MAIS Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1773/53101

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 77

Uncovering Inequalities: Addressing the (RE)Production of Power Relations within Financial Aid Processes utilizing Institutional Ethnography
(2016-06-10) Hill, Victoria A.; Ignacio, Emily Noelle Sanchez; Griesse, Margaret
The purpose of this research project is to critically map the University of Washington's institutional practices concerning financial aid and related administrative policies and procedures related to the FAFSA application. This research was conducted by using institutional ethnography as a method to analyze the difficulty of carrying out organizational duties under complex federal, state and institutional policies. It also considers how the process of carrying out these duties creates tensions for staff, and how the unintended consequences of power relations are produced and reproduced between the process of staff carrying out their duties and students receiving aid. Information obtained from the observations and interviews, has the potential to usefully impact and change policies that have unintentionally replicated injustice or inequality for students enrolled in, or planning to attend, the university. Equally important, analyzing and mapping this information allows for the facilitation of a greater understanding of policies, by disseminating the information through a website and social media outlets, where the maps of financial aid processes can be easily located and utilized.
Undone: a Novella Using Othello to Discuss Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Support
(2015-06-12) Hicks, Thomas M.; Sharkey, E. Joe; Modarres, Andrea M.
Amongst the discourse about Veterans, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has become a prevalent, if not dominant, theme. Often this discussion is accompanied by themes articulated in the phrase "Support Our Troops" and framed in the context of the military history and origins related to PTSD. But what often gets overlooked and overshadowed are the correlation between support and treatment or prevention of PTSD, the inadequacy of gestures framed as supporting our troops that do very little to actually support them, non-combat/ non-military PTSD, stigmas of PTSD that become an obstacle to getting treatment, and extreme portrayals of PTSD in fiction. Because of these factors, I wrote the novella "Undone" and used Shakespeare's Othello as a lens to examine these narratives.
Voices Made (M)other
(2014-06-11) Benge, Lizbett; Naidus, Beverly; Chamberlain, Edward
Voices Made (M)other is a theatrical project I created consisting of two original short plays, Momologues and ILL. This interdisciplinary project combines motherhood studies, feminist studies, whiteness studies, and theatre. One cannot have political change without revolutionizing each individual; and so I am sharing the process behind creating ILL, an autobiographical play tracing events throughout my motherline, to demonstrate the ways in which this project has helped create a more nuanced version of motherhood that incorporates mental illness, maternal abuse, and healing from trauma. This project builds upon the theory of empowered mothering (O'Reilly, 2006) by which society begins looking at the situation and needs of the mother herself "in the context of her own life" as opposed to the needs of the children, family, or any other social factors (p. 327). Through the creation of ILL I am forming a community of empowered mothers and women who actively challenge rigid notions of femininity and how "nature" has been grafted onto women as if they are supposed to be more "nurturing" or "mothering" by virtue of their "womanness." The three part video performance of Voices Made (M)other can be accessed at: http://youtu.be/hhyOKxaFE8E (Momologues) ; http://youtu.be/7hQ0Y52AoRQ (ILL); http://youtu.be/inawQlK4iG0 (Talkback).
Working Class Theater NW
(2014-06-13) Hughes, Christina; Kula, Michael; Blair, Linda
This project details the development of a small, community theater, in Tacoma, WA: Working Class Theater NW. Disparity between the audience that exists in Tacoma and the theater designed to serve that audience creates space to re-conceptualize the role of theater in the region. The power of drama to engage in communal problem solving is often undermined by reliance on money and thematic disassociation from the issues of every day life. Engaging citizens through stories that reflect and expand on lived experiences, such as economic uncertainty and social diversity, removes the necessity of power and privilege to gain access to an artistic life. This is vital if theaters and other non-profit arts organizations wish to create sustainable and relevant projects that serve local communities. Production of David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre is a case study that explores how the theoretical underpinnings of Working Class Theater NW perform in practice.
