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Beyond the Institution: Radical Archiving Practices in Community- Based Archival Work
Full text linkThroughout my time at Macalester, I have become increasingly aware of a tension that exists between those housing the archive and what the archive seeks to document. Many of the archives that document the lives of those who have been victims of structural violence and those forcibly pushed to the outskirts of society, are housed within large institutions. Oftentimes these large institutions rest upon the very colonial and white supremacist harm they work to document. In this paper, I acknowledge this tension and ask what it looks like to move beyond housing identity-based history at an institution and in the hands of the perpetrators, and instead what it looks like to place these histories back into the communities they emerge from. Drawing upon the Lesbian Herstory Archive, Queer Newark Oral History Project, and Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre Community Archive as case studies for community archival work, this paper will examine radical archiving as a theoretical framework geared towards equity and justice in archival spaces. Using case study review as a methodology, I will draw conclusions as to what community-based archiving looks like as a practice. Together these case studies will illustrate what community archiving looks like in practice and how radical archiving, as a framework, provides the tools necessary to engage in community-based archiving
“Somebody’s gotta try and go forward”: Musical Identity and the (Re)Construction of Authenticity in Hawai‘i and Mongolia
Full text linkBased on thirty-seven interviews with musicians and performers in Mongolia and Hawaiʻi, this ethnography explores the complex relationships between nationalism, cultural imperialism, hybridity, and conceptions of authenticity in the colonial context through the lens of folk music. Engaging with theories of practice and postcolonialism, I argue that within contemporary contexts of globalization and cultural imperialism, musicians and performers have formed a sense of musical and cultural identity dependent on nationalist conceptions of tradition, yet the notion of cultural authenticity no longer depends on the absence of Western influence, but on the cultural sovereignty of the artist and the agency of self-representation. I found that such evocations of a nationalist conception of cultural tradition following periods of colonization or political subordination reflect the subjugated group’s attempts to reclaim certain elements of the once taken-for-granted, pre-colonial past. However, since these societies can never return to the unquestioned truths of this pre-colonial, pre-globalized past, self-conscious attempts to evoke, or invent, such a past within the present cultural and geopolitical context represent what Pierre Bourdieu describes as the orthodoxy, which can only exist as a counterpoint to the constant change and competing possibilities of the colonial situation. I argue that by establishing this imperfect orthodoxy of invented tradition as a vital form of cultural identity, these groups reckon with the feelings of loss inherent to the experience of political subordination and cultural imperialism while asserting a new form of cultural and political sovereignty within a globalizing national framework
Gaeilge in Éirinn: Irish Language Ideologies and Attitudes in a Divided Island Nation
Full text linkSociolinguistic research on Irish has predominantly examined language dynamics within either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, neglecting the connected experiences of language communities across both territories. Drawing on media and interview data, this paper investigates the significance of a shared \u27language=identity\u27 ideology. The results reveal that despite most Irish identifying individuals operating within this framework, diverse controversies regarding attitudes towards language legitimacy, speaker agency, and perceived \u27usefulness\u27 affect native and new speaker language use and motivation. These findings underscore the need for language reclamation and revitalization projects to address language ideologies and attitudes
Exploration of CIC-DUX4 Sarcoma Surfaceome
No full textCIC-DUX4 sarcoma (CDS) is a rare and aggressive subtype of undifferentiated round-cell sarcomas, primarily impacting adolescents and young adults, with a median survival of less than 2 years. Its molecular and cellular aspects remain poorly understood, particularly concerning the CDS surfaceome, cell surface membrane proteins. Understanding the cancer’s surfaceome is important for understanding how tumors interact with their surroundings and laying the basis of developing targeted treatments.
In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the CDS surfaceome using RNA-Sequencing data obtained from CDS cell lines. Through the integration of various analytical approaches, we identi- fied a distinctive subset of 20 surface proteins that encapsulate critical biological attributes, serving as potential therapeutic targets for CIC-DUX4 sarcoma.
