Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Culturally Modified Trees In Western Washington: Impact And Perspective From The Stillaguamish Cultural Resources Department, Kelsey Maloy

WWU Graduate School Collection

This study braids qualitative and quantitative views of CMT studies to explore meanings and relationships with Culturally Modified Trees (CMT) with a concern for the ethnographic perspective currently absent in dominant structures. This research showcases community value when combining different CMT ontologies (Stillaguamish and Western Academic Definitions). Ethnohistorical methods and grounded theory help organize semi-structured interviews at five previously recorded archaeological CMT sites. There is a lack of feedback concerning Indigenous philosophy about classifying eco-facts or vivio-facts, specifically CMT. This study comprises an interdisciplinary team within the Stillaguamish Cultural Resources Department to reassess five previously documented cedar use sites in …

Was The Grass Always Greener? Mapping The Historical Extent Of Grassland Ecosystems In The San Juan Islands, Kailey Marie Schillinger-Brokaw

WWU Graduate School Collection

The San Juan Islands, an archipelago in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the Washington coast, are one of the few places native temperate grasslands are found in western Washington State. These ecosystems are important sources of biodiversity and support many rare and endemic species. In addition to their ecological importance, native temperate grasslands have profound cultural significance to the Coast Salish peoples who historically stewarded these landscapes using traditional land management practices-particularly fire-for the production of bulb crops such as common camas (Camassia quamash). Unfortunately, these ecologically and culturally valuable ecosystems have become rare, greatly impacted by the …

Seeing Environmental Injustice Through Moss-Colored Glasses: Neighborhood Monitoring Of Toxic Metal Air Pollution Disparities With Orthotrichum Lyellii, Allison Hayes

WWU Graduate School Collection

Toxic air pollution in the United States has been regulated through the Clean Air Act (CAA) since the 1970’s. Yet, a growing body of research suggests that the CAA’s air pollution management system has several blind spots. The CAA’s inability to identify and remedy pollution hot spots across the country. These hot spots are areas where air pollution exists but are often entirely overlooked because of the extreme hyperlocal scale and the current methods for identifying areas of concern outlined in the CAA for the Environmental Protection Agency. Researchers find that these hot spots are more prevalent in minority and …

Body By Colonialism: The Importance Of Including Sexual Minorities In Forensic And Medical Lexicons., Mia Price

WWU Graduate School Collection

The purpose of this study is to investigate the implications of excluding the skeletal morphology of sexual minorities such as intersex and trans individuals in forensic and medical context. This study took place over a span of 16 months from 2021-2023. Anthropologists' reliance on binaries to categorize humans and as a result, the skeletal morphology of sexual minorities is not considered in forensic and medical contexts. Forensic anthropologists rely on sex estimation methodology to identify skeletal remains. Sex estimation methodology as developed with skeletal data from cisgender males and females without considering morphology of sexual minorities such as intersex individuals. …

Embodied Narratives: An Exploration Of Dance Through Identity, Community, And Wellbeing, Elizabeth Smyth

WWU Graduate School Collection

This ethnographic study of a dance collective in Bellingham, Washington, took place between December 2022 and March 2023. Methods included participant observation, interviews, and analysis. I interviewed dancers about their personal dance histories, their participation in the collective, and their reflections on the ways dancing and the collective shapes their lives. Interviewees reflected on the individual embodied experience associated with movement and dance, a collection of bodies dancing together, becoming the dance, something more than the individual self, a collective. The theoretical frameworks guiding this research are intersectional feminism and phenomenological. In data analysis, common themes of personal practice, wellbeing, …

Investigating Perennial & Annual Eelgrass (Zostera Marina L.) In Padilla Bay As Potential Donor Sources For Seed-Based Restoration, Yuki Wilmerding

