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The Flower of Chivalry Withers: Social Class Anxieties through English Military Development in the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/ec207df1-8bda-42a3-9938-2f0fe1e62283/thumb/128.jpgThe Hundred Years' War, from 1337-1453, in France and its sub conflicts in Scotland, Spain, Brittany, and the Low Countries brought a host of developments for English military practices. The new system of recruitment by contract of indenture thrust the nobility, the gentry, and the yeomanry into greater proximity with one another militarily. Additional military changes such as the dismounting of men-at-arms in battle challenged the aristocratic identity centered around chivalry and martial preeminence. The killing power of the longbow disrupted previous norms of prisoner taking among the aristocracy; what good was it to be a man of consequence in war if the longbow and its operator cared little for chivalric rules of warfare? Confirmation of identity and status had to come from elsewhere for knights, esquires, and nobles as their status militarily was being devalued. Sumptuary laws dictating the price of fabric among social class divisions attempted to codify and strengthen the boundaries of socio-economic classes. The Court of Chivalry as an institution celebrated men-at-arms of all stations and their experiences in war, giving them additional significance against a legal background of heraldic disputes. The knights and esquires rubbed elbows with the great magnates of the realm and achieved political and landed titles through military involvement, an opportunity to exert their authority and rule as the high nobility did in a political sense. The strong cultural conditioning of martial chivalry and feudal duty still colored the knightly worldview, but it was undergoing changes to conform to new tactical considerations. Still, its very involvement in the outlook of members of the aristocracy and knights in particular set them apart from the non-knightly combatants. Each of these can be read as a response to the anxieties of class and status stemming from the military developments of the era, and indeed should be considering the linkage between the martial world and aristocratic identit
"We will not leave the mountains till Zion is redeemed": Mormon Political Thought in Early Utah Territory, 1850-1858
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/72675f58-4f5a-40d4-b692-104327ab9a09/thumb/128.jpgThe political landscape in Utah in the first decade following the territory’s creation was influenced by national political discourse regarding territorial management and the extension of slavery to newly incorporated territories. Throughout the first eight years after Utah’s incorporation as a territory of the United States, the relationship between Mormon settlers and the federal government grew increasingly tense and vexed. In order to examine this increasingly tumultuous relationship between Mormons and the federal government in the 1850s, I examine speeches and articles published in the Deseret News between the years 1850 and 1858. These texts demonstrate the trajectory of Mormons’ relationship with the federal government, going from optimism to hostility which eventually led to military conflict. Through a close examination of the early territorial era, the Mormon political ideologies that contributed to such a dramatic standoff become clearer
What Ever Happened to Those Railroad Workers?
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/5b3d1e35-7c12-45cd-8bbd-c6f19843b514/thumb/128.jpgThis study examines the effect that congressional intervention precedent has on union bargaining strategy, and specifically the credibility of threats to strike. An event-study methodology utilizing the OLS market model informed the analysis. The research finds a strong negative correlation between strike threats and price returns. Additionally, congressional interventions are estimated to engage investors in a hold-off from selling during the event, indicating a decreased perception of threat credibility. Historical analysis provides insight indicating the exploitation of intervention precedent by rail carriers, implying that it shifts late-stage bargaining in favor of carriers
Expression and Purification of E. coli CusS Sensor Domain: Solubility and Possibilities
