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Item set AEC 2017 School of Arts and Humanities
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86 item sets

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  • An Internship in Krakow

    In Spring 2016, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Krakow, Poland at Jagiellonian University's Centre for European Studies. During my semester I also enjoyed serving as KSC's first intern at the Galicia Jewish Museum. Through my studies, I deepened my understanding of Poland as a country in Central Europe, but it was through my internship at the Galicia Museum that I gained a personal understanding of what it means to be Polish. Through several shtetl tours I came to appreciate the country's culture and its troubled history. I was also able to better understand the inner workings of a museum as it installed new exhibits and navigated its complete transformation as it expanded into new building space. Coupling an internship with my study abroad allowed me to make lasting personal and professional connections with people from around the world.

  • Beauties and Beasts: Physical Appearance and Monstrous Neglect in Frankenstein and Persuasion

    In the eyes of many literary scholars, it seems that there are no two authors more politically and stylistically opposed to one another than Jane Austen and Mary Shelley. Yet two of their novels, which were composed at the same time 200 years ago, share one overlapping theme: the dangers of neglectful parenting. In both Austen's conservative social comedy, Persuasion (1818), and Shelley's novel of Gothic horror, Frankenstein (1818), a child suffers neglect at the hands of a father figure who is preoccupied with a very specific standard of beauty. Using a close reading of each novel (as well as analysis from such scholars as Anne Mellor, Sandra Gilbert, Susan Gubar, and Linda Bree) this presentation will explore the similarities and differences between two authors and their narratives of parenthood and care. The largely unobserved commonalities between the two will hopefully demonstrate the importance of narratives of neglect, in the Romantic era as well as today.

  • Black (Life) Narratives

    Reading Black (LIFE) Narratives by Malcolm X, Anne Moody, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Booker T. Washington and other African American writers, our panel from this section of an Honors "Humanities" course present excerpts from our final projects examining connections between "historical," "canonical" works by African American writers. Reading these works as "Black (Life) Narratives" we discuss them in terms of "Black (Life) Matters", understood as an ongoing African American freedom struggle. Our discussion focuses on contemporary dialogues on race and identity put forth in recent works by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Randall Horton and Danzi Senna.

  • Black Literary Modernity | Black Literary Postmodernity

    We, the African American modernism class, will be presenting on our final projects on Black Literary works by writers such as Wideman, Larsen, Ellison, Reed, and Harper. Some of our works include: a comparison of novels by Ellison and Reed to fiction by fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, an examination of jazz poetry from Michael S. Harper that explores Black identity and experience in terms of visibility and invisibility and a postmodern reading of Ellison's Invisible Man that recognizes its power as a literary model. Another looks at literary innovations and experiments by Toomer, Reed, and Nella Larsen, while two others offer distinct readings of Wideman's Philadelphia Fire: one frames a historical discussion of the novel with respect to Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest" and the other reads it against literary theory by Houston A. Baker Jr. and Henry Louis Gates Jr.

  • Black Music | Blues Nation (FALL 2017 ITW)

    In this round table discussion, ITW students will present their studies regarding Black music, and its influence on American Culture. Building upon foundations laid by LeRoi Jones' (Amiri Baraka) Blues People and Tricia Rose's Hip Hop Wars, students from this section of Introduction to Thinking and Writing made inquires to the field of Black Music. These student projects evaluated the impact that African American cultural production has made upon the United States using musical examples and critical discussions about musicians and the music industry as a whole. Students will discuss their projects pertaining to concepts such as 'gangsta rap' and 'rolling stone' and musicians ranging from NWA, to Benny Goodman. This discussion also aims to consider their development as writers and researchers.

  • Boiled Frogs: Choreographic Process

    The norms of society dictate how to be human; they influence our choices and they confine us. Boiled Frogs is an original work of contemporary choreography that introduces and describes an alternative situation. This high intensity contemporary dance piece reminds the audience of how we have choices as humans to conform or to resist. I am interested in the way in which we are driven to rebel against ideas that we do not believe in. My choreographic research starts with the moment right before an individual chooses to go against the norms. Is there a struggle in this decision to embrace individuality(rebellion), or is there a drive that does not show hesitation? When is one committed to rebel? The eight women performing in this piece display individuality in which they all choose to disturb the rules and standards that are imposed on us.