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and Hawaii
(2013-04-01) Zeller, Theresa J.; Williams, Charles; Ignacio, Emily
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first piece of U.S. legislation to bar a specific ethnic group from immigrating to U.S. soil, thus demonstrating how regional agendas can and do turn into national policies. However, despite its impact and historical significance, the Chinese exclusion movement is often only vaguely referenced within general history texts. In this thesis, the author analyzes the experiences of Chinese immigrants in California and Hawaii and discusses how such experiences present a fuller understanding of the politics behind the Chinese Exclusion Act.
The Manchurian Candidate Narrative: The Need for Balance and a Counter Narrative
(2016-06-10) Hardin, Patrick E.; Naidus, Beverly; Kula, Michael
Contemporary American media commonly misrepresents violence committed by veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as common place. The reasons for PTSD-related violence are complex, and representations of it in popular media contribute to the stigmatization and fear of veterans with PTSD in both the civilian and military populations. This project rationale is the presentation of a counter narrative to these dominant cultural narratives in the form of a web comic, titled Binary. Binary is the story of Derek Anderson which shows how deeply PTSD changes the lives of sufferers. Despite his disabled status and less-than-ideal living circumstances, Derek is able to overcome immense challenges due to his profound life experiences, and subverts the traditional 'dangerous veteran' trope. Binary changes the dominant culture narrative into something that actively combats it.
Unsheltered & Undeserving: How Chronically Homeless Individuals are Discursively Constructed in Newspapers
(2014-08-22) Howard, Jacinda; Thompson, Riki; Ishem, Linda
Homelessness arose as a public problem in the 1980s and led to the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, the country's first and only legislation to acknowledge homelessness and direct resources toward addressing it. The act has since inspired a national movement to end all types of homelessness by 2020 and chronic homelessness by 2015. A permanent supportive housing model known as Housing First, which provides government subsidized apartments and case management to chronically homeless individuals, is poised to play a crucial role in the movement. Given this, nine newspaper articles published in Tacoma, Washington's The News Tribune and written on the topic of Tacoma's Housing First & Encampment Elimination Project are analyzed as part of a case study that combined the methodologies of rhetorical analysis and critical discourse analysis in an effort to identify how social views about chronically homeless people and the Housing First model are reproduced in Tacoma through publications. The goal of the research is to encourage a change in discursive practices as they relate to chronically homeless people and the effort to end chronic homelessness. The research shows that in Tacoma, discourse pertaining to monetary savings and human rights is used to argue in support of Housing First. However, chronically homeless individuals are simultaneously portrayed in the discourse as responsible for their living conditions and therefore undeserving of housing. The research is significant because it calls attention to the societal values that impact the movement to end chronic homelessness and how those values are communicated in the public texts of newspapers.
Transgender Vulnerabilities: State Issued Identity Documents and Third Gender Options
(2019-06-12) Farrow, Mira; Jolly, Natalie; Knopp, Larry
Until recently the power to classify people by gender in the U.S. resided exclusively with the state and federal governments, both of which previously used the two binary gender options, female and male, and no others. Since 2017 this has begun to change as more states and cities have begun making third gender options available to those who do not identify as either. This represents a step forward towards greater acceptance of transgender, and particularly nonbinary identities within society. It is revolutionary in how the state administers "sex designations," along with your name as the foundation of an individual's legal identity in society. Trans people in both private and public spaces have to prove who they are as well as correct wrong assumptions, at times exposing themselves to public humiliation, exclusion, marginalization and even violence. These everyday situations give private citizens the power to analyze and pronounce judgment on everyone's identity acting as agents of the state. How do third gender options work, how did we get here and what does this mean for the ongoing debate about gender and how it relates to identity politics, public policy, feminist and queer theory?