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/d055d077-6204-4a0a-aa38-5e0eaee70586/thumb/128.jpgFree-floating metal ions, such as copper and silver, are toxic to bacteria above a certain threshold due to mismetalation, oxidative damage, and misfolding of proteins. Subsequently, bacteria evolved to have efflux responses that bind and export metal ions, detoxifying the cell. Escherichia coli has two notable copper response systems: the Cue system, which exports cytoplasmic metal ions to the periplasm and oxidizes Cu(I) to Cu(II), and the Cus system, which senses Cu(I)/Ag(I) levels in the periplasm and exports the metals to the extracellular space with a metallochaperone and a CBA-type efflux pump. Activation of the Cus system begins with the CusSR TCS, which has been the target of recent studies to understand how metal sensing triggers the signaling cascade that results in assembly and function of the efflux pump. This thesis focuses on the sensor histidine kinase of this system, CusS, and particularly its periplasmic sensor domain. Three different constructs of the CusS sensor domain (CusSsd) were used, with one being the focus of a lysis buffer solubility screen and another (stemming from previous CusS literature) being fully expressed and purified. Size exclusion chromatography was tested as a potential functional assay for metal-induced behavior of CusSsd. The third construct, using a GFP tag, was not purified, but could explored in future research as another method of purification for CusSsd. Other future directions will entail the use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy to probe the binding sites of CusSsd when bound to copper and studies on the full-length CusS protein to understand the conformational changes upon sensor domain dimerization
Yeah Sex is Cool, but Have You Tried Obligate Parthenogenesis? The Effect of Methyl Farnesoate on Sex-Determining Genes in Daphnia pulex
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/676e2053-7679-4bcf-b20f-c82ff4742e98/thumb/128.jpgTransitions from sexual to asexual reproduction occur frequently in animals and have strong evolutionary impacts, but the mechanisms underlying reproductive mode switching and the evolution of reproductive differences within a single species are not well understood. Daphnia commonly reproduce through cyclical parthenogenesis, undergoing alternating phases of sexual and asexual reproduction and reaping the benefits of both modes, depending on their environment. However, some lineages of Daphnia pulex only reproduce asexually. The hormone methyl farnesoate (MF), which is involved in both sex determination and reproductive mode switching, has been well studied in Daphnia, but its effect on gene expression in cyclical parthenogens (CPs) versus obligate parthenogens (OPs) has never been explored. In this study, we investigate the expression levels of doublesex1 (dsx1), a major sex differentiation gene, between OP and CP Daphnia. Dsx1 is necessary for male production and is upregulated in CPs in response to MF exposure, and its influence in reproductive mode switching is being explored. Because male production occurs infrequently in OPs, exploring dsx1 expression in response to MF provides insight into one mechanism by which sexual differentiation may be disrupted for OPs. To quantify gene expression differences, we exposed OP and CP juveniles to MF for 25 days and measured dsx1 expression and fecundity. Comparing the regulation of genes that are involved in reproductive mode switching in OP versus CP Daphnia helps define the genetic differences underlying obligate parthenogenesis and the evolution of sexual reproduction and its loss
A Different Kind of Canoe: The Circulation of Lushootseed Stories in the Contemporary World
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/38da584d-299d-44d3-a633-5378558a78ea/thumb/128.jpgThis thesis presents a view of the adaptation of Indigenous storytelling practices to print and multimedia modes of transmission. A specific focus is taken on Lushootseed stories from the Pacific Northwest Coast. I argue that the circulation of Lushootseed stories through modern modes of transmission supports a continuation of Indigenous culture and resistance to colonization. In the first chapter, I compare two print collections of Lushootseed stories transcribed and translated by taqwšәblu, Vi Hilbert, with regard to the effects of their differing approaches to the translation and presentation of Lushootseed stories. The second chapter spotlights the short story “Lady Louse,” and considers the use of digital media for Indigenous storytelling. Lastly, a focus on contemporary storytelling is taken in the third chapter, which revolves on Sasha LaPointe’s presentation of her experience as a Coast Salish woman and descendent of Lushootseed-speaking Indigenous leaders in her acclaimed autobiography Red Paint
In Praise of Appraisal: the Theory, Effectiveness, and Misuse of Cost-Benefit Analysis in Developmental Economics
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/a200bb26-ab35-4cd7-a831-21ff9a5adc30/thumb/128.jp
Investigating the Effect of Race and Skin Color on Emotion Attributions
