Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Women’S Rights As Human Rights: A Study Of Muslim Women’S Reproductive Justice In Contemporary Saudi Arabia And Egypt, Sophia Harris

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Muslim women’s reproductive justice has been formulated through strict applications and interpretations of religious and spiritual texts as well as the legal opinions of Islamic jurists and other trusted members of the Islamic community. I examine a conservative nation’s interpretation of these texts (Saudi Arabia) in comparison to a more liberal nation’s interpretations (Egypt), which are utilized to form policy on Muslim women’s reproductive justice. I also discuss research provided by the United Nations and other international organizations on the subject in each country. The question of justice has been an ongoing and controversial one, especially so for women. When …

Between “Us” And “Them”: Political Subjectivities In The Shadows Of The 2018 Brazilian Election, Charles H. Klein, Milena Mateuzi Carmo, Alessandra Tavares

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article examines political subjectivities, community engagements and voting practices among residents of São Paulo’s Zona Sul peripheries in the three years preceding Brazil’s 2018 presidential election. Building on a 398-person household survey, 46 in-depth interviews, and extensive participation observation over the course of a fouryear study, we argue that although most residents of our study communities across the political spectrum are disenchanted with institutional politics, many maintain political engagement through their everyday lives, including activism centered on intersectional identities and state-sponsored violence/genocide. Our discussion combines statistical analysis and auto-ethnographic inflected vignettes and is in dialogue with two common themes …

Personal And Professional Connections Are Premium: An Assessment Of Mandatory Waiting Periods In The American States, Brittany Head

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The advantages of policy and procedural expertise allow revolving door lobbyists to bypass the costs required of non-revolving door lobbyists. This professional upper hand gives advantages to the special interest groups that these revolvers represent. In a cross-sectional analysis and comparative case study of two American states, I find that a state without a mandatory waiting period for legislators yields a higher number of revolving door lobbyists than a state with a mandatory waiting period. The findings of this research suggest that lobbying laws are effective in addressing the saturated influence and involvement of former legislators in the policy making …

Fashion Corporate Social Responsibility On Instagram, Brittany Bluthardt

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

As defined by researcher and author Kate Fletcher, slow fashion is “where pleasure and fashion are linked with awareness and responsibility” in which a company emphasizes the quality of its products, working conditions, environmental impact, and societal impact. With the rise of slow fashion companies, this research seeks to determine the role of social media engagement, specifically on Instagram, with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) messaging. Over 120 million U.S. users are on Instagram, and companies can use these platforms to directly communicate with consumers no matter their stage in the Consumer Decision Journey of product purchasing. This paper analyzes the …

Do Differences In Teaching Evaluations Really Matter? An Investigation Into What Constitutes A Meaningful Difference In Evaluations Of Professors, Catherine Bain

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study sought to determine what constitutes a minimally meaningful difference in student evaluations of their professors, when students are asked to rate their professors on the traditional 5-point teaching effectiveness item commonly used in higher education. A minimally meaningful difference is the smallest difference between two ratings that: 1) exceeds chance variation and 2) corresponds to a difference deemed meaningful using some external anchor or standard. Data was obtained through a series of surveys given to students at Butler University and to an online nationwide sample. Analysis occurred through both an anchor-based approach, using data obtained from a single …

An Analysis Of The Representation Of Black Men In Modern U.S. Television Commercials., Jackson Borman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Throughout the history of media, minority groups have been on the losing end of representation, with racist, stereotypical portrayals, or in many cases, no representation at all. This study analyzes the current representation of black men in modern television commercials. To answer the research questions posed about how black men are represented in commercials, a content analysis was conducted. A systematic sample of television commercials was taken from an online directory of television commercials, and the sample (N = 117) was analyzed using a coding instrument to determine the level of involvement and characterizations of the black male characters featured …

Reitz Or Wrong: An Industrial, Environmental, And Political Analysis Of Evansville’S “Lumber Baron”, Jarrod Koester

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

For nearly two centuries, the history of Evansville, Indiana has remained incomplete as historians and the general public have not recognized some of the key factors responsible for the city’s famed past. The generally accepted history of Evansville, the state’s third-largest city, conveys valiant tales of industrialization, transportation, and successful entrepreneurs who overcame insurmountable odds and left everlasting impressions on the people of the region. While the once-prosperous city was a significant national port and participated heavily in transatlantic and transcontinental trade, Evansville’s historical significance has diminished over the course of the twentieth century. What were once bustling factories, streams …

Media & Trust: Exploring The Differences Between Traditional And New Media Forms, Alexandra Jones

