2024-03-29T15:06:56Z
http://digitalcommons.salve.edu/do/oai/
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1018
2020-04-25T18:00:21Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
An interdisciplinary model to evaluate alternative roles of military reserve components in modern American society
Kirby, John Michael
The thesis of this dissertation is that an integrated, interdependent Total Force structure will best serve America's national interests. It best serves the nation's democratic ethos; it is in accordance with the requirements of the external environment within which this nation exists; and it is both required and enabled by the advent of modern technology, the implementation and integration of which has changed the very nature of warfare. This dissertation deals with a specific American civil-military dilemma: military efficiency versus social legitimacy. It develops models to analyze the role of reserve military forces in contemporary American society. Active forces are most efficient, but lack social legitimacy. Therefore, the American military must include reserve elements to insure social and congressional support. Reserve forces provide a link to society, and society is willing to accept an added element of risk to preserve this link. An efficient military is critical to modern diplomacy. However, America will not support the military without its reserve/militia foundation, which is most definitely not the most efficient organization. Therefore, internal social values (philosophical grounds) conflict with the rational requirements of the international environment. The influence of technology moderates this dilemma. It allows for increased Total Force efficiency through organizational structure and adaptation, changes in military doctrine and training, and finally through increased reserve availability and accessibility. Technology also helps to legitimize the military and the use of force through inclusion of reserve elements that retain social and community values. This work shows the evolution of a professional reserve force and discusses possible military and social ramifications. The end result is a technologically elite active force supported by a professional reserve that considers itself full-fledged members of the military establishment. The elite, professional military our forefathers feared now exists, and it is rapidly becoming a smaller, yet more capable and lethal force because of its technological prowess. Finally, this work recommends a Total Force organization to best comply with the military, political, and social environments within which the reserve forces exist.
2000-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9955557
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Social structure|Political science|American studies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1007
2020-04-25T18:00:00Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The impact of government sanctions on the business ethics of defense contractors during the Cold War era
Coolbaugh, Edwin Alden
This study examines the ethical issues involved in the business transactions between the major armament corporations and the United States Government during the Cold War era. The vast expenditures required to construct complex weapons systems were conducive to various forms of contract fraud, which raised serious questions involving both the technology and ethical probity of corporate America. These scandals threatened vital defense production and the financial future of giant corporations, and serious efforts at ethical reform represented the only solution. After establishing the industry-wide pattern of these contract irregularities, the focus of the study is narrowed to one major defense contractor, General Dynamics Corporation, and one specific corporate division, Electric Boat, whose ethical difficulties may be said to typify the industry. Repeated allegations of poor ethical performance led to a corporate crisis when the government suspended all defense contracts for this division. This study examines the relevant events leading up to this critical situation and then details the pragmatic response in the form of a thorough ethical-reform program. This intensive rethinking and reshaping of corporate ethical policies involved all levels of management and the work force. A new corporate office and published procedures expedited the correction of any potential problems. This analysis of the ethical reform measures demonstrates the success of the program over the five-year period covered by this study. The conclusions consider the future implications of the large-scale effort to return corporate America to sound ethical principles.
1997-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9729125
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Management|Public administration
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1005
2020-04-25T17:59:57Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The economic impact of multinational transfer pricing in Third World countries: The case of Iran
Moussavi, Mansour M
This dissertation examines the economic impact of multinational corporation (MNC) transfer-pricing system in the Third-World countries. Iran serves to illustrate the problem that is caused by MNC transfer-pricing system in a Third-World nation. Transfer-pricing system is a technique that is primarily used in international business as practiced by multinational corporations. Under this method the price of goods and services is not determined by the local market structure, but by a highly sophisticated internal sales system within subsidiaries of an MNC. The system offers opportunities to manipulate the market prices according to the changing demands in various countries. MNCs can thus maximize their global profits by reducing income taxes, tariffs and foreign currency exchange rate risks. The economic dependency of Third-World nations on advanced industrialized countries leaves them highly vulnerable to international transfer pricing. These practices have an adverse impact on the balance-of-payments of less developed nations, and subsequently the poor people of these nations suffer unfairly. The case of Iran demonstrate the exploitation of a nation through its raw materials since the beginning of this century. The rich oil deposits in the southern region of the country attracted the interest of powerful multinational oil companies, and subsequently many other international trading companies followed. The heavy influx of initially cheaper foreign goods destroyed many local producers. The gradual price increases on these imports created substantial economic and social conflicts that escalated during the 1978-1979 political upheaval and eventually toppled the regime of the Shah. In this study the economic impact of the transfer-pricing system by MNCs is also examined from the humanities' perspective. In this regard, this study contends that the burden of moral responsibility is on the MNCs rather than on the poor people in developing countries. The legal issues of the transfer-pricing system are reviewed. These are not heavily emphasized, because the legal issues remain a gray area in many advanced industrial countries. Finally the study considers measures to control MNCs. For example, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported the danger of intracompany transfer pricing and indicated some rules and approaches to remedy the problems. The United Nations has also developed codes of conduct on transnational corporations with reference to transfer-pricing system. These codes suggest that a global approach to ethical standards may be the effective solution.
1996-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9706807
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Business costs|International law|International relations|Labor relations
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1004
2019-05-19T16:43:55Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The influence of technology on the Yamato social model
Atkins, Ronald Wayne
The thesis of this study proposes that two fundamentally different social models are operative within Japanese society: one based on the Shinto archetype and historical Japanese social traditions, the other on Western philosophic and political principles introduced mainly by the occupation authorities following the end of World War II. The traditional Yamato model merges Shinto beliefs, Confucian teachings and Buddhist religious practices to structure a harmonious society based on hierarchy. The model draws its power from individual and collective acceptance of the Emperor's hereditary and legitimate right to head the social hierarchy. The newer, official social code is represented by the Japanese Constitution of 1946, which is based on the Western political idealism of democracy and individual rights. The current Constitution was implemented during the period of United States occupation and contains concepts which conflict with the historical pattern of Japanese social and political development. To understand the direction of change within Japanese society it is important to know which of the two models is dominant: the Yamato Constitution based on hierarchy or the Western and alien model based on individual rights. A three phased approach was used to conduct the research. The first, a historical study, identified the beliefs associated with the Yamato social model and their influence on decisions made by Japanese rulers at critical points in Japanese history. Phase two involved field research in Japan needed to develop the data collection document. The final phase necessitated the selection of survey groups and distribution of questionnaires. It was the researcher's intent to test the strength of traditional beliefs held by individuals with a high likelihood of exposure to Western influences and technology. The results indicate strong rejection of traditional beliefs associated with the power and influence of the Emperor. In addition, the findings reveal a trend toward individualism and personal rights and a rejection of hierarchy. The dissertation concludes with an assessment of the influence of changing attitudes on the social harmony that has been a positive feature of the Japanese social order.
1996-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9619708
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
History|Social structure|Political science
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1006
2020-04-25T17:59:56Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Dostoevsky's Sonya and Martha: Fiction and reality
Scoll, Eulalie Elizabeth
Literary scholars have traditionally sought to discover hidden details from authors' lives that, seen against the background of the times, can illuminate their imaginative writings. Dostoevsky's complicated life continues to offer such possibilities, and this study examines the possible source for the key character of Sonya in Crime and Punishment. The dissertation has two focal points. The first deals with a few early years of the technological age in Russia (1860-1866), the rock upon which the indomitable twentieth-century Russian industrialization was built. The second, more pertinent to this study, is how Dostoevsky portrays the dark side of the urban poverty resulting from this emerging technology. In Crime and Punishment he vividly captures the social, psychological, and behavioral impact on his leading characters, particularly the unfortunate Sonya. The winds of technological change similarly affect Sonya's likely prototype, Martha Panina Brown, in her unhappy life. Dostoevsky scholars have been both fascinated and baffled by Martha Brown. Leonid Grossman, for example, argues that Martha's letters are the most important documents in the Dostoevsky Intimate Archives. However, for a variety of reasons, such as lack of archival access and ignorance of Martha's full identity, scholars could not adequately trace Martha's life, and consequently they have not fully appreciated the portrait of Sonya in Crime and Punishment. This dissertation proposes a more authentic comparison, both literary and analytical, of Sonya Marmeladova, the sainted-prostitute in Crime and Punishment, with Martha Brown, her likely inspiration.
1996-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9717878
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Slavic literature|Womens studies|Behaviorial sciences
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1000
2019-05-19T16:43:37Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
China, technology and the Spratly Islands: The geopolitical impact of new technologies
Smith, Esmond Douglas
This study examines how advanced technology creates an imperative for its use, thereby influencing human choices and national decisions. This technological imperative is seen in the case of the Spratly Islands, a vast area of tiny islands, atolls, and reefs in the South China Sea that is rich in oil and natural gas. Claimants of these islands include China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, several of which have established military outposts on the Spratlys. Military control of these islands could bring increased economic and political benefits. Thus, strategic and ethical issues are involved in this dispute. Geographic and historical arguments are further complicated by recently developed doctrines, embodied in the U.N. Law of the Sea, by which coastal states control economic zones within 200 miles of their territory. Advanced technology also provides to China the means of exerting increased power in the area. Because the Spratly Islands also abut the principal sea routes between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, their control might permit a state to interdict these routes, exerting an overall hegemony in Southeast Asia. In short, expanding military and economic power raises further ethical and political concerns. Besides these issues, this study includes interviews with military experts from the area and an analysis of technological developments, military engagements, and the geopolitical implications of domination by one nation. These factors heighten the importance of the Spratly Islands as the new millennium dawns. This study concludes with an assessment of likely scenarios.
1994-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9539594
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
History|International law|International relations|History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1015
2020-04-25T18:00:12Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Technology as public education: Determining just wages in a teacher labor contract
Twaddle, Roy Royce
Based upon the thesis that public education represents a technology of human maturation essential to an advanced technological society, this study examines one controversial aspect of the teaching system: the public teacher labor contract. More specifically, this inquiry applies the social concept of the just wage to the contractual labor agreement in a specific public school district. The financial settlement, which represents about two-thirds of such agreements, is often the most difficult aspect of these contract negotiations. Money and benefit issues can be highly charged with emotion, leading to bitter deadlocks and teacher strikes. Consequently, two key questions will be addressed: Can adjustments to the existing negotiating process obviate these disputes so detrimental to public education? Is the existing process influenced by a technological mind-set that subtly suppresses or enhances different views of fair compensation when citizens negotiate with public school teachers to educate their children? Through contract analysis and document reviews, the study examines the essential factors determining a just wage. This contract analysis is based on a close study of the differences between two successive and recently negotiated teacher contracts. The analysis focuses on specific contract provisions when economic variables have been separated from other issues. Economic variables are the monetary rewards and collateral or fringe benefits that are direct or indirect forms of compensation included in a just wage. Documents that help to clarify the economic variables are official memoranda, letters, educational policies, and reports of contract negotiations published by the news media. The most recent teacher contract is then assessed from three perspectives of fairness to determine how, why, and to what extent the public education system—as an advanced technology—promotes or obstructs the determination of a just wage. Six ethical criteria for a just wage are applied to the assessment, which take into account teacher expectations, area standards of living, local labor supply, the community's financial ability to pay, and concern for the common good.
1999-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9918181
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Labor economics|Educational software|Labor relations
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1012
2020-04-25T18:00:05Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
America's technological sailor: A retrospective on a century of "progress" in the United States Navy
Casey, Michael Scott
This study examines the effects of naval technology on the individual American sailor of the U.S. Navy between 1812 and 1912. It is the thesis of this study that naval technology in the broadest concept radically changed the sailor's profession over that hundred years. While specialization was always integral to sail technology, steam power added a mechanical dimension to the sailor's life. At the same time, some of the traditional elements of the sailor's relationships with the warship and the ocean were lost. The result was a "new" American sailor whose career was shaped by technology. Through qualitative analysis, the study traces the causes of the concurrent "humanizing" and "dehumanizing" effects on the enlisted man caused by a naval transformation during this period of marked technological progress. A broad range of source material documents how technology changed the enlisted man. Naval technology took the multi-talented seaman of history and, over several decades, turned him into a mechanical specialist, a very small cog in a very large naval machine. The study also demonstrates, however, that technology also significantly improved the enlisted man's quality of life while it mechanized and, to an extent, depersonalized him. Technology gave the sailor education, advancement, and other personal advantages. It also eliminated controversial naval practices that diminished the self-worth of the common sailor. The study concludes that these formative effects were an almost unavoidable by-product of the indoctrination, training, and education that led the sailor to war-time victory at sea. The pervasive nature of technology in the sea-going environment set the Navy at the forefront of American national ambition, a role that continues to this day. Understanding this century-long evolution of the typical sailor should enable the Navy's commanders and political leaders to make humane as well as strategic decisions on the welfare and morale of the increasingly technological crews of the American Navy.
1998-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9834297
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
American history|American studies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1008
2020-04-25T17:59:59Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Haitian crisis, 1991--1994: An opportunity for a shift in United States twenty-first century foreign policy
Hardy-Jackson, Patricia Anne
The premise of this study is that the 1991-1994 crisis of Haiti following the end of the Cold War can be viewed as a catalyst for change in the focus of 21st century U.S. foreign policy. This policy shifted from selective commitments and conservative interpretations of national interests to broad commitments and globalized applications of national values. The 1991-1994 Haitian crisis challenged an evident preference of the U.S. to develop into an authoritative, yet detached, spokesman for democracy. In seeking to limit its national and international roles to this former approach, the U.S. essentially achieved national policy disequilibrium based on a myopic view of foreign affairs. Much as it tried during the Cold War, the U.S. could not escape her global responsibility. In fact, because of the moral and political issues raised by the 1991-1994 crisis in Haiti, American foreign policy is evolving into increased globalism, however reluctantly and contrary to its early history of isolationism. This new involvement with Haiti revealed unique cultural, ethnic, and linguistic characteristics to U.S. governmental officials and to an informed public. What is critical is that the 1991-1994 Haitian crisis occurred in the post-Cold War era. This crisis intersected with U.S. national introspection, a reemergent neo-isolationism, and an awakening sense of an "America first" domestic policy. While not forced to act there in the name of national security, the U.S. had not yet developed a leadership role beyond that of military defense against the threat of communism. In sum, Haiti's crisis took place while the U.S. was attempting to define its future national identity and policies. Thus, Haiti, a third world nation seeking democracy, and a relatively minor country compared to other global entities, has served as a catalyst for a more humane U.S. foreign policy. The 1994 U.S. military intervention in Haiti tested contemporary U.S. foreign policy. President Clinton, who applied his post-Cold War attention to developing a 21st century strategy, called for a revised foreign policy of "engagement and enlargement." The U.S. military, long accustomed to a Cold War mind set typified by the expression "we do only the big ones," was asked to pursue specific humanitarian objectives. Haiti thus presented a challenge to an entrenched foreign policy in requiring a new commitment to the strategic objective of democratization. In short, tiny Haiti helped modify the post-Cold War foreign policy of the United States. As a result, the 1994 military intervention of U.S. force in Haiti in pursuit of democratic principles is evidence of a shift in U.S. national security policies. Based on historical research, examination of official documents, and interviews with scholarly experts, this study investigates the human implications of advanced technology, including political technology. It reviews the historical ties of the U.S. to Haiti, addresses the current socio-economic challenges there, examines immigration policies, and suggests crucial considerations in developing an effective ongoing U.S. foreign policy toward Haiti. It concludes with an assessment of options available to the U.S. that support the pivotal democratization of this small West Indian nation.
1997-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9808224
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
International law|International relations|Minority & ethnic groups|Sociology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1002
2019-05-19T16:43:44Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Economic literacy among students in Russia and the United States: A comparative study
Colegrove, De Forest William
This dissertation, "Economic Literacy Among Students in Russia and the United States: A Comparative Study," seeks to establish a baseline of economic knowledge of senior-high-school Russian students as compared to that of American students at the same educational level. The research for this project was carried on in Kazan, Tatarstan (Russia), a relatively isolated area near Siberia, where the influence of Western economic practices was deemed to be minimal. Part I describes the preparation, execution, analysis, and results of the research in Kazan, using as sources, a normalized questionnaire, a textbook co-written by the author for this project, other published materials, and personal experience gained by the author from living in Kazan. Part I contains a summary, conclusions, and bibliography. Part II is a statistical analysis provided by SRU's Statistical Institute under the guidance of the author. The analysis includes copies of raw data answer sheets, methodology used to input and analyze data, results of comparison with similar types of data obtained from American students, and the conclusions. Part III is a copy of the economics textbook coauthored in the United States and used in Kazan by the author as the first phase of this dissertation research project.
