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Comparison of Areas in the Mouth to Recover DNA Introduced Through Kissing
Full text linkSexual assault is a significant crime defined in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report as “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim” (FBI, 2017).
From January, 2019 to December, 2024, there were 537,446 reported rape victims in the United States (FBI, 2024). Oral-genital contact occurred between 18 and 25 percent of sexual assault cases (Marlia, 2011) (Sibille, 2002).
Contact may lead to foreign (male) DNA being deposited in the female mouth associating a perpetrator and victim. Recognizing that DNA does not survive indefinitely on human tissue, limits the time available to recover DNA for identification of the suspect from the victim.
Following a sexual assault many victims report to a healthcare facility for a comprehensive medical evaluation including evidence collection. Obtaining DNA evidence during this exam helps establish suspected sexual contact with the victim (Forrest, 2022).
Case prosecution with analyzed forensic evidence (including DNA) is known to increase conviction rates, but unless there is a scientific basis for the evidence to be admitted in Court under the Daubert Rule, evidence that links a perpetrator to a victim may be excluded.
Currently no scientifically based protocol exists for effective collection of suspect DNA from around and in the oral cavity of a victim. The purpose of this study is to provide empirically-based evidence to determine sensitive and probable areas to swab within the oral cavity. 
Esthétique du sujet des marges dans le roman francophone
Full text linkCet article examine l’esthétique du sujet marginal dans le roman francophone africain contemporain, en s’intéressant à la manière dont la fiction réfracte les réalités politiques et sociales à travers des prismes esthétiques et subjectifs. À partir de la réflexion d’Edgar Morin sur la relation entre affect et connaissance, l’article analyse comment la littérature transforme l’expérience migratoire en un espace de recomposition identitaire et de critique sociale. S’appuyant sur Le silence des esprits (N’Sondé), Alpha. Abidjan Gare du Nord (Bessora) et Un balcon sur l’Algérois (Nimrod), l’étude met en lumière l’ambivalence du sujet migrant, oscillant entre angoisse existentielle et quête d’ancrage. La littérature francophone contemporaine adopte une approche introspective où la migration devient un vecteur d’interrogation de l’intériorité et de l’extériorité du sujet. En mobilisant les concepts d’Alexis Nouss sur le migrant comme acteur politique, ainsi que les théories d’Emmanuel Lévinas sur l’altérité, l’analyse dévoile comment l’expérience esthétique permet de déconstruire les représentations figées de la marginalité. Elle interroge également l’(in)hospitalité européenne à travers le prisme de Jacques Derrida, révélant une tension entre l’accueil et l’exclusion.
La menace multiforme : écologie, violence et résistance dans Cœur du Sahel (2022) de Djaïli Amadou Amal
Full text linkSi la crise environnementale en Afrique sub-saharienne surgit de façon intermittente dans les médias occidentaux, les écrivains subsahariens s’intéressent depuis longtemps aux problématiques environnementales. Alliant poétique et politique, ils recourent au texte écrit pour dénoncer les maux du continent où les abus perpétrés à l’encontre des populations humaines vont de pair avec ceux perpétués à l’encontre du monde naturel. Cet article prend comme cas d’étude le quatrième roman de la romancière camerounaise Djaïli Amadou Amal, Cœur du Sahel (2022). Toute l’œuvre littéraire amalienne s’articule autour de la question de la femme sahélienne, des multiples violences qu’elle subit et des résistances qu’elle peut incarner. Cœur du Sahel représente une nouveauté dans l’écriture amalienne dans la mesure où le roman incorpore une menace inédite, pourtant intimement reliée aux autres, qui ne figure pas dans les textes précédents de l’auteure : celle de l’environnement. Cet article, en recourant à l’écocritique postcoloniale et au féminisme décolonial, mettra en exergue cette évolution en matière esthétique du plaidoyer continu d’Amal, de par l’inclusion d’une conscience écologique, pour l’amélioration de la condition de la femme sahélienne
The Reluctant Participant
Full text linkThis piece is a creative reflection on my experience with Pop-Up Poetry at the 2024 SoTL Symposium in Banff, in which I consider the intersection of identity, academia, care, and community.
