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• 1. [Article] The Work of Promising and the Creation of Meaning

  This thesis is an exploration into the mechanism of Marxist materialism. It is an attempt, in the face of materialism, to regain a grasp on our intellectual lives. The promise, I will argue, is a nexus ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Work of Promising and the Creation of Meaning Author: Buswell, Evan Conrad Year: 2011 This thesis is an exploration into the mechanism of Marxist materialism. It is an attempt, in the face of materialism, to regain a grasp on our intellectual lives. The promise, I will argue, is a nexus between the material and ideal realms; it largely determines the configurations of our thoughts along three poles: privacy/recognition, sovereignty/subjection, and individual/society. In this thesis, I will explore the history of the promise during the sixteenth-century development of the negotiable instrument- a form of the promise that could be bought and sold. This development, I will argue, led to a general transformation of language during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries such that the concept of the referent largely replaced the concept of the signifier. In the realm of mathematics, this transformation led to the creation of the symbolic variable; elsewhere, it led to the creation of what Mary Poovey has called the modern fact. Title: The Work of Promising and the Creation of Meaning Author: Buswell, Evan Conrad Year: 2011 This thesis is an exploration into the mechanism of Marxist materialism. It is an attempt, in the face of materialism, to regain a grasp on our intellectual lives. The promise, I will argue, is a nexus between the material and ideal realms; it largely determines the configurations of our thoughts along three poles: privacy/recognition, sovereignty/subjection, and individual/society. In this thesis, I will explore the history of the promise during the sixteenth-century development of the negotiable instrument- a form of the promise that could be bought and sold. This development, I will argue, led to a general transformation of language during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries such that the concept of the referent largely replaced the concept of the signifier. In the realm of mathematics, this transformation led to the creation of the symbolic variable; elsewhere, it led to the creation of what Mary Poovey has called the modern fact. Close

• 2. [Article] Weder Bürger noch Mensch: Gefangener der Medien und des Rechtsstaats gekoppelte Entmenschlichung mit Radikalisierung Zwei Auffassungen Heinrich Bölls Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum oder: wie Gewalt entstehen und wohin sie führen kann