1995-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9601643
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Economics|Minority & ethnic groups|Sociology|Social studies education
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1010
2020-04-25T18:00:02Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The effectiveness of Family Science and Technology Workshops on parental involvement, student achievement, and student curiosity
Kosten, Lora Bechard
The literature suggests that parental involvement in schools results in positive changes in students and that schools need to provide opportunities for parents to share in the learning process. Workshops are an effective method of engaging parents in the education of their children. This dissertation studies the effects of voluntary Family Science and Technology Workshops on elementary children's science interest and achievement, as well as on parents' collaboration in their child's education. The study involved 35 second and third-grade students and their parents who volunteered to participate. The parental volunteers were randomly assigned to either the control group (children attending the workshops without a parent) or the treatment group (children attending the workshops with a parent). The study was conducted in the Fall of 1995 over a four-week period. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine the effects of the workshops on children's science achievement and science curiosity, as well as on parents' involvement with their child's education. The study revealed that there was no significant statistical difference at the.05 level between the treatment/control groups in children's science achievement or science curiosity, or in parent's involvement with their children's education. However, the study did focus parental attention on effective education and points the way to more extensive research in this critical learning area. This dual study, that is, the effects of teaching basic technology to young students with the support of their parents, reflects the focus of the Salve Regina University Ph.D. program in which technology is examined in its effects on humans. In essence, this program investigates what it means to be human in an age of advanced technology.
1997-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9813177
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Educational sociology|Elementary education|Science education|Adult education|Continuing education
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1022
2020-04-25T18:00:18Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The significance of the family meal in contemporary culture: A humanities /technological perspective
Ware, Bradley John
This study examines the impact of technology and other social trends on the decline in the family meal as a cohesive factor in modern culture. Using insights gained from the humanities and social sciences, it offers a coherent view of how traditions shape family values and why they remain relevant today. The traditional importance of the family meal is demonstrated through a historical survey of practices from primitive ages to the present time, with special emphasis on the symbolic significance of the meal as a communal celebration. The contemporary diminution of these familial routines can be linked to the impact of technology on contemporary household relations and, to some degree, to the alienation and other problems found among young people of recent generations. The study specifically addresses how cultural shifts as well as technological advances have resulted in today's fast-paced life-styles. These have often tended to isolate family members from one another and to undervalue the supportive routines of traditional family life. Parents with different work schedules and children's obsession with private interests are among relevant factors. Other serious problems involving personal health and juvenile delinquency have an influence here. These combined with a general social dependence on technologies can contribute to undermining the ideal of a family sharing nourishment together. Pertinent observations on how the essential family resource may be strengthened are provided in the conclusion of the study.
2000-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9968747
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Cultural anthropology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1001
2019-05-19T16:43:48Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
President Jimmy Carter and the Camp David Accords: An analysis of moral and pragmatic policy
Healy, Kevin Michael
On September 4, 1978, President Jimmy Carter of the United States, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel gathered in a remote mountain hideaway in Maryland in an attempt to resolve one of the most intractable of human conflicts. During the preceding thirty years, this conflict had resulted in four wars and many thousands of deaths. Moreover, because of their continued animosity Israel and the Arab world stood at the edge of a fifth war--a region-wide conflict that could easily draw the nuclear superpowers into a direct and catastrophic confrontation. From that gathering of the heads of state of three of the most militarily powerful and politically significant nations in the world, emerged the Camp David Accords--the first agreement for peace between Egypt and a free Jewish state in more than 2000 years and one that remains viable today. This dissertation will demonstrate that the Camp David Accords were forged by the unique convergence of two aspects of President Jimmy Carter's persona: the technological man--the pragmatic, detail driven, goal oriented politician who believed that everything was possible with the application of the correct techniques, and the humanist--the good, moral, religious and just man who believed in intercessional prayer and in the basic goodness and redemptive capabilities of his fellow man. The dissertation's theme centers on the motivating forces that led President Carter to invite Sadat and Begin to Camp David, as well as those that inspired his steadfast belief in his ability to convince the two warring parties to reach an agreement. Critical issues are analyzed: Carter's rapid decline in public opinion polls, Begin's victory in the Israeli elections, Sadat's trip to Israel and speech to the Knesset and the political influence in the US of powerful special interest lobbies. The role of the Christian, Judaic and Christian faiths in both the lives and political conduct of the three principals will also be discussed.
1995-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9600771
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
International law|International relations|History|Middle Eastern history|American history|Biographies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1003
2019-05-19T16:43:41Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
A theology of collaborative ministry focusing on Catholic families negatively affected by TV technology
O'Reilly, Bernard M
Two contemporary issues are addressed in this dissertation. One is the relentless decline in the number of Catholic priests available for ministry in the United States. The other is the problematic impact of modern technology on family life symbolized by the negative influences of television in the home. A twofold response is proposed. First, an investigation of the Christian tradition demonstrates that lay ministry, like priestly ministry, is grounded in baptism. Thus, the first objective is to engage pastor and laity in a collaborative model of ministry as an alternative to the exclusively clerical model. Second, an examination of the literature on TV technology indicates that prolonged viewing generates dissociation, estrangement, and alienation in family and faith community. Thus, a second objective is to implement collaborative ministry by commissioning trained lay collaborators for the ministry of preparing families for infant baptism. The desired outcome is (a) a reorientation of these families to the faith community and, (b) a decrease in their dependence on television.
1994-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9601644
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Theology|Mass media|Academic guidance counseling|Clergy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1017
2020-04-25T18:00:11Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Managing complexity: An integration of ethics, management, and technology viewed through the Dow Corning silicone implant case
Tod, Patricia Jane
This dissertation is a contextual examination of an ethical organizational dilemma complicated by elaborate and interrelated systems or soft technologies. Dow Corning's silicone breast implant case is analyzed by example, to show the usefulness of a more varied, flexible, and multi-faceted approach to ethics and management in the midst of a rapidly expanding technological society. This case represents an ongoing managerial crisis that demonstrates why integrated ethical analysis is not a theoretical or historical practice but one of vital and critical social importance. Through qualitative analysis, this study addresses an ethical and managerial crisis from three broad perspectives of ethics, technology, and organizations. The ethical analysis is based on the three constructs of rule ethics, consequence ethics, and virtue ethics. The systems technologies reviewed are the medical system, the legal system, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the media, and the consumer groups. Finally, as this research provides insights for practical and ethical management, an organizational analysis is included that views corporations as machines, systems, and cultures. The multi-faceted organizational and ethical assessment used in this study enhances the creative and disciplined thought required in today's generally complex, ambiguous, and paradoxical business environment. The Dow Coming silicone implant case demonstrates how systems technologies in an insular rules-based culture caused a corporation reputed for high ethical principles to suffer bankruptcy for alleged unethical and illegal conduct. An organizational culture based predominantly on rules and consequences requires decision-makers with broad perspectives on moral character and virtue. Managers need broader ways of understanding organizational life to better prepare a corporation for both ethical and financial success in today's rapidly changing technological society. A holistic perspective provides extensions of ethical understanding and development, opportunities to ensure stakeholder rights, and increased probabilities for organizational survival and growth.
1999-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9940064
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Management|Public health
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1023
2020-04-25T18:00:23Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Controls on developing technology: The United States commercial air transportation system during the interwar period, 1919--1939
Shaw, Eric J
This dissertation examines control of an emerging technology by investigating two contrasting views of technological progress. The pessimistic view asserts that technological development can advance beyond human ability to govern its growth. The optimistic view sees technology as neutral or positively valued; control over technological progress is a function of human activity or lack of it. At the core of the debate is the question of human freedom and the ability of human beings to exercise control over technology they create. This work identifies successful and unsuccessful attempts at controlling developing aviation technology during the formative period of the U.S. air transportation system between the World Wars. These attempts are used to test tenets of the two interpretations of technological progress. The study identifies effective political, bureaucratic, business, and social controls that resulted in a manageable system of air transportation. The results apply to current technological policy questions. The study addresses these questions in the form of policy recommendations for U.S. civil and military leaders involved in technological decision making.
2000-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9996988
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|American history|Transportation
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1026
2020-04-25T18:00:54Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The ex -voto as symbol of faith and survival
Atwood, Marjorie
Prehistorically and historically throughout human experience, man has looked to the supernatural for rescue from disaster and for favor of many kinds. Man's quest for supernatural assistance may be identified as early as the Paleolithic Age. The search for the sacred is thought to be related to cave painting found in cave “sanctuaries” in petition for success in hunting. Later civilizations (North Africa, Mesopotamia and the Greek Archipelago) reflect further developments of this human endeavor. The Jewish tradition and early Christian votive offerings bring an additional wealth of testimony. The Christian cult of the saints was accompanied by the construction of sanctuaries and the popularization of pilgrimages to them. Local festivities in honor of a sacred personage were also celebrated with song and dance. These romerias were similar to larger scale pilgrimages but were generally more geographically concentrated. Testimony of the human need for divine support is reflected by the emergence of the ex-voto, a symbol of humanity's recognition of the necessity for supernatural assistance in its constant pursuit of faith and survival.
2002-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3042380
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Art History|Religious history
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1028
2020-04-25T18:00:56Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
In the shadow of technological cataclysm: The complexities of Y2K alarmism
Finn, Richard Francis
In our modern information age, few technological problems have had as great a potential catastrophic impact on humanity as the year 2000 computer date change (Y2K). Although Y2K was considered initially a technical issue with a straight-forward technical solution, it was later found to have significant human consequences and educed a response unparalleled in the late twentieth century. If left unaddressed, Y2K could have caused a serious interruption to critical elements of our complex national infrastructure. As alarmists consistently warned, these disruptions would have grave repercussions in the social, political, and commercial institutions that rely on them. Although Y2K is judged to be a nonevent by some, this study demonstrates that the multiple challenges related to the year 2000 computer date change were more than a technical threat. In addition, this dissertation makes evident that Y2K alarmists were effective in highlighting the risks of modern information technologies. Y2K presented a unique crossroad to examine our attitudes toward advanced technology. The human responses to potential consequences of a cataclysmic event do not always have to be negative. The manner in which these are addressed may also serve as models for resolving future problems. As the Y2K challenge was recent, scholarly research is still in its infancy to assess the effects that this technological episode has had upon humanity. This dissertation seeks to provide an important contribution to this body of knowledge.
2002-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3046374
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
History|Social structure|Information Systems
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1027
2020-04-25T18:00:58Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Technological hubris and the science fiction of Michael Crichton
Hime, Douglas N
This dissertation examines Michael Crichton's criticism of the influence of technology on the human condition by an analysis of his novels that specifically question mankind's hazardous embrace of technological power. The thesis of this study is that through these examples Michael Crichton has joined an impressive group of philosophic, moral, and social critics who have discredited the illusory belief in cultural progress based on technology. From his early novels through his most recent, Crichton's critique of the dangers involved in the modern reliance on technology has effectively brought these crucial problems to the attention of the wider public. The seven novels examined in this study all demonstrate how the enormous power of technology placed in the hands of greedy, imprudent, or arrogant men can have unintended and tragic consequences. Many of the contemporary issues raised by technology—from genetic research to the exploitation of the environment—are directly confronted in this cautionary fiction. This study is further documented with a broad range of scholarly opinion on the dangers associated with the material values of a technological society. Like his science-fiction predecessors, such as H. G. Wells, Aldous Huxley, Arthur Clarke, and George Orwell, Crichton's imaginative novels complement the intellectual insights of today's formidable social critics who have trenchantly questioned the modern abuses of technology. In all this fiction, Crichton basically argues that the rash application of technology bereft of ethical principles can be a major menace facing humankind.
2002-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3042381
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Social research|American literature
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1016
2020-04-25T18:00:13Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The impact of technological culture on addiction in twentieth century America
Loranger, Raymond Leonard
This study examines the effects of technology on addiction in the culture of twentieth century America. It first explains how addiction is a debilitating human condition that results in a loss of freedom in body, mind, and spirit. It then demonstrates how technology can abet and sustain the addictive experience, so that certain dangers inherent to technological culture increase the spread of the addictive syndrome. Lastly, it argues for the recovery of a spiritual attitude encouraging greater human freedom and a healthier society. These concepts propose that a universal harmony can be gained through the realization of the interdependence of all things, and spiritual beliefs from established wisdom traditions. The recovery movements from addictions, with special attention to Alcoholics Anonymous and in concert with contemporary social critics, do promote a holistic synthesis of physical, psychic, and spiritual unity that offers the best hope for an integrated life. It is suggested that this process promotes greater purpose for human existence in a technological culture and increases the human desire for liberation from the slavery of addiction.
1999-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9925079
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Cultural anthropology|American studies|Religion|Public health|Psychotherapy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1030
2019-05-19T16:46:21Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Jus in bello: Key issues for a contemporary assessment of just behavior in war
Iasiello, Louis V
Civilized humanity has long pondered the morality of war and the parameters of just behavior in war. Since ancient times philosophers, theologians, civic leaders, warriors, and jurists have formulated concepts and theories outlining the ethical boundaries of a justified use of force (jus ad bellum ) as well as for just behavior in war (jus in bello). Taken together, these principles define a bellum justum or just war. Just war theory, legal interpretation, and international law help to define the rationale for a just declaration of war and for just behavior of those tasked with conducting and fighting wars. This dissertation examines the relevance of just war theory for the 21st century, specifically, the relevance of jus in bello to contemporary issues and trends. Following a survey of major philosophies, strategies, and personalities that have significantly contributed to the development of just war theory, the author surveys contemporary scholars who have advanced this theory. The dissertation then examines some modern issues that challenge the application of jus in bello principles. These issues call for further study, both external (international law and ethics) and internal (military culture, law, traditions and strategy), in defining the parameters of just behavior in war. Such issues include modern military technology (i.e., precision guided munitions and cyberwarfare), the vulnerability of non-combatants, the ethical use of military contractors, and ecological concerns. This work concludes with suggestions for further scholarship and discussion regarding just war developments.
2003-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3086861
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|International law|International relations|Religion|Philosophy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1025
2020-04-25T17:59:54Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
An investigation of television as technology and its influence on student-athletes in Division 1 men's college basketball
Mitchell, David McKeon
This dissertation examines the role of television as an agent of change in the traditional relationship between academic standards and intercollegiate athletic participation. Recent commentaries on this partnership have expressed a variety of opinions, which can be summarized under six main themes. These themes have provided the foundation for this investigation. Qualitative and quantitative instruments were used to explore this topic. The results are concentrated on the undoubted fact that television has a major impact on the role of the intercollegiate student-athlete. It was further established that television as a technology is not a neutral force but has a positive or negative effect depending on associated agents. Among these, the evidence is clear that the burden of transferring traditional educational standards and values is ultimately invested in the character of the coach.
