Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

Adolescent Black girls often experience marginalization in schools due to zero-tolerance policies, oppressive classroom curricula, and teachers who lack cultural competency. The literature on adolescent Black girls in school revealed that there are spaces within schools that can serve as homeplaces for Black girls. This study explored how adolescent Black girls experienced homeplace in an afterschool club at a predominantly White middle school in Decatur, Georgia. This research also expands bell hooks's (2001) theory of homeplace from the home environment to school buildings. Narrative inquiry was the methodology used for the study, and interview data was analyzed through thematic analysis. Black feminist thought served as the theoretical lens. The findings revealed that during their participation in the afterschool club, the study's participants experienced homeplace through: (a) a sense of belonging, (b) experiences that provided them the opportunity to grow and develop, and (c) access to caring Black women who facilitated a safe space that the girls needed. Recommendations for school policy and practice that may reduce the marginalization of Black girls and increase access to homeplaces inside schools are included. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Nancy Boxill PhD (Committee Chair); Michael Simanga PhD (Committee Member); Betty Overton-Adkins PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Black Studies; Curricula; Education; Gender; Gender Studies; Pedagogy; School Administration; Social Psychology; Social Research; Teaching; Womens Studies

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2024, English: Creative Writing

My thesis, titled “The Weeping Women of Tahad,” is a novel set in Rajasthan, India. The story explores patriarchy, casteism, and gender dynamics within royal societies through familial relationships and social interactions. At its core is Thakurain Maitreyi, a woman with roots tracing back to rudaalis, lower-caste, marginalized women hired as professional mourners in some regions of Rajasthan. Now the wife of a Rajput zamindar, Maitreyi aims to secure her wayward son Dev's marriage to Rajput princess Parvati Rajye. However, as the wedding approaches, Maitreyi grapples with a haunting past and unfolding sinister events. The narrative weaves external conflicts and internal struggles, intensifying her dilemmas against a backdrop of a lawless desert borderland that shapes the lives of its inhabitants. The novel comprises fifteen chapters, alternating between two timelines—odd chapters depicting the past and even chapters the present, with titles referring to specific days on the Hindu lunar calendar leading up to Dev's wedding. This structure establishes a consistent chronological pattern in both storylines. To craft this narrative, I have drawn inspiration from a curated reading list, including works like “The Palace of Illusions,” “The God of Small Things,” “Kaikeyi,” “House of Jaipur,” “Rudaali,” “The Secret Keeper of Jaipur,” and “The Twentieth Wife.” These books provide a foundation for exploring themes of survival, ambition, identity, isolation, and the evolution of traditional Indian societies. By unraveling the layers of mystery in Maitreyi's past, present, and future, my novel aims to authentically resonate with readers, reflecting cultural nuances and complex character dynamics.

Committee: Margaret Luongo (Committee Chair); TaraShea Nesbit (Committee Member); Brian Roley (Committee Member) Subjects: Folklore; Gender Studies; Literature

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Arts and Sciences: Classics

This dissertation offers the first focused scholarly analysis of the understudied and, as I demonstrate, misunderstood virgo stock character of republican era fabulae palliatae. The generic plot structures of Roman Comedy consistently circulate around a young man's desire to possess this virgo, the revelation of her true status, and the securing of her socially desirable marriage to a citizen man. In the works of the playwright Publius Terentius Afer (also known as Terence), the virgo is nearly always an offstage character—she is named and central to the plot, but almost never appears or speaks for herself. Because she is absent, I argue, the audience's view of the virgo is necessarily indirect, accumulative, and contradictory, shaped by the perceptions, motives, and experiences of the onstage characters who describe her and attempt to control her future. Although scholarship on these plays typically treats the lovesick young man as the genre's protagonist, my approach decenters the adulescens and reveals instead the extent of the physical and emotional suffering that he inflicts upon the virgo, such that any testimony that he provides about the mutuality of their affection is inherently untrustworthy (Chapter 1). I therefore focus on the speech, characterization, and identities of the plays' onstage women (matronae and ancillae), applying feminist standpoint theory to demonstrate how the epistemic advantage of their intersectional, marginalized identities positions them to recognize the complex social risks that citizen girls must navigate and to assess and reject the young man's abusive behaviors (Chapters 2 and 3). Through female characters across social classes, I conclude, Terence frames the citizen girl's marriage not as a happy ending but as a pragmatic survival response to rape (Conclusion); the result is a serious indictment of Roman citizen values concerning marriage and girls.