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This research seeks to explore how news media, traditional versus new, influences public trust, as well as, what types of consumers use traditional versus new media. My hypotheses are that (A) that those who use primarily new media to access news will have less trust in the news they are consuming and (B) those who have at least a college degree, are below 30 in age, and use, daily, a computer in the course of their work, will use primarily new media to access news. Using an online survey administered through the platform Qualtrics, distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk, I …

Placemaking In Arab Cities: Realities, Challenges, And Prospects, Mona Helmy

Architectural Engineering

Placemaking is an inclusive approach to the planning, design, and management of public places by which people create and/or recreate places. In the context of the Arab cities, placemaking projects are often envisaged to transform communities’ spaces into lively and attractive places; to enhance quality of life and opportunity for existing residents. It also aims to (re)create a distinct sense of place or place branding at large. Exploring how contemporary Arab cities have framed placemaking processes within the contemporary urban conditions, and sometimes the threats to the quality of the city, are helping in creating healthier, equitable, and humane public …

Elements Of Safety Management System In The Construction Industry And Measuring Safety Performance – A Brief, Mostafa Elsebaei, Omar Elnawawy, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman, Mohamed Badawy

Architectural Engineering

Construction industry is considered to be one of the most hazardous industries in the world. The reason could be attributed to its hazardous nature as it is an accident-prone industry. Thus, a need for better understanding of safety management system is essential for improving safety performance in this sector. This paper discusses briefly the elements of safety management by presenting different systems (such as Oregon OSHA Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and OTAR Overseas Territories Aviation Circle) and elaborating their elements. It also discusses two types of measuring safety performance the first is the lagging indicators and the second is …

A Framework To Activate The Health And Safety Regulations In The Egyptian Construction Industry, Mostafa Adel Elsebaei, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman, Omar Elnawawy, Mohammed Badawy

Architectural Engineering

Purpose

The construction industry is considered one of the most dangerous industries especially in developing countries such as Egypt. Although safety in Egypt is regulated by mainly four pivotal legislations, namely, Law No. 12 (2003) and Ministerial Decrees No. 211, 126 and 134, construction accident records in Egypt are high. Accordingly, this paper aims to develop a framework to activate the health and safety regulations in the Egyptian construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this aim, a research methodology consisting of a literature review and a survey questionnaire was developed to accomplish three objectives. First, a literature review was used to …

A Lean Talent Management Framework For Maximizing Creativity In Architectural Design Firms, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman, Mohamed Hesham Khalil

Architectural Engineering

Being one of the creative industries worldwide, Architecture plays a significant role towards developing communities, fulfilling their needs and meeting their expectations. The divergence of societal problems and the complexity nature of projects called for creative and non-traditional solutions to address these problems and overcome complexities. Architectural Design Firms (ADFs) are responsible for achieving this mission, yet lack of motivation and demotivation acted as barriers for creativity. Recently, Talent Management (TM) was presented as an innovative approach for fostering creativity, balancing work-life commitments, enhancing motivation and reducing demotivation. However, lack of utilizing talented human capitals, which was counted as waste …

“People Are Reading Your Work,": Scholarly Identity And Social Networking Sites, Marie L. Radford, Vanessa Kitzie, Stephanie Mikitish, Diana Floegel, Gary P. Radford, Lynn Silipigni Connaway

Faculty Publications

Scholarly identity refers to endeavors by scholars to promote their reputation, work, and networks using online platforms such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and Twitter. This exploratory research investigates benefits and drawbacks of Scholarly Identity efforts and avenues for potential library support. Data from 30 semi-structured phone interviews with faculty, doctoral students, and academic librarians were qualitatively analyzed using the constant comparisons method (Charmaz, 2014) and Goffman’s (1959, 1967) theoretical concept of impression management. Results reveal that use of online platforms enables academics to connect with others and disseminate their research. Scholarly Identity platforms have benefits, opportunities, and offer possibilities for developing …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Bearing Fault Detection Using Artificial Intelligence, Pooja Kamat, Rekha Sugandhi Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The new industrial revolution called Industry 4.0 is proliferating at its peak. The time is no longer away when the human race is going to witness a huge paradigm shift. Intelligent machines empowered by Artificial Intelligence (AI)will take over the presence of human workers in the industrial manufacturing sector with the target of achieving 100% automation. With the emergence of cut-throat price competition in the product market, it has become equally important to manufacture goods at minimal costs and with the highest quality. Predicting the decrease in machinery efficiency at an earlier stage to accomplish this objective helps to reduce …

Resident Perceptions Of Human–Beaver Conflict In A Rural Landscape In Alberta, Canada, Nicholas T. Yarmey, Glynnis A. Hood

