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In the Margins of Literary and Architectural Discourse: A Comparison of Arabic Commentary in Cervantes's Don Quixote and Moorish Architectural Inscription
No full textIn the present essay, I will examine the traces of coexistence between the Muslim and Christian world in architecture and literature, using the examples of the mezquita, or ‘mosque’, and the most important novel of Spain, Don Quixote of la Mancha (1605;1615) by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. This study incorporates an interdisciplinary approach that utilizes historical, literary, and architectural methods to explain the dual function of the margin— its architectural function in the Mosque and its narrative function as used in specific chapters from Cervantes’s novel. Furthermore, I will show how the architectural margin of the wall of the mosque was familiar to Cervantes’s readers who lived in Spain and this familiarity allows Cervantes to exploit the metaphorical meaning of the literary margin as architectural margin. A metaphor establishes an equivalency between a pair of images; the best-known example of which belongs to Ezra Pound, the founding leader of Imagism (1912-1923). This is a school of poetry that endorsed clarity of expression and simplicity through the use of precise visual imagery. The best known metaphor is Pound's own, in which faces are compared with petals in the poem, "In a Station of the Metro": The apparition of these faces in the crowd: Petals on a wet, black bough. Through his architectural and literary metaphor, Cervantes covertly expresses his personal beliefs about multiculturalism that could not be directly expressed for fear of censorship by the Inquisition.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the Senior Arts/Humanities category
International Law & the Cyber Domain: Assessing the Human Rights Concerns of Cyber Legislation
No full textA 2018 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in partnership with computer security company McAfee, estimated that cybercrime costs the world almost $600 billion or .8% of the global Gross Domestic Product (CSIS, 2018, p. 4). In response to this booming element of transnational crime, states, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, and individual citizens have sought to implement systems for the investigation, prosecution, and restitution of these crimes. One such solution is the development and enactment of international law. On December 27, 2019, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed Russia-led resolution A/74/401, entitled "Countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes (United Nations, 2019, Countering the use)." Vehemently opposed by Western states such as the United States, the resolution approved the establishment of a committee of experts to evaluate the potential for an international cybercrime treaty (United Nations). While international cooperation of this kind is commendable, Western states and human rights groups have professed concerns that the vague language of the resolution has the potential to erode the human rights protections afforded to citizens under international law (Hakmeh & Peters, 2020). The purpose of this paper is to identify the human rights concerns of Russia's proposed United Nations resolution and analyze the obligations the international community has to uphold relevant human rights protections while balancing international cooperation necessitated by international law and legal norms. The first section of this paper provides historical background on the relationship between cyber issues like cybercrime and international law.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies Graduate category
“The Picked Corps of the American Army”: The Light Infantry of the Continental Army
No full textThis paper will first define the words and terms applicable to the topic of light infantry that appear in eighteenth-century literature so that there is an understanding of how an eighteenth-century soldier conceived of warfare. After establishing this connection, this paper will follow a chronological chain of events that focuses on the creation of regular light infantry in European armies in Europe and North America from the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) until the beginning of the Revolutionary War (1740-1775), how those events influenced Washington, the first use of light troops during the Revolutionary War, and how the Continental light infantry developed through the war. This paper will not delve into the intricacies of battles because historians have well-examined the few notable battles involving the Continental light infantry. However, this paper will draw from battles the tactics that highlight the regular and irregular methods used by the light infantry and highlight details from campaigns and battles that depict how Washington and other leaders employed the light infantry. This paper argues that Washington recognized that trained, properly equipped, and competently led light infantry was more effective against regular and irregular enemies, rather than other American irregular light troops that often proved ineffective against those same enemies. Washington based his decision first, by drawing from his military experiences on the North American frontier, and second from European theory and practical application of regular light infantry forces in European armies.Master of Arts in Military Histor
Autumn 1862: The High Tide of the Confederacy
No full textThe American Civil War is one of the defining events in American history. Abundant studies cover every aspect of the conflict, from strategic analysis to the material culture of uniforms. Even with thousands of academic studies, each adding a new interpretation, there remains still unexplored territory. This study's objective is to expand upon and connect these previous interpretations to produce another tier in understanding a specific chapter of the war. The question posed centers on not the Confederate strengths but the Federal weaknesses. Research shows how the failure and limitations of Union strategy, policy, and the inability to logistically sustain massive offensives opened the way for the Confederacy to capitalize on, and turn the tide of the war. Furthermore, how did the Confederate strategies both militarily and politically have the greatest success and influence on the Kentucky and Maryland Campaigns and the overall outcome of the war?Master of Arts in Military Histor
The Culture of Jihad in the 21st Century