  In his 1974 novella The lost Honor of Katharina Blum Heinrich Böll argues for the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence. He states that this principle is violated when defamatory media headlines ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Weder Bürger noch Mensch: Gefangener der Medien und des Rechtsstaats gekoppelte Entmenschlichung mit Radikalisierung Zwei Auffassungen Heinrich Bölls Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum oder: wie Gewalt entstehen und wohin sie führen kann Author: Russ, Tyler Robert Year: 2010 In his 1974 novella The lost Honor of Katharina Blum Heinrich Böll argues for the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence. He states that this principle is violated when defamatory media headlines make unwarranted accusations against a private citizen destroying their reputation as part of a targeted smear campaign. The novella characterizes such intentional campaigns as both criminalizing and dehumanizing. Böll argues that the government should influence the press to conform to the limits implied in the institution of freedom of press. He shows the helplessness of a private citizen under attack from a smear campaign when the government takes a laissez-faire attitude toward sensationalized media. This thesis, "Neither citizen nor human: Prisoner of the media and the state: systematically linked dehumanization and radicalization: Two Interpretations of Heinrich Böll's: The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum," evaluates the sympathetic role that media and government play in the radicalization of the private citizen. This thesis establishes a direct relation between smear campaigns and radical or extremist behavior. This thesis shows that the victim of the media acts out erratically in a state of panic and terror brought on by feelings of helplessness. This thesis supports Boell's position that this erratic behavior leads to suicide or violence against perceived oppressors or others. This thesis argues for the habitualization of violence as a precise definition of the radicalization of the individual to violence. This thesis utilizes Böll's fictionalized account of Katharina Blum. This thesis makes comparisons between targeted smear campaigns in the BRD in the period 1967-1974, roughly the period of the Brandt Administration, and the case of Katharina Blum. This thesis demonstrates the systematically linked oppression of oppositional voices by the West German government with media-driven smear campaigns. Böll's essays on topics including human rights and the potential benefits of political radicals help inform this study. Böll's novella demonstrates the vulnerability of all citizens to victimization of the press. Boell shows that violent radical behavior results from smear campaigns against private citizens. Boell argues that this radicalization is clearly rooted in a sales-driven media sympathetic to the state's abuses of power. Title: Weder Bürger noch Mensch: Gefangener der Medien und des Rechtsstaats gekoppelte Entmenschlichung mit Radikalisierung Zwei Auffassungen Heinrich Bölls Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum oder: wie Gewalt entstehen und wohin sie führen kann Author: Russ, Tyler Robert Year: 2010 In his 1974 novella The lost Honor of Katharina Blum Heinrich Böll argues for the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence. He states that this principle is violated when defamatory media headlines make unwarranted accusations against a private citizen destroying their reputation as part of a targeted smear campaign. The novella characterizes such intentional campaigns as both criminalizing and dehumanizing. Böll argues that the government should influence the press to conform to the limits implied in the institution of freedom of press. He shows the helplessness of a private citizen under attack from a smear campaign when the government takes a laissez-faire attitude toward sensationalized media. This thesis, "Neither citizen nor human: Prisoner of the media and the state: systematically linked dehumanization and radicalization: Two Interpretations of Heinrich Böll's: The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum," evaluates the sympathetic role that media and government play in the radicalization of the private citizen. This thesis establishes a direct relation between smear campaigns and radical or extremist behavior. This thesis shows that the victim of the media acts out erratically in a state of panic and terror brought on by feelings of helplessness. This thesis supports Boell's position that this erratic behavior leads to suicide or violence against perceived oppressors or others. This thesis argues for the habitualization of violence as a precise definition of the radicalization of the individual to violence. This thesis utilizes Böll's fictionalized account of Katharina Blum. This thesis makes comparisons between targeted smear campaigns in the BRD in the period 1967-1974, roughly the period of the Brandt Administration, and the case of Katharina Blum. This thesis demonstrates the systematically linked oppression of oppositional voices by the West German government with media-driven smear campaigns. Böll's essays on topics including human rights and the potential benefits of political radicals help inform this study. Böll's novella demonstrates the vulnerability of all citizens to victimization of the press. Boell shows that violent radical behavior results from smear campaigns against private citizens. Boell argues that this radicalization is clearly rooted in a sales-driven media sympathetic to the state's abuses of power. Close

