Clark Honors College Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/169

The thesis is the capstone of a student's academic program at the Clark Honors College. It is an opportunity for each CHC student to build on the education received in both CHC and the academic major to design an independent and original research project. It is the product of the student's original research or creative endeavor and, like graduate theses, must place the research or creative work in the context of prior research or artistic traditions, explain the techniques used to perform the research or develop the creative work, and present and elaborate on the results. Like graduate students, CHC students work closely with faculty members to develop and write their theses and, like graduate students, defend their theses in oral presentations to their thesis committees. There is a fundamental difference between graduate theses and CHC theses; the CHC thesis must be readable by a lay audience, while graduate theses may be written in technical or discipline-specific language.

Beginning in Winter 2005, Clark Honors College students have been notified of the option of submitting their theses to Scholars' Bank and many have done so. Some older theses are also available.

Paper copies of all theses are available in the Robert D. Clark Library on the third floor of Chapman Hall, on the University of Oregon campus. Contact the College for more information: https://honors.uoregon.edu/.

Paper copies of all theses are also available in the University Archives operated by the University of Oregon Libraries. To search the Libraries' catalog, visit the web site at: https://library.uoregon.edu/.

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Browsing Clark Honors College Theses by Content Type "Thesis"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 110
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    The American Catholic Voter: A Look at the 2004 Presidential Election
    (University of Oregon, 2005-06) Jenkins, Laura
    This work first examines the American Catholic voter from a historical perspective. It looks at the development of this demographic through major presidential elections, allowing for a better understanding of Catholics’ response to current political situations. The work then describes the American Catholic in 2004, laying out their current divisions, beliefs and relevant political issues. Specifically looking at the 2004 presidential election, the work examines the Roman Catholic Church’s role in American politics, and the influence it has upon the voter’s decision. The Catholic outreach campaigns of the two major political parties are scrutinized as well, in order to better understand what swayed Catholic voters to make their ultimate decision. All of these pieces are then combined to analyze and draw conclusions about the American Catholic voter.
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    AN ARCHAEOBOTANICAL GUIDE TO THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN
    (University of Oregon, 2024-09) Di Fiore, Sofia; Kennedy, Jaime; Gallagher, Daphne
    Archaeobotany—the study of plants recovered from archaeological sites—is a discipline that offers one the opportunity to peer into the past and look at what the lives of humans looked like in times we will never experience. Archaeobotanical investigations are particularly important to the understanding of how human populations adapt to changing environments, as changes in botanical resources due to climactic shifts necessitate changes in traditional lifeways, shaping human cultures. This thesis reviews the archaeobotanical research history of the Northern Great Basin, a unique and isolated part of the intermountain west with an extensive history of human occupation that makes it an important locus of archaeological study, providing the opportunity for researchers to gain a deep time view of how humans interact with their environment. This project details ten of likely hundreds of plant species represented in the area’s archaeological record, drawing inspiration from traditional plant guides to create a proof-of concept look into the human-environmental connection in this region.
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    AN ETHICAL EVALUATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL NONPROFIT AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF FOREIGN AID
    (University of Oregon, 2024-05) Dhamdhere, Aarushi; Weaver, Lesley Jo; Fitzpatrick, Ellen;
    This thesis will aim to address ethical challenges that foreign aid poses to aid-receiving countries and investigate the frameworks of international non-governmental organizations (INGO). To do so, I worked closely with an INGO, that I will refer to as GlobalMed, and assessed their duties and obligations as international actors. I accompanied GlobalMed on a week-long service-learning trip (SLT) in Cusco, Peru where I conducted an ethnographic study through participant-observation. My research took place in mobile clinics, patient follow-up care programs, and development projects. The goal, by the end of this project, was to develop insights to the framework of GlobalMed, determine whether my experience aligned with the tenets of medical ethics, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the potential implications of foreign aid.
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    AN INTERNAL ANALYSIS ON ADVOCATING FOR LATINO/A ACHIEVEMENT IN SCHOOL (ALAS)
    (University of Oregon, 2024-05) Miki, Isabella; Doty, Jen; Mauro, Robert
    Advocating for Latino Achievement in Schools (ALAS) is an afterschool program designed for Latino/a immigrant English Language Learners at Springfield High School. This program aims to prevent dropout, promote academic success, and promote college/career readiness through providing academic support and enhancing critical consciousness. After analyzing ALAS student survey responses and interviews with ALAS team members, I explore themes that are important to consider in the continuation of the ALAS program: language barriers, transportation barriers, community building, and commitments of higher priority. I suggest future goals for the ALAS program: continuing teacher coordination, and implementing formal critical consciousness lessons.
