16144 research outputs found
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Anti-immigrant Violence in the UK
Full text linkThis research explores the complex issue of anti-immigrant violence in the United Kingdom, contrasting the author\u27s personal experience of the perceived mild temperament of British society with the eruption of anti-immigrant riots following a triple murder. This discrepancy motivates an investigation into the underlying factors contributing to this violence. Through analysis of both primary sources, including interviews and speeches from key political figures, and secondary sources such as research articles, news reports, books, and official immigration websites, this study aims to uncover the roots of anti-immigrant sentiment and its manifestation in violent acts. The definition of anti-immigrant violence will be derived inductively from observed actions during the riots, encompassing both physical and verbal aggression. The study will examine the actors involved, including far-right movements, law enforcement, immigrants, and pro-immigrant groups. Furthermore, it will analyze the historical context of anti-immigrant rhetoric from political leaders and activists, particularly in the post-9/11 era, exploring the influence of global terrorism, subsequent changes in foreign policy, immigration policies, and events such as Brexit. Finally, the research will explore the interconnectedness of anti-immigrant violence with related phenomena such as Islamophobia, racism, and fascism. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the causes of anti-immigrant violence as a crucial step toward finding solutions
Salvador Dali: Memories of Surrealism
Full text linkA poster for the exhibition Salvador Dali: Memories of Surrealism held January 14–May 17, 2025.https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/kam_poster/1066/thumbnail.jp
Expansion of Pilot Project: Sanctuary — A Site-Specific Dance Amplifying Worship Spaces
Full text linkA noticeable gap exists in dance designed for architecturally robust worship spaces. This research project, Sanctuary, significantly contributes to the lacking intersection of site specific dance and faith. Our research expanded Sanctuary from a 25-minute 2021 pilot to an approximately 40-minute work, priming it for future commissions and residencies. The research focused on creative processing through four steps: 1) Assess and develop pilot choreography 2) Create contrasting material 3) Integrate new material with pilot 4) Document the new material with archival video. Professor Hanson and student Kaleigh Estby developed a completed 40-minute adaptable work that equally incorporated the pilot and new material. An additional outcome emerged: a collaboration with the University of Notre Dame, yielding a dance film with the newly developed material at the Reyes Organ and Choral Hall. Finalized results from that collaboration are pending; however, preliminary footage has been obtained and accomplishes the artistic vision from this research. Sanctuary has proven to be a catalyst for reimagining how the community can engage creatively with a church building. This project ensures a compositionally and theologically balanced representation of the artistic theme of Sanctuary: rest and restlessness in Christ, significantly impacting secular and religious audiences to see the space with a fresh perspective. The hope is to disseminate the evening length work through public performances with other worship spaces, providing an opportunity to showcase the architectural beauty of the given facility through dance. Additionally, the newly developed film, Selah, will be submitted to national and international film festivals in 2025
Applying Classical Arabic Music to the Bassoon Through Innovative Performance Practices
Full text linkTraditional and classical Arabic music both utilize a tuning system different from the equal temperament system widely used in European and North American music. Many modes in Arabic music contain pitches that cannot be played on an equal tempered piano. Like the piano, the German Heckel system bassoon and other woodwind instruments common to North America are designed to play a 12-tone equal tempered octave. This project explores how the bassoon can be used to play Arabic music through the development of a set of specialized fingerings, thereby overcoming that limitation and advancing the capabilities of the bassoon in Arabic music. These fingerings were developed by a process of trial and error, using an electronic tuner. As a result, additional pitches spanning intervals smaller than the equal temperament half step, called quarter tones, can be played. These additional pitches make the performance of Arabic folk songs and compositions possible on the bassoon, resulting in original renditions of Sama\u27i Wajdi by Wajdi Abu Diab, and El Nahr El Khaled by Mohammed Abdel Wahab adapted for the bassoon for the first time. In addition to altered fingerings, ornaments characteristic of Arabic music are also utilized for the performance of these pieces, further emulating the style of Arabic solo instrumental performance on a European instrument. Consequently, this cross-cultural experiment expands the capabilities of the bassoon beyond its standard repertoire to include the performance of music from a range of global traditions
BrushStroke Island
Full text linkWe developed an innovative Android application using the Unity engine, a premier platform renowned for crafting immersive 2D and 3D experiences. Our project expanded upon an existing app by integrating a collection of fresh engaging mini-games designed to enhance visual creativity and interactively. These additions were designed to introduce new opportunities for users to explore their artistic potential
Meadow Brook Project: Lighting Design
Full text linkIn theatre, artists come together for collaborative storytelling. Through meetings, discussions, rehearsals and tech, designers, technicians, actors and directors decide how a story is going to be told and how they can support one another during the process. Lighting design is a crucial element of that theatrical storytelling, telling the audience where to look, when to look there, and how to feel about it. Meadow Brook Theatre\u27s production of Ella: First Lady of Song, a musical following the life and discography of Ella Fitzgerald, was brought to life through lighting. This research allowed for the creative and technical exploration of light alongside industry professionals in a professional regional theatre that promoted learning and growth
Instrumented Tennis Racket to Train Proper Grip in Novice Tennis Players
Full text linkThis instrumented tennis racket is designed to help novice players maintain proper grip strength and reduce the risk of developing tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is a condition caused by repeatedly gripping the racket with excessive force which strains the muscles causing tears and inflammation. The racket features embedded force sensors to measure grip strength and provides real-time haptic feedback, signaling players to adjust their grip during training. A phone app connects to the racket and records grip strength for each swing session, reinforcing proper technique.
