4210 research outputs found
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Advertising to Children: A Content Analysis of Ryan\u27s World
Full text linkRyan’s World is a children\u27s toy review YouTube channel with over 36 million followers and features kid YouTuber Ryan Kaji. A qualitative content analysis of the YouTube channel Ryan’s World was conducted to observe the rhetorical strategies the videos employ to sell Ryan’s World products, as well as how those strategies compare to traditional advertising. An analysis of twelve videos resulted in dominant themes of increasing brand familiarity and product performance of Ryan’s World products. These were accomplished through the use of traditional advertising rhetorical strategies such as product placement, special effects, appeals, and more. The study shows that the rhetorical strategies employed in Ryan’s World mimic the rhetorical strategies in traditional advertising. It also examines how advertising to children has moved to a more covert format, where it is harder, if not impossible, for children to distinguish the persuasive intent behind the messaging
Are You Really “Just a Girl?”: A Rhetorical Analysis of Female Identity Construction on TikTok
Full text linkThis paper analyzes the use of the phrase “just a girl” on the social media platform TikTok through a feminist rhetorical lens to understand how female identity is being constructed and defined by the young women who use the phrase. By analyzing fourteen videos using the phrase “just a girl,” this paper identifies themes of incompetence, innovation, vanity, and overconsumption. The phrase functions similarly to the phrase “boys will be boys” by infantilizing the people being described while assigning specific behaviors to gender. Men are expected to be dangerous and violent, while women are expected to be incompetent and vapid. The usage of these phrases supports negative stereotypes and assumptions about gender, which then uphold hegemonic gender norms that culturally support violence against women. However, the use of the phrase “just a girl” can also be seen as a rejection of unachievable standards placed on women in contemporary society
A Special Little Guy
Full text linkAmelia Emory’s Senior Project for UMW Theatre’s production of Matilda the Musical
I Will Not Accept this Rose: The Bachelor(ette), Gender Stereotypes, and Self Perception
Full text linkReality television is a cornerstone of modern-day TV programming, and typically features some element of competition, a makeover, or finding love. The Bachelor began airing in 2002, and the franchise that was built off the initial season continues to be a big name in romantically themed reality television. However, the show employs a variety of tactics during filming and while editing that presents a heteronormative view of contestants. The extent of this influence was explored using a mixed-method approach. A content analysis of several episodes from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette was conducted in order to determine how many instances of gender-based stereotyping occur on the show. Following this, a survey was created to see if casual viewers of the show noticed these choices, as well as inquiring if this messaging impacted the way they perceive themselves and their role in a relationship
Optimization of Reaction Conditions for Synthesizing KasA-Targeting Drug Candidates for Tuberculosis Treatment
Full text linkTuberculosis (TB) remains a global health challenge, with increasing drug resistance pressing for the development of novel treatments. KasA, a key enzyme in mycobacterial fatty acid biosynthesis, is a promising drug target for TB treatment. This research focuses on the design and synthesis of potential KasA inhibitors, specifically optimizing reaction conditions to efficiently produce 1-methyl-6-aminoindazole. This molecule is an intermediate in the synthesis of drugs targeting TB. Characterization of synthesized compounds is performed using NMR, mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography to confirm structure and purity. The first step involved optimizing the solvent and base for the methylation of nitroindazole. We found that the most favorable for this reaction was acetone and cesium carbonate (Cs2CO3). In the second step, we adjusted the reagent used to create 1-methyl-6-aminoindazole, switching it from iron (Fe) to ammonium formate (NH4HCO2). By improving yield, selectivity, and scalability of key intermediates, we will be able to make more unique molecules to test for the treatment of TB
Deconstructing the AfD: an Analysis of the German Right-Wing Populist Political Party, the Alternative for Germany (VCHC Poster)