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    Analysis of Current Migraine Treatments: Intersections of Pharmacologic and Non-pharmacologic, Acute and Preventative Methods of Care
    (University of Oregon, 2006-04) Bryn, Tana
    Migraine affects 23.6 million people in the United States alone. Treatment options can be sub-typed as abortive and preventative, as well as pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic. Due to the debilitating nature of migraine, patients and physicians often rely heavily on abortive treatments. A review of the literature, along with a series of personal interviews suggests that preventative measures, used alone or with abortive treatment, increase the patient's control over the migraines . Additionally, nonpharmacologic interventions such as relaxation training, biofeedback, and dietary modification may offer migraine relief while improving the patient's quality of life. The integration of several treatment avenues represents a growing change in western culture toward prospective medicine, and will aid in maximizing treatment efficacy for migraine.
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    Antiretroviral Adherence in South Africa
    (2007-07-31T17:14:34Z) Metzler, Ian Scott
    HIV/AIDS has caused millions of deaths and untold suffering throughout the world. Although there is no cure, treatment exists that has transformed this disease from an acutely lethal infection into a manageable chronic illness. However, successfully treating HIV/AIDS requires high levels of adherence to prescribed medications. Unlike most aspects of antiretroviral treatment, adherence depends on the behavior of the patient, which is influenced by a multitude of factors from every sector of society. This paper discusses the challenges to treatment adherence within a model country, South Africa. To highlight the necessity of addressing obstacles to adherence, this paper also investigates the biological consequences resulting from poor adherence. These consequences are significant for both the individual and humanity as a whole. Establishing a medical strategy to treat HIV/AIDS is not enough; turning the tides of the HIV/AIDS pandemic will require an understanding of the societal factors affecting adherence as well.
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    Apparitions of the Virgin Mary in contemporary fiction
    (University of Oregon, 2006-06) Le Chevallier, Anne Marie
    Called apparitions, the widespread phenomenon of appearances of Mary has been reported to occur since the apostle St. James the Greater roamed Spain, and it continues to this day. A folklore and following has developed surrounding her apparitions to the laity, poor, uneducated and young occurring, especially, in modem times. Contemporary authors have reinterpreted Mary and these apparitions in order to explore and understand their meaning. This thesis reviews both the history of Marian devotion and theology, and it narrates major, modem apparitions. It further examines how apparitions of Mary are portrayed in the three contemporary novels Our Lady of the Lost and Found by Diane Schoemperlen, Bernardo and the Virgin by Silvio Sirias and Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson. These novels show the traditional representations of Mary and how this tradition is reinterpreted in a post-modem and contemporary lens: they portray the suffering and liberation of the characters and author through their relationship with Mary.
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    As the streets burned: a comparison of the coverage of the 2005 Paris riots
    (University of Oregon, 2007-06) Blakley, Julianna
    This is a study of the historical context of the 2005 Paris riots and a comparison of the coverage in the American and French press, Specifically, it examined a three-week period of coverage of the riots from October 28-November 21,2005, in four newspapers: The New York Times, the Washington Post, Le Monde and Le Figaro. The articles were looked at in both a quantitative and qualitative manner, assessing how many articles appeared, what topics they covered and how they were framed. While there were many fundamental differences in visual content and editorial stance, there were also many similarities in the percentage of articles that appeared on the outlined topic areas. There was also an editorial battle that occurred in the two newspapers, with the French attacking the American press for sensationalizing the riots.