2001-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3005673
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Mass media|Recreation|Higher education
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1042
2019-05-19T16:46:18Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Attitudes of Rhode Island primary care physicians toward the use of genetic testing for breast cancer
Alexakos, Frances M
Physicians currently consider genetic testing for breast cancer, especially the BRCA1 and BRCA2 tests, as problematic, because their predictive value, efficacy, and benefit to patients benefit vary greatly. Individual physicians are pressured by mounting patients demanding access to genetic testing. On the one hand, many patients believe that they have the right to know their future medical condition and that their physician is obligated to respond to this right. On the other hand, a number of physicians hesitate to offer genetic testing to patients because of ethical questions concerning the efficacy of the genetic testing, the psychological and social impact of such testing on the patients or their families, and the desire to honor a patient's rights to make his/her own decisions. Additionally, legal issues surround the patient's perception of the physician's obligation to offer genetic testing. If a physician knows that a patient has a family history of breast cancer but does not offer the genetic test, and if the patient or a family member develops the disease, the doctor could be sued for wrongful practices. In brief, fear of possible legal suits and/or fear of patient reprisal can complicate the ethical questions that physicians must consider together to order BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing for the prediction of breast cancer. This study examined the attitudes of Rhode Island primary care physicians about ordering genetic testing for breast cancer. It also compared these attitudes with the gender and the length of medical experience of these primary care physicians. The research studied four attitude clusters: the use of genetic testing; confidentiality and a third party's right to know an individual's genetic information; the physician's feeling of competency in understanding the technological, ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic testing for breast cancer; and finally, the attitude of physicians concerning responsibility to provide genetic counseling. The results indicated that significant differences exist among physicians. Quite different attitudes were found regarding genetic testing and responsibility to counsel patients on the social, legal, and ethical ramifications of genetic testing for breast cancer. On the other hand, this study discovered no significant differences between physicians' gender or length of experience regarding patient confidentiality or adequacy of genetic technology. As a result, these findings suggest a need to do further research on the differences found in this study. The question is, “Do these results reflect the attitudes of all primary care physicians or only the 162 doctors surveyed in Rhode Island?”
2003-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3085124
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Personality|Surgery|Philosophy|Oncology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1037
2020-04-25T18:00:53Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Assessing cognitively impaired parents using a strengths -based model
Montminy, Julia
This dissertation explores the current method endorsed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for assessing parenting abilities in the cognitively impaired population. It seeks to develop a more ethical means of finding the strengths and needs of these mothers and fathers. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, a balanced, holistic view of abilities and deficits is sought. Ultimately, these individuals can be assisted only if service providers understand what their needs are and how to address them effectively. The data suggest that parents with cognitive disabilities have far greater strengths than usually thought but that they are ignored because of low IQ scores. Evaluation is one-dimensional, and as such, gives a distorted view of a parent's functioning. The practice of relying on quantitative measures leads to unethical treatment for the parents and children. The families ultimately suffer the injustice of this prejudice. In addition, a broad range of resources is not yet available to them because, in part, they are considered to be in the minority of the population of parents who need the services of child protection agencies. In this study, 92 percent of the cases considered consisted of a family whose head was cognitively impaired, either with low-average intelligence or a formal diagnosis of mental retardation. The conclusion of this study is that more parents with disabilities may be able to raise their own children if they are given the proper support. All the data presented here were gathered from one county in Massachusetts during the years 1995–2003. Of the one hundred families included, all the cases examined were under the jurisdiction of either child protection services or family court. The children were in the custody of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The identification of these families, all from past cases, is shielded throughout this study. This is a retrospective study. The facts were gleaned from files. No new parent interviews were completed.
2005-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3169131
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Social work
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1032
2019-05-19T16:45:52Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Perceptions of Jacques Ellul's educational technique in a modern career-focused M.B.A. program
Gray, Gary Grant
Technology, while bestowing benefits upon society, has presented new challenges and risks, and the philosopher Jacques Ellul has reflected upon the problem of technology within society in his works The Technological Society and The Technological Bluff, among others. It is his ideas on ethics, technique, and technology that will be discussed here. This dissertation will examine Ellul's concept of technique within graduate career education, and will measure stakeholder perceptions of a career-focused M.B.A. program. Key to this examination is the notion that the development of career-focused M.B.A. programs need not preclude the creation of a holistically educated person. Indeed a successful program will encourage this process. A preliminary review of the literature reveals that while businesses encourage job training within M.B.A. programs, communication skills—and the ability to communicate with and relate to customer needs—are deemed crucial. An argument within this dissertation will focus on how exposure to the humanities enhances these skills. The research explored in this dissertation will demonstrate how different stakeholders might have different views of the importance of creating a fully educated person. If those differences do exist, why do they? How can these differences be reconciled? These questions will be explored and recommendations for better-educated career-oriented students will be offered.
2004-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3129187
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Business education|Educational theory
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1039
2020-04-25T18:00:49Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Visionary technology leadership from Admiral Hyman G. Rickover to masters of the information age
Bundy, William F
This doctoral dissertation examines the evolution of technology leadership in the U.S. Navy beginning with Admiral Hyman G. Rickover to the current era and extends to private sector practices. It ponders the question of how visionary leadership is exercised to deliver transformational change through technology. The thesis presented argues that visionary leaders must exercise the capability to advance their vision, exercise professional experience in advancing that vision, and that they must demonstrate the leadership capacity to gather talented people and sponsors to their cause. These leaders must also accept ultimate accountability for their creations and recognize the intended and unintended consequences of their technologies. That research question also extends to exploring the consequences of accepting or rejecting disruptive technology in the information age. This dissertation has relevance beyond the Navy and explores current technology innovation methods and insights. A technology focus on information technology (IT) is maintained to enhance the value of the research in an age where IT is a dominant driver of change that directly impacts everyone. The emerging technology leadership and governance discipline inspired the need for this research. Dissertation research and observations are offered on visionary leadership within the context of the humanities. The fundamental question of the Salve Regina University doctoral program is: What does it mean to be human in an age of advanced technology? The more specific question answered in this dissertation is: What does it mean to be human in an age of advanced technology while serving in positions of decision-making leadership? Being a person responsible for introducing, sustaining, and delivering technology and its governance has special meaning. The Salve Regina University doctoral program is grounded in this context which is a fairly unique approach to the study of technology and its impact on humans.
2005-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3169880
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Management
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1043
2019-05-19T16:46:01Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Computer -based interventions, health behavior change, and ethics
Traficante, Regina M
The relationship among technology, behavior change, and ethics is examined. The technology concerned is computer-related systems to promote and improve health behavior, in particular, computer-generated feedback reports from an expert system. Although smoking cessation, physical activity, and weight reduction are examined, the primary focus is on maintaining regular physical activity. A review of the literature demonstrates that computer-generated interventions can be applied to health needs and have many advantages over traditional alternatives. This review also showed that many ethical dilemmas are related to computer-based interventions. At issue is whether the ethical problems of using a computer-based treatment are worth the risk, especially when alternative traditional therapies are available. Participants' preference for computer-generated feedback delivered through the mail versus feedback via telephone from a human therapist was compared. This study examined whether this preference would affect behavior change success rates and addressed various ethical dilemmas. Subjects were asked about their compliance with the study if they did not receive the mode of intervention they preferred. The data on 263 participants showed that significantly more males than females preferred the computer-generated, personalized reports from an expert system via print. Regardless of preference, 88% of the sample felt they would remain an active participant in the study even if they received information in a manner they did not prefer. By the six-month follow-up the group receiving computer-generated reports through the mail was exercising 120.3 minutes per week versus 101.3 minutes for the telephone participants. Although there was no statistical difference between these two groups, the results were significantly better (p < .001) than the control group (n = 87), which averaged only 46.4 minutes of exercise per week. This dissertation has shown that computer-based interventions can be an effective, preferred, and cost-effective means of spreading healthcare information. The results of this study show that individualized feedback from an expert system, regardless of the means of delivery and participant preferences, produced significant increases in physical activity when compared to a control group. Ethical dilemmas pale in comparison to the benefits of computer-based interventions on behavior change. When compared to more traditional therapies, computer-based treatments hold much promise.
2004-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3133900
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Behaviorial sciences|Psychotherapy|Public health
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1041
2020-04-25T18:00:10Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The radioactive waste debate in the United States and nuclear technology for peaceful purposes
Tehan, Terrence Norbert
Many ethical, cultural, and economic concerns have accompanied the rapid growth of Western technology. Nuclear technology in particular has experienced considerable opposition because of its perceived dangers, especially disposal of atomic waste. While this field of science remains in its infancy, many legal, political and ecological groups oppose any further application of nuclear technology--including the significant medical, environmental, and economic benefits possible from a safe and responsible application of nuclear energy. Complete and objective knowledge of this technology is needed to balance a healthy respect for the danger of atomic power with its many advantages. This study focuses on one aspect of nuclear technology that has particularly aroused political and social controversy: nuclear waste. Finding ways of disposing safely of nuclear waste has become an extremely volatile issue because of the popular misconception that there is no permanent solution to this problem. This investigation will demonstrate that the supposedly enduring waste problem has been resolved in several industrial countries that now outstrip the United States in safe commercial applications of nuclear science. This dissertation offers a reasoned and objective contribution to the continuing national debate on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. This debate becomes more crucial as the nation seeks a dependable substitute for the non-renewable sources of energy now rapidly being exhausted.
1998-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9834298
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Nuclear physics|Energy|Environmental engineering|Environmental science
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1035
2020-04-25T18:00:41Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Technology, progress, and the human condition in the life and thought of C. S. Lewis
Demy, Timothy James
This dissertation examines C. S. Lewis's interpretation of technology, progress, and the human condition through an analysis of his life and writings. The thesis of this study is that Lewis understood technology to be an instrument of power that was increasingly used as a tool of manipulation and control in the twentieth century. Lewis's worldview was shaped by experiential, philosophical, literary, and theological sources and each one had a direct influence on his view of technology. Lewis believed that the propensity for using technology in a destructive manner was a result of universal pride and greed in humanity. These character traits resulted from the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Building upon Christian theology as traced through Augustinianism and Anglicanism, Lewis's understanding of progress was bounded by a belief in a cataclysmic end to human history. He did not believe in the inevitability of progress and he feared the abuse of technology and science by small groups of individuals as well as governments. The study focuses on the non-fiction writings of Lewis and demonstrates that much of his thought pertaining to technology stems from his concern that natural law was being abandoned in modern culture. Lewis's strongest defense of the intellectual heritage of the West is found in his books Mere Christianity, The Discarded Image, The Abolition of Man, and his Cambridge University inaugural lecture “ De Descriptione Temporum.” Five specific topics addressed by Lewis in relation to the use of technology are studied. These areas are: medicine and bioethics, government, education, war, and space exploration. On each of these subjects, Lewis argued that technology could be used for the benefit or detriment of individuals and society, but he feared the latter.
2004-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3146404
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Literature|Theology|Philosophy|British and Irish literature
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1029
2020-04-25T18:00:57Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Consumerism, credit cards, and college students
Levesque Ware, Claudette
This study examines how the promotion of credit cards among undergraduate students, while of great practical advantage, may adversely affect their financial standing and increase their need to work a part-time or full-time job to meet financial obligations. The problem will be analyzed in relation to the broader theme of a humanities examination of advanced capital-driven technology that has shaped a pervasive culture of consumerism and has created wide-spread debt in the current population. The influences of corporate politics, the commercialization of culture, and the impact of the mass media have given rise to artificial material wants that many consumers tend to interpret as genuine human needs. College students are particularly vulnerable to the power of consumerism. Free from parental supervision yet subject to a myriad of pressures, including academic, fiscal, and social, these young people often find fleeting gratification through material consumption. For many, convenience and entertainment serve as major forces that can drive them to adopt unreasonable spending patterns. In an effort to establish their self-worth and acceptance among their peers, students often become entrapped in a buying cycle that leads them to spend well beyond their means. Credit-card acquisition and use, fostered by advanced advertising, is a powerful inducement to students in desperate need. With little concern for factors besides profit, most credit card companies stress ready access to easy money, which raises ethical questions about corporate responsibility. In addition to an examination and evaluation of pertinent literature, this study is supported by student interviews, consultation with administrators, and surveys conducted at a mid-size New England university. The data gathered cover student motivation for obtaining credit cards, the extent of their use, the ability to maintain payments, and dealing with debt. These factors all lead to several general conclusions, namely, that credit-card companies encourage student spending, promote the purchase of nonessential items, and facilitate overspending by these mainly vulnerable young adults.
2002-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3051596
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Finance|Higher education|Social structure
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1024
2020-04-25T17:59:53Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Women and men in the new Navy: Life since Tailhook
Gooch, Robert Hynson
This study shows the extent to which issues and problems concerning gender integration in the U.S. Navy evolved during the last decade of the 20th century. Specifically, it covers the period from 1991 to 2000, when the Navy attempted to integrate women more completely into the Navy's operating forces more than at any other time in its history. Policies promulgated by the Department of the Navy (1991–2001) attempted to mandate equality and foster successful collaboration between men and women, while retaining the goal of good order and discipline in a previously all-male environment. Nevertheless, sexual harassment, fraternization, adultery, and hazing were problems that the United States Navy faced. Navy men and Navy women are similar in their desire for satisfying work, reasonable compensation, excitement or adventure, and a chance at a fulfilling personal life. But fundamental differences between the genders are found in perceptions, behavior, and expectations about policies among persons in the Navy. The U.S. Navy has generally succeeded in achieving equality of opportunity for women. Naval workplaces are by and large free today of gender issues such as sexual harassment, fraternization, and romance that harm good order, discipline, and the mission of the Navy's ships and stations. This success may serve as a guide to civilian organizations struggling with similar problems. The primary method for uncovering and examining the issues studied here was an extensive literature review. To determine “how men and women were doing in the decade following Tailhook,” surveys were distributed to U.S. Naval personnel of all ranks, rates, genders, and ages. The principal findings of this dissertation are (1) Gender Integration is successful; (2) Navy men and women are Navy professionals first, and representatives of their gender, second; (3) problems of sexual attraction, and losses due to pregnancy and marriage still exist; (4) Policies governing the genders are sound but inconsistently applied.
2001-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3005672
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Womens studies|Public administration|Labor relations
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1013
2020-04-25T18:00:16Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Dangerous medicine: The pharmaceutical industry's questionable ethical practices
Fielding, John T
The purpose of this study is to analyze the problematic impact of technology on American health care. Although the pharmaceutical industry's use of technology has produced beneficial results, at times the industry seems to overlook the unintended consequences involved. This study also examines the pharmaceutical industry's attempts to influence the physician's prescribing decisions as well as the patient's desire to get well as soon as possible. It analyzes the FDA's role in approving drugs, in monitoring the post-approval process, and in overseeing the industry's technological excesses. While the industry has the admirable goal of trying to relieve or eradicate illness, a few firms regularly engage in questionable behavior as they strive to increase their profitability. In addition to using ethically suspect marketing techniques, some firms suppress unfavorable research. In sum, it is clear that the drug industry needs to engage in deeper ethical reflection.
1999-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9915019
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Management|Marketing|Philosophy|Pharmaceuticals
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1036
2020-04-25T18:00:42Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Justice Florence Kerins Murray: A study of technology and the contemporary woman
Desrosiers, Marian Mathison
This study examines whether technological needs in World War II promoted opportunities for college-educated women to expand their leadership roles in United States society. In 1942, Congress established a Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), attracting educated women to serve as officers. Women organized and administrated war related programs that were once the domain of men. Technology-related leadership roles helped educated women to choose positions that would shape public policy and professional development in the decades after the war. The dissertation focuses on how technology-related military experiences of Justice Florence Kerins Murray (1916–2004) influenced her post-war self-actualization. When Lt. Col. Murray returned to private life in 1946, she sought local and statewide political office, becoming the second woman state senator in Rhode Island history. In 1956, she became New England's first female trial judge. An exemplar of women in her generation, Murray benefited armed forces experiences, attaining positions of community, political, and judicial leadership. Educated women army officers attained skills and attitudes that led them into post-war careers. To aid this project, Justice Murray has provided authentic insights in the form of personal recollections and unpublished sources that clarify our understanding of women's leadership roles after World War II, particularly by pioneers, like Murray, who facilitated a series of remarkable changes for women. Thus, this study contributes to an understanding of what it means to be human in an age of modern technology.