WWU Graduate School Collection

This paper explores recovery of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) meadows through seed-based restoration to address declines from natural and anthropogenic disturbances. The study focuses on the Joe Leary meadow site in Padilla Bay, Washington, aiming to (1) determine the spatial distribution of perennial and annual Z. marina, (2) understand variation in flowering shoot density and potential seed production, and (3) compare the phenology of flowering shoots. These objectives were investigated using field-based methods to collect presence/absence transect data for delineation, quadrat-based count data, and monitor seed development. Data collection occurred in the summer throughout the flowering life stage …

Cultivating Change: Case Study Analysis Of Agricultural Resistance In Whatcom And Skagit Counties, Washington, Dana Bronstein

WWU Graduate School Collection

My thesis delves into the intricate relationship between agriculture, social justice, and ecological sustainability in the United States. I argue that understanding the history of agriculture necessitates examining the systemic inequities embedded within the food system, stemming from discriminatory and ecologically harmful agricultural policies established and perpetuated during the Dust Bowl era. Drawing on a political ecology framework and insights from eco-Marxism, feminist political ecology, and critical environmental justice, this study investigates alternative agricultural practices that challenge the status quo and promote equitable access to land and resources. Using a multi-scalar case study approach focused on Whatcom and Skagit Counties, …

The Impact And Management Of Mis/Disinformation At University Libraries In Australia, Nicole Johnston

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mis/disinformation has in recent political and health climates become increasingly spread through social media and the internet, drawing increased discussion on the role libraries play in countering and combating the spread of mis/disinformation. This study investigated the impact and management of mis/disinformation at university libraries in Australia through a survey of 88 library staff and interviews with 17 managers. Library staff believe they have a role in teaching skills such as critical thinking and evaluation, advocating in this space and maintaining credible, balanced and inclusive collections. Although combating mis/disinformation is a strategic priority for libraries, it is often not a …

Relieving The Gambling Itch Through Alcohol Consumption: The Impact Of Covid-19 Restrictions On Australian Casino Patrons, Tenghao Zhang, Pi-Shen Seet, Janice Redmond, Jalleh Sharafizad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper extends our understanding of how casino patrons are affected by COVID-19 restrictions and how they cope by substituting gambling with alcohol consumption. We conducted two studies using a nationwide survey sample collected in Australia during the pandemic lockdown. Study 1 compares the casino patrons with two reference groups (other gambling patrons and non-gambling individuals) and investigates the lockdown restrictions on respondents’ relational strength, and their potential impact on mental health and future prospects. Study 2 applies the stress-response dampening model (SRD) and tests how respondents used alcohol consumption to cope with the lack of access to casinos during …

Normal Redefined: Exploring Decontextualization Of Lorises (Nycticebus & Xanthonycticebus Spp.) On Social Media Platforms, Luke F. Quarles, Kim Feddema, Marco Campera, K. A.I. Nekaris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Decontextualization is a concept from psychology whereby new words are learned outside of the context of the here-and-now. Decontextualized language is used for discussing abstract concepts and is crucial to the development of academic language. When it comes to images, a dearth of context can lead to a lack of clarity, such as the use of ambiguous decontextualized images in environmental communication, leading to the promotion of greenwashing. Here we refer to decontextualization as the removal of wildlife from their wild ecological context. Images and videos of globally threatened species are increasingly popular on social media. Showing such taxa …

Unseen Inequities: The Role Of Leadership In Addressing Structural Barriers To Education In Australian Universities, Braden Hill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The lack of diversity in leadership positions within the Australian university sector has been a persistent issue, with predominantly older, white, male leaders holding power and shaping the future of higher education. While student demographics have become more diverse, the leadership of academic institutions has not kept pace with these changes. Therefore, as student expectations and attitudes change, university communities are encouraged to (re)consider their commitment to proactively addressing the structural inequalities that continue to impact the journeys of the students we seek to serve. Nevertheless, activist universities—those that proactively and visibly seek to lead on matters of socio-political importance—are …

Motivations For And Barriers To Forest Certification Of Washington State Trust Lands, Tracy Petroske

