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ThePolitics of Extraterritoriality in Post-Occupation Japan and U.S.-Occupied Okinawa, 1952-1972:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Franziska SeraphimThis dissertation locates post-occupation Japan and U.S.-occupied Okinawa during the period between 1952 and 1972 within global and transnational histories of extraterritoriality. The subject of the historical inquiry is the politics surrounding the postwar U.S. policy of retaining extraterritorial jurisdiction over criminal cases involving its military personnel and locals in Japan and Okinawa. The primary objective is to historicize the U.S. Department of Defense’ seven-decades-long policy of maximizing national jurisdiction over its service members’ cases committed on foreign soil as well as contemporary Japanese attitudes toward ongoing public debates about Article 17 (criminal jurisdiction provision) of the 1960 Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
Based on archival documents collected in Okinawa, Japan, and the United States, I demonstrate how the racialized notions of civilization rooted in nineteenth-century western—and particularly U.S.—supremacy drove the rationale for the postwar American military legal regime of exception and invoked varied reactions to it. This dissertation highlights vertical interactions between state policymaking and local/transnational grassroots responses in occupied Okinawa and post-occupation Japan in order to show how U.S. diplomacy manifested on the ground, and how it coped with various forms of resistance and made adjustments in response.
Over the two decades beginning with Japan’s recovery of sovereignty in 1952 and ending with Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 1972, the triangular relationship underwent a process of negotiation over each entity’s legal and political subjecthood. Japanese civil society mobilized a nationalist protest movement against the specter of postwar U.S. extraterritoriality in the immediate aftermath of the Allied occupation asserting the integrity of territorial sovereignty. The lingering tensions between U.S. exceptionalism and Japanese nationalism were defused in the late-1950s as the Eisenhower administration decided to reduce the colossal presence of U.S. armed forces on the Japanese archipelago. In U.S.-occupied Okinawa (1945-1972), the islanders’ resistance to “extraterritorial” military justice also generated popular fronts. Yet, in contrast to the Japanese resistance which by and large relied on the Euro-centric Westphalian principle of national sovereignty, Okinawans came to employ the egalitarian spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the mid-1950s to demand legal justice and proper compensation even under military rule. As most U.S. military bases in Japan were moved to tiny Okinawa resulting from Washington’s realignment of U.S. armed forces in Asia in the late 1950s and thereafter, Okinawans’ protest against U.S. military incidents evolved in parallel with their institutionalization of popular human rights activism, and the process invigorated the consolidation of political forces for reversion.
My research finds that as Japanese, American, and Third World activists joined Okinawans in solidarity as they all protested the postwar American military legal regime of exception, a new meaning of “civilization” was born through collective appeals for the rule of law and universal human rights that had long-term consequences even as Okinawa was integrated into the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement in 1972.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: History
Tier Change Profiles: A Longitudinal Examination of Strengths and Risks in an Integrated Student Support Intervention
No full textThesis advisor: Mary E. WalshPoverty negatively impacts health, emotional wellbeing, and educational outcomes for children and creates an opportunity gap between children living in poverty and their wealthier peers (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016). To close the opportunity gap, schools are encouraged to adopt a systemic approach that addresses both academic and non-academic barriers to learning (Adelman 2018). Integrated Student Support (ISS) models have emerged as one of the most effective systemic school-based interventions (Moore et al., 2018). ISS interventions use various strategies to address the continuum of student needs. Tiered intervention frameworks are one strategy geared towards categorizing risk levels and services by their respective levels of intensity. Tiered interventions commonly focus on academic and social-emotional domains. However, their social-emotional focus is often limited to behavior and their categorization of students is deficit-focused (Freeman et al., 2017). City Connects, one ISS intervention implemented in high-poverty urban districts, uses a tiered intervention framework that encompasses the whole child and incorporates strengths as well as risks. City Connects assigns a tier to strength/risk levels evidenced by students at the beginning of each school year. While City Connects has demonstrated robust positive effects on student outcomes, little is known about annual tier level. In the current study, repeated measures latent class analysis (RMLCA) identified patterns of tier change over five years during which students attended City Connects elementary schools in one district. Multinomial regression and chi-square analyses investigated the relationship of social-emotional strengths, needs, and services to the Tier Change Profiles. Overall, more than half of students changed tier between time points. The most commonly exhibited tier change was increasing/decreasing tier by one. RMLCA findings indicated that students facing lower risk at baseline, exhibited low risk over time, while students facing the highest risk exhibited the greatest volatility in risk over time. Students who had more social-emotional strengths than needs were more likely to exhibit Tier Change Profiles of low risk over time but having more social-emotional needs than strengths was not predictive of Tier Change Profile. Among other findings, outcomes suggest that acknowledging and bolstering strengths play a significantly positive role in developmental trajectories.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology
Incorporation of Organ-Specific MicroRNA Target Sequences to Improve Gene Therapy Specificity:
No full textThesis advisor: Vassilios BezzeridesThe aim of this study was to utilize a massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) to identify organ-specific microRNA (miRNA) target sequences to refine the timing and expression of transgene expression for gene therapy. We previously had developed a cardiac gene therapy for Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT) using a systemically delivered adeno-associated virus (AAV9) vector. We hypothesized that incorporation of organ specific miRNA target sites into our vector construct could improve our therapy’s tissue specificity due to the ability of miRNAs to silence transgene expression. Initially, we attempted to incorporate mir-124 target sequences into our vector to detarget the brain. Although these initial attempts were unsuccessful, the study allowed us to develop a protocol to test the effectiveness of miRNA target sequences. Thereafter, we developed a method to screen thousands of putative miRNA target sequences simultaneously. In this study, target sequences of miRNAs specific to the heart, brain and liver were incorporated into a plasmid library. This plasmid library was subsequently made into AAV and injected into mice from a CPVT transgenic line. Total DNA and RNA was later extracted from the target organs, converted into genomic DNA (gDNA) and complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries respectively, and sent for amplicon sequencing. We analyzed the results using Comparative Microbiome Analysis 2.0 software (CoMA) and a custom python script to count the occurrence of each specified barcode per sample. In doing so, we showed that the miRNA suppression mechanism is not only effective but also organ specific. Furthermore, we developed a second script to create a combinatorial library from a set list of miRNA target sequences enabling us to efficiently test thousands of target sequence combinations at once. In doing so, we will be able to identify effective miRNA target sequence combinations to further improve gene therapy specificity.Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Departmental Honors.Discipline: Biology
Sex differences in the brain during long-term memory:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Scott D. SlotnickSex differences exist in both brain anatomy and neurochemistry (Cahill, 2006). Many differences have been identified in brain regions associated with long-term memory including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and visual processing regions (Andreano & Cahill, 2009). There is, however, a paucity of research investigating whether and how these differences translate into differences in functional activity. Part 1 investigated sex differences in the patterns of functional activity in the brain during spatial long-term memory, item memory, memory confidence, and false memory. In addition, a meta-analysis was conducted to identify whether there were consistent sex differences in the brain across different long-term memory types. Part 2 determined whether there were sex differences in the patterns of functional connectivity in the brain during spatial long-term memory. Specifically, differences in functional connectivity between the hippocampus and the rest of the brain in addition to the thalamus and the rest of the brain were investigated. Finally, Part 3 investigated whether the observed differences in the patterns of activity (identified in Chapter 1) had sufficient information to classify the sex of individual participants. The results of Part 3 argue against the popular notion that the average female brain and average male brain are not significantly different (Joel et al., 2015). More broadly, the studies presented in this dissertation argue against the widespread practice of collapsing across sex in cognitive neuroscience.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Psychology
Coherence as a Measure of Body-Wave Signal to Noise Ratio in the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada:
Get PDFThesis advisor: John E. EbelDetermination of the source parameters of a local earthquake from full seismic waveforms requires seismograms with clear body-wave signals from the earthquake source. Coherence of the earthquake body-wave seismograms recorded at two different receivers can be used to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the body-wave energy radiated by the source. In this study, the coherence of earthquake body waves recorded in the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada (NEUSSEC) is measured as a function of frequency, interstation distance, and ambient SNR, and then used as an estimate of body-wave SNR. Seismograms from the CN, IU, LD, N4, NE, TA, and US arrays were used to measure coherence between stations with a mean separation of 70 km. Seismograms from the Acton Littleton Seismic Array (ALSA) were used to measure coherence at 5 km mean station separation. Coherence is measured at frequencies between 0.05-10 Hz for Pn and Sn phases from NEUSSEC earthquakes with magnitudes (M) between 0.0 and 4.7 at epicentral distances between 180-1800 km as well as at frequencies between 0.05-10 Hz for the first arrivals of P and S waves from earthquakes M>6 at distances >2500 km. The teleseismic P waves display values of coherence greater than 0.9 out to interstation distances of 1500 