2004-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3150457
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Womens studies|American history|Law|Biographies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1011
2020-04-25T18:00:08Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The impact of television on the making of the president (1952 to 1992)
Recker, Roland Francis
This dissertation examines how technological developments in the electronic media have affected presidential political campaigns since television first became a key aspect of national politics in 1952. More specifically, a comparison of the presidential campaigns of 1952 and 1992 reveals how television has affected the nomination process, the way TV is used by candidates and network news organizations to communicate their messages, and the effect of television on campaign financing. While recognizing such impressive developments as satellite communications, videotape recording, and computers, this study suggests that the social consequences of these technological advances have been mixed. While allowing for increased information to be communicated in a more timely manner, technical innovations have sometimes led to a less informed, less knowledgeable, and often indifferent electorate. They have, in some instances, affected negatively the political process in particular and society in general. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the topic with specific reference to the philosophical aspects of the technological changes in the modern media. After a review and evaluation of the relevant literature, a detailed examination of differences between the two national election campaigns separated by forty years will demonstrate the changes in news broadcasting as well as the transformation of election tactics as seen in the messages carried by the electronic media. This study, which employs an historical and analytical approach to the problem, includes a personal interview with former NBC reporter Sander Vanocur. It also makes use of a questionnaire, distributed to a non-random, purposive sample of participants, intended to elicit the views of those who actually voted in the 1992 presidential election. A narrative explanation of the survey results is complemented by selective charts and graphs to assist in analyzing the data. Survey findings are assessed together with journalistic critiques in order to make sense out of current political-media issues. A final chapter provides a set of questions that helps to pull together and compare different perspectives. While identifying consistencies and anomalies, this chapter also proposes avenues of further research.
1998-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9833674
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Political science|American history|Mass media
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1009
2020-04-25T17:59:58Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Understanding China through the humanities
James, Dorothy P
This study examines the educational value of the humanities in reaching a comprehensive appreciation of China both as an ancient culture and as an important world power. Through the humanities we can begin to understand the essential qualities of a people--what they value, how they think, and how they express themselves through religion, philosophy, art, and literature. The importance of examining China's heritage in its historical and geographical context is further determined by global pressures. In a world of rapidly changing technology, of shifting ideologies and growing economic rivalries, the practical application of this approach to international understanding demands serious consideration. Today China gives every evidence of becoming a dominant economic force in the world, but her relations with the United States and other concerned countries continue to be plagued by misunderstanding and conflict. Both China's military power and environmental problems raised by massive industrialization continue to disturb her Asian neighbors and the world. Many Westerners are only superficially aware of the way an age-old civilization has shaped the Chinese character and attitudes. Even in academia, research and teaching in this area are often limited to a graduate specialty, but this study suggests that a humanities curriculum on China would offer a pragmatic response to this academic deficiency. The means proposed for this course of study is to examine the major elements of the humanities in the Chinese culture to discover the basis for insight and understanding. This method will give the nonspecialist an appreciation of this civilization's humane and liberal learning that will foster comprehension of humankind's similarities, compatibilities, and linkages. To highlight the relevance of this method, a comparative study of the diverse cultures of Russia and the United States in relation to China will further demonstrate the value of this approach.
1997-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9813176
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Curricula|Teaching|History|Social studies education
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1020
2020-04-25T18:00:22Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Ethics in science fiction: Butler, Wells, and Stapledon
Jenks, Darrell Allan
Science fiction is a literary response to the social challenges arising from the Industrial Revolution and the subsequent changes of the contemporary technological age. The science-fiction response involves a mythmaking function, which is at once a search for stability and social cohesion, as well as a critical response to failed efforts to achieve those goals. The approach of this paper accounts for the dual nature of science fiction, as exemplified by the dialectic between utopian and dystopian literature: between authors who lay out blueprints for a perfect society and those who criticize such schemes. This dissertation examines the ethical principles of three influential authors: Samuel Butler, H. G. Wells, and Olaf Stapledon. Butler wrote a satiric utopia that reflected the ravages of industrialization and overzealous reformist schemes. H. G. Wells created the opposite of utopia, dystopian worlds where technological progress has led to ever more unhappiness. Olaf Stapledon created a transcendent cosmos with a place for humanity, albeit an extremely insignificant one. The three authors came to reject the notion of progress, and the idea that technological development will cause more human happiness. The methodology uses the comparative approach of literary theory applied in the context of a dialectic between technological change and literary response. The conclusions point to the significance of ethical systems in science fiction. The genre is neither prediction nor apology: it reflects the search for security and stability in a world where technological development has repudiated traditional myth and morality.
2000-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9961198
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Literature|Philosophy|British and Irish literature
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1031
2019-05-19T16:46:25Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Does the current 20th century Navy personnel management system meet 21st century sailors' needs?
Ferree, William Daniel
In the 1970's, the U.S. Navy's leadership realized it was facing impending personnel shortages. These shortages would result from the end of conscription and a nation-wide shortfall of available males ages 18–23 in the U.S. To lessen the effects of these changes several management initiatives were introduced including competitive wage increases and introducing ship designs requiring fewer people by using more technology targeted to lessen repetitive labor intensive work. In the 1980's, the military build-up began to accentuate personnel problems of recruiting and retention in an All-Volunteer Force. However, severe personnel shortages were avoided, because the Soviet Union dissolved, greatly reducing the threat of war, the consequent need for ships, and the personnel to operate them. Technology changes in the Navy have continued to evolve at an unforeseen pace producing an unintended consequence of dramatically reducing total personnel while sharply increasing the need for high-tech personnel. Unfortunately, Navy personnel planners are still using 20th century tools to manage this 21st century challenge. A statistical examination was conducted on data gathered by the Department of Defense's 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel. The focus of this examination was to compare high-tech personnel with those who do more labor intense work. Results showed that high-tech personnel do not make their retention decisions based simply on monetary factors, though no doubt overall compensation is important to these specialized sailors. Current models are dominantly based on 20th century economic assumptions designed to recruit and retain sailors for labor intensive occupations. The current management system must move away from a primarily econometric based system to one that views personnel management issues in a more holistic manner. Recommendations are made in three areas: Education, Quality of Life, and Career Management. In sum, if the nation does not desire to return to conscription or to solve Navy personnel issues through excessive compensation, personnel management changes must be made to make high-tech sailors easier to recruit, happier while serving, and more likely to make the Navy part of their career plans.
2003-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3114589
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Management|Public administration|Statistics|Labor relations
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1033
2019-05-19T16:45:45Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Oil production and problems in Nigeria's Niger Delta: Military and civilian regimes' responses (1979–2001)
Okereke, Ifeoma Christie
This study examines the environmental and social problems caused by oil production in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It also determines how the military and civilian regimes respond to the problems. It critically discusses the environmental and social consequences of oil production in the region. The subjects include three military and two civilian regimes that ruled between 1979 and 2001. The study analyzes the overall nature and characteristics of the regimes along with their general roles in the governance of oil in Nigeria, the significance of oil to the country's political economy, and the issues of oil revenue allocation in the country. After analyzing how each regime responds to the problems in the Niger Delta region, it compares and contrasts the responses. Differences and similarities characterize the responses of the military and civilian regimes to the environmental and social problems in the Niger Delta region. However, the civilian regimes are slightly more sensitive than the military regimes to the problems in the region. While the similarities in response are attributable to the socioeconomic and political background and problems of Nigeria, the differences are linked to the basic differences in their political mandates and orientation. The issues and implications arising from the findings are critically analyzed leading to the exploration of the role of democracy in the developing countries. The study recommends political, socioeconomic, and environmental improvements of Nigeria generally as well as the Niger Delta region in particular. It also suggests areas of further studies.
2004-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3129414
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Political science|Energy|Environmental science|African history
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1019
2020-04-25T18:00:19Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The rise and fall of the American diner, 1920–1960
Viveiros, Daniel Robert
This dissertation will demonstrate that changing technology and culture played an important role in the rise and fall of the American diner. The lunch wagon that evolved into the diner was created to fill a void in late-night dining during the American Industrial Revolution. The expanding industrial base of New England created fertile ground for the birth of a new food-service industry. The primary research methods employed in the study consisted of historical examinations, site visitations and interviews. Diners throughout the Northeast were visited as a mechanism for verifying historical data concerning construction techniques and materials. Interviews were conducted to investigate the reasons customers patronized diners. The principal findings indicate that technology wielded a double-edged sword. It was used to transform the horse-drawn lunch wagon into the modern diner. State-of-the-art construction techniques and materials were liberally used to enhance the efficiency of the diner, while making the eatery more physically attractive to its patrons. Technology had a negative influence on the diner also. As the fast-food concept spread across the country, diner operators were unable to meet the challenges that confronted them. Technological advances also affected the eating behavior and service expectation of society in general. These factors led to the decline of diners in the 1960s. Preservationists have embarked on a campaign to save this American icon by placing several diners on the National Register. This dissertation will elaborate on these and other topics.
2000-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9961188
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Social structure|American history|American studies|Geography
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1038
2020-04-25T18:00:48Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
An Ethical Assessment of Intercountry Adoption: Romania to the United States, 1990–2003
Murphy, Terry
This dissertation examines the following question: Was the intercountry adoption of Romanian children by Americans during the period of 1990–2003 ethically justified? Stated formally, its thesis is: Utilizing developed ethical theories, specifically deontological ethics, an ethic of care, and utilitarianism, this dissertation assesses qualitatively intercountry adoption from Romania to the United States. The assessment begins by examining the internationally approved documents relating to intercountry adoption. These reports help produce a quasi-global consensus for the three main "value views" of intercountry adoption. These value views are then examined against the frameworks of deontological (Kantian) ethics, utilitarianism, and an ethic of care (grounded by phronesis or practical wisdom) to produce an "ethical model" of intercountry adoption. The Romanian/American situation is then compared against this "model." The assessment demonstrates that during this period, intercountry adoption from Romania was ethical and should continue to be supported by citizens of a globalized world.
2005-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3169310
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Social work
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1021
2020-04-25T18:00:17Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Expanding the technology debate through the investigation of humor in recent art: 1950s to 1990s
Mathias, Margaret
This study examines the humor-technology relationship expressed in certain recent twentieth-century art, thus contributing to an understanding about living in an age of advanced technology. Humor scholarship, a growing discipline within the humanities, contributes philosophical, psychological, social, and scientific insights about human nature and social interaction. Technology, defined in the broadest sense, includes artifacts, technique, organized knowledge, systems, and methods. The thesis argues that the analysis of humor directed at technology increases knowledge about technological concerns despite the fact that earlier humor studies have, for the most part, neglected this source of learning. Although technology has been the object of broad inter-disciplinary and cross-cultural scrutiny, little in the literature relates the study of technology to humor generally or humorous art particularly. How humor exposes technology's pretense through wit or ridicule, therefore, is a valid subject of inquiry. As topics of academic examination, humor, technology, and art, may also be investigated through other subjects such as human intelligence, aesthetics, ethics, celebration, and play, therefore, an analysis of their relationship provides additional avenues of research. Employing the Aristotelian dialectic and abductive, or hypothetical reasoning, this study probes classical and contemporary theories of human nature, humor, and technology to reveal their interconnectedness, similarities, and differences. This method validates humor as a source of knowledge that clarifies, to some degree, the impact of technology on social development. An analysis of several artists and their works further demonstrate the value of humor as a means of evaluating technology. Since the 1960s contemporary art has exhibited distinguishing characteristics that include the intentional use of humor, social commentary, and the use of various technologies, such as computer, laser, and video. The critique of these artists and their works provides a focal point for this systematic inquiry. In addition, the interdisciplinary approach combines the views and works of artists who use a wide range of humor, irony, satire, and even slapstick in critiquing technology. The amusing, funny, and thought-provoking works of these concerned artists lend additional perspectives to the theories of major scholars in the field of technology.
2000-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9961199
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Fine Arts|Computer science
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1014
2020-04-25T18:00:15Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Aldous Huxley and the human cost of technological progress
Sion, Ronald T
This dissertation examines Aldous Huxley's criticism of modern technological progress through an analysis of six of his novels that span four turbulent decades of the twentieth century. The thesis of this study is that these examples of Huxley's fiction demonstrate a constant concern for the power of technology to influence human values and that the authentic test of technological progress is the degree to which it aids or hinders society in its humane development. From his early novels that satirized the frivolous lives of the English upper class to his more probing works of anti-utopian themes, Huxley questioned a culture obsessed with materialism and a blind belief that the advance of technology will lead humanity to a higher and happier existence. The six novels fall into three divisions. Antic Hay is an early novel of social criticism that depicts the aimless or self-absorbed cultural elite following World War I. After Many a Summer Dies the Swan and Time Must Have a Stop are novels that expose the folly of materialism. Huxley's three futuristic novels depict worlds that can result if technology is allowed to progress unchecked, ostensibly for the betterment of humankind. Brave New World shows how mental conditioning and drugs can produce a mindless society devoid of human values. In Ape and Essence a nuclear war causes mankind to degenerate into ruthless animals. Only in Island, the most idyllic of these utopian novels, has humanity learned to accept those technologies that promote human advancement and to discard all others. Eastern thought became an important feature of Huxley's response to modern materialism. His personal letters and essays of this period also help elucidate the views found in his fiction—a distinguished series of imaginative novels that explore the dilemmas of modern culture in relationship to technology.
1999-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI9918180
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
British and Irish literature|Social structure|Philosophy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1034
2019-05-19T16:45:55Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The effect of using the computer as a learning tool in a kindergarten curriculum
Meckes, Shirley A
This study examines first whether computer-assisted instruction, as distinct from teacher-only instruction, can benefit young children's readiness for learning. Second, it attempts to determine whether the computer can be made a meaningful tool in an early childhood curriculum, specifically in kindergarten teaching. Next, it seeks to achieve a clearer understanding of technology's influence on young children's education. Finally, it considers technology's role in modern society. The primary means of investigating these questions was a study in which three successive kindergarten groups totaling 82 pupils were assessed utilizing qualitative and quantitative instruments. Each kindergarten class was randomly divided. The control group used only traditional teacher-guided instruction, with no computer usage, as its method of learning. The experimental group was taught using computer-assisted instruction as the primary means of learning. The qualitative feedback was derived from a behavioral survey process that assessed how these sets of pupils felt about their method of instruction, and the results were compared using a rubric scale. Further, the Metropolitan Readiness Test I used as a pre-test and version II of this instrument administered as a post-test, provided quantitative results. Again, results were compared to determine whether, and to what degree, using computer technology at school affects young children's learning. Qualitative data results indicate that these children generally favored learning through teacher-guided instruction. Quantitative results for kindergarten readiness skills showed that children who received teacher-guided instruction generally scored higher than those in the computer-assisted group. Results from these two methods of research reveal that, though both sets of pupils (teacher-guided and computer-assisted) had generally positive experiences, those of the control group (teacher-directed pupils) were stronger. The results of this study indicate that computer-assisted instruction, as distinct from teacher-directed instruction, does not significantly improve kindergarten children's learning of preparatory skills. The results also confirm that, when used as a supplementary classroom activity, computer-aided instruction can be of assistance in the learning process.
2004-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3129416
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Curricula|Teaching|Elementary education|Educational software
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1040
2020-04-25T18:00:51Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Through the eye of a needle: The profit motive's effect on managerial moral reasoning
Schroth, Ferd
The effect of the profit motive on managerial moral reasoning is examined by qualitatively reviewing and empirically testing the “Separation Thesis.” The “Separation Thesis” avers that in a free market system there is a total isolation of economic decision-making from any moral implications whatsoever. Many economists lionize homo economicus, i.e., economic man, who is seen as selfishly pursuing profit without any altruistic or moral restraint. In 1776, two centuries before R. Edward Freeman advanced his “Separation Thesis,” Adam Smith described a similar concept in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. His famous theory states that, as man pursues his own economic gain, he is led by an “invisible hand” that promotes the well-being of all society. Smith's invisible hand theory has been accepted by most economists as benignly guiding our open market economic system toward the common good. However, an often ignored viewpoint, contrary to the “Separation Thesis,” was expressed by Smith prior to the publication of his “invisible hand” premise. In The Theory of Moral Sentiment (1759), Smith concluded that, even though man may be selfish, he is still basically concerned with the well-being of others, and therefore requires their happiness to fulfill his own. University students, as well as full-time employees, were surveyed about this issue using hypothetical scenarios to simulate managerial economic decision-making in the for-profit and in the not-for-profit sectors. A statistical analysis of this data has shed light on, but neither proved nor disproved the “Separation Thesis”; however, continued research into the “Separation Thesis” is suggested for the future. Studying the profit motive's interaction with, and impact on, managerial moral reasoning, is important to better understand the impact of technology, capitalism, and the corporation on the human condition.