Committee: Caitlin Hines Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Anna Conser Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kelly Shannon-Henderson Ph.D. (Committee Member); THM Gellar-Goad Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Classical Studies

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) have been critical partners and key entities in addressing social and political issues throughout the world. However, as those organizations seek to challenge unjust and unfair conditions, they can hold organizational structures that perpetuate systems of hierarchy and positional power that create feelings of marginalization and oppression based on the proximity to power by staff. Decision-making within those organizations based on staff role and location can be challenging and contribute to feelings of marginalization because of the organization's hierarchal structure. This study seeks to address engagement in decision-making by remote staff in an NGO with offices throughout the world. The study examines whether the organization creates opportunities for participation in decision-making by remote staff and whether it is an intentional and deliberate function of leadership to communicate the importance of engagement with remote staff. Further, it explores the role of organizational culture and its compatibility with the local culture of the targeted country for project implementation. The study further seeks to determine if westernized leadership practices and hierarchal structures can inherently or inadvertently limit the ability of remote staff to feel engaged and connected to the organization. The relationship between the remote staff and the headquarters are examined to determine engagement at all levels of the organization to understand the perception of decision-making engagement at all levels. The study shows how organizational communication plays a key role in engagement across all employment categories with a particular focus on the diversity of management style and the autonomy of leadership in the field with remote staff.

Committee: Clare Liddon (Committee Chair); Tony Richard (Committee Member); Pamela Young (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Communication; Cultural Anthropology; International Relations; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Organization Theory; Organizational Behavior

PHD, Kent State University, 2021, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

Many researchers have documented an increase in adjunct faculty members due to the increasing amount of people going to college (Jacobsohn 2001; Schell and Stock 2001), the increase in the amount of people completing PhD programs and needing employment (Anson and Jewell 2001; Schell and Stok 2001), and the increase in universities needing cheaper labor (Dobbie and Robinson 2008; Gappa and Leslie 1993; Jacobsohn 2001; Schell and Stock 2001). This growing group of faculty in the university is characterized by lack of representation in department decisions, lower pay, lack of benefits, and poor job security (Anson and Jewell 2001; Jacobsohn 2001; Lipson and Voorheis 2001; Peled et al. 2001; O'Grady 2001; Wyles 1998). In this research I asked: how do adjunct faculty perceive their work, how do adjunct faculty perceive their positionality in the university, and how do adjunct faculty who support unionization differ from adjunct faculty who are against unionization? I found that adjunct faculty felt their job was to bring specialized knowledge, skills, and work experience into the classroom. They also felt their purpose was to fill gaps in teaching and to be cheap labor for the university. Adjuncts described their working conditions as isolated. They talked about how they were isolated because they had no interactions with other people in their departments, they were excluded from department meetings, and they received little to no feedback on their work. Their isolation made them feel invisible and insignificant in their departments. Finally, I found three groups of adjuncts, those who were pro unionization, unsure about unionization, and mostly against unionization. Those who were unionized hoped a union would bring them better pay, job security, an organized voice, and someone to fight for them. Those unsure about unionization acknowledged that unionization would be good for adjuncts who rely as their sole source of income, they felt the union would not be beneficial f (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Tiffany Taylor (Advisor); Clare Stacey (Committee Member); Timothy Scarnecchia (Committee Member); Mary Step (Committee Member); Christopher Dum (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2022, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