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    Assessing Infant Speech Discrimination Using Pupillary Dilation Response
    (University of Oregon, 2024-08) Heilenbach, Sam; Baldwin, Dare; Bala, Avinash
    Perceptual narrowing is central to the ability of infants in acquiring language competency. The broad sensitivity seen in younger infants to even the smallest units of speech – phonemes – becomes fine-tuned toward the end of their first year of life to the specific phonemes of their native language(s), enabling them to partition continuous speech into discrete words, essential for acquiring language proficiency. Perceptual narrowing refers to the gradual reduction in sensitivity to phonetic contrasts that are not relevant in the native language, along with an enhanced ability to recognize and distinguish phonetic contrasts that are meaningful in the native language. Understanding the timing and mechanisms of this process is key to understanding speech and language development more broadly. Current methods for studying perceptual narrowing rely on behavioral methods that require lengthy training periods, which result in high rates of attrition and may resultingly limit the generalizability of these findings. This study investigated the potential of sound-induced pupil response (SIPR) to measure infant speech-sound discrimination. We hypothesized that SIPR will accurately index auditory discrimination changes as perceptual narrowing unfolds. Using a mixed factorial-design, infants aged 10-12 months were exposed to native and non-native phonetic contrasts while their pupil responses were measured. Our sample of pilot data provides clear evidence validating SIPR as a sensitive measure of infant response to language. However, the sample is as yet too small to offer conclusive findings regarding perceptual narrowing. In any case, the SIPR holds great promise as a new, highly sensitive tool for investigating language development in early infancy. Thus, the significance of this research lies in its potential to enhance our understanding of developmental change in early auditory discrimination abilities.
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    Captive Workforce: Human Trafficking in America and the Effort to End it
    (University of Oregon, 2006-06) Brenner, Alletta
    This thesis examines the phenomena of human trafficking in the United States as experienced by migrant workers, with the following goals: 1) Re-orient the present-day discourse on human trafficking away from the global ‘periphery’ and toward the ‘demand-end’ within the United States; 2) Broaden the discussion of what drives human trafficking to better account for the roles of economics, international migration and public policy; and 3) Focus on the experiences of those victimized by human trafficking without over-simplifying or sensationalizing. Chapter one describes the context and purpose of this study, definitional issues surrounding the term “human trafficking” and the methodological approach I employ in this thesis. Chapter two examines two historical examples of human trafficking in the United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and discusses some of the issues that have influenced public and governmental responses to these problems in the past. Chapter three provides a detailed account of human trafficking in the United States today as a form of “corrupted migration” and a manifestation of migrant labor abuse. Chapter four provides a detailed analysis and critique of current United States laws and policies to address human trafficking. Chapter five contains a discussion of human trafficking today as a symptom of structural oppressions on a global scale. In conclusion I argue the following specific measures should be taken to improve the American response to human trafficking: 1) All policies and laws directed at human trafficking should be understood within the global context of labor inequality. Any proposed solution should aim to decrease this inequality by empowering migrant workers; 2) These efforts should be coordinated with immigration laws and policies so that they work in synergy instead of in opposition to one another; 3) Policymakers should be aware of the ways in which human trafficking is implicitly connected to racist, sexist and classist oppression; 4) Both the United States government and non-governmental organizations should work actively to promote media coverage and representations of human trafficking that are accurate and that avoid stereotypes; 5) The United States government should work in cooperation with non-governmental organizations to conduct a comprehensive study of human trafficking within the United States. A significant component of such a study should involve input from migrant workers and actual victims of human trafficking.
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    Chromatophore Organization and Development in the Cuttlefish Sepia officinalis
    (2006-06) Gosling, Allyson A.
    The cuttlefish species Sepia officinalis possesses a unique and complex behavior referred to in this paper as body patterning behavior. This behavior allows these animals to modulate their external dermal pattern in response to environmental changes. The resulting patterns are used for both camouflage and communication purposes. This behavior is achieved by the mass coordination of millions of tiny pigment-containing organs, termed chromatophores, which are structures located in the skin. The control of these organs is unique in that they are directly innervated by motor neurons which project from the animal’s central nervous system. Using a regenerative model, the organization and post-embryonic maturation of individual chromatophores was examined in this study. Over a 30 day period the regeneration of a small excised section of tissue, taken from the anterior region of the fin, was digitally recorded. The analyses of the resulting images, which include data from the regenerating region as well as the undamaged surround, support the following conclusions: 1) Established chromatophores do not change positions. 2) The spacing between chromatophores in the undamaged control region did not significantly change throughout the 30 day experimental period. 3) As the regeneration progressed, the spacing of chromatophores in the regenerating region became increasing similar to that of chromatophores in the control region, significantly so in the last stages of regeneration.