2005-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3178855
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Management|Business costs
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1044
2020-04-25T18:00:38Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Interpreting business in film: Three case studies in creative leadership
O'Connor, Anice M
This dissertation examines how the creative characteristics and behaviors of business leaders are portrayed in selected modern films. Using the specific genre of the biographical film as the medium, the study investigates how each film protagonist depicts particular traits and levels of creative action in business, as identified in leadership literature of the late twentieth century. The selected American films include Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Bugsy, and The People vs. Larry Flynt. In Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Preston Tucker is portrayed as a heroic automotive visionary trying to operate in a world dominated by the Big Three in Detroit. Presented as a devoted husband and family man, he is committed to breaking the existing automotive paradigm and political machinery through perseverance, humor, and team resourcefulness. In the film Bugsy, Benjamin Siegel dreams of building a gambling mecca in the desert, a place eventually recognized as Las Vegas. Unpredictable and violent, he nonetheless possesses the dedication to a vision that extends far beyond the economic worries of his crime family partners. In The People vs. Larry Flynt, the adult magazine publisher Larry Flynt is devoted almost exclusively to the pursuit of money and material wealth. Self-promoting and overindulgent, Flynt still shows creative leadership in his ability to unabashedly copy and market an existing business model for his own purposes. As the actions of each protagonist take visual shape through three unique biographical films, the similarities and differences of the main characters serve as excellent illustrations of themes identified in late twentieth century leadership literature.
2006-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3195876
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Management|Motion pictures|Business education
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1003
2018-08-15T17:20:42Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Americanizing the American Woman: Symbols of Nationalism in the LADIES HOME JOURNAL, 1890-1900
Kayer, Kaithlyn
When the Ladies’ Home Journal began in 1883, its creator, Mr. Cyrus H. K. Curtis, could not have possibly dreamed that the magazine would grow to be the most influential woman’s journal of all time. A material culture analysis of American nationalistic emblems published in the Ladies’ Home Journal between 1890 and 1900 will determine how Edward Bok, editor, controlled nationalism in the feminine market, displaying the openness of women to nationalism in the late 19th century. It will also reveal how Bok created and controlled an educational tool he deemed “Americanization”, establishing a technique that magazines would replicate in the future.
2005-12-20T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/4
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1003/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Edward Bok
symbolism
nationalism
The Ladies' Home Journal
Historic Preservation and Conservation
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1001
2013-05-31T22:19:21Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Guest Worker Programs: Problem or Solution?
McKenna, Erin
Should unauthorized immigrants be allowed to legally work within the borders of the United States? This question is at the heart of the debate over the use of guest worker programs in America. Many believe guest worker programs that include these undocumented immigrants would actually be harmful. They fear these immigrants would not leave the country after their legal status has expired and that the conditions for many American workers would diminish.
2005-12-20T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/2
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1001/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
guest worker programs
President G.W. Bush
illegal aliens
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1002
2006-05-16T18:50:05Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Out of Sync: How Japanese International Students and American Students Misread Each Other
Sousa, Jennifer
The effects of cultural values and perceptions of cultural values on social support and acculturative stress are examined in this study. Japanese international students and American students completed several instruments to facilitate both the comparison and perception of each other’s cultural values and whether the accuracy of Japanese students’ perception of American students’ values was related to self-reported stress in the Japanese students. There were 11 Japanese international students and 46 American students from Salve Regina University participating in the study. Somewhat surprisingly, Japanese and American participants were shown to have similar individualist cultural values, and the American participants scored significantly higher than the Japanese participants on the collectivist values scale. Additionally, the American students’ perceived that the Japanese students would score higher on the collectivist scale than they actually did, and the Japanese students were found to believe that the American students would score higher than the Japanese participants on the individualism scale. Contrary to initial predictions, cultural values and perception of cultural values of the other group did not correlate with the Japanese international students’ level of adjustment, but the Japanese participants’ perception of American values did correlate slightly with their quality of social support.
2005-12-20T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/3
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1002/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Japanese
American
students
accultural stress
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1005
2013-06-12T23:32:03Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Life of Simon Wiesenthal as Told by the New York Times
Kelleher, Mary Cate
On September 21, 2005, The New York Times ran a front page article declaring the death of acclaimed Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal. The story, written by award-winning New York Times journalist Ralph Blumenthal, functioned both as an obituary and as a tribute to the late Holocaust survivor’s life. Weisenthal's life is divided into three periods as chronicled in The New York Times. In the first period we saw Wiesenthal the Nazi-hunter. In the second period we saw Wiesenthal the celebrity, complete with a controversial media war and a series of films. In the third period Wiesenthal revisited the Waldheim controversy while the Wiesenthal Center combated the entertainment industry and dealt with contemporary human rights issues. By the time of his death, Wiesenthal had accomplished what he had set out to do with both supporters and critics all over the world. His obituary in the Times accurately states the facts of his life in the public eye, honoring his achievements and acknowledging his failures.
2006-04-16T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/6
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1005/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Simon Wiesenthal
Ralph Blumenthal
Nazi hunter
New York Times
Wiesenthal Center
English Language and Literature
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1000
2006-05-16T18:20:15Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Driver’s Licenses and Illegal Immigration: Issues of Controversy
Marshall, Catherine M
Got ID? Having an official form of identification is imperative in the United States for legal, travel and government purposes. The increases in illegal immigration and security concerns in this country have caused officials to evaluate the role of driver’s licenses as forms of identification with legal and illegal immigrants. Traditionally driver’s licenses have been granted to legal citizens only; however, several states have adopted systems making it easier for illegal immigrants to qualify for distinct certificates to drive. This has sparked a national debate regarding the proper use of driver’s licenses as identification. While some believe that granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants will reduce security concerns and keep immigration in check, others argue that granting such certificates will be too costly for the states, are discriminatory in nature and rewards illegal behavior. Therefore, the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal aliens is controversial.
2005-12-20T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/1
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1000/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1000/filename/0/type/additional/viewcontent/catherine_marshall_thesis.doc
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
driver’s licenses
illegal aliens
homeland security
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1004
2013-06-12T23:31:13Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
I Am: Identity, Maturation, and the Ideal Woman in Bronte’s Villette
Brennan, Malissa
Although many individuals may be familiar with Charlotte Brontë’s works—Jane Eyre has become somewhat of a literary staple—many others may not be as familiar with Villette, Brontë’s last and most autobiographical novel. Regardless of mixed reviews, Villette’s themes, characters, and underlying premises create a literary work that is exponentially more valuable in the Brontë literary canon than any work of any Brontë sister. The literary merit of Brontë’s novel, which documents one woman’s journey towards self-discovery and maturation, is infinitely invaluable; its passion, intensity, and discovery far surpasses the literary fame of Jane Eyre and Rochester. Villette showcases a woman’s struggles against a tide of Victorian values, and outlines the lonely journey towards maturation and personal fulfillment.
2006-05-01T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/5
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1004/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Charlotte Brontë
Villette
autobiographical novel
Victorian values
woman maturation
Literature in English, British Isles
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1045
2020-04-25T18:00:52Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The impact of Web -enhanced distance learning technology on the concerns of faculty
Magill, David S
This study examined the impact of internet-enhanced distance learning technology on professors of intermediate-level correspondence courses in Joint Professional Military Education (JPME). While the successful use of web-based instruction has been demonstrated in a wide variety of training and lower-level educational venues, the affective impact of this technology on those who teach with it has yet to be fully assessed. A study of the attitudes and concerns of faculty who are called upon to teach these courses provides a valuable addition to the growing body of research investigating this rapidly growing field. Data was collected by survey of the faculties of Intermediate-level Colleges in the Department of Defense Professional Military Education system. The instruments used were the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and a companion model for assessing open-ended statements of concern, both products of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) project at the University of Texas. These methodologies are the result of extensive research and development in the field of change in education and have been rigorously tested for validity and reliability. How does the incorporation of web-enhanced distance learning technology affect the concerns of faculty at Intermediate-level correspondence programs in Joint Professional Military Education? This is the central research question investigated by this study. Results indicated that the faculties of these institutions were in the early stages of using web-enhanced teaching technology. It appeared that most faculty members had a positive attitude toward the innovation and their chief concern was in learning more about it. There was also a secondary degree of personal concern indicated. They also indicated some concern for cooperation with other practitioners, most frequently expressed as a desire to learn from their counterparts at other JPME schools. In contrast to the generally upbeat profile derived from the SoCQ, open-ended statements provided by the respondents expressed some concerns about external support from their respective leadership and management chains. Military distance educators were generally positive and optimistic about the educational value of technology enhanced learning programs, but somewhat less so about how the military bureaucracy would provide necessary support. Findings from this research are expected to yield insight into the concerns faculty members have as a web-enabled teaching innovation is implemented at their institutions. Analysis of these data will help us understand the impact of the technology on teachers, especially in the military education environment, and provide a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in an age of rapidly growing technology.
2005-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3206136
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Curricula|Teaching|Educational software
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1006
2013-06-12T23:32:54Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Impact of the European Union on Spain
Ryan, Christine
This thesis provides a detailed history of the establishment of the EC, which later evolved into the European Union, and how it has contributed to the economic and political growth of Spain as one of its member states.
2006-04-01T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/7
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1006/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
European community
Spain
European Union
economy
European History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1007
2006-10-04T14:25:01Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Stopping Racism Through Art
Cowsill, Courtney
Racism is defined as the belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability, and that a particular race is superior to others. Bigoted behavior is a display of discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race because of these beliefs, and is an omnipresent force still around today.
2006-05-04T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/8
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1007/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
racism
discrimination
hate crimes
minorities
bigotry
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1046
2020-04-25T18:00:40Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Macrocosm and microcosm: The emergent sacred in the work of Thomas Berry and C. G. Jung
McKnight, Sarah M
This dissertation explains Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme's cosmological enterprise as proposed in The Universe Story: The Universe as the primary revelation of the sacred and seeks to connect it to C.G. Jung's theory of individuation. This dissertation examines Berry's proposal for a new viable myth, and asks whether Berry's intention can be strengthened by contemplating and integrating it with Jung's understanding of the conscious coming to know the unconscious. This dissertation explores the possibility that Berry and Jung, each through their individual body of work, are bringing into consciousness a context for humanity's new myth for our time, a new cosmology. The works of these two scholars complement the notion that the individual, and the universe as a whole, mirror each other, in their innate longing for emergence of sacred revelation in every being, both Microcosmic and Macrocosmic in the vastness of the universe. A paradigm shift, in a Kuhnian sense, may be occurring in our time that requires greater consciousness of humans' relationship with and in the universe; Berry is attempting to guide humanity toward this re-educated view. This new paradigm shift relies on Thomas Kuhn's idea that a new conceptual scheme appears in order to create and communicate language that will make comprehensible the emergence of new scientific theory. This dissertation marshals suggestive background support for the process of such a paradigm shift by examining the deep wonderings of selected Western philosophers, poets, and scientists, (Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Hölderlin, Werner Heisenberg, et al.) who personally challenge the question of technological advancement and its effect on Being. Their inquiry into the Western understanding of technology seems to portray a general zeitgeist shift, or New Story. The science of emergence and its dynamic sense of something new and different arising at the edge of chaos is explored and linked to the Jungian symbol of the mandorla as an apt image for the overlap that may be created from Jung's Microcosmic view of individuation with Berry's Macrocosmic vision of the Universe Story.
2006-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3229858
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Religion|Philosophy|Psychology|Philosophy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1047
2020-04-25T18:00:37Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Handing on the faith: Religious education past and present in the Catholic Diocese of Providence
Flowers, Sandra J
Considering the dramatic changes affecting American Catholics, this dissertation investigates whether three third, fourth, and fifth grade religious education programs in one deanery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island are succeeding in "handing on the faith." Examining the ways in which these parishes are implementing the U.S. Catholic Bishops' directives on catechesis and the degree to which the programs have adopted contemporary educational methodology, the researcher discusses the bishops' mandate to convey doctrine, to encourage worship, to promote community-mindedness and commitment to service. At the same time, theories put forth by Benjamin Bloom and Howard Gardner urge educators to adopt innovative approaches in teaching. Addressing current challenges within the Church, this study includes a historical review of religious education before, during, and after Vatican II (1962--65). Among the topics discussed are the development of the Baltimore Catechism and the dramatic changes affecting religious Sisters and Brothers in the wake of the Council. To ascertain the state of diocesan catechesis, this researcher undertook a survey of five sets of catechetical participants in each of the three parishes-pastors, directors, teachers, parents, and students. All were asked about their perceptions of key aspects of their parishes' programs: materials, methodologies, planning, and evaluation. Using different texts and approaches, each program appears to fulfill the bishops' mandates while incorporating Bloom's and Gardner's recommendations. Nevertheless, survey data indicate that some participants are insufficiently engaged in the program and that communication among all the participants needs to be enhanced. Pastors, while enthusiastic about their programs, often have little time to devote to them, and not all lay teachers are adequately prepared for their role as catechists. Finally, while each program is succeeding in its own way, they are using substantially different curricula, thus raising challenges for those students who leave one parish program for another. The researcher recommends formation of a collaborative between deanery parishes and area Catholic universities; increased opportunities for adult religious education for current and future catechists; and design of a scope and sequence chart to ensure commonality of instruction and fulfillment of standards among all deanery religious education programs.
2006-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3231318
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Religious education|Education history
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1010
2013-05-31T22:16:12Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Impact of Standardized Testing on Student Performance in the United States
Linden, Stephanie
In the United States, the current trend in education is the dependence on standardized testing to improve our current education system. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mandates higher test scores and improved academic performance in schools nation-wide, especially inner city schools. This thesis will attempt to evaluate whether standardized testing and the methods used to assess high performance has helped to create a better education system in the United States, or whether it has hindered student performance. There has been much discussion about this topic, some positive and some not. In this paper I will present both sides of the issue. I will base my recommendations on the most current research, journal articles, and personal editorials from practicing teachers and administrators. I will evaluate the United States’ performance on international testing such as the TIMSS, as compared to other countries with different methodologies. This theme directly relates to the mission of the Pell Center because education is part of the national public policy and something that teachers, administrators, parents, and the general public have definite opinions about. It also influences international education, as other countries around the world debate new educational policies such as national curriculums and the use of standardized testing.
2007-05-01T07:00:00Z
text
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/10
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1010/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
EDUCATION; UNITED STATES; K-12
Education policy
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics
International and Area Studies
International Business
Legal Studies
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1011
2007-06-19T19:38:44Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Investigation of Safe-Level Testing for Beta-lactam, Sulfonamide, and Tetracycline Residues in Commingled Bovine Milk
Goulette, Richelle R.
In the United States more than “a billion pounds of butter, 7 billion pounds of cheese, 1.5 billion pounds of yogurt, and one billion gallons of ice cream” (USDA, 2005) are produced annually. According to the USDA Food Pyramid, it is recommended that every person consume between two and three cups of milk products every day (USDA, 2005). With so much product being consumed by the greater public there is cause for concern on the quality of the product being ingested. The purpose of this research is to explore the quality of milk product, particularly safe-level residue testing for antibiotics in bovine milk, on an international scale. The health hazards of having antibiotic residues in milk have also been widely examined with alarming results. Antibiotic residues have been implicated in transfer of antibiotic resistant plasmids in bacteria as well as possible allergic reaction, both of which are devastating to the citizens of the world. Through previous experimentation different safe levels of antibiotic residues have been derived, some of which are different in various countries worldwide. Knowing that different countries employ multiple testing methods and have different safe levels, it is safe to assert that citizens internationally are receiving different antibiotic levels in their dairy products, thus making this a social justice issue. Many studies have been previously conducted that focus on the safe-levels of particular antibiotics with the various accepted testing methods as well as the false positives that the different tests can cause. The DelvoTest and Charm tests will be the primary tests examined, as they are the most widely used and FDA approved. The final step to ensure justice is a global policy that would include education of farmers and those working in and around the dairy industry as well as recognition of a problem on a regional, national, and world level.
