concepts is vital for communication, forming relationships, and navigating everyday life. Loss of this knowledge through brain damage can have drastic consequences for one’s health and well-being. It is therefore important to learn how this information is organized anatomically in the brain. In this dissertation, I report a series of structural and functional neuroimaging studies in healthy adults and survivors of stroke seeking to understand how lexical semantics are represented. Specifically, I used a variety of tasks to examine the contributions of putative ‘hubs’ and distributed action-perception systems. Results indicated that damage or disruption …

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Individual Differences In Perspective-Taking During Language Comprehension, Kanan Benjamin Luce Jul 2023

Individual Differences In Perspective-Taking During Language Comprehension, Kanan Benjamin Luce

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found mixed results for a link between executive function and perspective-taking. One proposed reason for this is that perspective-taking during comprehension tasks may not be internally reliable. This dissertation presents two large individual differences experiments with multiple perspective-taking during comprehension and executive function measures. We aimed to see (1) whether people were consistent in their ability to take perspectives during comprehension, (2) if the typical tasks used in this area were reliable, and (3) whether executive function measures predicted perspective-taking ability. We found a lack of reliability of some of the most commonly used perspective-taking during comprehension …

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The Parental Well-Being Gap Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Morgan Renee Koziol Jul 2023

The Parental Well-Being Gap Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Morgan Renee Koziol

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has examined the emotional costs and benefits associated with parenting. In general, this body of literature finds that parents experience lower levels of subjective well-being compared to non-parents—a phenomenon referred to as the parental well-being gap. There is evidence that this parental well-being gap has narrowed or disappeared altogether in more recent years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to parents that may have resulted in a widening or reopening of this gap once again. This project aims to test this possibility by drawing on data from The General Social Survey that capture the survey year prior …

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Contextualizing Search: An Analysis Of The Impacts Of Construal Level Theory, Mood, And Product Type On Search Engine Activity, Jackson Everitt Carter Jul 2023

Contextualizing Search: An Analysis Of The Impacts Of Construal Level Theory, Mood, And Product Type On Search Engine Activity, Jackson Everitt Carter

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the world of search from the human perspective. While search engine research, both corporate and academic, has seen a growth in relevance in recent years, the relative novelty of the area in the advertising world means that many important questions remain unanswered. This work aims to expand the current state of search engine research by examining the combined impact of mood, construal level theory applications, and product type on search behavior. Additionally, this research seeks to examine psychophysiological responses from these interreacting frameworks using webcam eye-tracking technology, which was developed recently and has not been previously used …

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Online Information-Seeking And Cancer Screening Intention: An Analysis Of The Health Information National Trends Survey 2022, Rachel Aileen Ford Jul 2023

Online Information-Seeking And Cancer Screening Intention: An Analysis Of The Health Information National Trends Survey 2022, Rachel Aileen Ford

Theses and Dissertations

Online information-seeking has become common in modern life, including when patients search for health information to make informed healthcare decisions. Previous research into the effect of online information-seeking on health maintenance behaviors has been mixed. This study sought to expand the current literature concerning the online information-seeking habits of cancer patients and integrate the concept of competence to analyze the effect on cancer screening adherence. The study analyzed HINTS 6 data to examine the relationship between online information-seeking and cancer screening intention as well as the relationship between social media habits and cancer beliefs. Results showed support for competence resulting …

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Extreme Persuasion: Analyzing Meaning Creation And Persuasive Strategies Within Extreme Discourse On Alternative Social Media, Naomi Kathryn Lawrence Jul 2023

Extreme Persuasion: Analyzing Meaning Creation And Persuasive Strategies Within Extreme Discourse On Alternative Social Media, Naomi Kathryn Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a long history of counterterrorism strategy, the U.S. has seen a drastic increase in domestic attacks over the past decade. Previous studies have found that, due to increasing content-related restrictions, many individuals who participate in extremist-related discourse have migrated away from mainstream social media and toward alternative social media platforms. This study consists of a comprehensive content analysis based on Multimedia Critical Discourse Analysis theories to study how meaning is created via the combination of text, image, and symbols, as well as how various persuasive narratives and rhetorical appeals are used within extreme discourse on social media. This research …

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Comorbid Adhd And Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Prevalence And Risk Factors, Sarah Bills Jul 2023

Comorbid Adhd And Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Prevalence And Risk Factors, Sarah Bills