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    The civil rights movement in Portland, Oregon, 1955-68
    (University Of Oregon, 1983-06) Buhler, Julie Lorana
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    Colonialism and Development: Reinventing 'Tradition' and Gendered Work in Kumaon, India
    (2006-06) Fracchia, Elena M.
    The forests of the Kumaon Himalayas in northern India contain a wide variety of living materials essential to the subsistence production of the people. Women and men alike have a strong sense of history connecting them to the forests and the life it provides. However, during colonial times women took on the bulk of the work associated with gathering and maintaining these forests while their male counterparts were forced out of the villages to earn an income in the cities. Over time, women adjusted to male members of the family being gone by taking on large, burdensome workloads to maintain the household. This reformation of the division of labor became the new “tradition” the villagers lived by. As women did this survival work, they also created a community and network of support for each other while they worked together to gather fuel, fodder, food and even medicine from the forest areas. The women preserved and passed down knowledge through oral traditions, giving them a complete and highly accurate understanding of how to maintain the forestland. However, social structures of a male-dominated society have kept women, and particularly their knowledge, out of the public realm. Though women could be helpful to policy formation, their participation and presence is rendered invisible through a series of cultural barriers (i.e. time constraints, gender-segregated society, male dominated families, etc). This research considers the effects of current development projects in Kumaoni culture, particularly as they affect women. Development discourse is addressed in relation to projects and the allocation of resources relating to both developing areas and women. By examining women’s work, knowledge and participation in community activities, I examine issues regarding the outcomes of British colonial rule, the breadth of wisdom which is unused and dismissed by cultural norms, and the extent to which women’s “traditional” work is hampered by public policies.
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    A critical history of the League of Women Voters of Oregon: Success as a public interest organization: 1999-present
    (University of Oregon, 2006-06) Koski, Sarah Anne
    The League of Women Voters of Oregon and the League's Education Fund are two primary organizations that foster political advocacy and attempt to inform the Oregon constituency through voter service and issue-based reports. Although the League has a substantial influence within the Oregon State Legislature as a non-partisan public interest organization, it is often overlooked by legislators during political work groups and committee selections. Membership is also in decline. This thesis examines the historical background of the past four Legislative sessions in response to League advocacy, as well as featuring personal interviews of three League lobbyists, and a survey of influential members; it ultimately finds that the decline of civic volunteerism, as well as the women in the workforce, have dramatically impacted the current status of the League. In order for this non-profit group to survive in the future, it must alter its current organizational structure. Two suggestions are proposed to assist the League transition into a successful future non-profit.
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    DATA AND DIALOGUE: STRATEGIES FOR ENGAGING UNIVERSITY COMMUNITIES IN CLIMATE ACTION
    (University of Oregon, 2024-08) Coskey, Andrew; Mital, Steve; Mauro, Robert
    This thesis seeks to establish the best practices for environmental communication, data visualization, and stakeholder engagement. The first subject investigated is the theoretical foundation and practical applications of engagement strategies that involve a wide range of university stakeholders: students, teachers, and support staff. This section explores transparency, inclusiveness, and ongoing dialogues as some strategies to build support for sustainable development. The importance of data visualization is also discussed, showing a need for clear, accurate, and accessible visual tools that can simplify complicated information into actionable insights. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted on the effectiveness of analogies as a tool for explaining technical concepts to broad audiences. These techniques are then applied to the University of Oregon thermal system transition, wherein the university investigated options to update its current central heating plant into one that will use more sustainable technologies. The proposed options are dissected and evaluated based on the effectiveness of the task forces’ communication and engagement efforts. Then, a conceptual interactive dashboard that addresses critiques of the task force’s presentation strategy is introduced. The findings demonstrate how well-designed, comprehensive communication strategies can help build informed, supportive communities around sustainability initiatives. The conclusion is composed of recommendations for future enhancements to these strategies. It proposes improved methods of implementing sustainable practices in higher education institutions by combining interactive tools, continuous stakeholder engagement, and clear communication. This case study provides valuable insights into guiding other universities facing similar challenges in their sustainability efforts.
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    Destabilizing cultural assumptions : language and images in the art of Jenny Holzer
    (University of Oregon, 1993) Jacobson-Leong, Davina R.