• 3. [Article] Marginalized Characters in Contemporary American Short Fiction

  The focus of the present research work is the contemporary American short stories that bring up issues of compulsory norm and the conflict between marginalized characters and their environment. This research ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Marginalized Characters in Contemporary American Short Fiction Author: Shishkin, Timur Year: 2011 The focus of the present research work is the contemporary American short stories that bring up issues of compulsory norm and the conflict between marginalized characters and their environment. This research was based on those short stories that seemed to represent the idea of being "different" in the most complex and multilayered way, and its goal was to unfold new aspects of the conflict between "normal" and "abnormal"/"different". Variations of norm as well as diversity within the marginalized raise a number of questions about the reasons for their inability to coexist peacefully. The close reading and the analysis of the selected stories show that all the conflicts in them, in one way or another, repeat similar patterns and lead to the same root of the problem of misunderstanding, which is fear. To be more precise, all the cases of hate towards "different" characters can be explained by the hater's explicit or implicit fear of death in its various forms: inability to procreate one's own kind, cultural or personal self-identity loss, actual life threat in the form of a reminder of possible physical harm and death. Most often it would be the case where shame and fear of death overlap in a very complex way. In general, the cases of characters' otherness fall into three major groups. The nature of the alienation for each of these groups is described and analyzed in three separate chapters. Prejudice and stereotypes are playing a great role in formation of fears and insecurities which need to be dismantled in order to make peaceful coexistence possible. This work concludes with pointing out the crucial role of taking an approach of representation of various perspectives and diversification of voices in creative writing, academia and media in the context of multicultural society. Title: Marginalized Characters in Contemporary American Short Fiction Author: Shishkin, Timur Year: 2011 The focus of the present research work is the contemporary American short stories that bring up issues of compulsory norm and the conflict between marginalized characters and their environment. This research was based on those short stories that seemed to represent the idea of being "different" in the most complex and multilayered way, and its goal was to unfold new aspects of the conflict between "normal" and "abnormal"/"different". Variations of norm as well as diversity within the marginalized raise a number of questions about the reasons for their inability to coexist peacefully. The close reading and the analysis of the selected stories show that all the conflicts in them, in one way or another, repeat similar patterns and lead to the same root of the problem of misunderstanding, which is fear. To be more precise, all the cases of hate towards "different" characters can be explained by the hater's explicit or implicit fear of death in its various forms: inability to procreate one's own kind, cultural or personal self-identity loss, actual life threat in the form of a reminder of possible physical harm and death. Most often it would be the case where shame and fear of death overlap in a very complex way. In general, the cases of characters' otherness fall into three major groups. The nature of the alienation for each of these groups is described and analyzed in three separate chapters. Prejudice and stereotypes are playing a great role in formation of fears and insecurities which need to be dismantled in order to make peaceful coexistence possible. This work concludes with pointing out the crucial role of taking an approach of representation of various perspectives and diversification of voices in creative writing, academia and media in the context of multicultural society. Close

• 4. [Article] The Nixon "shocks": implications for Japan's foreign policy in the 1970's

  This thesis examines the implications that the Nixon “shocks” may have on Japan’s foreign policy. The data used consisted of books, articles, periodicals, government publications and newspapers. Examined ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Nixon "shocks": implications for Japan's foreign policy in the 1970's Author: Partch, Richard Douglas Year: 1972 This thesis examines the implications that the Nixon “shocks” may have on Japan’s foreign policy. The data used consisted of books, articles, periodicals, government publications and newspapers. Examined were such important factors as: the attitudes of the political parties in Japan on foreign policy questions, the rapid rise of the Japanese economy and the implications this has had on Japan's relations with other countries, and the question of Japan's possible remilitarization, both in conventional and nuclear terms. In addition, Japan's relations with the other three Great Powers in Asia, (China, the Soviet Union and the United States), are also studied. From about 1945 until the close of the 1960's, Japan's foreign policy had been based on a close relationship with the United States. From about the end of 1970 to the end of 1971, Japan was stung by a series of “shocks” in the course of American foreign policy. These included tile sudden and last minute announcement of Nixon's visit to China, severe economic measures, the imposition of' textile quotas, and the failure of Japan's co-sponsoring of the United Nations motion allowing Taiwan to keep its membership. The period of 1969 to 1972 is critical to the future alignment of Japan’s foreign policy. One conclusion from this re-alignment is that it is now clear that Japan will no longer serve as the American junior partner in Asia. Japan now shows a new independent attitude in its relations with other countries, quite apart from American desire. Also in 1972 following the Nixon “shocks,” both China and the Soviet Union competed against the other to draw Japan away from its American alliance. It is the shift in Japan's foreign policy that this thesis is concerned with. Title: The Nixon "shocks": implications for Japan's foreign policy in the 1970's Author: Partch, Richard Douglas Year: 1972 This thesis examines the implications that the Nixon “shocks” may have on Japan’s foreign policy. The data used consisted of books, articles, periodicals, government publications and newspapers. Examined were such important factors as: the attitudes of the political parties in Japan on foreign policy questions, the rapid rise of the Japanese economy and the implications this has had on Japan's relations with other countries, and the question of Japan's possible remilitarization, both in conventional and nuclear terms. In addition, Japan's relations with the other three Great Powers in Asia, (China, the Soviet Union and the United States), are also studied. From about 1945 until the close of the 1960's, Japan's foreign policy had been based on a close relationship with the United States. From about the end of 1970 to the end of 1971, Japan was stung by a series of “shocks” in the course of American foreign policy. These included tile sudden and last minute announcement of Nixon's visit to China, severe economic measures, the imposition of' textile quotas, and the failure of Japan's co-sponsoring of the United Nations motion allowing Taiwan to keep its membership. The period of 1969 to 1972 is critical to the future alignment of Japan’s foreign policy. One conclusion from this re-alignment is that it is now clear that Japan will no longer serve as the American junior partner in Asia. Japan now shows a new independent attitude in its relations with other countries, quite apart from American desire. Also in 1972 following the Nixon “shocks,” both China and the Soviet Union competed against the other to draw Japan away from its American alliance. It is the shift in Japan's foreign policy that this thesis is concerned with. Close