km at frequencies <0.8 Hz, but as frequency increases, the interstation distance at which coherence falls below 0.9 decreases. Teleseismic S and regional Pn and Sn waves display coherence values around 0.5, suggesting the amplitudes of the body-waves are smaller than those of the noise, which likely is the result of converted and reflected or refracted P waves and/or smaller signal amplitudes. These coherence values are compared to the coherence values of ambient noise. For any two P, S, Pn or Sn waveforms recorded in the NEUSSEC at 3-5 Hz there is a 50% or greater chance of those two waveforms containing coherent energy that is not ambient noise; these frequencies are where this percent chance is greatest for all seismic phases. At frequencies between 3-5 Hz the effects of scattering are most pronounced on the coherence values of regional seismic phases, suggesting that most scattering in the crust of the NEUSSEC takes place at these frequencies. Teleseismic seismic phases do not include as much scattered energy as the regional seismic phases at 3-5 Hz, and must therefore encounter fewer scattering heterogeneities along their travel path than the regional seismic phases.Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Earth and Environmental Sciences
Toward a More Perfect Union: Religion and Education in American Public Schools
Get PDFThesis advisor: Thomas H. GroomeThe public schools in the United States fail to deliver a curriculum that adequately addresses religion in general and the many world religions in particular. This lacuna does not represent the
constitutionally required neutrality of schools toward religion(s) and non-religion, but instead indicates the existence of what the author terms the hostility of neglect. When the curriculum privileges non-religious epistemologies, ideologies, and worldviews, such as secularism and scientism, often to the exclusion of religious ways of knowing and making meaning, then the schools violate the First Amendment of the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court. In this dissertation, the dominant myths of America’s founding are examined historically in an effort to provide a thick description and critical analysis of the reigning meta-narratives that influence the debate concerning religion in American public schools (chapter 1). Then, turning to the particular, some current models of inclusion or exclusion of religion(s) in/from the curriculum are identified and examined, with a brief proposal for a new way forward called the Meaningful Inclusion Approach (chapter 2). To demonstrate the constitutionality of this new proposal, a careful study of the Constitution and its interpretation by the Supreme Court is presented, highlighting especially the demand for neutrality and the Court’s positive opinion concerning teaching about religion(s) in public schools as part of a secular program of education that is considered complete (chapter 3). The constitutional question is followed by a critique of
the reigning educational paradigm, which is unduly subservient to the market economy, too narrowly focused on STEM technical knowledge, and hyper-individualistic. In an exploration of alternative educational philosophies, warrant is found for not only teaching about religion(s) but also learning from religion(s), thus taking seriously the demands of neutrality and the promise of a holistic, liberal education (chapter 4). The author then proposes resituating the educational project in terms of the common good. A basic framework is proposed for education that is rooted in a healthy understanding of the human person in society, and which calls for a problem-posing approach to education that values cooperation, building bridges through dialogue to encourage the virtue and commitment of solidarity, and openness to both religious and non-religious contributions to human knowledge and wisdom (chapter 5). Finally, a consideration of the unique circumstances of our post-secular age and the urgency of the need for religious literacy in a globalized world is presented as a major rationale for changing the curricula of our public schools without delay. The dissertation concludes with a proposal for the Meaningful Inclusion Approach (MIA) to learning about, from, and with religion(s) in age-appropriate ways from kindergarten through grade 12 (chapter 6).Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry
Christian nonviolent resistance as a response to violence in the D.R. Congo: Case of the Beni-Butembo region facing an unnamed genocide
Get PDFThesis advisor: Orfilio Valiente ErnestoThesis advisor: Margaret GuiderThesis (STL) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry.Discipline: Sacred Theology
Graph clustering as a method to investigate riboswitch variation:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Michelle M. MeyerNon-coding RNA (ncRNA) perform vital functions in cells, but the impact of diversity across structure and function of homologous motifs has yet to be fully investigated. One reason for this is that the standard phylogenetic analysis used to address these questions in proteins cannot easily be applied to ncRNA due to their inherent characteristics. Compared to proteins, ncRNA have shorter sequence lengths, lower sequence conservation, and secondary structures that need to be incorporated into the analysis. This has necessitated an effort to develop methodology for investigating the evolutionary and functional relationship between sets of ncRNA. In this pursuit, I studied closely related riboswitches. Riboswitches are structured ncRNA found in bacterial mRNA that regulate gene expressions using their two major components: the aptamer and the expression platform. The aptamer of a riboswitch is able to bind a specific small molecule (ligand), and the bound/unbound state of the aptamer influences conformational changes in the expressions platform that can lead to increased or decreased downstream gene expression. Utilizing sequence and structural similarity metrics combined with graph clustering and de novo community detection algorithms I have determined a methodology for investigating the functional and evolutionary relationship between closely related riboswitches, and other ncRNA by extension, that are found across a range of diverse phyla.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Biology