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/188db78a-9251-44e7-a726-343dc6529219/thumb/128.jpgPrevious research has found that people tend to associate low-status individuals with anger, and high status individuals with calm, a tendency often referred to as the Hunchback Heuristic. In this study, I examined these associations through the intersecting concepts of race and skin color, with specific interest in whether the anticipated effects emerge with respect to “model” minoritized identities (i.e. East Asians). Using Qualtrics Survey software, participants (N = 165) rated 40 emotion-neutral faces that were either South Asian, East Asian, Black or White on 5 attributes: anger, calmness, happiness, sadness, and attractiveness. Results were largely supportive of the Hunchback Heuristic: Blacks and other minority groups (including East Asians) had higher anger ratings relative to Whites, and dark skin faces were rated as significantly more angry than light skin faces. Black faces also had the overall lowest happiness ratings. However, Blacks and Whites had the lowest calm ratings relative to the other minority groups, although this trend was largely not statistically significant. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the day-to-day outcomes of groups that are accorded low-status in society
Minzu Categorization in Southwest China: Connections between the Qing and PRC
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/fdf4de00-df20-45d0-8b45-486acf7b732c/thumb/128.jpgSouthwest China is the most ethnically diverse region in China today, with fifty percent of China’s minority population residing in the area. The 1954 Ethnic Classification Project, which the PRC claims were based on a Marxist-Leninist model, established a total of fifty-six ethnic groups (minzu) with fifty-five of those groups to be considered ethnic minority groups (shaoshu minzu). I agree the PRC did not fully apply this approach since there are inconsistencies that can be found when looking at materials and sources from the southwest provinces. I argue, there were criteria from previous Qing ethnic categorization practices. Additionally, with both the Qing and CCP’s need to stabilize the border regions, the need for assimilation motivated the classification project. To prove this, I look at both secondary and primary sources from Chinese and Western authors. Two of my main primary sources include a 1957 article from the state sponsored Guangming Daily Newspaper and the Miao albums that were produced and circulated during the Qing dynasty. I evaluate the Qing Empire’s and PRC’s methods, approaches, criteria, as well as the discourse surrounding the classifications of ethnic minority groups in the southwest provinces. My research contributes to subject areas surrounding China’s classification of non-Han ethnic groups, and the minority minzu relations with the government under different regimes
My Favorite Martian (Manhunter): Alien Immigrants in Comics
No full texthttps://rdc.reed.edu/v1/resources/d0bc6ebb-d776-448c-911a-b98d779c4d4a/thumb/128.jpgSuperheroes were created for entertainment purposes and contain power fantasies primarily aimed at children and young adults. However, many characters, like Superman and J’onn J’onzz the Martian Manhunter, have greater meaning through things like the representation of real-world issues through exaggerated metaphors and allegories. Superman and J’onn J’onzz, for instance, represent the plight of immigrants and refugees. By representing these ideas, these characters become more relatable and gain meaning outside of mere simple entertainment. It has been proven time and time again that representation is important, as is talking about and thinking about issues such as marginalization, diversity, and immigration. By adding to the narrative in a fictional plain, the characters and their stories gain a significance that they would not otherwise have.In Chapter 1, Superman and J’onn J’onzz are introduced and compared as figures of immigration. They are different from each other, thanks to their ages at immigration, their appearances, and the historical eras in which they were created, as well as how they represent trauma. While it is well known that Superman is a figure of immigration, J’onn J’onzz, while lesser known, may be a better representation of the lived experiences of refugees and can represent a greater variety of marginalized people, which is further and more specifically explored in Chapter 2. Because of J’onn’s non-human appearance and powers of shapeshifting and invisibility, he can represent a diverse range of marginalized groups including Jewish people, victims of the Holocaust, refugees, people of color, and others who have suffered from discrimination over the past century. These representations become clear through the exploration of issues like loyalty, identity, Yellow Peril media, and code-switching. Taken together, the in-depth examination of these characters’ links with the lived the lived experiences of refugees and immigrants illustrates how comics can represent and illuminate human experience, transcending their role as mere entertainment