Eight to ten miniature 12 mm motors were placed in the base of a Wilson tennis racket. When grip strength exceeded a set threshold (half of the player\u27s maximum measured grip) a vibration alerted them to loosen their grip. Three force sensor strips were applied to bevels 2, 3, and 4, corresponding to the continental, eastern, and semi-western grips, respectively. These sensors transmitted data to an Arduino Nano 33 IoT, which controlled the haptic feedback and Bluetooth connection to the app.
A pilot test with one participant showed that the average force applied was 9% for the eastern grip, 29% for the continental, and 31% for the semi-western (all based on maximum grip strength). The lower force on bevel 3 aligns with its wider, flatter surface, which provides less contact area than the angled bevels 2 and 4. Though tested on a single participant, the results support the potential of this device in guiding grip strength training.
Future work will involve the beginners tennis class at Hope College to assess broader trends. The device currently focuses on dominant-hand swings (serve, forehand, volley), with potential expansion to two-handed backhands. This work demonstrates that an instrumented racket can effectively measure grip forces and may help novice players develop proper technique while reducing risk of injury
Training Artificial Intelligence Agents to Play a Family of Combinatorial Games
Full text linkThis project explores the application of various artificial intelligence techniques in developing strategy for combinatorial games. A family of deterministic 2-player games is played on m-by-n grids, potentially with some cells removed. Players take turns placing pieces on the board until the board is filled, then sequences of pieces are scored based on length. AI agents are trained to play the game using methods including tabular reinforcement learning, evaluation of N-tuples of grid squares, and development of genetic training methods with artificial neural networks. These agents are trained against a variety of non-learning agents, then evaluated against both non-learning agents and one another to assess the quality of decision-making. Additionally, this family of combinatorial games is studied using the theoretical foundations of game theory and strategy
Hope College Abstracts: 24th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity
Full text linkThe 24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity was held on April 11, 2025 in the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse at Hope College and featured student-faculty collaborative research projects. This program is a record reflective of those projects between the 2024-2025 academic year
Impact of Memorable Messages about Religion and Adoption
Full text linkThis study examines the impact of memorable messages about adoption and religion on adult adoptees raised in Christian adoptive homes. The study explores how these messages shape adoptees\u27 emotional well-being, identity development, relationships, and religiousness. The study places the findings within existing research on adoption communication, microaggressions, and entrance narratives. Forty-one adult adoptees were interviewed regarding the memorable messages they heard growing up, their interpretations of the messages, and the impact the messages had on their emotional well-being, relationships, identity development, and religious affiliation. Using Tracy\u27s phronetic iterative approach, a qualitative analysis was conducted to identify themes within the data. Four overarching memorable message themes emerged: emotions, identity, relationships, and religion. Several subthemes were identified as well. Emotions could be classified as either negative emotions and mental health or healing/comforting/holding in tension. Identity subthemes were distinguished as barrier/avoidance (messages did not promote identity exploration), reclaiming (adoptee is rewriting the narrative of their identity), or acknowledge/celebrate diversity (messages promoted diversity and identity exploration). Subthemes for relationships included alienation/cutting ties, compartmentalize/superficial/not full self, or deepening/strengthening. Religious subthemes were identified as leaving/disconnecting (abandoning faith/organized religion), holding on to parts (remaining in a faith or organized religion but pushing against certain messages or ideas), or solidifying/healing (adoption story was reaffirmed and intertwined with faith/religion). The study aims to create insight into how these messages can potentially affect the life course of adoptees, especially their sense of belonging and identity. It also examines how faith-based values impact their religious beliefs and emotional well-being. This research also reveals how faithful environments support and challenge adoptees\u27 sense of self, as they navigate adoption-related and spiritual narratives. Such findings gather ways to support adoptees as they explore the relationship between family expectations, faith, and personal identity