2007-05-01T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/11
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1011/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
antibiotic residues; health hazards; DelvoTest; Charm tests; food Pyramid
Agriculture
Health care
Public health
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1012
2007-06-20T13:57:19Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Investigating the Worldwide Popularity of Forensics
Stankiewicz, Heather
The popularity of forensic science has increased dramatically over the past decade throughout the United States. However, has this popularity spread to other countries around the world and to what extent? In the United States, there are numerous television shows focusing on the law and crime scene analysis, including “CSI,” “Law and Order,” “24,” “Crossing Jordan,” and “Forensic Files,” just to name a few. It is evident that the fascination with forensics has also reached other countries with the spread of the television show “CSI” to England, Thailand, and even India. Because of the popularity with these television shows, this has led many school systems around the globe to add courses relating to this field. Worldwide, colleges are adding forensic science programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels. Surprisingly, similar programs are even sneaking their way into numerous high schools and middle schools across the globe. These programs are designed to put a new twist on biology and chemistry classes in order to intrigue students with something that is exciting and familiar. Due to the popularity of forensics, there have been many organizations formed and international conferences held to share knowledge in order to help other countries keep up with the new growing trend. With the popularity of television shows on crime, forensic educational programs, numerous professional organizations, and international conferences pertaining to this field, forensic science has become popular in numerous countries around the world.
2007-04-26T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/12
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1012/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
forensic science; education; school system; mass media
Communication
Criminal justice
Education policy
Entertainment industry
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1013
2007-06-19T20:13:42Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
When Educational Technology Meets New Pedagogical Methods
Synnott, Stephanee
This thesis speaks about the The RIBGHE (Rhode Island Board of Governors of Higher Education), formally known as Eisenhower grant. The Science and Mathematic faculty at Salve Regina University have been working under the Eisenhower and RIBGHE Partnership Grant for the past 8 years. It had multiple benefits. It was through the RIBGHE, that there were three cornerstones the driving force behind this senior thesis; 1) introducing technology in the high schools in R.I. 2) introducing new pedagogical methods in science education and 3) training teachers to develop inquiry-based curricular materials. PACO Scientific, which is one of the new major manufactures of state-of-the art educational technology, linked the grant program to develop guided inquiry curriculum for high school science teachers and served as an excellent tool for the training of the high school teachers. But it was also through this experiment that it was realized how much the grant did for the local community. The RIBGHE grant provided a service to the local high schools. It introduced new teaching methods to Rhode Island schools that need improvements with its curricular standards. The grant also helped professional development and certification of high school science teachers that might not normally be able to do so on their own. But probably most importantly for the students, the grant delivered the latest technology to high schools that might normally be able to afford such lab equipment. However overall, the grant allowed the expertise of the joined faculty- student team help bring high school science education to the 21st century in the local community.
2007-04-27T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/21
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1013/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
RIBGHE; SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY; PACO SCIENTIFIC; RHODE ISLAND; EDUCATION;
Education policy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1016
2013-05-31T22:17:36Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Writers of the Harlem Renaissance at Odds: Wright and Hurston's Different Approaches
Labbe, Sarah L.
This thesis speaks about “The Harlem Renaissance”, which is generally believed to have begun in the 1920’s, ending in the late 1930’s just before the Great Depression. During the Harlem Renaissance black people began to express themselves as a distinct culture. This expression took on many different forms; visual arts, music, literature, and theater. There were two general phases of the Harlem Renaissance. The first phase, 1921-1924, was the “Propaganda phase…to reveal the humanity of—and, thereby, validate—the African-American race through the strength of its arts and letters” (West 202). Thus this early stage was to show that blacks were feeling beings, like whites, and they showed this through their artistic abilities. The second phase, 1924-1931, “Connected Harlem writers to white intelligentsia with its access to established publishing companies” (West 202). The key authors of this time were Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright here. Hurston produced a plethora of literary works in her lifetime, including “essays, folklore, short stories, novels, plays, articles on anthropology and autobiography”. Author of the theses makes an analysis of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. Her focus isn’t on attaining equality, it is on bettering the arts so that there can be some strong black figures in American society. The second topic of this novel is racism, it’s used very subtly. Instead woven inconspicuously into certain points in the story to help the reader understand why some of the events are unfolding the way they are. The other author, Richard Wright became the most famous African-American writer during the Harlem Renaissance. From his works chose the author of the thesis an analysis of his novel Native Son. Wright is taking the ideas of the Harlem Renaissance one step further by introducing his political and social ideals to his readers. Major themes of Native Son are racism and communism. Both writers had different purposes in writing, despite the fact that they both are seeking respect for black people. Due to these differences the novels are different in terms of characterization, themes and writing style. Though Wright and Hurston have such vastly different views and such vastly different novels and writing styles, they are still working towards a similar goal: to promote and bring understanding to black culture.
2007-04-29T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/15
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1016/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
HARLEM RENAISSANCE; RACISM; RICHARD WRIGHT; ZORA NEALE HURSTON
American history
Literature
History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1015
2007-06-20T15:47:05Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Chaos Theory and Military Applications
Crane, Judith
This paper reviews the fundamentals of Chaos theory, military systems that are Chaotic, Chaos in non-physical systems, Chaos control, and the applications of Chaos theory for the military. This fairly new mathematical concept is still being explored and it is expanding in its applications for the military. Glenn James in his paper Chaos theory: The Essentials for Military Applications, capitalizes the word “chaos” throughout his paper when discussing mathematical chaos. This method will be used throughout this paper as well to distinguish mathematical chaos from social chaos. In order to help understand Chaos theory, the logistic map, a difference equation developed by Robert May, will be used. Understanding how to detect Chaos in a system and looking at the possibility of using Chaos to decode enemy signals can be essential for military personnel, especially when combating terrorism. The more terrorist attacks that can be prevented, the more peaceful the world will be. The military uses communication for everything it does and it is important to keep these communications as secure as possible. Applications of Chaos theory include using it in this military communications and also for decoding enemy signals, searching for enemy missiles, and using it in assembly lines. Part of understanding how to use Chaos in the military comes from knowing how Chaos can be controlled.
2007-04-19T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/14
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1015/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
CHAOS THEORY; MILITARY APPLICATIONS; TERRORISM;
Mathematics
Military policy
National security
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1014
2013-06-12T23:28:37Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
A Study of Personality and Student Involvement on the College Campus
Bisson, Kera
This study examined optimism and locus of control and their relationship to student involvement on and off-campus. The participants were 94 undergraduate students, male and female, ages 18 to 22. Participants completed three scales; Optimism Scale, Locus of Control Scale, and Involvement Scale. The results were analyzed using a correlational matrix. Optimism was significantly related to student involvement. Locus of control, contrary to predictions, was not significantly related to student involvement. Conclusions are drawn about optimism’s role in student involvement and about how student involvement may increase optimism.
2007-05-01T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/13
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1014/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
OPTIMISM; INTERNALITY; STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
Educational psychology
Organizational behavior
Social research
Educational Psychology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1018
2013-05-31T22:18:33Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Despair disguised as entertainment: Does Oprah Winfrey sensationalize human suffering in order to fuel her media empire and encourage other media to follow?
Cullen, Alana D.
These papers describe position of a popular medial star Oprah Winfey and her influence for today’s culture and tries to show all the points of view on the problematic of her controversial TV show program and all the business around her. The Oprah Winfrey Show is about a certain form of social suffering that originates in the family and that is articulated from the experience and viewpoint of women inside the family. Ironically, while western photojournalism and the evening news regularly import nonwestern images of war, famine, and natural disasters, The Oprah Winfrey Show represents the first television genre that exports American forms of suffering to the rest of the world, a suffering that differs significantly from the imported kinds in that it is individual, private and concerns the self. Oprah made a whole world about her. People are running their lives based around the programs they watch. The Oprah Winfrey Show is about a certain form of social suffering that originates in the family and that is articulated from the experience and viewpoint of women inside the family. Confessional discourse is deployed on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and consumerism, expressions of anxiety and fragmentation, and therapy all coexist with the announcement of self-recovery and self-realization that come from narrating one’s own story. Oprah operates through an interplay of ‘ordinary’ topics, which is her mark, as well as that of the guests, and extra-ordinariness confirmed by her celebrity status. The Oprah Winfrey Show convinces its viewers that their personhood is tied to community, friendship and familial networks but more importantly, that their self is purpose-driven and capable of contesting oppressive forces. What is fascinating is that this mantra of self-betterment acts as an umbrella over the Oprah persona, which stretches across her multi-media empire. Her show, her Web Site, her magazine, her book club, her films, her made for TV movies, even her friends make up the Oprah community. There is a definite mixture of charity, television and the consumer market. Frequently called trash TV, talk shows are cited as representing the worst excesses of cheap television, signaling the ‘dumbing down’ of culture.’ It’s a complex mix of celebrity, media synergy, and female buying power.
2007-04-20T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/17
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1018/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
OPRAH WINFREY; CONTROVERSIAL TV SHOW; MEDIA; SOCIAL SUFFERING
Entertainment industry
Society
Mass Communication
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1019
2013-06-12T23:29:30Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Language Shift: Spanish in the United States
Philbrick, Alison
This thesis deals with the concept of language shift, paying particular attention to Spanish in the United States. Initially, the factors that influence a language’s shift in dominance such as population dislocation, conquest etc. are examined. The origins of English are also explored as an example of how a language evolves over time. Spanish influence, including the language, was gradually introduced to North America in the 15th and 16th centuries during the age of exploration. Columbus, Ponce de Leon, Hernando De Soto and Francisco Vazquez de Coronado contributed greatly to this surge of Spanish culture. Immigration also played and continues to play a role in maintaining Hispanic influence in the United States making this nation the third-largest Spanish speaking country in the world. Bilingualism and bilingual education, their emergence and battle through the years, demonstrate resistance to fully relinquishing ties to native languages, more specifically Spanish. The issue over whether multiculturalism or the ‘melting pot’ metaphor better describes our nation plays a role in how languages and cultures in general, either thrive or just survive in the United States Trade regulations such as the North American Free Trade Agreement also made a subtle but significant difference in products being manufactured and exported in the United States. The information provided in this thesis describes concepts and gives background information that will assist in proving that shift in dominance between the English and Spanish languages is an ongoing process.
2007-04-19T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/18
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1019/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
SPANISH; UNITED STATES; HISPANIC INFLUENCE; BILINGUALISM;
American history
Language
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Society
Linguistics
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1017
2013-06-12T23:27:46Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Structural Adjustment Programs and the Delivery of Health Care in the Third World
Brunelli, Bianca
World Bank and International Monetary Fund became involved in the 1982 Third World debt crisis in order to solve global economic difficulties. While these institutions were not created for this purpose, after a series of economic shocks in the 1970s, they swept in order to alleviate the economic difficulties Third World countries faced. By following a strict regime of neoliberal inspired policies, they attempted to alleviate the debt crunch. Despite intentions, the World Bank’s and IMF’s involvement has exacerbated poverty in the Third World. As demonstrated, key factors in structural adjustment programs have impeded health care delivery and have contributed to increased rates of morbidity and mortality. By continuing with structural adjustment programs in the face of mounting evidence that they are inefficient, millions will succumb to hunger and disease. There are prescriptions to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of nearly two billion people, but action must be taken. There are multifaceted approaches to solve the problems presented by structural adjustment. The first step is to dispel myths surrounding Third World debt, such as the problem diagnosed by the World Bank and IMF and the level of corruption in Third World governments. Secondly, the discourse of health care must be reframed as a human right. More challenging solutions include also organizing grassroots health organizations, increasing aid to the Third World, and socializing health care.
2007-05-01T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/16
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1017/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
WORLD BANK; INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND; THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES ; IMF; STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS; HEALTH CARE
Economic policy
Health care policy
Health Policy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1020
2017-11-16T13:28:22Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Electrochemical Detection of Prostate Carcinoma Biomarkers Using Nanotechnology
Leonard, Kathryn
The first chapter of this thesis speaks about prostate specific antigen, carbon nanotubes and horseradish peroxidase. The second chapter discusses the electrochemistry and catalysis of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and myoglobin (Mb) covalently attached to vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays used as a tranducer. Cyclic voltammetry results gave quasi-reversible FeIII/FeII voltammetry and electrochemical catalysis involving catalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide for both the iron-heme enzymes in myoglobin and horseradish peroxidase coupled to the carboxylated ends of the carbon nanotube arrays by amine bioconjugation reactions. Reduction peak currents gave linear relationships with scan-rates, typical of thin layer voltammetry. Results suggest that the vertically aligned nanotube arrays behave like metal electrical conductors shuttling electrons from the external circuit to redox active sites of the enzymes. Electrode-driven peroxidase activity of myoglobin and horseradish peroxidase attached to the carbon nanotube arrays was demonstrated, with detection limits for hydrogen peroxide in buffer solutions of 100nM. Moreover, Resonance Raman characterization gave spectral signatures indicating successful fabrication of the SWNT arrays with optimum 100% coverage at FeCl3 solution at a pH of 1.7. These prototype carbon nanotube biosensors are easy to prepare, and the enzyme films were stable for weeks. The third chapter describes our initial studies in the development of our prototype immunosensor using SWNT nanotubes for electrochemical detection prostate specific antigen (PSA), a cancer biomarker protein in serum. This novel immunosensor features vertically aligned nanotubes with captured immunological complex in a sandwich format. The antigen-antibody biorecognition event was monitored using catalytic reaction involving horseradish peroxidase conjugated to a secondary antibody. This initial non-amplified approach provided a decent detection limit of 0.4ng/mL for Prostate Specific Antigen, which compare favorably with the standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Work is in progress to lower the detection limits using specially designed bioconjuates with multiple enzyme labels for signal amplifications. These easily fabricated SWNT immunosensors show excellent promise for clinical screening of cancer biomarkers and point-of-care diagnosis. Chapter 4 is describing The Pell Scholars Honors Program Connection.
2007-05-01T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/19
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1020/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
English
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTION; PROSTATE CARCINOMA BIOMARKERS; NANOTECHNOLOGY; HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Health care
Medical research
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics
International and Area Studies
International Business
Legal Studies
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1051
2020-04-25T18:00:36Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
“The School of Athens”: How the humanities can help revive the great conversation
Florio, Raffaele
This dissertation in the humanities employs historical methodology and explores modern ideas in pedagogy using writings from the milieus of literature, philosophy, religious studies, and art history. The twentieth century is laden with writing that describes a social crisis which is both metaphysical and epistemological in nature. Many portray education as a pivotal factor in the conversation. The project shows the historical roots of the perceived crisis and answers the following questions: Have these discussions taken place in the past? If so, what role have the humanities played in the pedagogies of past societies who have considered themselves to be facing a crisis in worldview? The main focus of this research is on the educational philosophy of Italian Renaissance humanism, and it attempts to trace elements of this philosophy as they appear in modern pedagogical movements. Part one describes the twentieth century dialog. Part two analyzes the crisis of the fourteenth century and outlines the response of the humanists. Part three examines the crisis of the eighteenth century in France and evaluates the response of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Part four looks at the crisis of nineteenth century America and pays particular attention to the Transcendentalists. Part five looks at some twentieth century ideas to use humanism to find balance in the crisis and highlights some programs in higher education that that utilize these. The study concludes that perceived social crises which can be described as metaphysical and epistemological in nature have existed previous to the twentieth century and the humanities have served to bring balance to the discussion. It uses the sixteenth century painting—Raffaele's School of Athens—as a model for the twenty-first century.
2006-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3279850
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
European history|Education history|History|Educational theory
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1050
2020-04-25T18:00:29Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Illuminated art in the court of Charles the Bald: A study of the great Carolingian Bibles of the 9th century
Browning, Gerald L
This dissertation explores the relationship between technology and 9th century Christian art as well as the integrative forces that compelled religion and technology to produce art. It seeks to examine this art using the Greek definition of technology (techne-art/craft, and logia-study/discourse). It is a study of the Augustinian city of God: a city of men working assiduously to preserve sacred words and deeds using the flavors, seeds, and stones of the earth and blending them into works that would both please God and illuminate him for man. The early part of the dissertation focuses on the theological framework behind the production of these Bibles, with an emphasis on the writings of the fathers of the church including St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and St Benedict. Their thoughts concerning the effects of Scripture are of primary importance. Other chapters blend the study of methods of producing these bibles with specific forms of technology used. Various folios from these Bibles are analyzed in terms of their artistic methods and their Christian messages. The end result of this dissertation is an understanding of the political and philosophical aspects of religious art as well as the technological imperatives in their production.