  • Brink of Control

    "Brink of Control" is a well- rounded dance piece performed by four talented dancers, Brooke Meehan, Jacob Chiza, Jordan Pierce, Sarah Zappone. They are accompanied by a recording of the song "Gene takes a drink" composed by Michael Gordon and Bang on a Can All- Stars. This piece follows a student's battle with stress. When I generated the choreography for this piece, I thought about all aspects of my life I juggle daily. The cast and I created a fairly short list of maintaining grades; friendships to nurture and family back home. Embracing these very consuming topics of everyday life, the cast brings the audience through apprehension and struggle, all while finding strength from within. I choreographed a piece that brings the audience to a place where they feel they can relate to the world these dancers form on stage. The cast and I hope you enjoy 'Brink of Control'.

  • Early Childhood Education Assessments

    Various assessments are used to evaluate students' academic performance in early childhood education. I will share my research and summarize the assessments used to evaluate and then plan for students' academic progress. The assessments discussed are formative, summative, screening, and standardized. Each assessment tool is utilized in public schools. Public schools, grades kindergarten to third grade, will be the focus of the presentation. Two interventions which result from various assessments are Response to Intervention (RtI) and Differentiated Instruction (DI). RtI is a program designed to support children who do not assess on grade level. These intervention groups are designed by teaching professionals to teach grade level material at different speeds to best suit the child. DI is a framework for efficient teaching using different methods. RTI and DI are both applied to each assessment tool. A final component of the presentation is to share communication techniques to share assessments to the families.

  • Ethical Conflicts in Standing Rock

    In our society we encounter ethical issues daily. A major ethical issue that is happening in our country is the events at Standing Rock with the Dakota Access Pipeline. This pipeline is planned to be built on sacred Native territory by the Missouri River without the Native people's consent. There are many problems regarding this plan, such as poor treatment of the Natives and the potential contamination of this major water source. I do not believe that this pipeline should be built. My position is supported by ethical philosophers Mill and Kant. Philosopher Epicurus would wrongfully oppose to my stance. In my paper I will discuss their ethical theories and how they apply to the situation at Standing Rock.

  • Foreign Language Learners and the Ability to Infer Word Meanings from Context

    Previous research on the topic of reading comprehension has examined how a person can acquire new vocabulary by seeing an unknown word in a text and inferring its meaning based on the context it is found in. This ability to infer a word's meaning from context has been shown to correlate to one's overall ability to comprehend while reading, their vocabulary size, and the strength of their working memory. Studies have also shown that the use of this technique can aid in learning a new language. The current study will administer an inference-making-while-reading-task to 30 college students who have experience learning a foreign language and 30 who do not. The hypothesis is that students with foreign language experience will perform better than their non language-learning peers on this task. If the hypothesis is supported, the implications are that foreign language learning can affect reading comprehension in the native language.

  • Gender and Authoritarianism in Argentina Through Literature

    This paper analyzes how Argentinean author Martin Kohan critiques the gendered nature of authoritarianism during General Jorge Rafael Videla's dictatorship (1976-1983). His novel School for Patriots (2007) is set at the end of the seven-year program of National Reorganization, a euphemism for a state-led extermination of leftist political dissidents. Within this setting, Kohan illustrates the impacts of militaristic discourses and state institutions that allowed for the silencing, transformation and disappearance of over 30,000 Argentineans. Drawing from Women's and Gender Studies, and specifically Michel Foucault's concept of docile bodies, I show how Kohan illuminates the intersections of the military and the Church within the school apparatus. Together these sought to produce 'patriotic soldiers' as well as reproduce gender hierarchies within a surveillance culture. Through setting and characterization, the novel reveals the role of institutions in facilitating an authoritarian culture that has contributed to widespread misogyny, militarism and the extermination of opposition.

  • Gender, Education and the State in Spain

    Twentieth century Spain experienced two distinct governments, the Second Republic (1931-1939) and the military regime of Francisco Franco (1939-1975). Women's position in society was critical to both. During the Second Republic, there was a movement to create a more progressive society; however, during Franco's regime, progressive ideas were overturned. A return to conservative Catholic patriarchal norms was enforced through mechanisms such as education. My objective is to reveal the complex and important role of gender in both governments through careful analysis of primary source texts used in elementary schools during each regime. These texts illustrate how women and girls were targeted to champion the ideologies of each government and promote their longevity. An in-depth analysis of these forgotten textbooks will spotlight the intersections between gender socialization, education and the state in Spain. More broadly, this research provokes thought on how schools have been sites where gender roles are constructed.