Narratives of Salishan: The Untold History
(2019-04-01) Pfutzenreuter, Justi; Camacho, Ariana Ochoa; Miller, Danica; Martin, Minda
From the Introduction: "When it comes to Salishan, most of the history that we do know lies in short, unnuanced articles in the Tacoma News Tribune. These articles were, and continue to be, influential in the ways readers view the neighborhood and those who live in it. Written by outsiders who may have preconceived notions, these articles leave no space for residents' voices and their experiences. Taking this into consideration, the history that we don't know resides in the minds and memories of those who have lived there, including families that belong to the Puyallup Tribe from whom the land was originally taken. It's important to examine these perspectives to develop a fuller picture of the neighborhood. Since its origins in 1943, Salishan has had a negative reputation within the larger community. Without the voices of the tenants, negative stereotypes about Salishan will persist. We should ask, 'who's telling the story?' and 'who's constructing the narrative of Salishan?' This film project documents the experiences of residents, using their own voices, as an intervention into the dominant negative narrative about Salishan."
Sustainable Hub for Education and Demonstration
(2016-06-10) Smith, Daniel N.C.; Gawel, James E.; Moore, Ellen E.
In our lives we are routinely confronted with images of climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. The Sustainable Hub for Education and Demonstration (SHED) reflects my personal commitment to action in confronting this seemingly overwhelming problem. The structure embodies the practice of green building and makes connections among education, resource conservation, service learning, and community action. As a demonstration of resource conservation, the SHED was designed to be recycled, reused, or repurposed at the end of its service life. The materials of the structure will be reincarnated in another use cycle and no deposits will be made to a landfill. Educational and service learning goals of the SHED were achieved by the involvement of students from UW Tacoma and Clover Park Technical College. The participating students learned the advantages of green building and sustainable development while volunteering more than 1600 hours of time. Additionally, the SHED has made a contribution to community action for sustainable development by being the first structure in Tacoma to use industrial hemp as a building material. Earth Day, April 23, 2016, marked a day that brought together students, community members, and industry professionals to install the hemp-lime wall of the SHED in the UW Tacoma Giving Garden. The SHED is small, but has large and lasting implications. It will remain in place and serve as a venue for sustainability education for generations to come.
No Lost Generations: Refugee Children and Their Human Right to Education, From the Holocaust to the Syrian Civil War
(2017-03-17) Warner, Jessica; Bruch, Elizabeth; Sundermann, Elizabeth
International law protects the right to education for refugee children, as is stated in multiple treaties and documents, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951), the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990). The purpose of this research is to highlight the historical development of education for refugee children, through programs led by Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), as well as to emphasize the importance of education as part of current humanitarian interventions. This thesis examines a past example of children as refugees, centered on Jewish children located in displacement camps in the aftermath of the Holocaust, and how the issue of their education was handled by newly formed IGOs. Legal frameworks are explained in regard to how international law protects the rights of child refugees, as well as theories of educational pedagogy. Contemporary examples focus on educational opportunities for Syrian refugee children living in United Nations-operated camps in Jordan, as well as opportunities post-resettlement in the United States. Traditionally all humanitarian aid consists of three key "pillars", where the focus is on food, medicine, and shelter. The international community has recognized that education is a fundamental right, but more must be done to ensure that it is better funded and included in all emergency responses. This can be achieved by incorporating education as the fourth pillar of humanitarian aid.
Multiculturalism and Student Retention: Designing the Identity, Culture, and Inclusion Leadership Certificate Program to Ignite Critical Engagement
(2014-06-13) Morgan, Sonja C.; Ignacio, Emily; Gordon, Dexter
The purpose of this project is to design, propose, and receive funding to establish a critical multicultural leadership program for students at Pierce College Puyallup that will promote campus-wide diversity and social justice engagement. Named the Identity, Culture, and Inclusion Leadership Certificate, this extracurricular program is intentionally grounded in critical race, student retention, student development, and engagement theories to facilitate the integration of academic multicultural content with practical leadership application. This project was conducted by a student services professional working at a predominately white suburban community college in Washington State.
