University of Southern Mississippi
Aquila Digital Community (University of Southern Mississippi, USM)Not a member yet
11361 research outputs found
Sort by
Bases of Influence: Military Installations and Partisan Realignment in the American South
Get PDFAttributable to the First and Second World Wars, the 20th-century military mobilization of the American South caused significant change in the region as the previously rural locale was economically and socially transformed. During this period, the American South also experienced a major shift in partisan politics as traditional voter patterns changed and party alignments were reshaped. This transformation, or realignment as it is called, took place as rooted Democratic-leaning voting behaviors were altered by increasing trends of Republican support. Previous literature discusses the history of the military and realignment, with both fields recognizing the significance of economic development. Due to parallels between the economic and social changes caused by military base establishment and those seen in the more urban areas of the South during realignment, this thesis tested the position that proximity to a Mississippi military base would initiate shifts in realignment as counties housing or surrounding an installation would experience accelerated Republican support compared to counties not geographically relevant to a base. For the 1968 to 1980 presidential general election years, descriptive statistical findings determined that base-relevant counties generally did experience higher average percentages of Republican support for presidential candidates, as well as higher average percentages of urban populations, white populations, and median family incomes. This suggests that attitudes of economic conservatism, as produced by post-war economic development, largely impacted the voting behavior of this time. These unique findings show that both the physical and institutional reach of military bases were likely influential on broader political partisan shifts in the realigning South
Those Lost in the Wood
Get PDFThose Lost in the Wood is an original collection of poems accompanied by a critical preface. The collection is inspired by classic fairytales written by the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson as well as the golden age of children’s literature with such works like Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol. The main themes explored within the collection are womanhood, play, and grief. A variety of poetic forms and literary devices are used to appeal to the inspiration of the collection and its themes
Culturally Relevant or Cultural Cover: Understanding ACUE’s Fostering a Culture of Belonging
Get PDFColleges and universities are increasingly utilizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Diversity training (DT) is one kind of DEI initiative designed to help faculty and staff, but it is understudied, especially for higher education. This study seeks to expand the literature by examining the Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE) Fostering a Culture of Belonging (FCB) course, its participants’ experiences, and its effect on students rooted in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP). Using mixed methods, this study collected faculty participant interviews and contextualized any changes based on analyses of student course evaluations. I report that while faculty educators did profess experience benefits, they also struggled to recall content, implement transformative changes, and did not significantly impact student evaluations. Ultimately, more research is needed to understand the effects and implementation of DT for higher education faculty, especially if the goal is to effect transformative changes for student learning
How Do You Ask Questions? A Thematic and Discursive Analysis of Question-Asking in Stranger Conversations
No full textThis study used a mixed-methods approach to explore how questions are used in casual conversations between strangers. While conversation has long been studied by linguists, sociologists, anthropologists, and psychologists, a methodological divide persists: conversation analysis versus experimental approaches. Despite extensive research, the rules guiding question-asking in conversation remain unclear. This study integrates both conversation analysis and experimental literature to investigate the role of questions in interactions with strangers. The research began with a quantitative content analysis of questions drawn from a set of recorded conversations known wholly as the Candor Dataset, informed by Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, which suggests that questions can function as face-threatening acts. However, theoretical limitations of this framework led to the consideration of Uncertainty Reduction Theory and Terror Management Theory. These challenges prompted the addition of thematic analysis and eventually a methodological shift to discourse analysis. Discursive psychology was adopted for its ability to reframe traditional psychological constructs by focusing on language-in-use and social interaction. Quantitative findings addressed two of five research questions. First, participants used more polar questions than Wh- or alternative questions. Second, questions primarily served to seek public or social information. Due to reliability concerns in the data, some results were inconclusive. A Thematic analysis of 100 questions identified five key themes: Personhood, financial life, conversational grammar, politeness/impoliteness, and expertise deference. The first two reflect personal identity and economic context, while the latter three concern the structural and social roles of questions in conversation. Three additional themes emerged through the use of an approach, discursive psychology: Mutuality, information tracking, and interest tokens. The themes relate to the cooperative nature of questioning, how speakers monitor and build on shared information, and how interest is expressed to maintain conversational flow. Together, these findings deepen our understanding of how questions function in everyday talk. The thematic results illustrate the nuanced purposes of questions, while the discursive approach critiques and expands existing theories by showing how questions operate dynamically within social interaction
Population Estimates, Demography, and Habitat Assessment of the Pearl River map turtle (Graptemys pearlensis) in the Pearl River Drainage of Mississippi
Get PDFThe Pearl River map turtle (Graptemys pearlensis) is a highly riverine Emydid endemic to the Pearl River drainage of central and southern Mississippi and southern Louisiana. First described in 2010, G. pearlensis was listed as federally Threatened in 2024. . Due to its relative novelty as a species, no rigorous site-specific population estimates of G. pearlensis in Mississippi have been conducted. The primary goal of this study was to implement a replicable method of assessing the population of G. pearlensis throughout the Pearl River drainage system of Mississippi. A secondary goal was to describe habitat associated with G. pearlensis abundance. We captured a total of 186 G. pearlensis across 53.2 rkm. Our drainage wide population estimate for G. pearlensis was 22.4 turtles per rkm, although site abundance varied from 2.2 to 141.7 turtles per rkm. These numbers are significantly lower than G. oculifera, which was estimated at 96 turtles/rkm, with site abundance between 47 and 217.7 turtles/rkm. This leads us to recommend continued monitoring of G. pearlensis, and to support their protected status. We also performed habitat analysis across the main stem Pearl River and on 12 tributaries and creeks. As the only apparent significant habitat variable associated with G. pearlensis density was sandbar area, we recommend future studies focus on more thoroughly assessing habitat at locations with both low and high densities of G. pearlensis
Mapping the Underthing: Literary Geography and Geographic Education in The Slow Regard of Silent Things
Get PDFThis thesis examines the imagined geography of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Slow Regard of Silent Things. Through textual analysis, it investigates how fictional spaces can be mapped, the significance of toponyms (i.e., place-names), and the broader implications for literary and geographic studies. Of the fifty-two (52) toponyms analyzed, thirty-eight (38) were meaningfully identified using the text and the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), revealing deliberate naming schemes associated with function, emotion, or symbolism. These findings provide insight into the main character’s world, and her unique relationship with space and place. This study demonstrates that even wholly imagined settings have an underlying spatial logic that can be analyzed and visualized and thus contribute to a deeper understanding of the novella and geography’s role in literature.
This thesis also explores the educational potential of this exercise in literary geography. While not directly aligning with traditional geographic curricula, studying fictional landscapes can encourage spatial thinking, critical analysis, and interdisciplinary learning. Additionally, the novella’s unique focus on solitude and perception resonates with broader cultural discussions. By bridging literature and geography, this thesis highlights the value of spatial analysis in understanding fictional worlds and deepens appreciation for how narratives construct meaning through place
Metasemantics and Intersectionality in the Misinformation Age
No full texthttps://aquila.usm.edu/katrinagulfcoast_photos/1037/thumbnail.jp
Political Rumors: Why We Accept Misinformation and How to Fight It
No full texthttps://aquila.usm.edu/katrinagulfcoast_photos/1043/thumbnail.jp
The Nature of Conspiracy Theories
No full texthttps://aquila.usm.edu/katrinagulfcoast_photos/1048/thumbnail.jp
Dark Persuasion: A History of Brainwashing from Pavlov to Social Media
No full texthttps://aquila.usm.edu/katrinagulfcoast_photos/1054/thumbnail.jp