  • Hate Groups Within Society

    For the academic excellence conference, we are proposing a group panel presentation on the impact of hate groups upon our society. This group presentation will discuss the impact of America's latest election and the fact that the prominence of hate groups within our country has become an issue witnessed not only by all Americans but the rest of the world. Each group member will be covering a different category, including the history of American hate groups such as the KKK, Neo-Nazis, and black separatists, defining and explaining what and who they are, what they stand for, why people would be motivated to join them, like social class, poverty, and more, and the minorities that are vastly targeted. This presentation on hate groups within our society will prelude the presentation on hate in education. Our conclusion will link these two groups and explain their impact within our school system.

  • Hey Pretty Thing, How Much?: The Problematic Reality of Catcalling

    This study explores the phenomenon of catcalling, where unwanted sexual attention is communicated through verbal and nonverbal expression. Despite countless studies concerning stranger harassment, limited research extends beyond women's experiences with catcalling. With a mixed-methods approach, this two-part study aims to determine the frequency of experiences and perpetration (Part 1), and perceptions of catcalling (Part 2) among men and women. Results from Part 1 suggest that women experience catcalling at a greater frequency, while men perpetrate catcalling at a greater frequency. As Part 2 delves further into personal experiences of victimization, results indicate common understandings of catcalling reflecting negative perceptions, while surfacing coping methods that are of a passive, benign, self-blame, and active nature. As experience has a direct relationship with perpetration for men and women, results demonstrate not merely an issue of gender; rather this study further reveals that catcalling is an intensifying social problem in contemporary society.

  • How Much Does Social Media Influence Identity?

    Companies like Facebook and Twitter have reputations as being public, easily-accessible, open forums that promote spaces where all users can freely share their ideas, values, and beliefs. This study is interested in two phenomenon: Whether or not the ideas and beliefs posted by users influences the company's image; and also, how these forums contribute positively or negatively to the user's personal and professional identities. Looking through the lenses of organizational culture theory and cultivation theory, the goal of this research is to find the extent to which these online open forum cultures influence the identities of both the company and the user. The questions will be analyzed by interviewing participants regarding their usage of these platforms, their perceptions of the companies, and their experience with open forums and their own identity. Do Facebook and Twitter contribute positively or negatively to identity?

  • M&MS: Mapping and Mathematics

    Due to the interdisciplinary nature of geography it often gets overlooked and lost among subjects, instead of being a sought after resource to support vital skills across the curriculum. The purpose of this undergraduate geography seminar research project is to examine potential uses for giant maps, teacher interests, and whether or not they can support learning in subjects besides social studies: specifically, the impact of kinesthetic learning using giant maps on learning spatial, geographic, and mathematical skills. Data was acquired through surveys, observations, interactive ArcGIS map, and focus groups.

  • Not your village, nor my village, but our town: A Community Resource Inventory for Swanzey, New Hampshire

    Small communities within the United States are experiencing encroaching urbanism that challenges them to protect "rural integrity" through community resource inventories that identify social assets for preservation. Swanzey, New Hampshire is experiencing this while seeking to protect their rural character and progress as a community. This study uses the emerging concept of New Ruralism to measure community value for social resources in order to provide proper preservation of rural character for the residents of the town. Survey dissemination is used as a measure of resident's perception on important resources while soliciting recommendations through maps regarding essential community resources. Statistical analysis of collected data provides a better understanding of Swanzey's rural character regarding what is relevant to preserve, support and provide for residents. This study incorporates the use of a New Ruralism model within Swanzey to create a strong future for the town that is grounded in heritage and shared community values.

  • Peace Center for Never Again Rwanda

    After I traveled to Rwanda to gather information about the location and culture, Gavin Bourbon, Keelin Lane, and I created a 3-D model and boards to present a design of a Peace Center for Never Again Rwanda. The program included a banquet hall, classrooms, a restaurant, and overnight accommodations for guests. As a group we believe our design is ideal for large gatherings used for teaching, meditating, and allowing people of Rwanda to come together again to be one.

  • Responding to Sexual Violence in Conflict

    At the Army Command and General Staff College's Ethics Symposium at Fort Leavenworth in April of 2016, a work titled "Responding to Sexual Violence in Conflict" was presented. The purpose of this submission to the Academic Excellence Conference is to provide insight into the challenges, both academic and personal, that arose while preparing a piece for presentation at the symposium and publication in the subsequent journal. For an undergraduate, civilian, female to present to military personnel on the topic of sexual violence was a daunting task which called for strong academic work as well as strong character. A reflection upon the process required for such a task to be completed will allow for the author to highlight the obstacles (i.e. completing publication ready work, perfecting presentation skills, etc.) faced in order for an undergraduate to present alongside graduate and doctoral scholars.