The Battle of Gentrification vs. Centrification: The role of nonprofits
(2017-06-14) Towey, William; Bernstein, Ruth; Williams, Charles; Compson, Jane
This paper examines how local government, community based organizations, nonprofits, and grassroots advocacy groups can build community engagement, raise-up and prioritize the historical neighborhood, and champion the value proposition for residents who face gentrification. Using a case study in Tacoma, Washington, this paper examines how nonprofit organizations, local government, and private developers attempt to serve what are often two conflicting forces - economic development and community stabilization. Using four primary themes of review (Urban Gentrification, Public Policy, Nonprofit Response, and Community Response) this paper examines how local government, institutions, and nonprofits utilize policy, programs, outreach, engagement, CDCs, land trusts, etc. to mitigate the negative impacts of gentrification. As gentrification has become increasingly integrated into a competitive cityscape iv of economic development, this paper asks if a practice of 'centrification' within community can curtail gentrification as a form of economic eminent domain.
Mourning Wave: Grieving the Loss of the Natural Environment
(2015-06-01) Stewart, Kayla; Naidus, Beverly; Johnstone, Theodore
Informed and inspired by the sudden passing of my uncle, Mourning Wave is a physical manifestation of my own experience with grief as it relates to the natural environment. My own personal grief opened the door to experiencing collective grief. Constructed as a wave-shaped altar composed of discarded plastic, Mourning Wave aims to highlight the role of oceanic plastic debris in relation to the damage being done to the environment by humans. The wave is painted black, a traditional color of mourning. Colorful discarded plastic lies within the crest of the wave. This debris was collected several times as a performative act. The photos that accompany the work document the wave's journey and growth. Despite the large amount of literature dedicated to grief, loss, rituals, altars, and the natural environment as individual topics, an interdisciplinary synthesis of these subjects is both absent and urgently needed. Hence, the intent of this project and its accompanying research is to illuminate the ways in which rituals and altars can be used to enhance and transform our experiences with grief and loss, bringing new meaning to our lives. Upon viewing the altar, it is my hope that observers will discover and discuss their fears, thoughts, and concerns about the ecological crisis, while also inspiring them to work towards protecting the environment. Keywords: Grief, loss, altars, rituals, plastic, and the environment.
Overcoming Barriers: Black Women at Boeing
(2013-10-01) Coney, Cheryl M.; Honey, Michael; Williams, Charles
This research looks at the lives of Black Women in the Pacific Northwest working at Boeing during World War II. Using historical research, archived records and oral history the experiences of Black Women Rosies are documented. Oral histories from Katie Burks and Ruth Render two of the first Black Women employed at Boeing during World War II offer personal insights into barriers Black Women faced and how they overcame these obstacles with activism to build strong communities and a better workplace.
Progression: Preventing Recidivism through Post-Secondary Education
(2016-11-30) Amili, Frelimo Omari; Knopp, Lawrence; Perone, Anthony
In the United States of America there are more people incarcerated than in any other developed country. The majority of people released from incarceration become recidivists. Many people who are incarcerated serve their time and return to the same circumstances that led to their incarceration. First time offenders are often released to much worse circumstances because they now have their options in regards to life essentials such as housing and employment limited by a criminal conviction. Despite these unfortunate realities, the potential within many people affected by this vicious cycle can still be reached. Many researchers have concluded that post-secondary education can have a positive impact on preventing recidivism. Through pursuing an education, formerly incarcerated college students embark on a transformative journey that leads to a reduced risk of becoming a recidivist. In addition to new opportunities for employment, transitioning from prison to college can play a role in reshaping character, identity, and values for the formerly incarcerated. There are many studies on prison-based college programs but there is very little research in regards to the experiences of students in college post incarceration (Halkovic & Greene, 2015; Strayhorn et al., 2012). In order to address this gap, the method of inquiry chosen for this project was autoethnography. The result of this project is a workshop and workbook designed to help people transition from prison to college. Workshop participants will be introduced to many key topics regarding the transition from prison to college. Participants will be walked through the process of applying for admission as well as financial aid. They will also be introduced to campus and community resources that can assist them in their transition. There are ten workshop sessions and 10 related workbook units. The goals and objectives of the workshop and workbook are directly related to the lived experiences uncovered through the research process. The topics include The Transformative Nature of Post-Secondary Education, Leaving the Criminal Lifestyle Behind, Community Resources, Academic and Career Options, Financial Aid, College Life, Being a Felon on Campus, Facing Adversity, Doing School Work, and Bringing it all Together. Within the major topics, each areas of focus is addressed through secondary content that helps reach the workshop objectives.