As the number of intercultural couples increases in North America, the impact of perceived marginalization of these relationships on the mental health of individuals is an area that requires continued clinical understanding. This quantitative study sought to explore how anxiety and depression levels in intercultural and monocultural couples are associated with levels of perceived marginalization. Qualitative follow-up questions were used to understand the varying reasons for marginalization and support between couples. One hundred twenty-four individual participants in romantic relationships took part in this study; of this, 64 were in monocultural relationships and 60 were in intercultural relationships. This study found significant positive associations between intercultural couples' mental health (anxiety and depression) and societal and family marginalization. Significant positive associations were seen between monocultural couples' mental health and social network and friend marginalization. This study supports the impact that perceived marginalization of one's romantic relationship has on mental health, and highlights qualitative comments that show the similarities and differences between couples. Notably, there were similar elevated levels of anxiety and depression between both groups for this sample. This study has clinical implications for clinicians as they should be aware of how both the dominant culture and social networks of clients affect them. In combination, clinicians must have cultural humility without assuming the roots of stressors or mental health issues for a couple or individual.

Committee: Karen Meteyer PhD (Committee Chair); Kate Evarts Rice PsyD (Committee Member); Jennifer McLean PsyD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Mental Health; Personal Relationships; Psychology

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2021, Theatre

White American Theatre has a long history of practicing exclusion. In the summer of 2020, a new collective named We See You White American Theatre formed to create the “BIPOC List of Demands for White American Theatre” and to push for more equitable practice in the American theatre industry. Their 31-page initiative calls for widespread reform in the American theatre community including codified cultural competency, BIPOC recruitment and retention both onstage and off, and greater transparency in funding and hiring. This thesis studies the practice of what I call inward- facing theatre activism— that is, theatre activism that critiques and redresses issues within the industry itself, rather than use theatre as a medium for other modes of social or political activism. I employ a mixed methodology including historical analysis, digital and traditional ethnography, and qualitative interviews, framing my research through the context of political scientist Cathy Cohen's theory of marginalization. Using Cohen's framework, I investigate inward-facing theatre activism as it is situated along a continuum of theatre activism, as it resonates throughout community-specific theatre organizing, and— using We See You White American Theatre as a case study— as it exists within and attempts to disrupt the dialectical relationship between marginalization and resistance in the American theatre. My thesis breaks ground in the study of inward- facing theatre activism in three ways: first, by providing a foundational analysis of marginalization and resistance that will benefit future scholars seeking to study integrative and secondary marginalization processes and the American theatre industry as a microcosm of American politics; second, by connecting Cohen's framework to the study of activism in the American theatre industry to explore how current and future scholars and activists alike might utilize this framework to achieve industrial equity; and third, by developing nascent scholarsh (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ana Puga (Advisor); Nadine George-Graves (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Political Science; Theater Studies

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2020, Business Administration

The under-representation of women in top executive positions has tremendously gained attention in the corporate world, among researchers, and policymakers, which led this researcher to investigate this topic. Despite the legislation on equal employment opportunities, and the government provided solutions to eradicate discriminatory practices and inequality in the workplace, 11% of women functioned in managerial to chief executive positions in the United States banking industry (Catalyst, 2020). These numbers make experienced and qualified women feel undervalued and reduce the zeal and desire of younger women to aspire to get into top executive positions in the future. The study synthesized existing literature to have a better understanding of the research problem and applied a qualitative phenomenological approach to collect data from 18 bank executives. Data was collected through unstructured, open-ended interview questions, and analyzed to generate 15 significant themes. The findings disclosed that women are desirous of advancing their careers into top executive positions, but the continuous male dominance in top executive positions might be the likely reason for the low representation of women in top executive positions in the U.S. banking sector. The findings also suggested strategies for women to overcome challenges in the U.S. banks and provided opportunities for them to progress their careers into top executive roles.