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood condition that places youth at increased risk for deficits in attention and executive functioning suggestive of increased rates of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There is pronounced inconsistency in reported prevalence rates for attention deficits and ADHD diagnoses among youth with SCD, which is due in part to variability in methodology of previous studies. The primary aim of the present study is to use systematic screening to identify the prevalence of inattentive ADHD symptoms and ADHD diagnoses in a pediatric SCD population seen at a large hematology clinic. A secondary aim is …

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Prosecutorial Discretion: District Attorneys, Public Opinion,And The Localized Rule Of Law, Yu-Hsien Sung Jul 2023

Prosecutorial Discretion: District Attorneys, Public Opinion,And The Localized Rule Of Law, Yu-Hsien Sung

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses three fundamental questions regarding the politics of prosecutorial behavior. Specifically, it examines how the selectors of prosecutors influence prosecutorial decision-making under different selection methods, including electionbased systems and appointment-based systems. By using a political responsiveness framework and utilizing empirical strategies, including an experiment and the construction of prosecutor policy position data, this study offers novel insights into the subject. First, I find that voters care about prosecutors’ issue positions and rely on various cues to identify candidates whose policy positions align with their preferences, even in low-information elections. Second, elections show promise as a mechanism for holding …

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Returning Home: The Thesis Of A Master, Yang Thai Vang Jun 2023

Returning Home: The Thesis Of A Master, Yang Thai Vang

Theses and Dissertations

Over centuries, Hmong people have moved from mountain to mountain, home to home, country to country, crossing rivers and valleys in search of an escape from oppression. The Txiv Xaiv (Plig) ritual and chant has survived serial exodus and diaspora that Hmong people have experienced. This ritual encodes Hmong historical and cosmological understandings as an oral text, passed down from master to student, and performed at funerals to apply that understanding in the management of souls--ultimately to send them home. The Txiv Xaiv (Plig) serves as a glue, connecting the past generations to the generation of today and the generations …

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Meaning Making And Athletic Gender Discrimination: Associations Between Sports Participation And Gender Discrimination Among Adolescent Females, Chenae Christensen Duerden Jun 2023

Meaning Making And Athletic Gender Discrimination: Associations Between Sports Participation And Gender Discrimination Among Adolescent Females, Chenae Christensen Duerden

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that participation in athletics provides adolescent females with a variety of positive mental and physical benefits. While Title IX paved the way for increased female participation in organized sports, female athletes, including adolescents, continue to face various forms of gender discrimination. Research also suggests that females with a strong feminist identity are more likely to identify and speak out against gender discrimination. Accordingly, this study seeks to examine the association between gender discrimination and sports participation and the potential moderating role of feminist identity and cognitive appraisals of discrimination on this relationship. Participants were 580 adolescent females (age …

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Green Lighting The Altruistic Influencer, Savanna Rebecca Bagley Jun 2023

Green Lighting The Altruistic Influencer, Savanna Rebecca Bagley

Theses and Dissertations

This paper comprehensively examines a new type of social media influencer characterized by altruistic tendencies. Utilizing the popular YouTube channel Vlogbrothers as the case study text for a constant comparative analysis, this research explores how the strategies altruistic influencers use to mobilize their community for good, the characteristics of the altruistic influencers, and how altruistic influencers create community. Through an in-depth analysis of 30 Vlogbrothers videos, the themes of education, community, and shared humanity emerged. Education, shared values, and calls to action are discussed as essential for mobilizing communities in charitable endeavors. Authenticity, quality, accessibility, and solutions-focused action were found …

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Remembering And Forgetting: The Commemoration Of The First World War And The Spanish Influenza Pandemic In Salt Lake City, Utah, Bethany Kathleen Gustafson Jun 2023

Remembering And Forgetting: The Commemoration Of The First World War And The Spanish Influenza Pandemic In Salt Lake City, Utah, Bethany Kathleen Gustafson

Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, American culture has experienced a renewed interest in pandemic events, including the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918-1919. Based on research carried out in cemeteries and monuments in Salt Lake City, Utah, this paper compares commemoration practices relating to the Spanish Influenza pandemic and the simultaneous events of First World War within the city. Such research provides evidence that warfare enjoys a greater presence in places of social memory than does disease, suggesting an inequality in the cultural value placed on different causes of death. This outcome is the result of numerous factors and …

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Seashells Lost In The Desert: The Syrians Exodus Through Sudan To Egypt, Waseem Khattab Shahla Jun 2023

Seashells Lost In The Desert: The Syrians Exodus Through Sudan To Egypt, Waseem Khattab Shahla

