Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2019, East Asian Studies

The nushu script is a unique female writing style of Chinese created by the women of the rural village of Jiangyong in the Hunan province of Southern China. This thesis shows the complex cultural and historical circumstances that have led nushu women to take part in the creation of poetic narratives. Since the discovery of nushu by the Western world in the 1980s, scholars and the media have represented nushu women in a degrading and misogynistic manner, and so have trapped these individuals into generalized and false stereotypes, either as secret revolutionaries or as powerless actors in an androcentric, Confucian culture. Because of this, the actual women of Jiangyong are not having their stories accurately and respectively communicated. The thesis argues that the actual history and culture of nushu , rather than its current international representations, must be preserved. By analyzing how nushu women have utilized both the benefits of oral and written tradition, as well as how they worked with the Confucian system in order to gain authority over their own stories, work through their own pain, and have control in the shaping of their self, we can see that nushu women are much more complicated than their stereotypes suggest. While these stereotypes persist to this day, nushu is beginning to no longer be an isolated text, but a platform in which women's current stories and future stories can be heard and read.

Committee: Shelley Chan (Advisor); Jia Shi (Committee Member); Cynthia Richards (Committee Member) Subjects: Asian Studies; Folklore; Gender Studies; Language; Sociolinguistics; Womens Studies

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2012, Industrial, Interior Visual Communication Design

Oral traditions and expressions in African cultures include a variety of forms: short stories, tales, riddles, proverbs, legends, myths, traditional songs and poems, prayers, theatrical performances and many more. African cultures use these avenues to pass on the knowledge of their society, values and the collective history of their tribes, which keeps their cultural identity alive. This study explores how oral culture can be leveraged in the digital environment. To do this, all the forms mentioned above will be assessed on how they translate into the digital realm. Almost all the methods above involve some form of interaction, whether it is touch, question and answers, dances, acting or just clapping. There is also the important area of sound inflection, with which a good storyteller can bring the story to life in the minds of the listeners. The challenge that I anticipate and will try to resolve is how these delivery methods that rely on the surroundings and settings can be simulated in the digital environment. This project is based on the hypothesis that the interactive environment will be more favorable for storytelling over the traditional book among the Diaspora communities. I will be testing a sample digital book created using the Apple iBooks Author software on the iPad environment to gather data to prove or disprove my hypothesis. I will then use the data to inform a future version of the digital book that will be used as a self-standing educational tool on any mobile device. I hope that this approach could be used as a template for documenting appropriate cultural heritages around the world. I strongly believe that the more cultures are documented, the more we can all gain an understanding of one another which could lead to better communication and fewer wars and conflicts. I see this project as a step in that direction.

Committee: Paul Nini Prof. (Advisor); Noel Mayo Dr. (Committee Member); Brian Stone Prof. (Committee Member) Subjects: African History; African Literature; African Studies; Black History; Design; Fine Arts; Folklore; Minority and Ethnic Groups

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, East Asian Languages and Literatures

The Chaoxianzu (Joseonjok or Chosonjok in Korean) are an ethnic minority group associated with the Yanbian Chaoxianzu Autonomous Prefecture in northeast China. As a part of Korea's historically displaced people – the Korean diaspora – the Chaoxianzu have evolved an identity that is tagged with the term “contested,” as their historical narratives, the history of their autonomous prefecture and other areas in northeast China, and their identity as “Koreans” all feature contested complexities, controversies and multiplicities. This dissertation explores the construction of the Chaoxianzu's contested ethnic identity, as reflected primarily in Chaoxianzu oral traditions, and in part through early 20th century Manchuria Chaoxian writers and contemporary Chaoxianzu return migration literature. This dissertation examines the construction of Chaoxianzu identity through personal narratives, songs, and stories collected during fieldwork conducted from 2000 to 2004. This collected material has been transcribed and translated into English, and is presented as examples of constructed Chaoxianzu identity as both ethno-culturally Korean and ethno-nationally Chinese. In Chapter 1, the contested historical and territorial narratives of Chaoxianzu and the early Chaoxian migrants in Manchuria are discussed to provide a contextual background for understanding the formation of the Chaoxianzu Korean ethnic minority group in China. This chapter also includes selected Chaoxianzu literary works on return migration to South Korea. Chapter 2 presents translated transcripts of a Chaoxianzu storyteller's personal narrative and one of his favorite stories that establish a basis for discussing the definition of what constitutes a Chaoxianzu story and Chaoxianzu identity. Chapter 3 presents an oral history of Chaoxianzu oral tradition collection projects, as told by a Chaoxianzu folklorist who participated in pre- and post-Cultural Revolution period collection and preservation efforts. Chapter 4 p (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mark Bender PhD (Advisor); Kirk Denton PhD (Committee Member); Dorothy Noyes PhD (Committee Member); Chan Park-Miller PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Asian Literature; Asian Studies; Cultural Anthropology; Ethnic Studies; Folklore; Literature; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Regional Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, East Asian Languages and Literatures

This dissertation is an historical ethnographic study of the Shandong kuaishu (E½¶«¿iEe) storytelling tradition and an ethnographic account of the folk pedagogy of Wu Yanguo, one professional practitioner of the tradition. At times, the intention is to record, describe and analyze the oral tradition of Shandong kuaishu, which has not been recorded in detail in English language scholarly literature. At other times, the purpose is to develop a pedagogical model informed by the experiences and transmission techniques of the community of study. The ultimate goal is to use the knowledge and experience gained in this study to advance our understanding of and ability to achieve advanced levels of Chinese language proficiency and cultural competence. Through a combination of the knowledge gained from written sources, participant observation, and first-hand performance of Shandong kuaishu, this dissertation shows that complex performances of segments of Chinese culture drawn from everyday life can be constructed through a regimen of performance based training. It is intended to serve as one training model that leads to the development of sophisticated cultural competence.

Committee: Galal Walker (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2006, History

Since the eighties, the Academy has produced a modest amount of scholarship on African women's history. A number of these works at have been limited demographically to allow for in-depth culture-specific analysis. They trace the various spaces in which women exercised power and authority, the various ways in which that agency was confronted by colonial-era challenges and how women struggled to adapt to those challenges with varying levels of success. However, works of African women's history produced thus far are limited in ethno-geographic scope and even within those ethnic groups and geographical areas they have touched, there are more issues requiring historical research. This project is thus a contribution to the process of recovering women's history in what is today Kenya. It will engage historical and ethno- historical data to demonstrate Kenyan female socio-economic and political agency, with a focus on the latter and with greater emphasis on Luo women.

Committee: Osaak Olumwullah (Advisor) Subjects: History, African

M.M., University of Cincinnati, 2012, College-Conservatory of Music: Music History

The culture of the New Order Amish is a culture, like that of the more traditional Old Order Amish, in which a heritage of singing is very important. Multiple researchers have investigated the culture and the singing of the Old Order Amish, but very few have examined New Order culture and even fewer have studied their music. The oral transmission of Amish music has also been examined by past researchers, but there has not been research in this area recently. This is significant, as there have been several new sources of transcription of these rarely recorded melodies. This thesis utilizes observation of a New Order community and interviews within this community, as well as the examination of new transcriptions alongside previously researched material. This reveals the role music plays in the life of these New Order Amish and the relationship of their music to their overall culture. This thesis also updates the research of previous researchers, include Rupert Karl Hohmann and Nicholas Temperley, on the oral transmission of traditional Amish melodies. Adding the new sources of transcription confirms many of these earlier researchers findings. The oral transmission of Amish music is of particular importance to researchers of oral transmission because the lifestyle of the Amish provides an environment almost completely free from outside musical influence. This thesis provides valuable information concerning New Order Amish culture, New Order Amish music and also for the study of oral transmission.

Committee: Matthew Peattie PhD (Committee Chair); Clement Jeffrey Jacobson PhD (Committee Member); bruce mcclung PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Music