2007-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3279846
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Bible|Art history|Middle Ages
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1053
2020-04-25T18:00:28Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Muhammad Iqbal and the perfect man: The restoration of Muslim dignity through the integration of philosophy, poetry, politics and conservative Islam
Nix, Dayne E
Muhammad Iqbal lived at multiple human crossroads: of history as British Colonial power waned in India, of the human relationship with technology during the crisis of Modernism, and of the awakening of political Islam to its mortal conflict with the West. Iqbal perceived an attack on human dignity due to the “Mega-Technique” of Colonialism. In this dissertation, I present an inter-disciplinary humanities study of Iqbal's prescription for the restoration of Muslim dignity: the Perfect Man. I will demonstrate how his philosophy, poetic art, political idealism, and conservative Muslim faith are integrated in this concept and how it contributed to the establishment of the state of Pakistan and the contemporary Muslim identity.
2007-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3279848
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Middle Eastern literature|Religion|Philosophy
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1054
2020-04-25T18:00:25Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
A deal with the devil? The clergy-penitent privilege in the United States military
Hunter, Charlotte E
This dissertation seeks to answer the question, "How does the understanding and use of professional confidentiality—particularly its subset, privileged communications—affect the ministerial functionality of U.S. military chaplains?" Within the U.S. military, communications made to doctors, lawyers, social workers, and psychotherapists are either unprotected or protected to severely limited degrees. Communications made to chaplains and their assistants, however, are protected absolutely, and thus military law affords penitents far greater protection than that offered by current state or other federal statutes. Because of this singular protection, the influence of uniformed religious professionals upon individual lives, and upon the readiness and mission of the unit to which they and penitents are assigned, cannot be overstated. Yet, while the moral value of clergy-penitent confidentiality is a given among chaplains and their assistants, its historical, ethical, and legal dimensions are ill-understood by them, by penitents, military lawyers, and commanding officers. In this lack of understanding lies potential trouble that might reduce confidentiality from a pastoral tool that provides critical support to a unit's mission to a noble, but empty, ideal. This study provides an analysis of the protections provided to confidential and privileged communications made to military chaplains and assistants in the course of their ministry. The analysis is done with a goal to (a) defining the nature—legal, ethical, and theological—of the constructs placed by a variety of professions upon the protection of these communications and (b) assigning to confidentiality and privileged communications an appropriate weight as critical ministry tools within the military. Examination of this topic requires an understanding of the historical roots of the clergy-penitent privilege as it developed, first, within Western European religious traditions and, second, its translation into the legal arena. Hand-in-hand with historical-theological concerns, which primarily address the spiritual potential inherent in pastoral silence, are psychologically-rooted ideas about the benefits and dangers in the areas of privacy, human development, and identity. This study will address a multitude of ethical questions regarding the use and abuse, cause and effect, understanding and ignorance of the clergy-penitent privilege within the U.S. military. Finally, this study addresses the ways in which the concepts of confidentiality and privileged communications affect both military function and ethical concerns for the human and common good within the military environment. This examination of confidentiality and privileged communications will enable individuals working in the disciplines of religion, ethics, and law to reflect on the significance of this tool in an increasingly legalized culture and society.
2007-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3287016
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Religion|Clergy|Law|Armed forces
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1023
2008-12-09T15:08:03Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Fixing Foster Care: How Can We Best Support Foster Parents?
Pistorino, Erica S
The foster care system aims to provide a temporary home to children who are unable to be cared for by their parents. The reasons for this vary, but can be due to ”abuse, neglect, or abandonment” (Marzick 507). According to the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, there are more than half a million children in our country who are currently in foster care. These children remain in the system for at least two years and are often moved around from family to family (Krinsky, “A Case” 541-542). This paper involves examining the foster care system, as well as its history and intent. The focus on the wellbeing of the families taking in the children, rather than the children themselves, and the shift that made the children’s needs the most pressing concern is first recognized. The problems the system faces are also introduced, including systematic concerns, which can tragically harm the children. Some suggested areas for improvement are then presented, notably recommendations for how to best support foster parents. Effectively supporting foster caregivers results in their own success as well as a stable refuge for children in need. This paper addresses the themes of the Pell Scholars Honor Program, notably by reflecting upon the appropriate public policy to remedy this situation, by acknowledging the importance of respecting the rights of all humans, acting to increase public awareness of the problem, and examining the importance of a collaborative effort to remedy the injustice.
2008-12-08T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/23
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1023/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
foster care reform
foster parent support
Family, Life Course, and Society
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1024
2008-12-09T16:00:04Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Teaching Happiness: The Role of Positive Psychology in the Classroom
Gilpin, Jennifer M
Happiness can be defined in various ways, and characterizing traits that reflect sustained happiness in an individual can be a daunting task. For the purpose of this paper, I propose that contentment regarding the past, satisfaction in the present, optimism about the future, as well as cultivating individual strengths and virtues will result in sustained happiness. Using findings from and relating to the field of positive psychology, I will suggest that these qualities can be fostered in students and will benefit students individually and ultimately society as a whole.
2008-12-08T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/24
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1024/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
positive psychology
teaching happiness
curriculum development
Curriculum and Instruction
Educational Psychology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1025
2008-12-09T16:51:02Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Greatest Advancement Since the Shovel: Remote Sensing on Three Historical Case Studies
Kerr, Ian B
This thesis, as both a research and exploratory-driven investigation, seeks to investigate the effectiveness of using remote sensing technology on historical case studies. If the technology reveals itself to be beneficial in understanding historical landscapes, then it will be prognosticate on future archaeological excavations on those locations, based on the inferences and conclusions, gained from the remote sensing images.
2007-12-01T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/25
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1025/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
remote sensing technology
archaeological excavations
case study
Historic Preservation and Conservation
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1022
2008-12-09T15:00:04Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Injustices Inflicted on Nonviolent Offenders in the U.S. Correctional System
Ouellette, Carly B
This thesis explores the U.S. correctional system in order to determine its most serious problems and call for a change in policy in order to eliminate the injustices within the system. Prisons are not benefiting inmates, correctional officers, or society. The goal of rehabilitation of inmates is a failed one. Inmates are destroyed in prison; they lose connection with the outside world, they suffer from the harsh realities of prison life, and they return to society worse off than when they entered prison. Current prisons are degrading the inmates through its dismal atmosphere, its extreme violence, and its culture. Society does not benefit from the prison system because, although offenders are off the streets while incarcerated, ninety-five percent of U.S. inmates return to the streets and they return as unproductive and sometimes dangerous citizens. Prisons are not efficient economically. Money would be better used in a way to rehabilitate offenders in order to reduce recidivism rates. A change in policy needs to take place in order to provide justice to nonviolent offenders by removing them from the prison system and instead focusing on alternative sentencing options that will truly benefit and rehabilitate them. The sentencing structure, the correctional system, and the reentry process are all in dire need of serious changes to help benefit society as a whole. There is a critical problem in the operation and use of our country’s correctional institutions. In order to rehabilitate nonviolent offenders into productive citizens, eliminate the injustices within the correctional system, facilitate the reintegration process, and use time and money effectively and efficiently, it is necessary to make a change in policy, withdraw nonviolent offenders from the U.S. prison system and instead utilize alternative sentencing.
2008-12-08T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/22
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1022/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
prisons
injustices
reforms
alternative sentencing
Criminology and Criminal Justice
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1028
2008-12-11T21:14:03Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Mercury Connection: Autism and Childhood Vaccines
Rossi, Sarah
A literature survey of government and private studies have found that Thimerosal not to be a cause of auism. The reliance on limited, flawed and outdated studies on the effect of ethyl-mercury suggest that more research is needed to understand the effects of ethyl-mercury and particularly Thimerosal. In the meantime efforts should be increased to remove Thimerosal from vaccines world-wide.
2008-05-09T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/26
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1028/viewcontent/rossi001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
thimerosal
autism
vaccines
ethyl-mercury
Community Health and Preventive Medicine
Maternal and Child Health
Social Work
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1027
2008-12-11T20:58:31Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Sobriety Checkpoints: The Case for Implementation in Rhode Island
Naso, Scott
A survey was prepared and conducted to investigate the viability of implementing sobriety checkpoints in Rhode Island. The survey was designed to make a comparison between a state which has found sobriety checkpoints to be constitutional, Massachusetts, and a state that has found sobriety checkpoints to be unconstitutional, Rhode Island. The survey's findings indicate that Rhode Island would benefit from the implementation of sobriety checkpoints.
2008-04-29T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/27
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1027/viewcontent/naso001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
sobriety checkpoints
law enforcement
drunk driving
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Law and Society
Law Enforcement and Corrections
Transportation Law
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1026
2008-12-11T20:42:09Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Understanding Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Benefits of Thematic Center-Based Instruction
Mazzaferro, Santia
Developmentally appropriate practice acknowledges and respects the unique learning styles, approaches, and individual needs of students, and is the key to establishing an effective and sucessful learning environment. Early childhood classrooms that utilize this approach, in combination with hands-on exploration and thematic, center-based instruction, maximize the support of students' overall physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. It is this type of environment, the least restrictive environment, where young children blossom like flowers.
2008-04-28T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/28
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1026/viewcontent/mazza001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
developmentally appropriate practice
early childhood education
thematic center-based instruction
Curriculum and Instruction
Educational Psychology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1030
2008-12-12T17:03:46Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
AlcoholEDU: Does It Work?
Sousa, Jennifer
The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and consumption patterns of incoming freshmen college students of Salve Regina University befor and after going through AlcoholEDU, a comprehensive online alcohol awareness program. A pre-test, post-test design was used to assess the overall impact of AlcoholEDU as well as the additional interventions that the experimental group participated in. These interventions consisted of a series of newspaper articles, a Discovery Channel film and a YouTube presentation. The Alcohol Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test (YAAPST) and the College Alcohol Problems Scale - Revised (CAPS-r) were the dependent measures used to determine the program and interventions' effectiveness. A decrease in the drinking was undetected, however, knowledge significantly increased among participating students.
2008-05-08T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/29
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1030/viewcontent/sousa001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
college freshmen
AlcoholEDU
alcohol consumption
Community Psychology
Educational Psychology
Social Psychology
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1029
2008-12-12T16:45:47Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Emerging Role of DNA Analysis in the Criminal Justice System
Sherman, Sandra
Forensic science has evolved into the most advanced investigative tool used in the criminal justice field. DNA evidence is a strong component of forensic science and with constant advancements of DNA testing so that its evidence is more reliable and accepted in the criminal justice system will help provide justice for the quily and innocent alike.
2008-04-29T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/30
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1029/viewcontent/sherm001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
DNA profiling
criminal justice system
Innocence Project
Justice for All
Criminal Law
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Human Rights Law
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1032
2008-12-12T19:28:11Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
The Changing Role of Women in Spain
LaConte, Julie
Spain has experienced the powerful force and changing effects of globalization, especially after the death of Francisco Franco's and the demise of his regime. Spanish women especially have embraced the changing social environment in Spain by enrolling in institutions of higher education in greater numbers and entering the work force by developing careers in business and other fields.
2008-04-28T07:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/31
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1032/viewcontent/lacon001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Spain
women
machismo values
globalization
Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies
Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature
Women's Studies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1031
2008-12-12T19:12:46Z
publication:pell_theses
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Rural Schools and Academic Achievement
Slason, Elissa M
This thesis seeks to answer the question: what is the impact of mandated testing on rural schools and how well do students perform? Standards-based education reform movement begun during the 1980's, is driven by the need to create academic standards for what students should know and be able to do. Currently, "No Child Left Behind" requires every state to set standards for grade-level achievement. Examing scores from two rural counties in Kentucky showed the complexity of analysing results of standardized testing.
2007-11-30T08:00:00Z
text
application/pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/32
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1031/viewcontent/slaso001.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
mandated testing
rural schools
No Child Left Behind
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1057
2020-04-25T18:00:32Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Collateral damage: Technology's influence upon the American warrior's ethical obligation to the noncombatant from the Civil War to the War on Terror
Sweeney, Patrick C
What role has technology served in shaping the U.S. professional military ethic and its attitudes toward collateral damage and the sanctity of the noncombatant? Earlier research has examined the military's ethic, the role of technology in military operations, and the roots of noncombatant immunity. The interrelationship of all three subjects has not enjoyed similar investigations. A nation's military has an ethic that is inherently related to the values of the society that it serves. In the United States, the military moral compass is contained in a professional military ethic that has been shaped and continues to evolve from multiple influences. The sway of the just war tradition and the discourses of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill offer perspectives on ethical obligations to place rational and compassionate limits on war making. The unique stimuli, however, of a democratic nation with its own historical experiences and values, contribute to the formation of a moral framework that is distinctive from those of other national military organizations. One ethical-shaping influence experienced by both society and its armed forces, and cautioned by the French philosopher Jacques Ellul and the cultural critic Neil Postman, is technology. This study assesses the professional military ethic and the factors that have influenced its appraisal of collateral damage and the sanctity of the noncombatant. Critical to this examination are the consideration of technology's multifaceted influence upon individual Service ideologies and their relationship to collateral damage from the Civil War to the War on Terror. This study concludes with an assessment of the external and internal influences that offer a hope to the mitigation of technology's risks to the noncombatant.
2008-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3333058
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Military history|Military studies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1056
2020-04-25T18:00:35Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
What does privacy mean in an age of virtual transparency?
Ratcliff, Ronald E
This dissertation exams the foundations of privacy in America today and the effects of rapidly advancing changes in information technologies that appear to threaten commonly held ideas about personal privacy. Among the problems that challenge any examination of privacy are the lack of a commonly agreed upon definition for the term, and the lack of a conceptual framework to organize the vast literature on the greater conception of privacy itself. This paper offers a new definition for privacy and proposes a conceptual framework for consideration as a way to organize more methodically the disparate conversations that have been contributed to the debate about privacy's value, content, and the ways and means privacy is claimed and achieved in the social, political and economic areas of life in America.
2008-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3333057
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Political science
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1058
2020-04-25T18:00:24Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Using ethics and technology in addressing police officer behavior
Beausoleil, Marcel F.
This dissertation examines how ethics, law, and technology are used to control the behavior of people and in particular how technologies such as video cameras are used to control police officers. In addition, the teaching of ethics to police officers is studied. The use of technologies as control devices will be compared and contrasted with the teaching of ethics to police officers. The thesis of this study is that in current society there is a greater reliance on technology to control the behavior of police officers than on the teaching and reinforcement of ethics. This study assesses which method is most effective at controlling behavior and how the two could work together to achieve the goal of producing ethical behavior in police officers. This is a qualitative study and it will be done by an examination of the literature of the field and by an analysis of research conducted on the effects of video cameras on human behavior. Research into the teaching of ethics to police officers is also studied to assess the frequency of such training and its effectiveness. This dissertation argues that while in Classical Greece the emphasis was on character education and ethics with control coming from within the person, ethics and law in the West have become increasingly rationalized with the shift in emphasis to controls from outside the person. This is manifested in the growth in law in modern society and the proliferation of technology, such as video cameras, that are used to guide human behavior while the emphasis on character education has declined. The concept and theory of the Panopticon as theorized by Jeremy Bentham and Michel Foucault will be analyzed for its contribution to this study. Both saw the Panopticon as the "all seeing eye" which would lead people to proper behavior under the conception that they were always being watched. While it is believed by some that modern society has become the Panopticon as envisioned by Foucault, others disagree, arguing that while there has been a growth in video surveillance, it has not achieved its stated purpose. Those arguments are analyzed in this study as well.
2007-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3333054
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Public administration|Criminology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1055
2020-04-25T18:00:33Z
publication:student
publication:salve_disstheses
publication:fac_staff
publication:dissertations
Place-making: Planning, modernity and humanistic geography
Bull, Marijoan
This research explores how the literature of place developed by humanistic geography can influence the practice of land use planning. The planning profession has accepted "sense of place" as a worthy social goal and casts itself in the role of "place-making," yet planning practitioners have little grounding in the epistemology of place. Despite adopting the terminology of place, planning remains a largely rational exercise that fails to appreciate the complexity and richness of place as experience. Humanistic geography offers a humanities based understanding of place and of the particular challenge of place in modern society. This illumination of place is used to assess the limitations and potential of planning for place in the technological society.