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) plays a key ecological role in wetland systems, yet their activities can result in costly damage to human infrastructure. Although qualitative research on human perceptions of beavers is rare, studies on human–beaver conflict in the United States identified generally positive attitudes toward beavers and opposition to lethal management, yet in Alberta, Canada, 79% of municipalities that managed beavers reported using trapping and shooting to remove problem beavers. Given the important ecological contributions of beavers and their potential conflict with humans, qualitative research is needed to assess perspectives of stakeholders who directly experience …

Can Farmers And Bats Co-Exist? Farmer Attitudes, Knowledge, And Experiences With Bats In Belize, Hannah G. Shapiro, Adam S. Willcox, Mallory Tate, Emma V. Willcox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bats (Chiroptera) are often viewed negatively by the public. Negative public perceptions of bats may hinder efforts to conserve declining populations. In Belize, the presence of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus and Diphylla ecaudata) exacerbates the potential for conflicts with humans because of the increased rabies transmission risks. To mitigate these risks, the Belize government provides farmers with assistance to trap and remove vampire bats. In June 2018, we surveyed farmers (n = 44) in and adjacent to the Vaca Forest Reserve in Belize to learn more about their attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with bats. This information may …

Visual-Based Social Norms, Distance-Related Human–Wildlife Interactions, And Viewing Devices In Parks And Protected Areas, Stephanie Freeman, Zachary D. Miller, B. Derrick Taff

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Distance-related human–wildlife conflict presents a serious challenge in parks and protected areas across the world. Finding ways to alleviate distance-related human–wildlife conflict is hampered by both the difficulty of studying human–wildlife interactions in the field as well as the dearth of existing methodological tools. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors of group size, distance from bison (Bison bison), and use of wildlife viewing equipment on visitor proximity preferences in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, USA). Researchers collected data via intercept-surveys during summer 2015. The data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA to explore …

Evaluation Of The Impacts Of Radio-Marking Devices On Feral Horses And Burros In A Captive Setting, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Sarah R. B. King, Gail H. Collins

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Radio-collars and other radio-marking devices have been invaluable tools for wildlife managers for >40 years. These marking devices have improved our understanding of wildlife spatial ecology and demographic parameters and provided new data facilitating model development for species conservation and management. Although these tools have been used on virtually all North American ungulates, their deployment on feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) or burros (E. asinus) has been limited. To determine if radio-collars and radio-tags could be safely deployed on feral equids, we conducted a 1-year observational study in 2015 to investigate fit and wear of radio-collars …

Humans, Wildlife, And Our Environment: One Health Is The Common Link, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

One Health has become more important in recent years because interactions between people, animals, plants, and our environment have dramatically changed. This Back Page article discusses One Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact Of Mental Disorders On Active Tb Treatment Outcomes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, G. Lee, J. Scuffell, J. T. Galea, S. S. Shin, E. Magill, E. Jaramillo, A. C. Sweetland

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Comorbid mental disorders in patients with TB may exacerbate TB treatment outcomes. We systematically reviewed current evidence on the association between mental disorders and TB outcomes.

Methods: We searched eight databases for studies published from 1990 to 2018 that compared TB treatment outcomes among patients with and without mental disorders. We excluded studies that did not systematically assess mental disorders and studies limited to substance use. We extracted study and patient characteristics and effect measures and performed a meta-analysis using random-effects models to calculate summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: Of 7687 studies identified, 10 …

Análisis Del Esfuerzo Tributario Departamental En Colombia: 2000 2016, Liseth Johanna Cocunubo Fino

Economía

Esta investigación pretende analizar el impacto que tienen transferencias sobre el esfuerzo tributario de los Departamentos de Colombia en el periodo del año 2000 hasta 2016, considerando este término como medida de análisis. Se desarrollan los aspectos teóricos junto con la evolución que ha tenido el proceso de descentralización en Colombia y se desarrolla el concepto de esfuerzo tributario a través de diferentes autores. Para el desarrollo de la investigación se aplicará un modelo de datos panel para calcular la Capacidad Tributaria de cada Departamento, dado que se tiene información de corte transversal, ya que cada Departamento será analizado de …

Growth Convergence Across Countries And Regions In The Long Run: An Empirical Study Using Panel Analysis (1980-2018), Portia Mensah

Masters Theses

With the emergence of new superpowers, the changing landscape of the global economy, and the heterogeneity of growth experiences being discovered in recent times, the concept of growth convergence must be revisited. This study examines whether developing countries are catching up with the advanced countries in terms of their per capita income. The study uses a panel analysis of 69 countries over a period of 39 years spanning from 1980 to 2018 to test for growth convergence (both absolute and conditional) among countries based on the Augmented Solow model. The countries were further divided into three regions namely, Europe, Asia, …

Middle School And High School Educators’ Knowledge And Acceptability Of Praise, Zachary Yehling