WWU Graduate School Collection

Forest management certification is a system to assess whether forests are grown in a manner that complies to a pre-determined set of requirements. Certification programs (called “Standards”) are designed to indicate that compliance to those conditions demonstrate the forest is managed in a way that is environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially beneficial. In the United States, there are two recognized forest certification programs: the Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC^®) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative^® (SFI^®). The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) certifies 100% of their forested trust lands to the SFI Standard. …

Transition Of Transnational Social Workers: A Critical Realist Perspective On The Need For A Response From The Profession, Shajimon Peter, Allen Bartley, Liz Beddoe, Lynne Soon-Chean Park, Liyun Wendy Choo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article examines the absence of a profession-wide response for facilitating the transition of transnational social workers (TSWs) into the host country. TSWs work with various racial, ethnic, and cultural groups and often in unfamiliar socio-political, policy and practice contexts. A qualitative study was undertaken in New Zealand, which involved six focus groups, three with managers of TSWs and three with TSWs themselves and a face-to-face semi-structured interview with a manager who was also a TSW. Coding and analysis of data were informed by critical realism (CR). We found that TSWs’ transitions are framed within an employer-employee relationship in the …

Beyond The Business Case: Moving From Transactional To Transformational Inclusion, Jamillah Bowman Williams

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

While workplace diversity is a hot topic, the extent to which the diversity management movement has effectively improved intergroup relations and reduced racial inequality remains unclear. Despite large investments in diversity and inclusion training and other company wide initiatives, historically excluded groups remain vastly underrepresented in leadership and the most lucrative careers, such as finance, law, and technology. This calls the efficacy of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts into question, particularly with respect to reducing racial inequality in the workplace.

This Article explains why it is time for organizational leaders to move beyond the transactional case for diversity and …

The Profits Of (The Critique Of) Patriarchy: On Toxic Masculinity, Feminism, & Corporate Capitalism In The Barbie Movie, Bryant W. Sculos

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article explicates the political, social, economic, and cultural contribution of Barbie (2023). Through a critical and normative analysis of four different prominent reviews of the film, this essay explores the quality of discourse surrounding Barbie, with particular emphasis on its feminist critique of toxic masculinity and lack of a coherent criticism of capitalism.

An Equality Of Security. Bentham, Thompson, And The Principles Subsidiary To Utility, Mark J. Kaswan

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the “Principles of the Civil Code,” Jeremy Bentham identifies four “principles subsidiary to utility”: subsistence, abundance, equality, and security. Whereas these subsidiary principles form part of the bedrock of classical liberalism, in this essay I show that in the hands of his friend and disciple William Thompson, they are transformed into the foundations for socialism. Where Bentham prioritizes security over equality, and security of property takes a preeminent role, Thompson shows that the system of individual competition and private property—his way of describing capitalism—is best characterized by the “inequality of security.” Based on the labor theory of property, Thompson …

Who’S Nature? Ontological Narrative Dissonance Among Skagit River Fishery Coalitions, Jann Eberharter

WWU Graduate School Collection

My research investigates narratives within fisheries management for Washington state’s Skagit River, focusing on ecological restoration and diminishing salmon runs. I ask, how might differing narratives affect progress and reflect the ontological orientations of the fishery’s co-stewards? Asked with a twist, Who is Nature? (abbreviated Who’s Nature?), I aim to critique the classic Euro-American paradigm of nature and examine the connections between us, the who, and natural world? I hope my research illuminates these important questions. I selected three entities with varying Euro-American and Indigenous affiliations—the Skagit Watershed Council (SWC), Skagit River System Cooperative (SRSC), and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission …

Moral Injury In Survivors Of Domestic Violence, Camille A. Fogel

WWU Graduate School Collection

Many survivors of domestic violence experience persistent but invisible psychological wounds that cannot be photographed for evidentiary purposes. Coercive control refers to the network of subtle, structural, and culturally sanctioned tactics that subjugate victims and cause them existential and identity-based harm. In this paper I propose that moral injury, a trauma construct not yet applied to this context, provides an important and nuanced framework for understanding the impact of coercive control and the invisible aftermath of partner abuse. In a cross-sectional survey-based study (N = 292), I tested a novel path analysis in which physical violence and coercive control differentially …

Adoption Of Agroforestry Practices In Northwest Washington State: An Ex-Ante Case-Study, Ava Stone

WWU Graduate School Collection

Agroforestry (AF) practices mitigate climate change, provide ecosystem services, benefit communities, and create long-term economic opportunities for farmers and land managers worldwide. Despite these well-documented benefits, however, the adoption of agroforestry practices remains low. This study aimed to understand the barriers and incentives to adoption by applying the stated choice method to a case study of direct-to-market farmers in the four counties of northwest Washington State: Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island. Our results indicate that the scale of initial implementation and the upfront costs of seedlings had the largest relative impact on respondent decision making. Similarly, one early adopter …

Determinants Of Intention To Use E-Wallet: Personal Innovativeness And Propensity To Trust As Moderators, Madugoda Gunaratnege Senali, Mohammad Iranmanesh, Fatin Nadzirah Ismail, Noor Fareen Abdul Rahim, Mana Khoshkam, Maryam Mirzaei

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aims to investigate the determinants of intention to use e-wallets. Drawing on the technology acceptance model (TAM), the conceptual framework was developed. The study extends the TAM in the context of e-wallets, by testing the influences of product-related factors namely perceived compatibility, perceived risk, and perceived emotions and investigating the moderating impacts of personal innovativeness and propensity to trust. To conduct an empirical study, the data were collected from Malaysian individuals with no experience with e-wallets using an online survey. Data from 374 participants were obtained and analyzed using the partial least squares technique. The results showed that …

Distilling Best Practice Principles For Public Participation In Impact Assessment Follow-Up, Angus Morrison-Saunders, Jos Arts, Jenny Pope, Alan Bond, Francois Retief

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Building upon principles for public engagement and for impact assessment (IA) follow-up, this paper distils best practice principles specific to public participation in IA follow-up. Literature review, followed by a simple survey distributed to IA follow-up and/or public engagement practitioners, helped identify key principles and related published sources. Twelve principles for public participation in IA follow-up are presented, which relate to (1) mandatory public reporting, (2) ease of access to published material, (3) full transparency, (4) clarity about the IA follow-up process, (5) input to decision-making, (6) continuous access to IA follow-up activities and feedback, (7) independent verification, (8) two-way …

Not A Do-Or-Die Affair: Freelance Journalists In Nigeria And Ethical Dilemmas, Tolulope O. Olasoji

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study explores the ethical dilemmas Nigerian freelance journalists face and their implications for their work. It will use in-depth interviews with select freelance journalists. Several studies have established that ethical concerns are rife in—and indeed the bane of—journalism in Nigeria. However, these pieces of research reflect the reality across conventional newsrooms, where, ideally, there is some organizational structure and support. No scholarly attention has been given to freelance journalists, otherwise known as entrepreneurial journalists, due to their autonomous nature, to understand the ethical dilemmas they may be entangled in primarily. This study seeks to address this gap in research. …

Synergies Between Residents: Evaluating Support And Concerns Of Recreation And Tourism Economic Development Within The Monongahela National Forest Region, Morgan R. Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Tourism has continually been presented as a growing economic sector around the world. Having become an area of increased interest for diversifying rural economies, tourism is an attractive alternative to the declining traditional economic engines of rural communities like agriculture, forestry, and mining. Rural destinations have become increasingly attractive to outside visitors who seek to pursue activities embedded within the local culture and distinctive attractive assets available in rural regions. The USDA has recognized the increasing importance of recreation and tourism economies as an emerging or priority area of national need and an effective means for rural development. Even with …

