California State University (CSU): Open Journal Systems
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Inverse Iteration for the Laplace Eigenvalue Problem With Robin and Mixed Boundary Conditions
Get PDFWe apply the method of inverse iteration to the Laplace eigenvalue problem with Robin and mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions, respectively. For each problem, we prove convergence of the iterates to a non-trivial principal eigenfunction and show that the corresponding Rayleigh quotients converge to the principal eigenvalue. We also propose a related iterative method for an eigenvalue problem arising from a model for optimal insulation and provide some partial results
Generalized Fiber Contraction Mapping Principle
Get PDFWe prove a generalized non-stationary version of the fiber contraction mapping theorem. It was originally used by Hirsch and Pugh, in 1970, to prove that the stable foliation of a C2 Anosov diffeomorphism of a surface is C1. Our generalized principle was recently used by the first author to prove an analogous regularity result for stable foliations of non-stationary systems. The result is stated in a general setting so that it may be used in future dynamical results in the random and non-stationary settings, especially for graph transform arguments
Blood is Your Bond: Newspaper Perceptions of Lineage Complications in Ghana
Get PDF In 1821, the Gold Coast became a British colony, bringing change to Ghana\u27s social, political, and economic structure. By 1918, British ideologies had infiltrated even the most intimate parts of Ghanaian life and thus impacted marriage, inheritance, and household gender roles. In the Gold Coast, inheritance was matrilineal, meaning that inheritance was passed down through the mother’s blood line and children belonged to the mother’s family, or Abusua. However, that did not mean that this practice benefited women. As the colonial government altered both the economy and gender roles, wives labor became subservient to their husbands and their unpaid labor became their husbands’ benefit. In response, Ghanaian women enacted new measures to ensure wealth for themselves and their Abusua. By the late 1950s, matrilineal inheritance was a longstanding Ghanaian tradition, withstanding the new European marriage practices and legalities. Despite this longevity, matrilineal inheritance began to encounter challenges regarding its efficiency. By examining Ghana\u27s independence period and subsequent aftermath, we can see how Ghanaian women reclaimed their autonomy by demanding land independent from their husbands, refusing to marry, or challenging their husbands Abusua in colonial courts for a share in their husband’s land. Furthermore, as women challenged colonial authority for rights over their labor, and in return, men demanded more ownership of their children. Through the use of newspaper articles, published in Ghana\u27s Daily Graphic, we can observe the argument for and against matrilineal inheritance, and how Ghanaians challenged colonial influence as Ghana approached independence. 
An Unbiased Captive Audience: A Study of The Literary Uses of Captivity Narratives
Get PDFThis research paper explores the evolution of Native American captivity narratives from the 16th century to the 20th century, emphasizing how personal gain and propagandist motives transformed their historical integrity. These narratives originally provided truthful accounts of the experiences of captured individuals. However, as the genre gained popularity, authors began fabricating stories, and the genre of captivity narratives became flooded with stories that were driven purely by greed or other agendas such as religious propaganda. By studying popular and influential narratives such as those of Hans Staden, John Smith, and Mary Rowlandson, this paper illustrates how narratives transitioned from accurate documentation to vehicles for moral and religious messaging. By the end of captivity narratives\u27 popularity as a genre, these drastic changes in motives culminated in a reversal of roles where Native Americans became the subjects of captivity instead of the captors
Book Review: Reconsidering Death: A Sociological Review of Brandi Schillace\u27s Death’s Summer Coat
Get PDFBrandi Schillace’s Death’s Summer Coat: What the History of Death and Dying Teaches Us About Life and Living is a unique perspective on the sociology of grieving, death, and dying. It is an interdisciplinary examination of death practices and how they have shifted, especially in the modern Western context. By blending anthropology, sociology, psychology, and history, Schillace explores societal changes that have distanced modern society from death, creating what she views as an unhealthy relationship with mortality. Her work utilizes the idea that Western society has developed a “death-denying” culture, hiding death from public view and ritualizing it in increasingly private and medicalized ways. Through a historical and cross-cultural lens, Schillace critiques this shift, arguing that understanding how death is handled can teach us to live more fully. Sociologically, Schillace’s argument builds on classic ideas from scholars such as Philippe Ariès and Michel Foucault with topics like the medicalization of death, the secularization of death rituals, and the growing isolation surrounding the grieving process. This review evaluates Schillace’s contributions to established sociological theories, considering her insights into contemporary Western death practices and assessing the book’s collaborative approach and broader implications for sociology
Book Review: Just Like Family: How Companion Animals Joined the Household by Andrea Laurent-Simpson