Committee: Kim Campbell PHD (Committee Chair); Sherry Abernathy PHD (Committee Member); Lewis Chongwony PHD (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Political Science

This dissertation presents an exploration of anxiety for politics distinct from previous study in political psychology. Previous studies report on anxiety's potential to mobilize the electorate. Anxiety has been shown to bring political activation, to help sustain the collective action needed for civic and political participation, to increase willingness for compromise, to encourage political learning, and to increase trust in experts. But for many, the political world underlies much of their anxiety. Consider members of marginalized groups, many of whom are chronically taxed by politics, which can rewire neural networks in the brain and which leaves them with less available mental bandwidth to conduct themselves civically and politically. Taken together, I predict members of marginalized groups respond differently to anxiety than members of non-marginalized groups. While non-marginalized persons can muster their cognitive resources to channel anxiety into action, the precarious situations of many marginalized people merits devoting their cognitive resources elsewhere, leaving them demobilized by their anxiety. In Chapter 2 I lay bare this theory and annotate specific hypotheses. In Chapter 3 I launch a preregistered survey experiment to test my theory among a sample of Black subjects, White subjects, and Hispanic subjects, on welfare and off. Findings offer support for a heterogeneous understanding of anxiety's effects. Higher levels of anxiety caused the marginalized to be less likely to express an interest in voting than the non-marginalized. Furthermore, the interactive effect of race and welfare status inhibited participation the most among the intersectionally marginalized. In Chapter 4 I offer robustness tests for my hypotheses, testing for moderated mediation in particular. In Chapter 5 I conclude by discussing the broad implications of my findings, how government and politics can foster anxiety among the masses, but in particular the negative consequences i (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Nelson (Committee Chair); William Minozzi (Committee Member); Thomas Wood (Committee Member); Michael Neblo (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Cognitive Psychology; Political Science; Public Policy; Social Psychology; Social Research

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2019, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

In this dissertation, I seek to understand the factors that play a role in the success of African American Scholars in the Marriage and Family Therapy field, by conducting an extensive literature review of factors that may affect matriculation and retention through lived experiences. In the study, I use narrative inquiry, research questions and Husserlian Phenomenological methodology to explore the challenges important to the African American journeys toward success. In the first chapter, I introduced the criteria in which the study focused which highlighted four areas of accomplishments including clinical, teaching, supervision, and research. dissertation that follows. The second chapter presents a critical review of the literature, discussing factors of theoretical orientation, critical race theory and the five tenets that are essential factors within the study. In the third chapter, I discuss the biography of each African American scholar as it relates to the underlined accomplishments overtime including, research, publications, teaching and therapy. Chapter four describes the methodology used to determine the impact of the experiences and how they were interpreted as results. In Chapter five, I discuss the results and common themes found within the African American scholar experiences. Finally, in Chapter six I summarize the results in its entirety and discuss the studies overall impact on the field of Marriage and Family Therapy. Moreover, I discuss the limitations, and future research directions.

Committee: Kevin Lyness PhD (Committee Chair); Walter Lowe PhD (Committee Member); Nicholas Jordan PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Therapy

Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, 2019, Music Ethnomusicology

Reggae, though it originated on a small Caribbean island, has extended far beyond its origins in Jamaica. Not long after its inception, this music became disseminated through popular commercial channels, which facilitated reggae's global presence and exposed it to a wide and diverse audience. In conjunction with its far-reaching appeal, reggae's origins in the black, Jamaican, working-class community and its connections to the Afrocentric faith known as Rastafari have also allowed this music to serve as a tool for pan-African expression. In addition, reggae has been used by marginalized populations, both in Jamaica and abroad, as a critical voice against oppressive forces. With these factors in mind, I examine the people and places associated with reggae music and culture in Detroit, Michigan, how reggae is used as a social unifier there, and the ways in which these practices fit into the larger scheme of reggae as a globally circulated musical form. I use the theoretical orientation of Afropolitanism to discuss the aesthetics and politics of reggae in Detroit and as a global art form. Through ethnographic research, which focuses on certain key figures and locations associated with Detroit reggae, I determine how various groups participating in the reggae scene in Detroit use this music and its associated culture to orient themselves, both in Detroit and in relation to reggae as a global phenomenon. I ask, what does this music mean to its participants? How is it used to construct personal and group identity? How does what is happening in Detroit relate to reggae music's larger global narrative? Through my work I conclude that Detroit is an important, globally connected site for the production of black culture, albeit a culture that often finds itself in a marginalized position—both in Detroit and in the world at large. I find that reggae, while not being a powerfully influential force in Detroit, plays a significant role in generating a sense of community with (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sidra Lawrence PhD (Advisor) Subjects: African American Studies; Ethnic Studies; Music