• 5. [Article] The sovereign people, minority rights and state judiciaries : an historical study of Tocqueville's majoritarian thesis

  In the decade of the 1830's, Alexis de Tocqueville published a perceptive analysis of America in the Jacksonian era, which focused upon the customs, manners and intellectual habits of its citizens, and ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The sovereign people, minority rights and state judiciaries : an historical study of Tocqueville's majoritarian thesis Author: Goodwin, Erica Year: 1983 In the decade of the 1830's, Alexis de Tocqueville published a perceptive analysis of America in the Jacksonian era, which focused upon the customs, manners and intellectual habits of its citizens, and their social condition as seen through its political institutions. He advanced the proposition--a paradox of democracy--that equality of condition was as compatible with tyranny as with freedom. The social consensus, which stemmed from the wide acceptance of doctrine of equality and common wants and interests, when brought to bear upon legislator and judge, public official, juryman, and the non-conforming individual, he termed the "tyranny of the majority." Title: The sovereign people, minority rights and state judiciaries : an historical study of Tocqueville's majoritarian thesis Author: Goodwin, Erica Year: 1983 In the decade of the 1830's, Alexis de Tocqueville published a perceptive analysis of America in the Jacksonian era, which focused upon the customs, manners and intellectual habits of its citizens, and their social condition as seen through its political institutions. He advanced the proposition--a paradox of democracy--that equality of condition was as compatible with tyranny as with freedom. The social consensus, which stemmed from the wide acceptance of doctrine of equality and common wants and interests, when brought to bear upon legislator and judge, public official, juryman, and the non-conforming individual, he termed the "tyranny of the majority." Close

• 6. [Article] A gold dream in the Blue Mountains : a study of the Chinese immigrants in the John Day area, Oregon, 1870-1910