AComparison of Methods for Estimating State Subgroup Performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Henry BraunThe State NAEP program only reports the mean achievement estimate of a subgroup within a given state if it samples at least 62 students who identify with the subgroup. Since some subgroups of students constitute small proportions of certain states’ general student populations, these low-incidence groups of students are seldom sufficiently sampled to meet this rule-of-62 requirement. As a result, education researchers and policymakers are frequently left without a full understanding of how states are supporting the learning and achievement of different subgroups of students.Using grade 8 mathematics results in 2015, this dissertation addresses the problem by comparing the performance of three different techniques in predicting mean subgroup achievement on NAEP. The methodology involves simulating scenarios in which subgroup samples greater or equal to 62 are treated as not available for calculating mean achievement estimates. These techniques comprise an adaptation of Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE), a common form of Small Area Estimation known as the Fay-Herriot model (FH), and a Cross-Survey analysis approach that emphasizes flexibility in model specification, referred to as Flexible Cross-Survey Analysis (FLEX CS) in this study. Data used for the prediction study include public-use state-level estimates of mean subgroup achievement on NAEP, restricted-use student-level achievement data on NAEP, public-use state-level administrative data from Education Week, the Common Core of Data, the U.S. Census Bureau, and public-use district-level achievement data in NAEP-referenced units from the Stanford Education Data Archive.
To evaluate the accuracy of the techniques, a weighted measure of Mean Absolute Error and a coverage indicator quantify differences between predicted and target values. To evaluate whether a technique could be recommended for use in practice, accuracy measures for each technique are compared to benchmark values established as markers of successful prediction based on results from a simulation analysis with example NAEP data.
Results indicate that both the FH and FLEX CS techniques may be suitable for use in practice and that the FH technique is particularly appealing. However, before definitive recommendations are made, the analyses from this dissertation should be conducted employing math achievement data from other years, as well as data from NAEP Reading.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation
Investigating the microstructural record of deformation and strain localization processes in a kilometer-scale lower crustal shear zone, Capricorn Ridge, central Australia:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Seth C. KruckenbergIn the earth’s lithosphere there exists both homogeneous and heterogeneous deformation on a variety of scales. The lower crust specifically plays a critical role in lithospheric deformation; however, the lower crust does not deform homogenously but rather heterogeneously in space and time. One of the best avenues for addressing heterogeneous lower crustal deformation is through an integrated study of shear zones. While many studies have identified factors such as strain rate and temperature as key actors in lower crustal strain localization, more studies are needed to characterize the dominant grain-scale mechanisms that accommodate the development of lower crustal shear zones. The primary aim of this research is to investigate the dominant mechanisms that lead to strain localization in the lower crust. The Capricorn Ridge Shear Zone (CRSZ), Central Australia, is an ideal location for study because it is a lower crustal shear zone that contains discrete zones of strain localization, primarily adjacent to major lithological boundaries. Previous studies conclude that competency contrast caused strain to localize at the lithologic boundaries of the CRSZ, a hypothesis that is tested in this study. Using microstructural, textural, and rheologic analysis, as well as field-based mapping and grain size piezometry, this study finds that differential stresses in Capricorn Ridge range from 17-27 MPa for quartz, 31-42 MPa for plagioclase, and 2.8-7.6 MPa for enstatite. Monophase aggregate strain rates range from 1.6 x 10-15 to 1.7 x 10-14 s-1 for quartz, 4.5 x 10-15 to 3.3 x 10-14 s-1 for plagioclase, and 6.0 x 10-20 to 1.2 x 10-18 s-1 for enstatite; corresponding effective viscosities 0.3-1.7 x 1021 Pa.s, 0.3-1.5 x 1021 Pa.s, and 0.2-1.8 x 1025 Pa.s for quartz, plagioclase, and enstatite, respectively. Data across the CRSZ show that while strain rate (viscosity) in monophase aggregates of quartz and plagioclase are generally similar across the shear zone, they do decrease at lithologic boundaries. In contrast to a previous study’s finding that competency contrast caused strain to localize at these boundaries, both quartz and plagioclase appear to record strain accumulation through grain size reduction. However, the observations made in previous studies are not negated by this study, as it is possible that grain size reduction in the mylonite zones near the boundaries caused strain to accumulate over time and therefore produce the observed pattern of increasing fabric intensity with proximity to the lithologic boundaries.Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Earth and Environmental Sciences