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2019, English (Arts and Sciences)

This poetic thesis deals with the subject of liminality: the state of being in-between, whether that status is in space, identity, or society. Exploring several perspectives and navigating personal and political territory, the poems combine experience and theory in an effort to depict and speak with and alongside marginalized voices, and are guided by an ethos of experimentation and wordplay. These voices run the gamut from the embittered tones of lower-class American ennui, immigrant, minority, and exilic musing and demands, and the unfixed and fluid song from the growing transgender community. The thesis consists of four distinct yet interconnected sections: “Early Work: Experiments in Duality,” “Theoretical Poetics,” Transliminal Rage,” and “Can the Subaltern Sing?” Each section incorporates liminality as its guiding theme, and attempts to explain how existing on and in the margins affects identity. The body of poems is preceded by a critical introduction which explicates the themes and influences present in the thesis.

Committee: Linda Zionkowski (Advisor); Jill Rosser (Committee Chair); Katarzyna Marciniak (Committee Member); Bianca Spriggs (Committee Member) Subjects: American Literature; Language Arts; Literature

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2018, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

Teacher perceptions of fourth-grade students' readiness to learn Ohio's fourth-grade social studies standards were explored through this sequential explanatory mixed methods study. Implementation of Ohio's new reading policies in the lower elementary may have had an unintended future impact on the teaching of social studies in the upper elementary grades. The implementation of these policies in the third grade continues to increase the marginalization of social studies instruction. If Ohio's third-grade social studies teachers do not explicitly teach the readiness standards, the burden falls to the fourth-grade teachers. Initially, the research focus of this study of the marginalization of social studies in the upper elementary was its potential impact on the readiness of students to successfully pass the fourth grade state-mandated social studies test. However, after the quantitative phase of this study was completed, the Ohio legislature made the decision to eliminate the fourth-grade social studies year-end test. Nonetheless the findings emphasize the importance of strong school-wide social studies curricula across Ohio as well as inform policy makers in states that currently have both reading guarantees and social studies assessments that student readiness has a significant impact on social studies instruction at the next grade level.

Committee: Frans Doppen Dr. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Early Childhood Education; Education; Education Policy; Social Studies Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2014, Journalism (Communication)

Despite growing evidence to the contrary over the last fifty years, the mainstream media in America have stubbornly clung to the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, assassinated President John F. Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, and was himself murdered there two days later by Jack Ruby, who also was acting alone. This dissertation examines the patchwork of misleading, suspect and narrowly selected evidence that supports the Warren Report's theory and then documents via content and textual analyses and in-depth telephone interviews how the mainstream media have marginalized and at times ridiculed critics of the lone gunman theory in book reviews, newspaper columns, magazine articles, TV news broadcasts, and the selection of books for publication. Herman and Chomsky's Propaganda Model of the Mass Media helps explain why the mainstream media, especially its elite newspapers and news magazines, have failed for a half century to delve more deeply into the full range of evidence and connections that appear to underlie a conspiracy in what has been called The Crime of the Century. But the model falls short of explaining why both the media and nearly everyone in the JFK research community have failed to examine the broadest possible set of connections that may include the complicity of the French secret army (OAS), Israeli leaders and the Mossad. To understand "the firewall" that has been built around a full investigation into the Kennedy assassination, one must turn to the theories of Political Correctness and Spiral of Silence.