2008-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3333055
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Geography|Urban planning
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1033
2009-04-30T18:28:04Z
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Terra Nullius: The Aborigines in Australia
Foley, Ashley M
This thesis explores the relationship that has developed over the past 200 years between the Aboriginal people and the people of Australia. It looks at the reasons as to why and how Australia remained a “Terra Nullius”, or land belonging to no one, for so long, when in fact it is proven that the Aborigines had been on the land prior to colonization. This paper investigates the Aboriginal people’s struggle for ownership and ties to the land that was taken from them by the British in 1788. It also looks at the lifestyle of the Aboriginal people prior to British colonization and the effects that came from colonization. It highlights three major events that have occurred which are unique and demonstrate the ongoing struggle of the Aboriginal people. Those three important events are the "Stolen generation", or a government policy that forced the removal of Aboriginal children from their homes, the Mabo case, or the largest fight that went to the High Court to prove Aboriginal ownership to the lands in Australia, and the 2008 Apology made by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Aboriginal people. Through the examination of these major events and the past history this paper will highlight the distinctive relationship that exists still today in Australia and what can be done to mend the divided country of Australia in the future.
2009-04-30T07:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/33
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1033/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Aborigines
Australia
apology
ownwership
International and Area Studies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1034
2009-05-04T00:29:04Z
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The Legacy of Race Based Slavery in the United States
Maloney, Jennifer
Alexis de Tocqueville qualifies the race based slavery of the United States as the greatest evil in the history of man. Through the lens of Tocqueville, I will examine the origin, nature, and characteristics of the race based system of slavery that was born in colonial times up to the implementation of the Civil Rights movement of 1964. The focus of this presentation will be on the dramatic effect that climate and topography have on the development of regional character, and the accuracy of Tocqueville's predictions concerning the future of race relations in the United States.
2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/34
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1034/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
de Tocequville
slavery
regional character
colonies
Physical and Environmental Geography
United States History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1035
2009-05-05T13:53:24Z
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Preventing the Next Enron
Cannaverde, John Y
Enron an American energy corporation was involved in one of the biggest cases of corporate fraud of the 21st century. In recent times, corporate scandals have been a major issue of public policy. These scandals have brought into question current legislation and the integrity of businesses. The purpose of my thesis is to portray corporate environments that would be prevalent for fraud and how to prevent it. Establishing a strong ethical business culture is the greatest factor to preventing corporate fraud. Business culture is a mechanism that aligns values of the company with organizational processes and creates a natural selection process. This natural selection process is where people who don’t share the same values are eliminated. I will be using the failures of Enron as proof that an organization’s culture is the greatest factor to preventing corporate fraud. Enron’s poor leadership created an unethical organizational culture. Leaders are the role models and they form the basis for what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior in an organization.
2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/35
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1035/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Corporate
Fraud
Auditing
Codes of Ethics
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1036
2009-05-22T19:24:04Z
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Flying the Pirate Flag: Understanding the Fight Against and Prevalence of the Internet Gift Economy
O'Leary, Zachary G
The number of citizens affected by common internet access makes arguments over its governance of primary concern to all. Peer-to-peer file sharing, oftentimes allowing for copyright infringement, is currently a major use of internet infrastructure. A review of the legislative and technological attempts to prevent such infringement, as well as the reasoning behind its prevalence, provides insight into the tension created by present intellectual property rights; this is a tension between those it intends to protect and to reward.
2009-04-01T07:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/37
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1036/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1036/filename/0/type/additional/viewcontent/ThesisPresentation.mp3
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Internet
Media
Piracy
Property
Technology
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics
Legal Studies
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1037
2009-05-22T19:29:04Z
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The Legal See-Saw: The Rights of the Sex Offender v. The Perception of a Safe Community
Kane, Brittany E
The question of how to safely deal with convicted sex offenders upon release from incarceration has been an ongoing hotly-debated topic within American society for decades, with one of the earliest approaches to dealing with these criminals dating back to the 1930s (Petrunik 486). Although it is universally acknowledged that sex crimes are deemed wrong from both the criminal and moral aspect, indecision exists with respect to the constitutionality and effectiveness of current legislation in place for the offenders to maintain rehabilitation and keep neighborhoods safe. Statutes, such as the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act of 1994, the Pam Lychner Sex Offender Tracking and Identification Act, Megan’s Law and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, were enacted in an effort to prevent future sex crimes by released offenders and provide a sense of security for the public upon these individuals’ reentries into society; however, unintended negative effects are extending from behind prison bars and passing through the white picket fences all over the nation. At the center of most legal and ethical debate regarding this issue is the mandatory sex offender registry – the registration of all sex offenders with local and state police that provides identifying information to the public throughout the country upon their release to prevent recidivism. Although this may sound like an effective statute on its face, there are many consequences that stem from the sex offender registry as well that often go unnoticed or are considered small in the bigger picture of a safer community. With the obligatory registration come community notification and living restrictions for offenders in order to make sex offenders known throughout the local neighborhood and to keep them away from areas densely populated with children. Despite how beneficial this legislation may seem, the law also possesses many flaws that negatively impact both the offender and citizens’ lives, as will be demonstrated in this thesis. Among some of the severe problems of the sex offender registry is the biased assumption sex offenders will reoffend, incorrect registry information, a false sense of security experienced by parents, community vigilantism, and a feeling of uneasiness felt by both the citizen and offender. Although these acts have been put in place by our government and our people to protect the innocence of our children and adult victims, the sex offender legislation has also been defectively impacting lives, rather than easing citizens’ fear of potential sexual predators on the streets. In this thesis, I will take an in-depth look at and explain the damaging flaws and effects of sex offender legislation on both the offender and civilian, while using the state of Rhode Island as a microcosm of our nation’s law and outcomes.
2009-04-01T07:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/36
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1037/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Sex offender
reintegration
Rhode Island
Family Law
Human Rights Law
Sexuality and the Law
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1038
2009-06-16T20:36:05Z
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The Injustice Of Justice: The Pursuit of a Harmonious, Just, and Merciful World
Boyle, Robert W
There is no one universal definition of Justice. Such a limited view of right and wrong conflicts with our infinitely diverse world. The key to a harmonious global community is that justice is malleable and fluid, similar to water, where it can take the shape of its environment while still retaining the properties of fundamental rights. Our world will never come to a universal agreement on justice, due to the deeply embedded cultural beliefs and differing views, so a single understanding of justice is impossible. If the world can have a baseline understanding of right and wrong and the flexibility to understand different perspectives, although we may never totally achieve it, we may pursue the ultimate understanding of Justice.
2009-04-01T07:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/38
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1038/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Justice
Equality
Mercy
Injustice
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics
International Business
Legal Studies
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1059
2020-04-25T18:00:30Z
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Narratives of melancholy: Sense of self in depression from asylums to neuropsychiatry
Flynn, Deborah P
My research offers a critical and historical appraisal of changing notions of the self as expressed in narratives associated with “melancholia” or depressive illness. Depression has been described both as a disease and as a way of life and, at the same time as an illness and an identity. When viewed as a disease, depression is often treated as separate from the self, however those experiencing depression may not separate their moods from who they are. Engaging a selection of first-person and literary narratives that span the periods from the state hospital movement to deinstitutionalization and community mental health care, I explore the changing political and socio-cultural determinants of ideas about the self and depression as a means of critically evaluating the thinking behind current models of care.
2008-01-01T08:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3333056
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Biographies|Mental health|American literature|Clinical psychology
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1039
2011-09-06T19:30:51Z
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Unity, Charity, and Fraternity: Father Michael McGivney and the Knights of Columbus
Bruno, Kathleen A
My thesis discusses the reasons for the creation of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, in 1881. I discuss why Father Michael McGivney, a Catholic priest in New Haven, Connecticut, believed that the organization was necessary to prevent Catholic men from joining the "secret societies" of the nineteenth century. I also explain the present-day Knights of Columbus and how McGivney's vision is carried out today through the Order.
2009-12-04T08:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/39
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1039/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Knights of Columbus
Father Michael McGivney
nativism
secret societies
History of Religions of Western Origin
United States History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1040
2010-03-17T17:22:03Z
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The Sick Man’s Last Fight: The Role of the Ottoman Empire in the First World War
Crouse, Henry A
The Great War in 1914 to 1918 destroyed mighty empires, and created nations from their ashes. Both the Allied and Central Powers had been dominated by powerful empires. The Ottoman Empire, established by the Turks was at one point the largest empire in the world. Prior to World War I, it had fallen into decline as its territories were gobbled up by other powers. The world dismissed the Ottoman Empire as “the Sick Man of Europe.” Throughout the Nineteenth Century, the rest of Europe waited for the empire to implode. A few years before war broke out, the Turks had a revolution. The revolutionaries rebuilt the crumbling empire, making it a formidable force for war. Weighing their options, the Turks joined the Germans and Austria-Hungarians, hoping the war could restore it to its former glory. Both the Allied Powers and the Central Powers were dubious about the Empire’s ability to wage war. The British, who were to be the Ottomans’ primary opponent, expected them to be a puppet of the Germans and an easy mark. The Turks decided to wage a defensive war to keep the British in check and tie down their resources. In the early years of the war, the Empire protected its allies’ flank, strangled the Russian war effort, and tied up vast amounts of British war materiel and troops. The ability of the Sultan as Caliph to declare Jihad presented a serious threat to the British Empire. The British ruled millions of Muslims throughout the world; jihad could lead to colonial rebellion. The prewar reforms restored the Ottoman Empire’s strength, allowing it to be a significant player in 1914, 1915, and 1916, in which it won crucial battles at Gallipoli and Kut. The Ottoman Empire, the “Sick Man of Europe,” provided a valuable military contribution to the Central Powers in the early years of World War One.
2009-06-01T07:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/40
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1040/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Ottoman Empire
World War One
Great War
Turkey
Middle East
Iraq
European History
Islamic World and Near East History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:pell_theses-1041
2009-12-16T18:27:03Z
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Rhode Island's Greatest Natural Tragedy
Blaine, Stephanie N
The infamous hurricane of 1938 accelerated the ongoing transformation of Rhode Island’s way of life.
2009-12-01T08:00:00Z
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https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/pell_theses/41
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/context/pell_theses/article/1041/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Hurricane of 1938
Rhode Island
Physical and Environmental Geography
Social and Cultural Anthropology
United States History
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1060
2020-04-25T18:00:44Z
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A semiotic analysis of virtual reality
Belanger, Wayne D
The research question addressed by this dissertation is: How might semiotics (i.e., the study of signs) assist in understanding the cultural and possible political ramifications behind virtual reality? Because human culture is an expansive subject, the proposed research specifically assesses it in terms of virtual empiricism, which is the difficulty associated with interpreting meaning from cultural interactions and subsequent experiences with the signs of virtual reality media. Virtual empiricism concerns the dependency between the mind of an observer and the phenomena produced by virtual reality technology (VRT), when considered as signs which resemble real-world objects. VRT is viewed as a sign system similar to language. As an idea, language has comprised the first form of virtual reality. As a technology, virtual reality forms a bridge between human senses and computer outputs. Because the relationship between general media and culture is complex, the use of an analytical tool is necessary to understand its workings. Semiotics is an effective means by which to analyze virtual empiricism because it acknowledges meaning derived from both this technology's content and its unique expression. A semiotic analysis will be conducted here on three types of case studies, including cinema, advertising and video gaming. Virtual empiricism is further examined in terms of phenomenology and symbolic realism because the meanings derived from virtual reality technology's signs are interconnected with perceptions and social interactions. The examination reveals a capitalist ethos that pervades VRT manifested as the dual thread of competition and consumption. This ethos has ideological ramifications in that it assists in the forging of an unequivocally secularized world-view. Capitalist ethos is exposed as a motivating agent behind the meaning of virtual reality technology's signs. It is further revealed that by championing alternatively false renditions of mythology, capitalist ethos clashes with and tends to trivialize the guiding principles of traditional myths. In conclusion, the analysis reveals a tightly coupled synergism between the signs of virtual reality and culture, which, precipitated by the underlying capitalist ethos, distorts the significance of tradition.
2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3376468
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Mass communications
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1061
2020-04-25T18:00:43Z
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Moral coherence in the modern world: An interdisciplinary view
Klemmer, Anthony L
What is the influence of the increasing complexity and fragmentation of modern society on the moral coherence of the human person as an individual and as a community member? Researchers have tackled the question of modern moral coherence from a variety of disciplinary vantage points, with appropriate intra-disciplinary focus and depth. Rarely have researchers attempted to apply a more comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to the researchable questions of the present study. This dissertation analyzes the impact of complex modern society on moral coherence and explores what the idea of moral coherence looks like in the modern world according to an array of thinkers from five disciplinary fields. Finally, a coherent picture of the modern moral self is constructed from this interdisciplinary selection of thinkers of the late twentieth century. A working definition of the idea of moral coherence for the purpose of the present study includes coherence within the individual human person and across individual selves. Additionally, moral coherence attempts to reconcile moral judgment and action, internal and external moral and non-moral factors, and individual knowledge, experience and beliefs in the moral realm. Sociologists, philosophers, political philosophers, psychologists and theologians, such as Robert Bellah, David Riesman, George H. Mead, Charles Taylor, Michel Foucault, Hannah Arendt, John Rawls, Alasdair Maclntyre, Michael Sandel, Amitai Etzioni, Lawrence Kohlberg, James Rest, H. R. Niebuhr and Stanley Hauerwas, all explore this question of moral coherence of the modern human person as an individual and community member in their work. Using hermeneutic methods to analyze the works of these key thinkers in each of these five fields, this research attempts to determine whether a coherent moral picture emerges from an interdisciplinary approach to these questions.
2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3376759
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Social structure
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1062
2020-04-25T18:00:46Z
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Technology in defense of tradition: Basque nationalism in the information age
Sanders, David
This dissertation addresses the question, “How have Basque nationalists in Spain utilized technology and the media to advance their drive for self-determination?” In spite of violence and cultural disjointedness that has plagued the Basque nationalist movement since its founding in the late nineteenth century, the current Basque regional government has embraced technology to foster nationalism and transition the region from an industrial base to an information age hub. By analyzing the unique Basque condition, this dissertation explores how technology and media can help build a nation-state and enable cultural development.
2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3377743
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Cultural anthropology|Multimedia Communications|Ethnic studies|Mass communications
oai:digitalcommons.salve.edu:dissertations-1063
2020-04-25T18:00:47Z
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Evaluating the impact of precision -guided munitions on human suffering in war, 1967-1999: An ethics-based approach
Hickey, James E
Throughout history, humans have demonstrated a proclivity for using violence against one another as a means to achieve an end, means enabled, in many respects, by the technologies available at the time. For much of that history, advancing technology has been a prime enabler of ever- increasing levels of violence and attendant human suffering. However, at a few junctures in history, certain technologies have seemingly provided the armed forces that possess them the ability to fight wars with decreasing levels of violence and suffering. In the seventeenth century, for example, such hopes, later unrealized, were held for gunpowder and artillery. Today, precision-guided munitions (PGMs) with their high degree of discrimination and accuracy again hold such promise. This multidisciplinary study, integrating ethics, history, religion, and philosophy seeks to answer the question: Do PGMs mitigate suffering in war, and have these weapons changed the way decisions regarding war and peace have been made? To do so, it develops a three-part evaluative framework that combines core principles of the Just War Tradition with concerns about technology expressed by the French philosopher Jacques Ellul. The framework first examines the impact that PGMs have on human suffering during a conflict, and then extends that analysis forward by examining the future implications caused by unintended consequences. The final part of the framework examines the influence of PGM capability on national leaders' decision-making when considering using violence. Across four case studies, comprising eleven times when military force was used as a tool of national power, the study concludes that, between 1967 and 1999, PGMs have indeed had a positive impact on reducing human suffering in war.
2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
text
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3376469
Doctoral Dissertations
ENG
Digital Commons @ Salve Regina
Philosophy|Military history|Military studies
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