Theses and Dissertations

The Syrian conflict of 2011 resulted in a significant number of Syrians fleeing their homes in search of safety and stability. After the Syrian conflict in 2011, Syrians were allowed access to many countries, including Egypt. However, after the prolonged conflict, access to numerous nations was severely restricted. This thesis examines the challenges faced by Syrian refugees in their journey through Sudan to Egypt, where they hoped to find a better life. The study specifically focuses on the irregular migration route taken by Syrians through Sudan and Egypt, with a focus on the period of 2016 to 2021. This period …

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Marital Stability In Newlywed Remarried Couple Relationships: Positive Communication And Marital Interactions In Shared Moments Or Activities, Colette Hickman-Evans Jun 2023

Marital Stability In Newlywed Remarried Couple Relationships: Positive Communication And Marital Interactions In Shared Moments Or Activities, Colette Hickman-Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Remarriages are more structurally diverse, last less time, are more vulnerable, and at greater risk for divorce than first marriages. The newlywed stage of marriage is a critical time when relationship patterns are established or reinforced that can impact a relationship for years to come, yet very few studies have examined remarried relationships in the newlywed stage. This study examined the association between marital interaction, positive communication, and marital instability in 348 newlywed remarried couple participants from a nationally representative sample. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and actor-partner interdependence model with mediation (APIMeM), the findings indicated that positive communication was …

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Group Therapy For Externalizing Behavior Problems In Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Rachel Anne Arnold Jun 2023

Group Therapy For Externalizing Behavior Problems In Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Rachel Anne Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Externalizing behavior problems are a common concern among youth and can be associated with significant problems. As such, the need for effective treatment is evident. While research on psychosocial interventions has been promising, the specific efficacy of youth group therapy has not been assessed in a meta-analysis. Objectives: to assess group therapy's efficacy for youth with behavioral issues and whether treatment effects are moderated by study, patient, leader, or group characteristics. Method: major databases were used to identify and screen potential articles based on inclusion criteria. Included studied were analyzed in a random effects meta-analysis, and potential moderators were assessed. …

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Meet Them Where They Scroll: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Teen And Young Adult Dating Violence Prevention Programs, Aeriel Grace Halstead Jun 2023

Meet Them Where They Scroll: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Teen And Young Adult Dating Violence Prevention Programs, Aeriel Grace Halstead

Theses and Dissertations

The public is often surprised by the high prevalence of relationship violence. With more than 50% of adults experiencing some form of physical or psychological violence in their intimate relationships during their lifetime, IPV is a public health crisis that particularly affects marginalized communities (Breiding et al., 2015; Johns et al., 2019, 2020; Stockman et al., 2015). The variable results of perpetrator and victim treatments make prevention particularly important if it is effective (Anderson & Van Ee, 2018; Babcock et al., 2004; Cheng et al., 2021; Karakurt et al., 2019; Maguire, 2018; Stith, Rosen, et al., 2004; Stover et al., …

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Assessing Artificial Intelligence Readiness Of Faculty In Higher Education: Comparative Case Study Of Egypt, Ayatallah Ali Jun 2023

Assessing Artificial Intelligence Readiness Of Faculty In Higher Education: Comparative Case Study Of Egypt, Ayatallah Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been gaining considerable attention from many countries worldwide due to its rapid development and its potential benefits in different sectors. One of the leading global sectors that are currently considering the adoption of AI is the education sector. As a developing country, Egypt is gradually realizing the importance of AI and has begun considering the integration of AI in numerous sectors. Despite the importance of the field, there is a lack of published research on the integration of AI in education in Egypt or on the readiness levels of any stakeholders in the …

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Netflix’S Role In Reshaping The Global Audience’S Perception Of Arabs And Muslims, Menatalla Abbas Jun 2023

Netflix’S Role In Reshaping The Global Audience’S Perception Of Arabs And Muslims, Menatalla Abbas

Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigates Netflix’s role in reshaping the global audience’s perceptions of Arabs and Muslims. The aim of this study is to understand how Netflix has positioned itself as a powerhouse in the streaming-service industry, and whether or not it has been able to use that power to promote authenticity, diversity, and inclusion. This study employed the triangulation method in order to develop a cohesive understanding of how, and to what extent, Netflix has reshaped the global audience’s perceptions of Arabs and Muslims. A content analysis of four Netflix Original Arabic productions were chosen, consisting of two series: Finding …

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The Fall And Rise Of Bengali Muslim Conciousness: Conceptualising The Identity Of The Bangla Universal, Habib Khan Jun 2023

The Fall And Rise Of Bengali Muslim Conciousness: Conceptualising The Identity Of The Bangla Universal, Habib Khan