  More than one hundred years have passed since the Chinese laborers first landed in this country in the mid-nineteenth century. Yet their history remains cloudy. This phenomenon is quite understandable ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A gold dream in the Blue Mountains : a study of the Chinese immigrants in the John Day area, Oregon, 1870-1910 Author: Chen, Chia-lin Year: 1972 More than one hundred years have passed since the Chinese laborers first landed in this country in the mid-nineteenth century. Yet their history remains cloudy. This phenomenon is quite understandable if one considers the facts that most of the laborers were illiterate, did not have the ability, and never intended, to speak for themselves. It is true that many scholarly works have been published, but few were written by Chinese historians. As a matter of fact, Chinese scholars are unaware that a small number of their countrymen played a strange, pitiful role in American history. The published works reflect the viewpoint of only American observers. The labor of the Chinese workers was indispensable to the development of the frontier West at a time when resources were abundant and labor hands were few. So much work had to be done building railroads and dams, digging mines, clearing farm lands, canning salmon, etc. And the Chinese were welcomed to every line of manual work. There was a time when nearly every family at Astoria of Oregon and Olympia of Washington hired a Chinese as servant, as some writers claim. When the great number of whites moved in from the east, along with them came the floating laborers and the European immigrants, as well as the labor union. Conditions changed rapidly, the Chinese found themselves not only excluded from all employment, but persecuted everywhere. California was the state which first utilized Chinese labor and first expelled it. This unfavorable circumstance forced the Chinese to flee from California to other states. The purpose of this paper is not to give an account of how the Chinese were maltreated in a country known as a free, equal land opened widely to the whole world, but rather tries to find out how they survived, what were their daily problems, sorrows, and happiness, if any, and what were their inner feelings, their attitudes toward the white hosts. In short, the paper is written in an attempt to reconstruct their life in an alien land. In addition, the paper tries to answer the question why this oriental group appeared so peculiar in their behavior, as some whites commented, that they were both condemned and contemned. One of the crucial problems facing the researcher in the field of early Chinese immigration history is the lack of original materials. This is the common defects in all the published works on this subject. Fortunately for the author, by an unique chance, he was able to study numerous objects left in a Chinese grocery store, the Kam Wah Chung Co. at John Day--a small town once a busy mining area in Eastern Oregon. The pioneer artifacts in this town are disappearing, though the gravels of the old gold placers are still visible along the hillsides and canyons. But the queer old building of the Chinese store is still standing stubbornly as it did one hundred years ago, on a road called Canton Street So many objects were left in the building that the city of John Day is endeavoring to open it as a museum. From a historical point of view, many of these objects are very valuable. Among them are a great number of letters. Some were sent to the laborers from their families, in care of that building. Others were from the laborers to their homes, and for some unknown reason had not been sent to China. They are unique and of special importance to this paper. Perhaps nowhere else in the United States, or in War-torn China, can one find such a number of first hand records about the early Chinese in this country. Although few significant events, romantic affairs, or anything exciting can be expected of them, still, one can reconstruct a plain sketch of their life from these materials. The paper, though it only presents a small picture of the Chinese group in Eastern Oregon, is aimed to serve, hopefully, as a footnote leading to an understanding of how the early Chinese immigrants once lived in the Pacific Northwest. Title: A gold dream in the Blue Mountains : a study of the Chinese immigrants in the John Day area, Oregon, 1870-1910 Author: Chen, Chia-lin Year: 1972 More than one hundred years have passed since the Chinese laborers first landed in this country in the mid-nineteenth century. Yet their history remains cloudy. This phenomenon is quite understandable if one considers the facts that most of the laborers were illiterate, did not have the ability, and never intended, to speak for themselves. It is true that many scholarly works have been published, but few were written by Chinese historians. As a matter of fact, Chinese scholars are unaware that a small number of their countrymen played a strange, pitiful role in American history. The published works reflect the viewpoint of only American observers. The labor of the Chinese workers was indispensable to the development of the frontier West at a time when resources were abundant and labor hands were few. So much work had to be done building railroads and dams, digging mines, clearing farm lands, canning salmon, etc. And the Chinese were welcomed to every line of manual work. There was a time when nearly every family at Astoria of Oregon and Olympia of Washington hired a Chinese as servant, as some writers claim. When the great number of whites moved in from the east, along with them came the floating laborers and the European immigrants, as well as the labor union. Conditions changed rapidly, the Chinese found themselves not only excluded from all employment, but persecuted everywhere. California was the state which first utilized Chinese labor and first expelled it. This unfavorable circumstance forced the Chinese to flee from California to other states. The purpose of this paper is not to give an account of how the Chinese were maltreated in a country known as a free, equal land opened widely to the whole world, but rather tries to find out how they survived, what were their daily problems, sorrows, and happiness, if any, and what were their inner feelings, their attitudes toward the white hosts. In short, the paper is written in an attempt to reconstruct their life in an alien land. In addition, the paper tries to answer the question why this oriental group appeared so peculiar in their behavior, as some whites commented, that they were both condemned and contemned. One of the crucial problems facing the researcher in the field of early Chinese immigration history is the lack of original materials. This is the common defects in all the published works on this subject. Fortunately for the author, by an unique chance, he was able to study numerous objects left in a Chinese grocery store, the Kam Wah Chung Co. at John Day--a small town once a busy mining area in Eastern Oregon. The pioneer artifacts in this town are disappearing, though the gravels of the old gold placers are still visible along the hillsides and canyons. But the queer old building of the Chinese store is still standing stubbornly as it did one hundred years ago, on a road called Canton Street So many objects were left in the building that the city of John Day is endeavoring to open it as a museum. From a historical point of view, many of these objects are very valuable. Among them are a great number of letters. Some were sent to the laborers from their families, in care of that building. Others were from the laborers to their homes, and for some unknown reason had not been sent to China. They are unique and of special importance to this paper. Perhaps nowhere else in the United States, or in War-torn China, can one find such a number of first hand records about the early Chinese in this country. Although few significant events, romantic affairs, or anything exciting can be expected of them, still, one can reconstruct a plain sketch of their life from these materials. The paper, though it only presents a small picture of the Chinese group in Eastern Oregon, is aimed to serve, hopefully, as a footnote leading to an understanding of how the early Chinese immigrants once lived in the Pacific Northwest. Close