Full text linkThe Alternativ für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) (AfD) is a far-right populist party that has quickly grown in power within the past decade, particularly in Eastern German states, due to its emphasis on nationalization, populist rhetoric, and attraction to voters’ fears about immigration and cultural change. The AfD has managed to mobilize strong voting support within five years, gaining parliamentary seats in the Bundestag (Federal Parliament) in 2017, and is now considered the main opposition party to the established parties. The AfD is the first right-wing party to gain significant voting attention since 1945, capitalizing on the rise of right-wing ideology. Due to the reactionary pendulum swing after post-Nazi Germany, the Penal Code outright prohibits hate speech and national-socialist ideology; however, the party has survived by walking the fine line between neo-Nazism and ultra-conservative free speech. In addition to inflammatory remarks made by AfD politicians and right-wing personalities, the media has focused its attention on political polarization as a result of widely disseminating explosive propaganda. As the AfD continues gaining traction and forming connections with other polarized and extremist factions, the coalition government endures increased fragmentation, as can also be seen in the United States and other European countries
Acting Senior Project - Greta Ohlsson
No full textAn acting senior project through the Department of Theatre and Dance. The project is a character study of Greta Ohlsson in Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie and adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. It is formatted as a blog and contains the work done in preparation for a role, such as character work and research, as well as daily rehearsal reflection journals
The World Before the After: How Folktales Relay the Heart of Jewish Mysticism\u27s Afterlife Beliefs
No full textThere is a deeper motive than reward and punishment in the eschatological thought of the Jewish mystics. The underlying longing to earn a desired afterlife is the hunger for liberation– the freedom from physical, spiritual, and eternal exile from God, the source of sacred abundance and wholeness. Folktales told and retold by Kabbalistic, Lurianic, and Hasidic communities illuminate this core desire. Through stories of yearning for the Messiah and ascent to the Divine abode, to the legends of inescapable reincarnation and the purifying flames of Gehenna, the folktale is a medium for the storyteller to communicate with the receiver messages regarding that which is most treasured and valued among the cultural consciousness
Ch. 26: Ridicule in Late-Night Political Humor in the United States: Contours and Consequences
No full textThis chapter appears in the book, The Handbook of Social and Political Conflict. Edited by Sergei A. Samoilenko and Solon Simmons.
Chapter abstract: Late-night comedy has come to be a staple of political discourse in a polarized America; consequently, the increasing use of political humor offers ways to examine how ridicule relates to political conflict theory. Late-night humorists who once offered satire of American politics have now assumed the role of bona fide journalists, given the increasing number of young audiences that rely on receiving their news from late-night comedy. Lately, as the American political debate shifted from issue-based commentary to insult-oriented attacks, American politicians often seek to appear on late-night comedy shows for a chance that the late-night comedies will humanize their image and bolster their reputation in the eyes of American voters, despite the risk that the comics can potentially make the politicians look ridiculous . By examining how politicians, comedians, the mass media, and citizens use political humor to shape public orientations toward politicians and public policies, this chapter contributes to this increasingly important aspect of political conflict theory.https://scholar.umw.edu/ps_ia_books/1015/thumbnail.jp
Ch. 3: Impact of Emergent Technologies on Writing Centers and Pedagogy
No full textThis chapter appears in the book, Impact of Emergent Technologies on Writing Centers and Pedagogy. Edited by Tingjia Wang.
Chapter abstract: Writing centers are adapting to support multimodal and digital literacy projects, addressing challenges from emerging technologies. This chapter argues that writing centers can lead digital literacy initiatives by offering pedagogy of play-informed faculty development workshops. The workshops aim to enhance instructors\u27 digital design skills and pedagogical approaches, contributing to student success and offering professional development for tutors. The chapter begins by outlining the theoretical foundations of pedagogy of play, digital literacy, and faculty development. It then provides a detailed description of a digital photography workshop, emphasizing play in active learning to illustrate this professionalization approach. The chapter concludes by evaluating the workshops\u27 impact and discussing potential adaptations, challenges, and solutions. The adaptability of these workshops demonstrates the benefits of play-based learning for digital literacy.https://scholar.umw.edu/elc_books/1010/thumbnail.jp