How Communication Design Motivates Voter Participation: Comparing Instrumental vs. Social Rhetoric
(2014-04-01) Pryor, Lindsay; Sun, Huatong; Rose, Emma
This written defense of my degree project describes how l used contemporary communication design theory to develop postcards for the Office of the Washington Secretary of State urging voter registration before the 2013 General Election deadline. In addition to measuring the overall effectiveness of the postcards, this project evaluated the registration and turnout differences between two treatments in a study funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The aim of the study was to add to the small but growing body of interdisciplinary research concerning communication design and voter participation. To determine which communication design techniques motivate more postcard recipients to register to vote, I designed one treatment which emphasized the instrumental aspects of the postcard by describing the convenience of the registration process, and another postcard treatment that attempted to persuade recipients to register using social rhetoric. The results of the study offers several "lessons learned" for future voter outreach communication design.
A Temporary Hometown: Gendered Labor and Social Citizenship in Bremerton, Washington, a Domestic Military Colony
(2016-06-10) Fern, Anna K.; Williams, Charles; Hartse, Caroline
This mixed-methods study addresses social construction of home and belonging for residents of a vice labor and military veteran class in Bremerton, Washington, a US military manufacturing and base city. This thesis seeks to explain how some workers and residents in the city of Bremerton, Washington have been historically marginalized, even as their roles, framed as patriotic contributions, have been integral to the socioeconomic efforts and successes of the dominant militarized culture. I explore how study participants make meaning of their experiences - some in gendered and sexualized vice labor in service to military and federal personnel, and some who negotiate social changes after their withdrawal from service in the military - within this community that privileges its military presence and facilities. Demographic data demonstrate the economic and social effects of the city's federal alliance; many residents in the city's rejuvenation area are not benefitting from an association with the socially enforced militaristic hegemony, either as service workers or as veterans of military service, despite their contributions to the city's patriotic military alliance. In conflict with the dominant narrative, a sense of community and belonging play an important role in the lives of participants, indicated by how they view their social and labor contributions to the community, how they negotiate the social hierarchy of the community, and how they envision a future Bremerton that affords them fully applied legal, civil, and social citizenship. This study contributes to multidisciplinary discourses on urban studies, environmental psychology, internal colonialism, and class and gender theory.
A Survey of Language Experience and Usage among First Generation Community College Latina/o Students
(2013-10-01) Rangel, Cesar; Ignacio, Emily; Woodside, Vanessa de Veritch
In this preliminary research, I critically reflect on the ethnic identity and language experience among fifteen first generation Latina/o students at a Washington State community college Latina/o club designed to explore and support academic challenges faced by Hispanic/Latina/o students. General results indicated that respondents shared common associations like language use, ethnic self-identification, and/or preferred language preference.
Bet Lee: An American Civil War Novella
(2014-06-13) LaFountain, Tamara J.; Allen, Michael; Miller, Janie
An estimated 400 women disguised themselves as men to fight in the American Civil War. Though the war ended nearly 150 years ago and over 65,000 books have covered every aspect of the subject in that time, only a handful of recent works have explored the subject of the female civil war soldier. The vast majority of these women lived in secret; and, since secrets kept are difficult to research, it is likely that the published historical studies on the subject have found all that can be discovered (Leonard, 1999; Cooke and Blanton, 2002; Hall, 2006). This novella takes what information exists about these women and crafts a story about one - a composite of research and imagination - into a novel, thereby adding to their remembrance by reaching a wider audience through a popular medium and suggesting the rest of the story.

Browse

Recent Submissions