Beyond gene expression profiling, we utilized advanced Network Science tools such as ego networks and personalized PageRank centrality. Leveraging existing biomedical literature databases, we identified therapeutic interventions targeting the candidate genes identified in our analysis. Our findings highlighted the potential of computational tools in discovering novel biomarkers and therapeutic avenues for CDS, thereby advancing precision medicine for rare cancers
Breaking the Mold: Voters’ Perceptions of Femininity in Campaigns
Full text linkI designed a two pronged study to explore the relationship between femininity in candidate self- presentation and voter perception. First, I presented a sample of U.S. voters a series of images featuring either feminine or non-feminine female professionals. I then selected two images from this study to design two faux print political advertisements, one featuring a feminine candidate and one featuring a non-feminine candidate to establish a treatment and control condition featuring similarly “attractive” candidates. Then, I showed a quasi-representative sample of 540 potential U.S. voters one of these faux political advertisements and asked a series of questions regarding the female political candidate’s perceived personality, competence, and viability. My results suggest that participants perceive the feminine candidate as more viable and as more competent in dealing with education issues. Moreover, Republican participants indicated a higher likelihood of voting for the feminine candidate. This nuance is important for female candidates as they tailor their self-presentation to potential voters
China\u27s Grand Strategy and its Hegemonic Aspirations
Full text linkThe rise of China has sparked a debate on two core questions: what are China\u27s intentions, and, more specifically, does China aspire to become a global hegemon? At the heart of these questions lies the enduring topic of China\u27s grand strategy, its implementation, and its narratives. This paper addresses these questions by examining China\u27s statements regarding its national rejuvenation strategy and its use of military power. The analysis concludes that China harbors aspirations of first becoming a regional hegemon and then challenging the US-led world order. Moreover, the paper suggests that China is at a turning point in that strategic project, becoming increasingly assertive in pursuing its goals
A Secessionist and French Red : The Life of Pierre Soulé in Transatlantic Context
Full text linkThis thesis analyzes the life of Pierre Soulé (1801-1870), a US Senator representing Louisiana and Minister to Spain who began his political life as a liberal political exile from Restoration-era France. It argues that Pierre Soulé’s fights for slavery and US expansion were in fact not as contradictory with his radically democratic liberalism as they appear to contemporary observers. The particular social, economic, cultural, and political conditions of the 19th century Atlantic World created an environment where liberals such as Soulé engaged in a transnational struggle for increasingly democratic governance which did not necessarily draw them into conflict with the institution of slavery, especially in cases such as Soulé’s when they directly benefited from it. This thesis will also argue that his positions and political identities were reinforced by his participation in concrete political networks which allowed him to gain political power
Cover artwork for Tapestries 2025 - Our Disciplines of Hope: A New Era of Resilience
No full textAdapted from: Fisk, H.N., 1944, Plate 22, Sheet 6 of Geological investigation of the alluvial valley of the lower Mississippi River: U.S. Department of the Army, Mississippi River Commission.https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/tapestriesimages/1019/thumbnail.jp
The Burden of Birth: Racialized Margins of Care in Washington, D.C.
Full text linkThe United States has shockingly high rates of maternal mortality in which Black women bear a disproportionate burden of pregnancy related deaths. In D.C., the nation\u27s capital, Black women account for 90% of pregnancy associated deaths, despite comprising less than half of the population. This disparity is a result of systemic medical racism, geographical barriers, and a lack of available culturally reverent care. Community-based collectives have emerged to fill in the gaps left by the healthcare system by providing essential services to underserved communities, specifically Black women. These organizations have proven the potential of ‘non-traditional’ healthcare models to change the landscape of maternal health both in D.C. and the U.S. By centering care around the specific needs of Black mothers, these collectives have been able to offer more personalized and culturally relevant services, including access to midwives, birth trainings, and mental health support. These initiatives exemplify the power and strength of grassroots efforts in changing health outcomes, providing medical care, education, advocacy, and supporting expecting mothers in any way they may need. This essay will outline the specific historical and systemic factors influencing current maternal mortality rates amongst Black women in D.C. and will demonstrate the efficacy of culturally congruent care as a solution to this crisis
Constructions of Pertenencia Fluyente: Latinx Religious Placemaking beyond Community & Belonging in the Midwest U.S.
Full text linkHow has the Latinx diaspora utilized the Catholic Church as a space to construct an environment of “home”? To answer this question, I draw upon five semi-structured ethnographic interviews conducted with parish members and leadership at the shared parish of San Miguel Arcángel, situated in the Upper Midwest. Understanding that community exists partly due to parish members\u27 distinct methods of community cultivation over the last twenty years, I question if belonging inherently follows. Analysis of interview responses shows that community, belonging, and tensions coexist within the parish. Puerto Rican scholar Felix Padilla’s 1985 study utilizes the term “situational identity,” while Peruvian American scholar Suzanne Oboler labels this same shifting actuality of belonging and expendability as “temporary sense of belonging.” In employing the terms, Padilla and Oboler attempt to highlight how minoritized communities are at times belonging and at other moments seen as dispensable in the eyes of dominant society. The transient implications of these two terms do not fully encompass the multifaceted and fluctuating Latinx experience at the case study parish. The Latinx sector of the parish of San Miguel Arcángel has transcended the unequivocal understanding of community and belonging, breaking the norms of temporality. To better describe their unique experience, I propose the concept of “Pertenencia Fluyente” (in English: “Fluid Belonging”). Understanding how community manifests within Latinx religious institutions is a launching point for learning from each other and nurturing solidarity