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Remaking a monument: The troubled meaning of fascist remains in contemporary Spain
Full text linkThe Valley of Cuelgamuros, until recently known as the Valley of the Fallen, lies about 35 miles outside of Madrid. Inaugurated by the dictator Francisco Franco in 1959, this landmark comprises a vast underground basilica and houses the mostly anonymous remains of 34,000 Spaniards who died during the civil war (1936–1939) and its repressive aftermath. Since the early 2000s, the Valley has been a political lightning rod in a country that has long struggled with how to address the legacies of its authoritarian past. Ongoing debates among politicians, scholars, and journalists have revolved around the possibility of the Valley’s ‘resignification’ – a process exemplified in 2019 by the exhumation of Franco’s body from a tomb behind the basilica’s main altar. In this paper, I perform critical discourse analysis on public texts that have emerged in these debates to distil the notion of resignification and to highlight its entanglement with conflicting narratives about Franco’s regime. Recruiting semiotic concepts from linguistic anthropology, I shed light on the complexities of recent efforts to transform the landmark through material and discursive interventions. My analysis reveals how calculated and coincidental changes at a site of contested heritage can serve to unsettle a dominant account about the past, even as proponents of such changes wrestle with the temptation of a totalizing narrative themselves
Sanctions and Sustainability: The Impact of the U.S. Embargo on Cuba\u27s Climate Policy
No full textThis thesis explores how the U.S. embargo on Cuba has shaped the island’s environmental and political landscape, focusing on its dual impact on Cuba’s climate policies and conservation efforts. While the embargo has hindered Cuba’s economic development by depriving the nation of vital resources, international funding, and collaboration opportunities, it has also inadvertently preserved natural ecosystems by limiting industrialization and overdevelopment. This paradox underscores the intricate relationship between geopolitics and environmental outcomes. Drawing on case studies of renewable energy, conservation policy, and disaster recovery, the research explores how Cuba has demonstrated remarkable innovation and resilience in the face of isolation, achieving notable successes such as forest regrowth, marine conservation, and agroecological farming. However, these achievements remain insufficient to meet the escalating challenges of climate change, highlighting the constraints imposed by the embargo on Cuba’s ability to fully implement effective climate strategies. The thesis concludes by advocating for a reevaluation of the embargo, arguing that easing restrictions would not only benefit Cuba’s environmental governance but also contribute to global climate resilience
The Politics of Memory: The Memorialization of Student Protests and the Archive
Full text linkThis thesis explores the politics of memory and archival power in student activism at Scripps College, arguing that archives are active sites where social power is negotiated and contested. Using frameworks of institutional versus collective memory and John Gaventa’s three dimensions of power, it examines how architectural, digital, and physical archives shape narratives of resistance and institutional authority. Case studies, including the Drop Sodexo campaign, Scripps Graffiti Wall, and the Liberation Through Education movement, demonstrate how students use archives to assert agency, counter institutional narratives, and sustain political momentum. The study highlights the co-optation of activism by institutional actors and students\u27 strategic use of memory to build community and amplify their power. Ultimately, by analyzing archival practices and their influence, this thesis underscores the essential role of archives in preserving the past and enabling future political resistance
Behavioral Observations and Analysis of Twix: The Cape Porcupine at the Lake Superior Zoo
Full text linkThe three main goals of zoos are outlined as: education, conservation, and research. In our modern world, the focus of zoos has shifted away from simply housing animals, and towards how we can best promote proper animal welfare for individuals in human care. Animal welfare can be defined as the “mental health” of non-human species of fauna, and is greatly influenced by the stressors within the environment, as well as the option of choosing how to interact with and respond to the environment. Animals housed in zoos are presented with unique stressors that they often do not choose to experience, such as loud noises, upsetting visual stimuli, or intense smells. Zoo animals will respond to these stressors by exhibiting behaviors that are not naturally occurring in their species, called “undesirable behaviors”. By identifying possible stressors and providing solutions to decrease the frequency of undesirable behaviors, the animal’s welfare will improve. In the example of Twix, the Cape Porcupine at the Lake Superior Zoo, he had been observed repetitively gnawing on a metal mesh barrier that separated him from zoo staff. The observational study conducted on Twix revealed that there are several factors that influence his behavior, including time of day, number of people present and intense sensory stimuli. By coming up with ideas to help Twix engage in natural species behaviors instead of undesirable behaviors, we can greatly improve his welfare at the zoo
The Effect of ABHD6 Inhibition on Pain-Induced Depressive Behaviors in Male and Female Mice
No full textOver half of all individuals suffering from chronic neuropathic pain will also experience moderate to severe depression, known as chronic pain-induced depression (CPiD). However, there are no known effective treatments that alleviate both chronic pain and its resultant CPiD. Therefore, we used a partial sciatic nerve ligation (pSNL) model to cause permanent neuropathic pain in mice and monitored development of pain and depressive-like behaviors for 29 days. One group was treated with KT-182 (2mg/kg), an irreversible ABHD6 inhibitor, to increase 2-AG (an endocannabinoid) in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area with the hypothesis that it will reduce depressive-like behaviors in CPiD-impacted mice; the control group was treated with vehicle. Around 71% of mice that underwent pSNL developed the expected neuropathic pain conditions as indicated by the Von Frey method of measuring mechanical allodynia by Day 7. 42% of mice exhibiting chronic pain also experienced depressive-like symptoms measured by Forced Swim Tests, indicating CPiD. KT-182 had an analgesic effect during days of dosing. Interestingly, the drug seemed to worsen depressive-like symptoms (p=0.024*) in treated female mice as compared to vehicle, but it did not impact depressive-like behaviors of the treated male mice. The complex mechanisms causing CPiD are partially explained by the 2-AG endocannabinoid, which upon increase may alleviate neuropathic pain symptoms. However, further work must be done to uncover the neural pathways implicated in pain-induced depression