Get PDFIn the present day, more people are choosing to be childfree, or have children later in life, and marrying at older ages. The concept and definition of family are changing and reflecting these demographics. The nuclear heteronormative couple with two children is no longer the first image that comes to mind when a person thinks of the word family. Andrea Laurent-Simpson, a Research Assistant Professor and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Southern Methodist University, offers an insightful approach to the “multispecies” family in America in her book Just Like Family: How Companion Animals Joined the Household. Her educational background includes a PhD in Sociology from Texas Woman’s University, and her research focus is based on family and fertility, non-human animal interaction, and identity theory. Laurent-Simpson’s main purpose and goal of this book is to “explain why the presence of the multispecies family is an important domain of research, particularly for family scholars. . . and to demonstrate how the multispecies family has developed in the context of increasing diversification of familial structures within the United States” (2021:23). She offers a sociological lens of the development of this new family form by analyzing her original data. This data includes 35 in-depth interviews with people who own dogs, cats, or both, from different types of family structures in the US, including families with children and families without (by choice or by circumstance), veterinary visit observations, pet advertisement analysis, and the author’s personal narratives
Book Review: Dillard’s Promise by Gilbert Leslie
Get PDFCrime, mystery, and generational justice, Dillard’s Promise by Gilbert Leslie, has it all as a very intriguing read that leaves the reader hooked, wanting to find out more about how the story pans out, which I felt when reading this great work of literature. This story follows the traumatic experiences of a family through the turbulent Jim Crow South to the modernized era of Los Angeles. Houston Jenkins, the story’s protagonist, is slowly exposed to his family’s history through the death of the women who raised him. Houston is unsuspecting until her dying words lead to a sequence of events that unravels a series of unsolved murders that happened decades prior and across the country. These events bring justice and closure but not in the way one might expect. The author of this thrilling novel is Gilbert Leslie, a current student at California State University-Los Angeles. He previously graduated from California State University-Dominguez Hills, obtaining a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies while minoring in Labor Studies. Dillard’s Promise is his first time authoring a book as well as being published. In addition to authoring this novel, Leslie was in the process of obtaining his Master of Arts in Political Science and will graduate in May 2025, with hopes to become a professor while concurrently having writing as a second career. Being a single parent at a young age, Leslie’s priority was raising his daughter, working in the life insurance industry while pursuing his degrees. Throughout all of this, Leslie has always been passionate about writing as a way to explore how to bring the experiences of criminal and societal justice reform into believable life stories. His dedication to justice is very much showcased within this story
Film Review: Under the Same Moon by Patricia Riggen
Get PDFThe storyline of the film Under the Same Moon (2008) demonstrates a Mexican mother and son who are separated by the U.S.-Mexico border. The film examines the challenges and risks of immigrants who face hardship when crossing these neighboring countries. Patricia Riggen is a Mexican film director born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and has gained experience in journalism and writing for documentaries. Riggen obtained a degree in Communication Sciences, and her thesis work is titled “Female Directors,” which allowed her to interview the top four female film directors at the time. Given that opportunity, Riggen had many job inquiries lined up but worked as a writer for her local newspaper and for a producer, which allowed her to collect research on the production industry. With that, she moved to New York City, where she received her master’s degree in directing and screenwriting at Columbia University. Since English was not her first language, Riggen started writing short movies without dialogue. While attending Columbia University, she directed two short films and found herself interested in writing and producing films. This led to the directing of her major-recognized movie Under the Same Moon, which was acknowledged by many industries and granted even more opportunities. Directing the film Under the Same Moon allowed Riggen to portray the immigrant experience of a young woman who is working in Los Angeles illegally and is separated from her 9-year-old son, still living back home with her mother in a small Mexican village.
Juveniles Incarcerated in Adult Detention Facilities: An Analytic Review
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of recent quantitative studies that investigate juveniles incarcerated in adult correctional facilities. I hypothesized that results would display that youths in the adult correctional system are victimized at significantly higher rates and provided fewer resources than youths in juvenile facilities. An analysis of the selected literature found that adult facilities often do not provide the same quality of mental, medical, or staffing services compared to those in juvenile detention centers reported by youths in the correctional system. However, varying information was found about the rates of sexual assault that suggested victimization does not occur nearly as often as expected. Adult incarceration as punishment has also been associated with higher rates of recidivism and long-term mental health problems post-incarceration than juveniles placed in facilities designed for their developmental level. The findings in this study underscore the individual needs of juveniles and how they are not met in adult facilities
Openness to Experience and Nightmare Frequency
Get PDFAbstract of Student Research Project with Poste