• 7. [Article] The Reemergence of Kantian Ethics: Have We Adequately Responded to Hegel's Objections?

  The philosophies of Kant and Hegel have experienced a renaissance for the past thirty years, and a debate continues as to whether Hegel's objections to Kant's moral philosophy are sound, and/or whether ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Reemergence of Kantian Ethics: Have We Adequately Responded to Hegel's Objections? Author: Thompson, Gwen C. Year: 1997 The philosophies of Kant and Hegel have experienced a renaissance for the past thirty years, and a debate continues as to whether Hegel's objections to Kant's moral philosophy are sound, and/or whether Hegel's ethics are an improvement on Kant's. This debate takes many forms, and most recently, theorists have been interested in measuring Hegel's objections against contemporary theories following in the Kantian tradition. 'Critics,' (theorists defending Hegel's moral point of view) suggests such reconstructed theories leave themselves open to identical criticisms Hegel wielded at Kant almost 200 years ago. 'Defenders,' (theorists supporting Kant's moral philosophy, or a revised version) reply in one of two ways. They either suggest that Hegel's criticisms of Kant are unwarranted, meaning Hegel misinterprets Kant's ideas and/or purposes; or, they maintain that Kant's ethics are vulnerable to Hegel's objections, however some newer version of Kant's ethics is not because it has been purged of those Kantian elements which Hegel attacks. Clearly, both views render Hegel's critique of Kant obsolete. So, why are we witnessing such an aggressive resurgence of Hegelian-styled arguments in the contemporary literature? In seeking to answer this question, this thesis reconsiders Hegel's actual critique of Kant. In this way, the thesis falls into a specific category of political philosophy. It is a study in the 'history of ideas.' Rather than considering the question of whether contemporary Critics or Defenders have the better argument concerning the merit of reconstructed Kantian theories, I intend to re-evaluate the soundness of Hegel's objections to Kantian ethics. Kant's moral and political thought on the proper ordering of society is deeply embedded in the pluralist democracies of the western world. As such, those Kantian ideas/elements should be defendable against Hegelian criticisms. Following an in-depth consideration of Hegel's critique of Kant, I argue that whereas Hegel accurately identifies weaknesses in the system of Kant's moral philosophy, his critique does not successfully achieve its goal. It does not show that Kant's ethical theory is an inadequate prescription for the rational agent seeking to act morally. Rather, it serves as a warning of the dangers inherent in democratic liberal theory. Title: The Reemergence of Kantian Ethics: Have We Adequately Responded to Hegel's Objections? Author: Thompson, Gwen C. Year: 1997 The philosophies of Kant and Hegel have experienced a renaissance for the past thirty years, and a debate continues as to whether Hegel's objections to Kant's moral philosophy are sound, and/or whether Hegel's ethics are an improvement on Kant's. This debate takes many forms, and most recently, theorists have been interested in measuring Hegel's objections against contemporary theories following in the Kantian tradition. 'Critics,' (theorists defending Hegel's moral point of view) suggests such reconstructed theories leave themselves open to identical criticisms Hegel wielded at Kant almost 200 years ago. 'Defenders,' (theorists supporting Kant's moral philosophy, or a revised version) reply in one of two ways. They either suggest that Hegel's criticisms of Kant are unwarranted, meaning Hegel misinterprets Kant's ideas and/or purposes; or, they maintain that Kant's ethics are vulnerable to Hegel's objections, however some newer version of Kant's ethics is not because it has been purged of those Kantian elements which Hegel attacks. Clearly, both views render Hegel's critique of Kant obsolete. So, why are we witnessing such an aggressive resurgence of Hegelian-styled arguments in the contemporary literature? In seeking to answer this question, this thesis reconsiders Hegel's actual critique of Kant. In this way, the thesis falls into a specific category of political philosophy. It is a study in the 'history of ideas.' Rather than considering the question of whether contemporary Critics or Defenders have the better argument concerning the merit of reconstructed Kantian theories, I intend to re-evaluate the soundness of Hegel's objections to Kantian ethics. Kant's moral and political thought on the proper ordering of society is deeply embedded in the pluralist democracies of the western world. As such, those Kantian ideas/elements should be defendable against Hegelian criticisms. Following an in-depth consideration of Hegel's critique of Kant, I argue that whereas Hegel accurately identifies weaknesses in the system of Kant's moral philosophy, his critique does not successfully achieve its goal. It does not show that Kant's ethical theory is an inadequate prescription for the rational agent seeking to act morally. Rather, it serves as a warning of the dangers inherent in democratic liberal theory. Close