Masters Theses

Praise is a simple strategy, that when used correctly reduces student inappropriate behavior. Furthermore, praise is a key strategy used within the School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (SWPBIS) framework. All staff are expected to participate in SWPBIS and therefore, it is important for staff to know how use praise effectively. However, few studies have examined educators’ knowledge of effective praise use. In the current study, 201 educators completed the Praise Knowledge Assessment of Teachers and Educators (PKATE) and the Behavior Intervention Rating System for Praise (BIRS-P). The PKATE was created by the author to assess educators’ knowledge of effective praise …

How All In Are We Really?: An Examination Of Eastern Illinois University’S “All In” Branding Campaign’S Impact On Tenured Faculty Members’ Organizational Identification And Commitment, Melissa A. Stone

Masters Theses

Organizations are constantly putting out messages to the world, and many of these external messages speak on behalf of the organization’s internal members. While organizations often thoroughly examine whether these messages have the intended effect on target audiences, current research lacks answers to how internal members perceive and are impacted by these messages. To gain greater insight into the relationship between an organization’s external messages and the impact those messages have on internal members, this thesis examines Eastern Illinois University’s “All In” branding campaign and its perceived effect on tenured faculty members’ organizational identification and commitment. Ten tenured-faculty members were …

Single Sport Specialization: Ncaa Di Collegiate Student Athlete Perceptions, Jordyn Blood

Masters Theses

This study seeks to understand the experience and perception of current, NCAA DI athletes with regard to sport specialization. By learning more about their level of specialization prior to their life as an NCAA DI athlete, as well as their perception on the importance of specialization, this study seeks to contribute to the growing body of literature in sport specialization. Specifically, this study will help inform aspiring athletes, coaches and parents about the role and perceptions of sport specialization in today's elite level athlete. Using paper surveys, the perceptions of 138 current 2019-2020 season NCAA DI athletes at a mid-major …

Financial Development In Developing Countries, Obinna Franklin Ezeibekwe

Masters Theses

What are the economic, political, institutional, socio-cultural, and geographical determinants of financial development in developing countries? This paper uses the two-way fixed effects (with clustered standard errors) and annual panel data from 1980 to 2018 for 69 developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, East and South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean to address this question. The principal component analysis is employed to construct a financial development index based on three financial development indicators. This study builds on previous studies by introducing new potential determinants of financial development, such as the perception of corruption, and by …

Panhellenic Women's Leadership Development And Self-Efficacy, Caitlyn Gastfield

Masters Theses

Substantial research has been done on self-efficacy as well as a growing amount of research on women in leadership. This qualitative study examined the perceived relationship between leadership development opportunities given to Panhellenic women and their perceived level of self-efficacy. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted at a regional, mid-sized institution in the Midwest with undergraduate women holding leadership positions in their respective Panhellenic organizations. The results found in this study support many of the previous findings in research in relation to the importance of leadership development and self-efficacy. Many types of leadership development opportunities emerged, from informal peer support to …

Important Factors Influencing Attendance At Northwoods League Games, Ryan Eiche

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of various factors as they related to attendance at Northwoods League baseball games. This league was an ideal fit for the study as little research has been conducted on this level of baseball. A survey was sent out via the Facebook page of the Lakeshore Chinooks to gather responses from fans on what factors encouraged attendance. Fans were asked to then rate how important each factor was on a five-point sliding scale. The research revealed that situational factors such as convenience, day and time, and weather of the game were …

Effect Of Religious Support And Perception Of Available Social Support On Seeking Formal Psychotherapy, Adaeze W. Akubueze

Masters Theses

This study sought to investigate the relationship between perceived availability of social support and religious support on willingness to seek professional mental health counseling. Sixty-five (41 females and 18 males, 6 gender unspecified) students at Eastern Illinois University completed measures of religiosity (the Duke University Religion Index; DUREL), perceived availability of social support (the Late Adolescent Social Support Inventory; LASSI), religious support (from God, from religious leaders, from fellow religious participants; the Multi-Faith Religious Support Scale; MFRSS) and willingness to seek counseling (Willingness to See a Counselor scale; WSC). Religiosity did not play a significant role in influencing the willingness …

Using Sport Identification & Rhetorical Strategy: Evaluating An Ncaa D1 Collegiate Football Team’S Social Media Presence, Maria Baldwin

Masters Theses

Using social media platforms to build identification amongst stakeholders is of increasing importance for a growing range of organizations. Social media represents a powerful tool for marketing and developing business. In sports organizations, the use of social media can build identification amongst a fanbase by using George Cheney’s (1983) rhetorical strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore the content of a regional D1 university football team’s twitter and Instagram platforms, using a content analysis to clarify the organization’s use of rhetorical strategies and design elements to foster sport identification amongst their social media fanbase. Many sports organizations use …