No full textIn the 15-years I have served in the United States Army, the focal point of my tactical and academic study has been almost entirely centered on the Middle East and its unique cultural complexities. As an Infantryman, I was embroiled in the early efforts to prevent a Sunni-Shia civil war in post-invasion Iraq, while also hunting down al-Qaeda operatives under the leadership of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. A year later, during General Patraeus’s troop surge, I was in the urban sprawl of Northwest Baghdad fighting not only a Sunni insurgency, but also the Iranian-backed Jaysh al-Mahdi, comprised of local Shia militia groups. In 2010, I led a battalion reconnaissance team in the Arghandab River Valley of Afghanistan against the Taliban near the very birthplace of their Salafi-jihadist movement. In subsequent years, following my graduation from the Special Forces Qualification Course, I served in the 5th Special Forces Group (SFG) on a variety of missions in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Turkey and Syria. As a fluent Arabic speaker, I was heavily involved in early efforts to train and equip the Free Syrian Army for its fight against the Islamic State. Following this deployment, I served as a liaison officer to the United States Embassy and Turkish General Staff in Ankara, having daily interaction with foreign dignitaries, defense attachés, and military officials in strategic level planning and coordination efforts. I culminated my time with 5th SFG as the assistant operations sergeant of a detachment fighting the Islamic State in Syria. My understanding of the culture of jihad, the various jihadist groups operating throughout the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, and the intricacy of Middle Eastern problem sets as a whole, has come from years of dedicated cultural analysis, in-depth study of Sunni and Shia Islam, and field experience from the strategic to the tactical level. It is because of this experience that I am compelled to discuss the culture of jihad in the 21st Century.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies Degree Completion category
Wilsonianism in the First World War: Progressivism, American Exceptionalism, and the AEF Doughboy
No full textWhy did Wilsonian ideals influence AEF actions in the First World War, and how did that affect the United States’ involvement in the nation’s first large-scale coalition operation? Wilsonian ideals influenced the AEF’s actions in the First World War because most American leaders and soldiers shared Wilson’s concepts of Progressivism and believed that the United States should play a role in saving Europe. Even if some did not agree with Wilson’s politics, most doughboys shared his ideas of American Exceptionalism, and these views affected United States involvement in the nation’s first large-scale coalition operation. In merging the two topic areas of Wilson’s ideologies and AEF involvement in the war, this essay will attempt to answer how the American doughboy found motivation in the same principles that guided President Wilson.Master of Arts in Military Histor
Borscht, Barracks, and Bears: How Russian Pilots Lived in WWII
No full textFood, water, and shelter, as fundamental components of human existence are no less critical in an aviation unit than the number of enemies shot down, as a combat force can be made or broken over necessities. During World War II, Russian pilots returned to bases where food and housing were not to be taken for granted, and free time was dictated by forces largely outside their control. The overall living conditions of Russian pilots during the war were varied, unpredictable, and improvised.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the Junior Arts/Humanities category
A Diplomatic Fiasco: How Iranian Students in the US were Affected Throughout the Iran Hostage Crisis
No full textWhen looking at the literature surrounding the Iran Hostage Crisis, many scholars focus solely on the events that occurred in Iran leading up to the embassy being taken. This focus tends to paint Iranians as the “bad guys” in all situations. However, there was a large population of Iranian students in the US at the time, and these students had a completely different experience than those often remembered from the nightly news. Few scholars have set out to demonstrate the lives of those Iranian students, but those who have often describe the controversy that surrounded them. Scholars recognize how Iranian students in the US faced discrimination and how the US government was looking to deport them. These scholars tend to look at the lives of students who had it the worst, assuming all Iranian students’ lives were atrocious in the US. They do not take into account those who were still welcomed at their universities throughout the crisis, as students disregarded diplomatic tensions and looked at the humans they spent their days with instead. By looking at more universities and more student experiences, a broader picture can be understood about the lives of Iranian students in the US during the crisis.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the University Archives category
You See It, Now You Don't
No full textThis study aimed to investigate the accuracy of individuals being able to detect a change in familiar room settings with some everyday room items versus room settings that are not reflected by their particular lifestyle. A PowerPoint showing "before" and "after" photos of a Cadets bedroom and a Civilian bedroom, was shown with objects disappearing for participants to note the changes. A total of 41 students from Norwich University from the Corps of Cadets and Civilian lifestyle participated. A significant difference in change detection with objects in familiar scenes being easily detectable by individuals who live in that particular lifestyle was predicted. Results, however, showed how the type of object that disappeared was a main effect along with the lifestyle having a significance in complex scenes.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the Senior Science/Technical category
Newborn Hypoglycemia: Analyzing the Effectiveness of Glucose Gel and Intravenous Glucose
No full textObjective: To improve the recognition and treatment of neonatal hypoglycemia by investigating the effectiveness of glucose gel compared to intravenous glucose in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Background: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) recognized that the symptoms of neonatal hypoglycemia were consistent with various metabolic conditions and prompt intervention was imperative. The initial management of neonatal hypoglycemia focused on increasing the quality and quantity of feedings and admitting newborns to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Recent literature has demonstrated that the implementation of glucose gel is less-invasive, effectively regulates neonatal hypoglycemia, and promotes maternal-infant bonding. The creation of a definitive definition and diagnostic parameters for neonatal hypoglycemia is pertinent for improving the current treatment modalities. Significance: Complications associated with untreated neonatal hypoglycemia have the potential to adversely impact infants' physical and cognitive development. Without a formalized treatment protocol, healthcare personnel could observe an inverse relationship between the incidence of NICU admissions and normal development. Methods: An in-depth exploration of PubMed, CINHAL, and NCBI, based on the level of evidence, revealed that a universal definition has not been implemented into practice and that the use of intravenous glucose was the preferred method of treatment. The search terms utilized were prematurity (34-36/7 weeks), neonatal hypoglycemia, glucose gel versus intravenous glucose, and stabilized blood sugar levels. Results: Rawat et al. (2016) determined that administering 200 mg/kg of 40% dextrose gel into the buccal mucosa reduced the incidence of mother-infant separation for treatment and suggested that dextrose gel should be the golden standard for treating neonatal hypoglycemia. Discussion: The ABM recommended the development of a well-controlled study that establishes the connection between the clinical signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and plasma glucose concentration. The formulation of an all-encompassing protocol that reflects the demand for an evidence-based treatment approach for neonatal hypoglycemia is crucial.Winner of the 2020 Friends of the Kreitzberg Library Award for Outstanding Research in the Freshman/Sophomore Science/Technical category