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of modern-nation states saw the end of the empirical era of exploitation and exercise of inherent racist tendencies towards the 'other'. However, the effect of that colonial system is still ever-present in the creation and governance of these newly independent states. While every new state aims to be 'modern', they adopt the international legal framework of the West as their own - a system they had initially wanted to escape. The concept of Muslim universality in the form of the ummah should have freed Pakistan from the shackles of its former colonial masters. Instead, this phenomenon was replaced …

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Narrating & Living With Loss: Towards An Ethnography Of Grief, Fayrouz Ibrahim Jun 2023

Narrating & Living With Loss: Towards An Ethnography Of Grief, Fayrouz Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Through this paper, I seek to approach grief through how it is lived, the nexus between loss, and the sought-for physical abstractions through memory, objects, and materials to live with/despite such a loss. This paper is a phenomenological and ethnographic research project on the curatory rituals and practices that individuals employ in keeping lost loved ones alive in their everyday. I explore grief through a multidisciplinary and multimodal conceptualization rather than simply through cultural and social practices such as burial and mortuary rituals. The research follows the grief narratives of different individuals in Egypt in inquiring about the objects, memories, …

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Nutrient Optimization For Vegetable Production Under Decoupled Aquaponics Using Brackish Water, Salma Walid Hany Ahmed Abdelfattah Jun 2023

Nutrient Optimization For Vegetable Production Under Decoupled Aquaponics Using Brackish Water, Salma Walid Hany Ahmed Abdelfattah

Theses and Dissertations

As the world moves to more sustainable agriculture methods in the agribusiness industry, decoupled aquaponics is recognized as one of the newest techniques currently being utilized to achieve more local food security. As the topic is still freshly new within the industry, a finite number of publications and studies have been made that address the topic hands-on with its many variables. Subsequently, in this paper, an experiment was conducted to assess the most optimized production conditions of both lacinato kale (Brassica oleracea var.palmifolia) and Swiss chard Bright Light (Beta vulgaris ssp. Cicla var. flavescens) plants through the utilization of a …

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Privacy Perceptions Transformation In Cairo’S Home Designs - A Case Study: Gated Communities, Yasmine Esmat Jun 2023

Privacy Perceptions Transformation In Cairo’S Home Designs - A Case Study: Gated Communities, Yasmine Esmat

Theses and Dissertations

The infrastructure of gated communities in Egypt’s New Cairo and 6th of October cities have become the new normal. The streets bordered by fences, walls, and the occasional gate, formed when two or more gated communities face each other, dominate the urban landscape today (Kostenwein, 2021). Nowadays, it is highly common to see billboards advertising new gated communities everywhere on the roads and bridges. Gated communities offer various privileges, and one of them is privacy. Taking Cairo city with its several gated communities as a case study, the research focuses on the transformation of privacy perception for Cairo’s home designs …

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International Human Rights Through Queer Theory: A Discursive Analysis Of The Russian, Lithuanian, And Kyrgyz Lgbtq+ Lived Experience Within The Global Paradigm, Mariem Youssef Jun 2023

International Human Rights Through Queer Theory: A Discursive Analysis Of The Russian, Lithuanian, And Kyrgyz Lgbtq+ Lived Experience Within The Global Paradigm, Mariem Youssef

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to shed light on the subordination of international human rights law to that of the paradigm of international relations through asserting the existence of US Empire i.e., that emulates historical empires, British and French, which aims to emancipate subjugated minorities, formerly women and presently LGBTQ+ individuals from their national oppressive regimes. This is achieved through a discussion of pervious literature that discusses queer theory with a special focus on Russia, Lithuania, and Kyrgyzstan as the main case studies. While the overt intentionality of the “empire” is to protect LGBTQ+ individuals through perpetuating the prototype of the “International …

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Gratitude Training For Promoting Subjective Well-Being: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Journaling To A Personalized Menu Approach, Conner Lee Deichman Jun 2023

Gratitude Training For Promoting Subjective Well-Being: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Journaling To A Personalized Menu Approach, Conner Lee Deichman

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests a link between gratitude and subjective well-being exists. Research on gratitude practices have shown to increase gratitude, subjective well-being, and other related outcomes. However, the efficacy of gratitude practices may be limited by the rote application of the gold standard gratitude practice--the gratitude journal. Such findings suggest that a more comprehensive, adaptable, and flexible gratitude practice may be needed. This study examined the efficacy of the My Best Self 101 (MBS101) gratitude module: an online gratitude resource that provides psychoeducation about gratitude along with a menu of empirically based gratitude practices. Using a randomized controlled design method, this …

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Family Of Origin Stress, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, And Resource Loss For Couples During Covid-19: A Longitudinal Analysis, Betsy Hughes Barrow Jun 2023