La dimension politique d’Alain Mabanckou : Redéfinition de la « géographie de l’écrivain »
Full text linkEn s’appuyant sur plusieurs romans d’Alain Mabanckou, ainsi que sur sa vie paralittéraire, cette contribution examine sa capacité et ses moyens d’opérer des déplacements territoriaux dans ce que l’auteur appelle dans Écrivain et oiseau migrateur « la géographie des écrivains », comment il aborde le problème des espaces et des discours établis au sein de la communauté internationale des lettres, et quelles sont les procédures qu’il met en œuvre. Il s’agit d\u27interroger la politique littéraire d’Alain Mabanckou, à la fois dans sa (re)configuration des territoires et dans sa définition du sujet écrivant. Il est question à la fois d’identifier les marqueurs et les modalités de cette politique dans les essais et les textes littéraires de l’auteur, et d’en étudier les limites. Ces marqueurs concernent, entre autres, le rapport à la langue française et à la France/Francophonie, la perception de la littérature comme mode d’expression et ses fonctions, le signe africain, l’idée de l\u27universel et l’autoreprésentation comme sujet
Social Identity and Nature of Science Knowledge at the Undergraduate Level
Full text linkScience literacy is essential for informed participation in modern society, and undergraduate education plays a critical role in fostering science literacy among science and non-science students. One important component of science literacy is understanding the nature of science (NOS), yet traditional NOS frameworks have been critiqued for oversimplifying scientific practice and neglecting its social and cultural dimensions. While social identity is known to influence student academic engagement and performance, little is known about how identity factors such as gender, age, program and level of study, being a visible minority, or parental education influences NOS beliefs. In this study, 272 undergraduate students from a Canadian liberal arts university completed an online questionnaire assessing NOS knowledge. Students generally demonstrated a solid understanding of NOS, though their comprehension of scientific methods is limited. No significant differences in NOS beliefs were found across social identity groups, but non-science majors were more likely to report uncertainty in their responses compared to science majors. These findings suggest that traditional NOS measures may fail to capture the nuanced ways that social identity shapes science understanding, emphasizing the need for justice-oriented approaches to NOS education
Decolonizing Public Speaking
Full text linkThis paper takes a critical approach towards public speaking assignments and courses that perpetuate colonial perspectives and values. We explore how standard language ideology creates disadvantages for students from marginalized language backgrounds while privileging Western communication norms. In this context, we investigate the tension between speaker authenticity and audience adaptation, particularly for diverse student populations navigating academic and professional contexts. The paper proposes concrete alternatives to behaviour-based assessment through outcomes-based rubrics and reflective self-assessment practices that honour linguistic and cultural diversity while maintaining academic rigor. By reimagining public speaking pedagogy through a decolonial lens, educators can create more equitable learning environments that value diverse communication styles without sacrificing effectiveness
Collective and Proactive Female Patronage in Sri Lankan Buddhist Temple Art
Full text linkArt history research in Sri Lanka has surged in popularity. However, the focus remains mainly on a handful of well-known historic Buddhist temples and their connections to royalty. The existing knowledge gap and broader perspectives in social archaeology surrounding temple patronage in late colonial Sri Lanka requires exploration. Recent advancements in social archaeology have further emphasized the necessity for an inclusive historiographical approach using comparative analyses. This research examines five Buddhist temples from the Central Province of Sri Lanka, examining the donative inscriptions found in temple murals as primary sources. Additionally, archaeological evidence and historical texts are analyzed to provide comparative insights and to identify accurate depictions of the social landscape of the period. Outcomes of the research highlight village and peasant Buddhist art traditions in Sri Lankan history that were obscured in art history scholarship, particularly showcasing the concept of collective patronage in rural areas. The temple provides a vivid example of collective patronage and active female participation in the expression of religious faith and social responsibility. The participation of women from different social strata confirms their relative religious freedom and economic strength, which enabled such endowments. The tolerance of female participation at religious sites by male clergy, as well as the continuation of a hierarchically graded feudal social order are represented even in sacred spaces during a period of declining feudalism in gendered contexts. This research highlights a collective patronage zone, showcasing inclusivity and relative social unity within communities
Remembering Professor Sudarshan Seneviratne (1949-2024): The Personal is Political
Full text linkAn appreciation of Sudharshan Seneviratn
A Friendship Beyond Borders, Across Changing Political Landscapes: Remembering My Friend Sudharshan Seneviratne
No full textAn appreciation of Sudharshan Seneviratn