Committee: Mike Sweeney (Committee Chair) Subjects: American History; American Studies; Journalism; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Middle Eastern Studies; Military History; Modern History; Peace Studies; World History

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2005, Arts and Sciences : Romance Languages and Literatures

Paloma Pedrero's hyperrealist theater provides a glimpse into the daily existence of a group of Madrid's outcasts as well as an analysis of the pertinent social issues that affect them. In her plays, characters suffer from numerous conflicts linked to financial and emotional alienation. Longing for solidarity and companionship, an atmosphere of rivalry and mistrust thwarts their attempts to establish effective dialogue or productive cooperation. Though role-play can bring about momentary connections, bonds are soon severed as characters fail at (self)expression and resort to mutual victimization. Spectators exit the theater perplexed since characters seem no better off at the plays' open-ended conclusions. In recent years, Pedrero is proving to be one of the most important playwrights to emerge on the Spanish stage. The growing number of critical studies on her plays attest scholars' interest to unravel the complexities of her thought-provoking texts. Although most critics concentrate on the theatric, erotic or feminine aspects of her writing, I believe an analysis of the psycho-sociological dimensions of her theater is essential to a greater understanding of her works, especially in light of her educational background in sociology. Consequently, my dissertation approaches Pedrero's texts uniquely within this social framework. Although Pedrero avoids writing plays with overtly didactic messages, in La isla amarilla, she offers rare insight into the concerns that characterize her Weltanschauung: i.e. dismay at contemporary society's thirst for material wealth and its individualistic nature. Commencing with these ideas, my aim is to delve into Pedrero's world, revealing the influences, theories and experiences which have shaped her discourse. The three primary points of my research, constituting my chapters, include: 1) Success and failure in Western society, the marginalization process and deviancy – Merton's theory; 2) Relationship disorders and the breakdown of i (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Maria Paz Moreno (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, EDU Teaching and Learning

This is a descriptive study that describes the teacher educators that teach the early and middle childhood social studies methods courses in Ohio colleges and universities. The specific purpose of this study was to investigate: 1) How do we know if the teacher educators teaching the early and middle childhood social studies methods courses are grounded in the importance of social studies?, 2) What actions in the early and middle childhood social studies methods course do the early and middle childhood social studies teacher educators in the study describe as advocacy for elementary school social studies?, and 3) How do these teacher educators teach their students to respond to the marginalization of elementary school social studies? The study also focused on identifying ways teacher educators are advocating for elementary social studies in early and middle childhood social studies methods courses in an era when content disciplines are competing for pedagogical time. To collect data the researcher used a survey research design through an on-line data collection service called SurveyMonkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/). The participant list consisted of 84 teacher educators from 45 Ohio colleges and universities offering an accredited undergraduate teacher preparation program that leads to licensure to teach social studies in elementary school classrooms (grades Kindergarten through five) in the state of Ohio. The questionnaire, titled Advocating for Elementary Social Studies: Where does it Begin?, consisted of two sections: a) Participant Demographics and Background Data and b) Professional Viewpoints. The researcher used a five-step process to increase response rate; 51 responses (61%) was collected. The statistical package used to perform the data analysis in this study was the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 17 for Windows. The study includes implications for Teacher Preparation Programs and recommendations for further research of early (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Cynthia Tyson (Advisor); Charles Hancock (Committee Member); Barbara Seidl (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Elementary Education; Social Studies Education; Teacher Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2009, ED Teaching and Learning (Columbus campus)

The existing body of research has found that the dichotomous imposition of teacher identity as private and public marginalizes teachers whose specific identity markers do not fulfill the dominant cultural script. Small scale and qualitative in nature, this case study draws upon observation and interview to examine the identities of two White female teachers and the consequences upon student privilege. The first participant, bound by dominant academic expectations, upholds historically inscribed hierarchies of authority, knowledge, and success. The second participant, informed by personal reflection, deconstructs dominant power and academic structures. Analysis suggests that a teacher's identity construct, either fixed or fluid, directly affects student opportunities to engage in critical reflection and understanding of multiplicity.