    Since 1977, when Jenny Holzer first introduced her Truisms signs to the public, the surreal quality of her art has increased with her successively more dramatic installations and messages. Juxtaposing light and dark, impersonal media with personal texts and the future with the past, Holzer's ability to fill and command large areas of space (both public and private) has won her international acclaim and recognition. The sites for her installations have included sections of the Dia Foundation in Manhattan, as well as an immense 535-foot electronic, spiraling sign along the walls of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (1989). Holzer's most ambitious project to date is The Venice Installation ; in 1990, she was selected to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale, a prestigious international exhibition. There, Holzer's installation won the elite Golden Lion Award for Best Pavilion. Jenny Holzer currently lives and works in New York City.1 Whether in a public or private forum, Holzer's signs and installations manipulate the "official voice" of public announcements, which are accepted by the general public as important and true. Through verbal dislocation--placing familiar words in alien contexts--she undermines the unwavering authority of this official voice, thereby jolting viewers from complacent acceptance of any information. In this thesis, I hope both to illustrate the artistic and social contexts from which Holzer's works developed, and to suggest the ramifications of Holzer's provocative texts from a greater perspective. As in any historical research and documentation, it is difficult to gain a global perspective on any subject from a contemporary point of view. Generally, it is only in retrospect that one can recognize the impact an individual and/or movement has had on their society. However, working with the assumption that much can be learned about a society and culture through the art it produces, I hope to demonstrate through my research how art is used not just as a means of contemplation or "abstract personal expression", but that it is also used to catalyze action, and if necessary, political action. With this idea, the actual product of an artist's creation is secondary to the revolutionary consciousness that it can awaken in its viewers, the far-reaching, political result of artistic provocation. In addition, I shall examine--both in theory and practice--the creative process behind a work of art. Rather than simply turning to life, Holzer's art seems to be compelled by life, and it is this element of immediacy and provocation in her works that I would like to explore. Holzer's works demand a creative response from viewers, and while this response will generally remain on a cerebral level-rethinking cultural assumptions that are made daily--in this thesis will take my own personal response one step further. Verbal analysis of art is ultimately an analysis "at arm's length", therefore my final goal in the scope of this paper is to produce a creative (i.e., artistic) response to Holzer's works. This will consist of a series of drawings/collages and explanatory notes, an artistic interpretation and response to the many questions raised in the course of my research on this subject. Some of the issues or topics I will address concern: the use of language itself as an artistic medium; the creation of semantic meaning in words and images; the conflicting and fragile relationship between cooperation and corruption; and the struggle against power relationships in society from an inside and outside perspective. By responding to Holzer's artistic provocation with my own artistic interpretation, I hope to demonstrate the chain-reaction dialogue that art can catalyze. For, as one critic describes, art "can do what has always been within its province to do: offer a unique insight, vision or perspective which can heighten or resonate with one's own consciousness. "2
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    Developing a European security and defense identity : past failures, present dilemmas, and the future of EU military cooperation
    (University of Oregon, 2001-08) Spath-Espiau, Renee
    The European Union (EU) is an alliance of 15 Westem European nations that coordinate on economic, social, judicial, and political issues. In 1991, the EU decided to begin collaboration among its members' foreign and security policies. The goal of a common European military identity had been previously attempted by several EU members, but with little success. The early 1990s Balkan crisis provided the EU with a perfect opportunity to unite on a plan for concerted military action, yet the European countries could not agree on how to address the situation. This failure highlighted the EU's need to refine its decision-making process and work with an existing security organization in order to accomplish its ambitious goal of military cooperation. By examining past relations, present developments, and future plans between organizations, it became obvious that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would be the most likely partner for EU military cooperation.
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    E-procurement in the hospital industry : a feasibility study
    (University of Oregon, 2002-06) Andries, Colin
    Recent years have seen improvements in the Internet and the ability of individuals to make purchases online. Because of these improvements many companies have looked to the Internet to improve their supply chains. The hospital industry has been one such industry. In my research I sought to see how materials management officials viewed the incorporation of e-procurement into the procurement process. This was done through the analysis of current literature, but primarily through interviews conducted at four hospitals with people in the materials management departments. In contrast to my initial thoughts and hypotheses, I found e-procurement in its current state, unlikely to be implemented in today's private hospitals. The changes I feel necessary for e-procurement to be successful in the hospital industry are unlikely to be made because of issues on both the demand and supply sides of the supply chain.
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