Family Of Origin Stress, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, And Resource Loss For Couples During Covid-19: A Longitudinal Analysis, Betsy Hughes Barrow

Theses and Dissertations

The pandemic affected daily life on an unprecedented global scale resulting in the need for adaptation and flexibility to cope with ongoing stress, uncertainty, and loss that may affect couple relationships. Understanding resource loss in the context of mass stress events is critical because resource loss has been defined as the primary agent of stress (Hobfoll, 1989). As such, it is important to understand what factors may have shaped the degree of resource loss incurred during the pandemic. Extant research implies that considering early life adversity may be useful to explore as it may be a form of resource loss …

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Exploration Of The Impact Of Gender-Affirming Care And Social Support On Executive Functioning And Mental Health In Gender-Diverse Autistic And Non-Autistic Adults, Karys Michaela Normansell-Mossa Jun 2023

Exploration Of The Impact Of Gender-Affirming Care And Social Support On Executive Functioning And Mental Health In Gender-Diverse Autistic And Non-Autistic Adults, Karys Michaela Normansell-Mossa

Theses and Dissertations

Between 4.8% and 26% of adults presenting to gender dysphoria clinics have an autism diagnosis. Both autistic people and gender-diverse people have higher rates of mental health conditions including anxiety and depression and more difficulties with executive functioning, all of which impact quality of life. Some work suggests that gender affirmation leads to better mental health outcomes, including better executive functioning, but this has not been studied directly in autistic adults who identify as gender-diverse or transgender. As such, we elected to explore the relationships among these variables at this intersection of gender diversity and autism. In a sample of …

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Repress Or Defect: Military Defections In Syria In 1982 And 2011, Namat Abulebada Jun 2023

Repress Or Defect: Military Defections In Syria In 1982 And 2011, Namat Abulebada

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates two events in modern Syrian history to understand military behavior under authoritarian regimes. It looks at and examines the behavior of the Syrian military in two cases: The Hama massacre of 1982, and the Syrian civil war from 2011 up until the end of 2012. The research studies how the same military, under similar conditions, could exhibit different behaviors when given orders of repression during anti-regime civil uprisings. The main research question tackled in the study is: why did large-scale military defections of out-group (Sunni) soldiers and officers occur in 2011 but not in 1982? Drawing on …

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Choosing To Come Back: Second-Generation Egyptians Returning As Social Change Agents, Hajar Khalil Jun 2023

Choosing To Come Back: Second-Generation Egyptians Returning As Social Change Agents, Hajar Khalil

Theses and Dissertations

Research has found that upon visiting their parents’ homeland, second-generation immigrants were able to gain a better understanding of where they came from, allowing them to reflect upon their own lives in respect to their family history (Marschall, 2017). Some researchers call this journey the ‘self-awakening’ or ‘searching-self’ journey (Christou, 2003). The aim of this research is to understand the process of second-generation Egyptians return journey to their parent(s)’ homeland in order to create social change. The two main questions posed are: 1) How do second-generation Egyptians construct their narrative identity, and 2) How do they conceptualize themselves as social …

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Security Of Tenure In Egypt: Policies And Challenges, Arig Eweida Jun 2023

Security Of Tenure In Egypt: Policies And Challenges, Arig Eweida

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores a set of urban laws and policies adopted in the past decade in Egypt regarding their possible effect on security of tenure as an element of the right to housing. The past decade has witnessed a legislative focus on formalizing tenure rights coupled with policies aiming at redevelopment of informal settlements, infrastructure projects and lately a goal of eliminating unplanned areas by 2030. This research attempts to untangle what these laws and policies could mean for a country with 40% of its housing being informal. It builds on a rich literature on titling programs in developing countries …

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Assessing The Implementation Of Egypt’S Education 2.0 Reform: The Case Of Sohag, Norhan Zahran Jun 2023

Assessing The Implementation Of Egypt’S Education 2.0 Reform: The Case Of Sohag, Norhan Zahran

Theses and Dissertations

Education is a key component contributing to a country’s socioeconomic status. Accordingly, countries that seek better economic development focus on the quality of education. Egypt realized that and started a series of educational reforms, none of which delivered the desired objectives. Regrettably, this was clear in Egyptian students' poor performance on international tests in the years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 (World Economic Forum 2013; 2014). In 2018, the Egyptian Ministry of Education announced the launch of Education 2.0 (EDU 2.0) reform which adopted transformative, multidisciplinary, student-centered educational pedagogies to enhance the quality of education. This study presents the results of an …

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