Committee: Adrienne Dixson PhD (Advisor); Valerie Kinloch PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Social Work

In 2006, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 undergraduate African American college students attending a predominantly White university in the Midwest. The purpose of this qualitative research was to discover these participants' perceptions of and lived experiences within the university and to work toward development of a grounded theory of the African American student experience. Included in the body of the dissertation is a review of the literature about climate issues for African Americans on predominantly White college campuses as well as relevant empirical findings about minority graduation rates and degree achievement. The analysis of emergent data from this research revealed that: (a) the participants contended with the daily challenges that all college students face, but also particular challenges because of their social status as racial minorities; (b) the participants were affected by elements of racism, segregation, alienation, and marginalization; (c) the participants recognized the University's efforts to promote diversity; and (d) the resilience of this group of participants was evident by their ability to matriculate in spite of the aforementioned barriers. Furthermore, the participants in this study recognized that they are comparable to their student peers academically, yet they remain on the periphery, or out of the mainstream, at a predominantly White university.

Committee: Bette Speziale (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2009, Curriculum and Instruction Cultural Studies (Education)

This research is a phenomenological study that seeks to understand the challenges Japanese female graduate students face while adjusting to speaking English and socializing with peers in a U.S. university. Because they crossed the border out of Japan and crossed the border into the United States of America I termed them “border crossers.” In this research, I focused on what kind of coping and adjustment strategies they utilized at a Midwestern U.S. university. The study investigated language-related challenges. Respondents felt fearful when they first experienced American living styles and using English in American educational settings. The study also explored on- and off-campus experiences, and this section revealed difficulties interacting with American roommates and public service members. In addition, this study examined academic challenges on U.S. campuses. The design of this research was a case study to critically examine social reality and to describe in-depth analysis. Adopting a qualitative research, this study was conducted in a Midwestern U.S. university where there were few networks of international communities. Participants for this study included nine Japanese graduate female students purposively sampled. Data analysis focused on the interview transcripts and observational descriptions, while coding categories and finding themes. Based on each research question, categories and themes were described based on patterns. The examinations of this study disclosed six findings based on participants' voices and observations. These include fear of living in a new country, challenges of intercultural communications, identity development, anxiety in the classroom, and impact from Japanese education and gender roles. Fearful feelings paralyzed students' fluency in English and this commonly happened in public service settings. The study also revealed the necessity of understanding and accepting different communication styles to avoid misunderstanding between Japane (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Francis E. Godwyll PhD (Committee Chair); Rosalie Romano PhD (Committee Member); Debra Henderson PhD (Committee Member); Scott Jarvis PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Sociology; Linguistics; Womens Studies

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2011, Educational Leadership

This study discusses the history of education in Nigeria with emphasis on the need for a comprehensive special education program that will provide basic education for all individuals with disabilities in Nigeria. In Nigeria, as in many other underdeveloped countries, individuals that are defined as disabled are generally deprived of equal access to basic public education and other fundamental services that are guaranteed to their “non-disabled” counterpart. Due to cultural beliefs and social attitudes, an individual that is defined as “disabled” is treated as a social taboo associated with evil omens or bad luck. Consequently, individuals that are defined as disabled are excluded from upwardly mobile social and economic opportunities including access to educational pursuits with the consequence that, they face an uncertain future, a life of absolute poverty, deprivation and abuse. Cultural beliefs pertaining to individuals that are defined as disabled are further compounded by British colonial policy that failed to consider the education of individuals that are defined as disabled as a policy priority in the education of native people in Nigeria. Therefore, this study will apply Foucault's genealogical approach to history, and critical disability theory in education to analyze the impact of Nigerian cultural practices, the influence of Christianity and Islamic religion, and also British colonial policy on educational policy priorities in post-independence Nigeria. This study will show that the Nigerian educational system does not provide equal educational opportunity for individuals that are defined as “disabled”, resulting from the outcome of cultural practices, colonial and post-colonial policies that define individuals on the basis of whether they are “disabled” (unable) or “non-disabled” (able). In conclusion, this study will make recommendations about the way forward for Nigerian policy makers in order to encourage the need for the establishment of a non-discri (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dennis Carlson Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: