Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2023, Theatre Arts-Arts Administration

This paper sets out to explore how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (‘DEI') has impacted Black arts and culture organizations to thrive as nonprofits. Through open ended interviews with six Black nonprofit arts and culture leaders that serve Cleveland, Ohio, the study will investigate how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion impacted these organizations in the pursuit of their missions between the years 2017-2022. Through this lens, interviews also sought to uncover the operational capacity needs of these nonprofits as well as where they felt the work of DEI should focus its efforts in the future to better help Black organizations. A thematic analysis was conducted, and seven common themes arose. Findings uncovered that the nonprofits were able to access more funding, but insufficient amounts of staffing continued to prevent growth. Positive impact was also mitigated by a lack of diverse resources and inequitable partnerships with other nonprofits. The leaders expressed that future DEI efforts should work towards helping organizations achieve economic freedom, facilitate space for solidarity and common purpose, and guide the sector in continuing efforts to address the systematic barriers that Black organizations continue to face. Four recommendations are given that include a targeted approach to address capacity needs, more cross sector funding support, and initiatives that will expand the networks of Black arts and culture organizations.

Committee: Arnold Tunstall (Advisor); Bronlynn Thurman (Committee Member); Cristina González Alcalá (Committee Member); Christy Bolinbroke (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

While cultural district development as an urban redevelopment strategy has received much attention in urban neighborhoods and cities in the United States, the policy-making process for cultural district development has been less examined. To offer a detailed and deeper understanding of the policy-making process, this dissertation study examined policy design and governance for two different cultural district development practices in Cleveland, Ohio. This study employed the case study methodology with multiple-case design enabling both in-depth investigation of each case and cross-case analysis. The data was collected through document analysis, media coverage review and semi-structured interviews with people who participated in each cultural district development practice. The findings of this study show that governance matters in policy design process for cultural district development as an urban redevelopment strategy and suggest some policy implications which can be applied to supporting non-profit arts and cultural organizations and institutions who participated in cultural district development as cultural actors. As examples of the policy implications, encouraging and supporting the cultural actors to engage in governance establishment for cultural district development and employ formal governance tools may be applied to increase their capacity and opportunity that can improve their benefits from cultural district development. Also, in terms of supporting the cultural actors participating cultural district development, offering ongoing technical assistance together with project grants may be more efficient than offering project grants only.

Committee: Margaret Wyszomirski (Advisor); Wayne Lawson (Committee Member); Ed Malecki (Committee Member); Shoshanah Goldberg-Miller (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management; Public Administration; Public Policy

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2013, Higher Education Administration

Employment conditions for higher education faculty have been changing due to shrinking budgets and demands from the public for accountability: their adaptation to these pressures is influenced by their organizational culture. Denison (1990) and Kuh and Whitt (1988), among others, define organizational culture as the shared beliefs, values, assumptions, and ideologies of the members of the organization. The purpose of this study was to assess the organizational culture of full-time arts and sciences faculty across five state- supported universities in Ohio, three of which were unionized, with respect to seven attributes: unionization, tenure status, years teaching, content area expertise, academic rank, gender, and race/ethnicity. The faculty organizational culture across these universities was evaluated using the Denison Organizational Culture Survey (DOCS), which measured the perceptions of the faculty on four organizational traits: Involvement, Consistency, Adaptability, and Mission (Denison, 1990). The survey was administered online during January/February 2013 to full-time arts and sciences faculty at the following universities: Kent State University, Miami University, Ohio University, University of Akron, and Wright State University. The survey data were analyzed by several statistical methods – t-test of independent samples, analysis of variance, and factorial analysis of variance – to determine the significance of the differences in the mean trait scores with respect to the seven attributes. The similarity of these results across the participating universities indicated that the DOCS was an appropriate instrument for assessing the organizational culture of higher education faculty. Analysis showed that faculty, across all five universities, in their first four years of teaching, regardless of tenure track status and academic rank, had a greater congruence with the organizational culture of their campus than the rest of the faculty. This may be du (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Patrick Pauken (Advisor); Amelia Carr (Committee Member); Michael Coomes (Committee Member); Robert DeBard (Committee Member); Rachel Vannatta Reinhart (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Organizational Behavior

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2006, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2024, American Culture Studies

This dissertation is an intervention into the sociocultural imaginaries surrounding New York City in the late 1960's to the early 1980's. Through the implementation of biographical, social art histories, textual and visual analyses, I bring to light the visual narratives created, directed, and administered for and by the immigrant communities of NYC's Lower East Side. Focusing on the alternative art scene, the dissertation discusses the critical role of the visual arts in the fight for community self-determination and voice. I achieve this by analyzing grassroots arts and culture initiatives spearheaded by the Puerto Rican community of Loisaida and student-based movements in Chinatown. To shed light onto the instrumental role of arts activism for communities, I delve into print media, public art, and architecture projects, demonstrating how the initiatives fostered a critical consciousness around communities' ethnic, racial, and cultural identities. From the arts and cultural collective Charas and their geodesic dome project which galvanized a consciousness around community and place, to the newsletter, The Quality of Life in Loisaida, which harnessed expression to unify residents under a mutual struggle, to the muralism movement in Chinatown in which artists inspired an awareness around Asian American identity and activism, to the publication, Bridge: The Magazine of Asians in America which fostered a diverse array of expressions, as the dissertation demonstrates, the arts were instrumental in developing strong, independent, and successful communities. Harnessing the productive, intellectual, and creative potential of themselves and their neighbors, the efforts put forth by these arts activists, highlight the seminal role of local arts and culture programing in transforming residents into activists and neighborhoods into communities.

Committee: Rebecca Kinney PhD (Committee Chair); Crystal Oechsle PhD (Other); Andrew Hershberger PhD (Committee Member); Clayton Rosati PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Art History; Asian American Studies; Communication; Ethnic Studies; Fine Arts; Geography; History; Latin American Studies; Minority and Ethnic Groups

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2022, Interdisciplinary Arts (Fine Arts)

This dissertation investigates the works, thoughts, and practices of everyday life of a diverse range of emerging contemporary Syrian artists and filmmakers who created art during the Syrian crisis since 2011. Some stayed in Syria. Others fled the country. Some engaged in armed resistance or political activism. Others lost their lives. This dissertation is primarily concerned with how these individuals created art that reflected the everyday life of Syrians throughout the crisis. The focus on everyday life is crucial because it shifts scholarly attention on the Syrian crisis away from the war itself and onto the overlooked Syrians who are creatively trying to survive it. Drawing on interviews, aesthetic analysis, and participant-observation, I argue that Syrian artists try to reclaim the Syrian identity and homeland concepts back to their cultural heritages and away from political or war realities. In addition, I discuss a new model of the Syrian body of survival and its representations based on its transformations between different modes of survival practices. This dissertation seeks to enrich art history, Performance Studies, and scholarly approaches to the Syrian crisis by positioning Syrian art as a global and contemporary art phenomenon and by documenting, preserving, analyzing, and presenting its artists to the international public. It pays particular attention to Syrian art's local, regional, and global specificity while also considering how the artworks and films are produced, distributed, and presented across international art arenas. The ultimate goal of this dissertation is to clarify what it means to be Syrian today, a concept that has been mostly unrepresented, misrepresented, or distorted by stereotyping.

Committee: Charles Buchanan (Advisor); Garrett Field (Committee Member); Erin Schlumpf (Committee Member); Jennie Klein (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Criticism; Art History; Film Studies; Fine Arts; Middle Eastern Studies; Performing Arts

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Theatre

Bud Coleman and Judith A. Sebesta in Women in American Musicals: Essays on Composers…. (2008) and Michelle Parke in Queer in the Choir: Essays on Gender and Sexuality in Glee (2014), all contend that “Musical theatre is arguably the most popular form of theatre in the United States” (Coleman and Sebesta, 6). Since the Nigerian tour of the Broadway musical Fela! in 2011, the form has generated a renewed excitement in that country's theatre culture, which was on the verge of extinction. A central contributor to this interest in musical theatre in Nigeria is producer Bolanle Austen-Peters (a.k.a., BAP). Inspired by Fela!, Austen-Peters has produced five Broadway-style musical theatre performances in the last decade, staged in Nigeria and abroad. In this study, I analyze three key works from Austen-Peters's still-in-process career while also providing documentation for this new art form to ensure its preservation and inspire prospects of future research. By using Ruth Little's, Cathy Turner's, and Synne Behrndt's definitions of dramaturgy, I critically evaluate and attend to how contemporary musical theatre in Nigeria functions. In addition, employing Marvin Carlson's concept of theatrical interculturalism, I endeavor to understand how traditional Nigerian performance elements are making their way into this reimagined art form. Following the introduction which lays out the topic and methodologies, chapter two is a critical exploration of Austen-Peters's first musical script, Saro, The Musical (2013). Specifically, I explore how she is modifying and modernizing traditional Nigerian performance practices to create a musical theatre production unique to Nigeria. My focus in chapter three is an analysis of a video recording of Austen-Peters's second work, Wakaa, The Musical (2015), which debuted in Nigeria before transferring to London in 2016 for a limited run. Building on the work done in chapter two, in this chapter I investigate how this performance combines el (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Michael Ellison PhD (Advisor); Timothy Pogacar PhD (Other); Jonathan Chambers PhD (Committee Member); Heidi Nees PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Literature; African Studies; Music; Performing Arts; Theater; Theater History; Theater Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

Though art education and creative placemaking are two established fields within the arts and culture ecosystem, very little research examines the intersections of these two domains. Specifically, a gap exists in practitioner voices to share their practical knowledge and experiences in the field. This study is an investigation of intersections between the self-identified practices of specific art educators and the field of creative placemaking. As a participant researcher, I worked with three art educators from around the United States to engage in collaborative inquiry. This study took place from November of 2020 to March of 2021 and the team worked virtually due to a global pandemic. The team of art educators engaged in a participatory action research (PAR) study to investigate their own practice(s) and potential intersections with the field of creative placemaking. This PAR study is grounded in critical theory to engage in inquiry that can promote a deeper understanding of our own contexts and support transformation through dialogic work with people to elevate and voice the unique experiences and expertise they bring to the research. My participant collaborators brought their expertise as a high school art educator, a museum educator, and an arts education consultant. Utilizing a PAR framework, dialogic work occurred virtually through semi-structured interviews, a group call, and individual arts-based inquiry to answer research questions surrounding their work within art education and intersection and divergence with the field of creative placemaking. Using narrative and arts-based methods, the PAR team shared specific stories where their work as art education professionals converges with creative placemaking and the distinct separation they find among the fields. Through this emergent and collaborative process, participant collaborators and I found intersection with their art education practice(s) and the practices identified within creative placem (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Karen Hutzel PhD (Advisor); Christine Ballengee Morris PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Shari Savage PhD (Committee Member); Richard Fletcher PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2021, Arts Policy and Administration

This thesis seeks to challenge the prevalence of interpersonal racism in the workplace and the existence of substantial racist workplace policy in organizations that both harmfully affect non-white employees in organizations and makes developing anti-racist policy in the workplace difficult. This thesis utilizes poetic inquiry as a methodological practice to explore the relationship between racism, work culture, and work policy in nonprofit and arts organizations. The poems crafted in this inquiry are responses to literature exploring the impacts and historical contexts of white supremacy and racial discrimination in relation to the operational strategies of public and nonprofit arts organizations. This literature establishes a foundation for future inquiries about work culture, workplace policy, race, social hierarchy, cultural analysis, and art. The metaphor of “home” literature is used to describe this literature. Home literature is the group of theoretical frameworks and writings that a researcher grounds their expertise in and is formulated based on one's core research interests. The literature reviewed covers the topics of defining professionalism, understanding theory concerning race and power, and specifying critiques on racism in the workplace. The authors covered in this review of literature are Judyth Sachs, Gloria Ladson-Billings, William F. Tate, Kimberly Crenshaw, Cheryl Harris, David Theo Goldberg, Stefano Harney, Fred Moten, Achille Mbembe, Roderick A. Ferguson, Victor Ray, Ericka Brown, Lu-in Wang, Zachary Brewster, Courtney L. McCluney, Adia Harvey Wingfield, and Renee Skeete Alston. In the methodology portion of the text, the rationale for the use of poetic inquiry is explained. The is a separation made between poetic inquiry and poetry as research, two concepts this research embodies. It is also explained what separates arts-based research from other forms of qualitative methodological practices. The form of poetic inquiry used in this resear (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Sanders III/Ph.D. (Advisor); Richard Fletcher Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Arts Management

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, East Asian Languages and Literatures

This dissertation addresses contemporary Chinese poetry's socio-cultural relevance through an investigation of a “crossover” (shige kuajie 诗歌跨界) trend that has loomed large in the past two decades, against poetry's paradoxical condition of being at once revered but barely read by the general public. This trend, in which practitioners simultaneously experiment with aesthetics and expand poetry readership by innovatively fusing poetry with other arts and forms of entertainment and communication, engages an extensive body of established and emerging poets, poetry texts and artworks, and various technologies. As the first systematic research into this long-existing, far-reaching, interdisciplinary trend, this dissertation not only offers insights into individual cases, but also challenges the theoretical and methodological limits to our vision of poetry's standing in contemporary Chinese life. This dissertation analyzes the following: the conversation between poetry and new folksong in a concert called In Ancient Times; the transference of poetry into paintings in the We Poetize itinerant exhibition and songs in the Sing a Poem for You television show; the integration of poetry into the documentary film The Verse of Us and the experimental theatre piece Following Huang Gongwang on a Visit to the Fuchun Mountains; and the interaction between poetry and social media in Li Cheng'en's personal poetry blog. Instead of viewing poetry as texts to be read in isolation, these cases call out for a reading of poetry as a multifaceted medium in constant interaction with other forms and media. Through the perspective of intermediality studies, which sees medial characteristics as both materially conditioned and historically conventionalized, all media as intersecting with and relying on each other, and medial borders as real but fluctuating, I illustrate common features of the crossover cases, chart out major ways in which medial borders are elicited and crossed, and demonstrate ho (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kirk Denton (Advisor); Mark Bender (Committee Member); Meow Hui Goh (Committee Member); Robyn Warhol (Committee Member) Subjects: Asian Literature; Asian Studies; Film Studies; Gender; Mass Media; Performing Arts; Theater

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2020, Theatre Arts-Arts Administration

In a time of constant threat to funding, elimination of the National Endowment, and competition over resources, philanthropy in the arts and culture sector is indispensable to the vibrancy and economic development of a city's core. The arts and culture sector is considered to take away from an economy's financial resources. However, it is the exact opposite. It is a thriving sector that contributes to the economy by creating jobs, spending money at local businesses, and bringing in cultural tourists. Fred Bidwell and Rick Rogers have a long history of philanthropy in this sector, and their demonstrated support has led to efforts of revitalization, vibrancy, and dollars spent in the cities of Akron and Cleveland. This thesis explores the history, issues, and successes of the two cultural producers' philanthropy efforts in the sector and the impact that their support has brought to the Northeast Ohio region.

Committee: James Slowiak (Advisor); Arnold Tunstall (Committee Member); Courtney Cable (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

The erasure of Black women's presence and voices has been a significant problem throughout the course of history–including artistic discourse. Although progress has been made in terms of visibility, there is still an enormous amount of work required to rectify the effects of white supremacist hegemony on Black women's artistic progress. I argue that not only do Black women artists exist in a space of double-subjugation due to the intersections of our race and gender; those who choose to work in the medium of fiber are also faced with the historical baggage and discrimination that accompanies craft-based mediums. Furthermore, I argue that traditional Eurocentric methods of interpreting fiber-based work are limited in their ability to effectively account for the specialized relationship that Black women have to materiality. While literature surrounding women's work may account for the gendered history of fiber and textile-based practices, Black women's contributions and distinct relationships to labor and creativity are in need of continued exploration. Thus, I propose the need for Black feminist interpretations to more equitably account for Black women's lived experiences and creative outputs. The primary research question in this qualitative study asks what language and new knowledge arises when Black women create fiber-based work to explore kinship and consciousness. Furthermore, the study introduces the early makings of a Black Feminist Material Culture Framework. As a part of this study, I employed a narrative approach which focused on co-creating stories that highlighted the experiences of three Black women artists working primarily with fiber. Additionally, I experimented with an arts-based research approach, which included the creation of artwork based on my experiences as an artist-researcher working with and for other Black women. Using an interview format, I collaborated with the three women to explore themes related to storytelling, ancestry, creative (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Joni Acuff PhD (Committee Chair); Shari Savage PhD (Committee Member); Dana Kletchka PhD (Committee Member); Richard Fletcher PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2019, Theatre Arts-Arts Administration

As generations age, the strategy of how to engage up and coming generations in art museums will need to change as well. One of the rising concerns in art museums are how to philanthropically engage millennial aged people. National data from the National Endowment for the Arts and representative data from the Cleveland Museum of Art illustrate the millennial generation's interest in the arts but lack of actual philanthropy towards the sector. An online platform specific to art museums, like crowdfunding, is explored as one recommendation to mitigate the barriers leading to the current lack of millennial giving in the arts. This platform would be designed to capitalize on the millennial generation's preference for values, digital communications, socializing, and data driven results, while also considering their financial barriers.

Committee: James Slowiak (Advisor); Christopher Hariasz PhD (Committee Member); Arnold Tunstall (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management; Fine Arts; Museum Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

This study explores the phenomenon of gender-bending cosplay (GBC) through its material culture using costuming (the acts of making and wearing artifacts and the artifacts themselves) to examine the motivations/interests/expectations of women who participate. GBC embraces the shifting, or bending, of the identified gender and/or biological sex of a fictional character to match the gender identity and/or biological sex of the player. This study concentrates on self-identified women adapting male characters to female versions of the same characters. The principal approach of the research design is Practice as Research (PaR) from an Art-Based Research (ABR) paradigm. Research methods include costuming, performance, ethnography, narrative inquiry, interviewing, participant observation, and discourse analysis. The worlds of text and image are melded in the amphibious, mixed-methods design and presentations of this study. GBC involves creating and using material culture, the artifacts of a culture/community. It becomes a creative outlet for many who may not otherwise be making art. When material culture can be worn, an interactive embodied performance can be experienced between the maker and the player, the player and the artifacts, the player and the audience, the player and fellow players, the player and cultural texts. This performance simultaneously emphasizes and challenges gender binaries, gender roles, and expectations. It is a performance of culture. The communities of play collaborate to interpret and reinterpret the performance and the material culture. They tell and share stories that uncover insights into the phenomenon, society, and culture.

Committee: Shari Savage PhD (Committee Chair); Jennifer Schlueter PhD (Committee Member); Christine Morris PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education

Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Music Ethnomusicology

The Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira has become an increasingly popular sport in the United States. Capoeira performances consist of a back-and-forth exchange of movements between two players in conjunction with a musical ensemble to accompany the physical display. Since the introduction of capoeira in the United States in the 1970s, capoeira has become the focus of various social institutions. The objective of this thesis is to acknowledge and problematize the impact American culture has made on capoeira aesthetics. The methods for this thesis included research in the fields of ethnomusicology, anthropology, post-colonial theory, and transatlantic studies. Fieldwork was conducted to acquire first hand accounts of capoeira practitioners from the Michigan Center for Capoeira. Lastly, an analysis of the portrayal of capoeira in the media examines how capoeira is showcased to audiences in the United States. Historical accounts, academic discourse, capoeira practitioners, and popular culture reveal how American culture has received capoeira. My research has shown that capoeira culture is represented and interpreted by various groups, such as scholars, American capoeira academies, and the media. These different interpretations have resulted in the displacement, fragmentation, or misrepresentation of capoeira history in the context of American culture. I conclude that dominant social structures have inherently changed how capoeira is discussed in academia, practiced in American academies, and portrayed in the media. Dominant social structures in the United States favor product over process. For capoeira, valuing product over process means highlighting performance and devaluing various Afro-diasporic rituals and practices. My solution to avoid fragmentation and misinterpretation of capoeira culture is to reiterate the importance of the African diaspora to practicing capoeira students in the United States. Acknowled (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kara Attrep (Advisor); Megan Rancier (Committee Member) Subjects: African Studies; Dance; Ethnic Studies; History; Latin American History; Latin American Studies; Music; Music Education

Master of Arts in English, Cleveland State University, 2017, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

"The Other Side of Fun" is a collection of creative non-fiction essays that examine the relationship between several cultural pastimes and our society as a whole. The thoughts, feelings, and observations made throughout these essays are reflections of my time spent working various jobs pertaining to some form of entertainment. "Mayflies" explores my time as a game-day security worker for the Cleveland Indians, examining the relationship between unionized labor and the lifestyle that encompasses it. "Spiders" chronicles my time spent as a Resident Assistant at Cleveland State, investigating the deep web and the potential dangers that technology can bring. "House Rules" details my experiences at the Jack Casino, exploring society's obsession with wealth. "Ghosts" looks at society's use of tradition, documenting an evening spent working as a bouncer at one of the busiest bars the night before Halloween. Last is "Cutting Weight", an essay that discusses the world of organized cage-fighting and the impact it has had on both our culture and my own life. These essays serve as a critique to the way our world operates; a collection of observations that look to challenge the reader's perception of our societal ideologies and values.

Committee: Ted Lardner Ph.D. (Advisor); Caryl Pagel MFA (Committee Member); Imad Rahman MFA (Committee Member) Subjects: American Literature; Journalism; Language Arts; Modern Literature; Sociology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

The main goal of this study was to expand understanding of a Korean-American community's cultural identities through storytelling and artmaking, which was conceptualized as Visual Storying in this study. Ethnic minority students in the United States often experience confusion or conflict between American and their heritage cultures. This study sought to identify the experiences of a contemporary Korean-American community through learning and teaching Korean language, history, culture, and/or art. The conceptual framework of this study combined the three following research backgrounds: (1) critical multiculturalism; (2) narrative inquiry and arts-based research; and (3) community-based participatory action research. Understanding cultural identities of Korean-American students is a complex process that required multiple approaches. In order to examine social and political backgrounds as well as power relations of the students' multicultural settings, this study applied a theoretical framework of critical multiculturalism to the settings. In addition, narrative inquiry and arts-based research were used as basic means of this study. Both practices were effective ways to convey thoughts, emotions, and experiences in approachable ways, which revealed unknown stories of a Korean-American community in multicultural settings. Lastly, this study utilized a community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) approach. Exploring a cultural and social aspect required deep integrations and interactions with the community members to gain better understandings of the local context. Therefore, CBPAR was the main methodology in this study that explored the complexity of the Korean-American community's cultural understandings through deep engagement in their local community. The Korean-American Community School of Central Ohio (KACSCO)'s students participated in this study via two classes, Advanced and Art & Craft classes. In the Advanced class, the students learned Ko (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Karean Hutzel (Advisor); Shari Savage (Committee Member); Joni Acuff (Committee Member); Timothy San Pedro (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Art Education; Asian Studies; Ethnic Studies; Multicultural Education; Multilingual Education; Teacher Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2015, Arts Policy and Administration

The nation of Chile means different things to different people. As Chile progresses as one of Latin America's most stable emerging democracies, its reputation abroad is becoming all the more important in fostering further growth. How do the arts and culture contribute to this reputation formation, and what can Chile do with this continually in-flux perception? Through analysis of current research on the ingredients and applications of a national reputation utilizing arts and culture, this research poses a framework with which the nation of Chile is examined. Empirical observation is combined with data obtained from in-person interviews to gain multiple perspectives on an increasingly popular issue within the country. Findings indicate that Chile's international reputation not only comes from sending its artists abroad on official and unofficial visits and exchanges, but also includes a number of domestic undertakings that form the cultural base Chile may draw from in molding its name. However, these tasks are not without its own set of unique challenges pertinent to the country's distinctive geopolitical position and history. By operating within the established framework aimed at capturing the breadth of activity occurring within and outside of Chile, conclusions are surmised that may inform effective practices for governments, organizations, and artists in contributing to a nation's reputation through its most constant and identifiable asset -- its culture.

Committee: Margaret Wyszomirski (Advisor); Wayne Lawson (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management; International Relations; Public Policy

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2014, Theatre Arts-Arts Administration

Emotional and personal connections to an organization have been found to be very important in the donation decision-making process. By understanding how emotions and personal social networks affect charitable giving decisions, fundraising professionals will be able to create stronger solicitations and relationships with donors that will in turn increase funding for their organizations. Research has shown that individuals often rely on others to validate their decisions thus potentially impacting charitable giving. Having knowledge of how to utilize these two factors during the solicitation process could positively impact solicitation strategies and help alleviate one of the major challenges in fundraising today: competition with similar organizations. This project will offer a review of existing research on the role of emotions and social influences in charitable giving decisions. After discussing existing research, this project will present results of a survey conducted with supporters to Cleveland Play House. Finally, this project will offer suggestions to the development field on how to maximize their results by using emotions and social influences during the solicitation process. The suggestions will be focused on arts and culture organizations and how they can utilize certain strategies that are often seen in social service and health organizations.

Committee: Kara Stewart Ms. (Advisor); Neil Sapienza Mr. (Committee Member); Kevin Moore Mr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management; Performing Arts

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2014, Leadership and Change

In Making Space for Dying: Portraits of Living with Dying, I describe the everyday lived experience of dying and the care culture within freestanding, community-based, end-of-life residences (CBEOLR) utilizing portraiture and arts-based research. I craft four case studies into "portraits," based on interviews, on-site visits, up-close observation, and field notes. In the person-centered portraits, I reveal the inner landscape of two terminally ill women, with data represented in poetry. In the place-centered portraits, I "map" the social topography of two CBEOLRs to illustrate how lives and care of the dying are emplaced, from the perspectives of community leaders, residence staff, volunteers, family members, and residents, with data presented as aesthetic (storied) narrative. Collage and photographs further enhance the text. Little has been written about the meaning of home and the centrality of a home-like environment in the healthcare milieu, specifically in the context of the end-of-life care setting. My research helps to fill a gap in understanding care culture in the freestanding CBEOLR, a care-setting genre rarely examined in the literature. Additionally, my study develops the notion of a "good place to die" and introduces the Home for the Dying, a CBEOLR model unique to New York State. Lastly, building on the literature on liminality, and informed by clinical practice as an oncology social worker, my study specifically highlights the terminal stage of cancer and introduces the concept terminal liminality, characterized by descent. Two broad dimensions emerged: Nesting-in-Being and Nesting-in-Place. Together, these dimensions created a framework for exploring care culture and ways of working with existential suffering. The bird's nest, as a utilitarian though temporal structure, provided an elegant metaphor for the special end-of-life residence. Three linked sub-themes related to care culture emerged, Nest of Simple Things (meaning making), Nest of Belonging (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carolyn Kenny PhD (Committee Chair); Alan E. Guskin PhD (Committee Member); Carol S. Weisse PhD (Committee Member); Timothy E. Quill MD (Other) Subjects: Aging; Behavioral Sciences; Families and Family Life; Gerontology; Health Care; Individual and Family Studies; Medicine; Oncology; Public Health; Social Psychology; Social Work