Evaluating The Degradation Relationship Between Latent Print Impressions And Touch Dna Under Varying Environmental Conditions, Katrina M. Rupert B.S.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Latent prints have been processed as a source of touch DNA evidence in the hopes of attaining partial or even full DNA profiles. However, the relationship between the latent quality and the DNA quality has not yet been fully explored, resulting in gaps in understanding how the two are connected. A common source of touch DNA is from latent print evidence, which is typically processed and photographed at a scene, and subsequently processed for DNA in the laboratory. However, there is skepticism in the forensic community around touch DNA as laboratory procedures are often manipulated beyond standard operating procedures to …

Strengthening The Interpretation Of Glass And Paint Evidence Through The Study Of Random Frequency Of Occurrence And Analytical Information, Lauryn C. Alexander

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Glass and paint particles are frequently discovered at crime scenes as valuable trace evidence. Often, these fragments are transferred from a crime scene to a victim or person-of-interest, and can subsequently be evaluated, analyzed, and classified according to their physical and optical measurements, and chemical properties, each of which can provide important information to the analyst to assist in the determining if a recovered particle is distinguishable or indistinguishable from a known source. Moreover, these minute materials can provide information about how the events took place, leading to the reconstruction of crime scenes and the identification of valuable clues for …

A Neo-Aristotelian Criticism Of Trump’S “Save America Speech” Utilizing The Five Canons Of Rhetoric, Jade Ruggieri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Riddled with fake news, the 2020 election is a unique moment in history where fake news, stemming from former President Donald Trump, led to a public demonstration that quickly devolved into a violent and controversial event. Through the lens of a Neo-Aristotelian rhetorical criticism, the five canons of rhetoric will analyze Trump’s “Save America” speech he held hours prior to the rally providing insights into how the power of words can precipitate people to incite action. Through a verbatim examination of the first and last 10 minutes of the speech, with the middle portion summarized, Trump’s speech provides insights to …

Gender Inclusivity In Italian: Can Gender Neutrality Be Reached In A Gendered Language? Difficulties, Proposals And Public Perception Of The Phenomenon, Gaia Prunotto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Italian is a gendered language in which reference to grammatical gender has been constant and inevitable. As language reflects and shapes society, grammatical gender reinforces binary views of social gender and the invizibilization of non-binary identities. Movements for social justice have inspired gender-fair linguistic innovations, such as the feminization of job titles and gender-neutral markers, to promote gender equity and challenge hierarchies of power and dominance in society. This research aimed to explore gender-neutral forms in the Italian grammatical system and public perceptions of these innovations through two studies with two groups of participants.

The first group of participants (n=27) …

Feature Extraction Of Footwear Impression Images For Quality Assessment, Alexandra Hill

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Forensic footwear impression analysis is a valuable tool in criminal investigations. Extracting useful features from images of footwear impressions is a critical step in this process. However, the quality of these images can vary widely, making feature extraction challenging. In order to give a quality assessment rating to a footwear impression image, the image should first be analyzed to extract features from the impression. In this paper, we present a method to extract features from a 2D grayscale footwear impression image. A Hierarchical Grid Model implementation has been adapted from use on a 3D dataset to assist in finding features, …

Examining The Use Of Social Media Applications By West Virginia Agriculture Producers, Mikayla Rae Hargis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Social media has become part of the typical individual’s everyday routine, with no exception to those in the agricultural industry. The purpose of this study was to examine social media usage by West Virginia agricultural producers. The population for this study consisted of agricultural producers in West Virginia. The study yielded 44 responses from those who attended the 2022 West Virginia Farm Bureau meeting. An explanatory sequential design methodology was employed for this study. After the initial quantitative phase, a qualitative phase was conducted with producers who use social media in their operations. Based on the results, there is much …

Three Essays On Emotional Cues, Clay Collins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The first paper investigates the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and United States presidential elections. There exists a sizeable literature studying IPV that occurs during or after stressful events (such as a sports team loss), and a considerable non-economics literature examining election-related stress. However, very limited research has been done studying potential negative outcomes after a political loss (when one’s candidate loses), and these findings in other fields have not been synthesized into the economics lexicon. By interacting with the margin of victory for each state, I find large and significant decreases in IPV in states that vote for …