Accessing the Abstract: Painting as Phenomenological Practice
No full textThis project explores the intersection between abstract painting, embodied experience, and phenomenological theory, with a focus on creating art that is both emotionally resonant and accessible to the viewer. Rooted in the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, the project emphasizes the active, sensory engagement between the perceiver and the perceived, proposing that art should not only be intellectually interpreted but also physically experienced. By integrating techniques from abstract expressionism and assemblage, the work invites viewers to engage with the materials directly—encouraging touch and manipulation to foster a deeper, personal connection. This tactile interaction challenges traditional notions of sacred art, where exclusivity and intellectualization often distance the viewer from the work. Instead, the project seeks to democratize art by prioritizing embodied viewing, where meaning emerges through sensory, subjective engagement rather than prescribed interpretations. Thematically, the work explores universal concepts of life, grief, and connection through the metaphor of the womb, blending abstract and representational forms to convey both personal and collective experiences. Ultimately, the project aims to create a space where art is not a static object to be analyzed, but a dynamic, living experience that evolves through the interaction of viewer, material, and maker
Sense of Belonging and Perceptions of Learning in an Introductory College Course
Full text linkA sense of belonging (SB) – the feeling of deep connection with social groups, places, and experiences – has been described as a fundamental, pervasive need among humans (Allen et al., 2021; Baumeister & Leary, 1995). SB, and lack thereof, predicts myriad mental, physical, social, and economic outcomes. Belonging is a complex, multidimensional concept with a breadth of research across disciplines. It has been applied to school contexts in association with academic and psychosocial outcomes. The researcher partnered with an undergraduate course at The Claremont Colleges, and administered electronic surveys at two time points of the course. Students\u27 sense of school and class belonging and perceptions of learning were measured through abridged and adapted versions of the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM); Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ); and Student Perceptions of Learning and Teaching questionnaire (SPLTQ). Limited conclusions may be drawn due to the study’s small sample and observational nature. No significant differences were found between T1 and T2 for school belonging, class belonging, learning strategies, or perceptions of the class. Mean school belonging was correlated with mean class belonging; mean MSLQ was correlated with mean SPLTQ; and mean school belonging was negatively correlated with difference in learning task performance. The interactions between daily classroom practice, student backgrounds, and student perceptions of belongingness and learning are infinitely nuanced. Yet, the importance of sense of belonging to student success and well-being requires comprehensive, intentional study of these interactions. Deep mixed-method study in localized contexts is necessary to comprehensively understand SB and student academic attitudes with the goal of creating inclusive and empowering learning environments for all
Exploring the Potential for Nematodes to Positively Impact Plant Growth in Agricultural Systems
No full textNematodes are highly diverse and prevalent animals that inhabit multiple trophic levels and are interconnected with soil food webs. Plant parasitic nematodes in particular are prominent because they cause significant physical and economic damage to the agricultural industry. Therefore, a large proportion of the current published literature studies plant parasitic nematodes as pests, techniques for managing them, and the use of nematodes as bioindicators of soil conditions. These topics of study neglect the potentially important, and beneficial role nematodes may have on agricultural systems. This literature review seeks to answer if the presence of nematodes can positively affect plant growth in agricultural systems. The survey of existing published literature found that nematodes may benefit plant growth, however, the number of relevant studies is low and many of them have differences in experimental conditions and results. It is apparent that nematodes’ impact on plants is variable and depends on numerous factors including soil condition, farming practice, and plant species. Potential mechanisms of nematode contributions to plant growth include moving and increasing microbial communities, releasing nutrients into the soil, inducing increased abundance of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, and functioning as biocontrols of plant pathogens and parasites. Additional research is needed that builds on results of the found studies to further examine the mechanisms and significance of nematodes as drivers of plant growth and under what conditions the potential benefits are maximized
STARRYSWARM: Making Art From Sound With Swarm Algorithms
No full textThis work is an art project that explores how different swarm algorithms, algorithms based on collective intelligent systems in nature, can make art from inputted audio. I use Processing, a software sketchbook, and a language often used for computational art, to visualize three different algorithms: KANTS, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and BOIDS. I extend these algorithms’ behavior from ants, bees, and birds flocking to react visually to audio and compare the outputs based on visual variability for different music genres and sounds. I discuss how StarrySwarm, my implementation of BOIDS, was the most dynamic across movement and color and responsive to changes in sound
\u3cem\u3eOperation Dumbo Drop\u3c/em\u3e: Cultural Memory, and Representations of the Vietnam War in the 1990s
Full text linkIn 1995, the film Operation Dumbo Drop was released by Walt Disney Pictures. This film, based on a true story of elephants being airlifted across Vietnam in 1968 by the American military, holds a unique position as a rare family-friendly comedy about the Vietnam War. As a reflection of 1990s-era cultural memory of the Vietnam War, the film rehistoricizes and sanitizes the war, following a similar trend in other pieces of media from the same era. Operation Dumbo Drop must be seen in this context and as a product of the moment in which it was made. In taking a critical view of the film, we can see how its re-envisioning of the Vietnam War puts American exceptionalism back on screen after a period of grappling with its role in the war and its effect on Americans on film. Ultimately, Operation Dumbo Drop portrays a happy ending to a war that the United States didn’t win, and it was the political moment between the end of the Cold War and the attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the Iraq War that provided an atmosphere in which this film could be made