  • The Beyonce Experience: Race, Representation, Propaganda

    In recent years we have seen a transformation of how women are portrayed in music. There has been a strong push towards female empowerment from artists like Beyonce and Meghan Trainor. Beyonce has urged women to assert their dominance in every facet of their life. While Meghan has challenged the discourse on body image and the idea that skinny women are the most desirable. However, these transformations of how women are portrayed does not take into account the various intersections that most women hold. This paper will analyze distinct forms of representation in Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop music. Particularly, looking at a case study on Beyonce's music and the messages conveyed to young girls and women. Applying the theory of Intersectionality, this paper will uncover that the advocacy for female empowerment is in fact, Undermining Propaganda, aimed at reinforcing slut-shaming.

  • The Effects of the Unnatural: Viewing Le Roman de Silence Through Medieval Ocular Theory

    Medieval ocular theories connected the eye directly to the soul; sight was a sensory extension of the soul, allowing the soul to feel and experience the world through the eye. This paper connects these ocular theories to Le Roman de Silence, exploring how sight of the unnatural can alter characters' motivations. Silence, born female, is raised a boy. This denial of nature moves those who view Silence's beautiful but unnatural visage to act deceitfully, through the connection of the eye to the soul. The unnaturalness of Silence's choice to deny her gender is laid out by the author through scenes that personify Nature. By examining these scenes along with encounters between Silence and other characters through the lens of medieval ocular theories, it is evident that the denial of Nature twists the achievements of Silence by negatively affecting the viewer.

  • The Effects of Tuition Costs on Wages of Undergraduates in New England

    Rising tuition costs have caused students to question the necessity of higher education, and to choose institutions very carefully. The purpose of this study is to look into New England public and private institutions, and to examine the returns to educational spending. The study uses data collected from the US Department of Education recording the median wage of students six, and ten years following graduation. Controlling for a variety of measures of school quality, and demographic composition, the study uses ordinary least squares regression (OLS) to estimate the relationship between college costs and future wages. This research will determine whether there is a statistically significant relationship between private schools price tags and higher wages after graduating compared to more affordable public institutions. On initial results, the largest variable contributing to median wage is the number of students attending the college.

  • The Power of Connection: An analysis of art, active listening, and dialogue to enhance one's sense of community.

    Our nation is currently facing a massive number of issues. We have learned to foster inequality, discrimination, and judgement towards ourselves and others. Our inability to connect with our environment, with animals, with our fellow human beings, and with ourselves is putting our nation in danger. The importance of connection is being seen in many different disciplines. To examine connection research will be gathered through a session on active listening, an event for political dialogue, expressive painting and writing workshops, and an inter-generational conversation. During and after these events, information will be obtained through surveys, interviews, and reflections. Through this qualitative research, an oral presentation will be developed examining the power of connection. These events will catalyze conversations that explore the impact of empathy and community. The implications of such work could prove useful in peace building and conflict transformation, with the potential to address problems confronting our country today.

  • The Visual Impact of Technology on Graphic Design

    This presentation, in the form of a timeline, will explore how the progression of graphic design styles correlates to the technology used at the time of its production. A cave painting illustrates how primitive tools on natural surfaces create a certain aesthetic. Posters made with movable type exemplify the massive impact the printing press had on graphic design. From the birth of visual communications through the digital era, this display will demonstrate how modern methodologies replaced outdated ones. This is not to say that one is better than the other, rather serve as a reminder of where design evolved from. By looking around and noticing advertisements and packaging its clear that design is everywhere. The presentation will display how exactly our visual surroundings have come to look the way that they do through the advancement of technology..

  • The Women of Keene State: An Exploration through Personal Narratives

    "The Women of Keene State: An Exploration through Personal Narratives," is a digital humanities exhibit regarding how women shaped Keene State. This project incorporates stories through interviews with alumnae and faculty because of an interest in the narratives of women who have held a prominent role in the campus community for the last one hundred years. This project also displays archival information about fields of study which affected women students, such as the Home Economics program, and, later, the emergence of a Women's Study degree. The oral history is the most integral part of this project. So far, there are four interviews of women who attended or attend Keene State and their personal and family history in regards to the institution. This project is displayed on a WordPress site, in hopes that the work will be accessible to a variety of audiences through an accessible format.