• 8. [Article] Local Reception of Religious Change under Henry VIII and Edward VI: Evidence from Four Suffolk Parishes

  From the second half of Henry VIII's reign through that of his son Edward VI, roughly 1530 through 1553, England was in turmoil. Traditional (Catholic) religion was methodically undermined, and sometimes ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Local Reception of Religious Change under Henry VIII and Edward VI: Evidence from Four Suffolk Parishes Author: Thompson, William Keene Year: 2012 From the second half of Henry VIII's reign through that of his son Edward VI, roughly 1530 through 1553, England was in turmoil. Traditional (Catholic) religion was methodically undermined, and sometimes violently swept away, in favor of a biblically based evangelical faith imported and adapted from European dissenters/reformers (Protestants). This thesis elucidates the process of parish-level religious change in England during the tumultuous mid sixteenth century. It does so through examining the unique dynamics and complexities of its local reception in a previously unstudied corner of the realm, the Suffolk parishes of Boxford, Cratfield, Long Melford, and Mildenhall. This thesis asserts that ongoing alterations in religious policy under Henry VIII and Edward VI reflected an evolution in both governmental tactics and local attitudes toward the locus of religious authority. Contrary to the view that the Reformation was done to the English people, the parish-level evidence investigated herein shows that, at least in Suffolk, the reformation was only accomplished with their cooperation. Furthermore, it finds that while costly, divisive, and unpopular in many parts of England, religious change was, for the most part, received enthusiastically in these four parishes. Two types of primary sources inform the historical narrative and analysis of this thesis. First, the official documents of religious reform initiated by the crown and Parliament tell the story of magisterial reformation, from the top down. Second, the often-mundane entries found in churchwardens' accounts of parish income and expenditure illuminate the individual and communal dynamics involved in implementing religious policy on the local level, from the bottom up. As agents operating between the distinct spheres of government authority and local interest, this study finds that churchwardens wielded significant power in the mediation of religious policy. The churchwardens' accounts are also supplemented throughout by analysis of selected parishioners' wills, which provide insight into personal beliefs of key individuals and hint at the formation of early religious affinity groupings within parishes. Chapter One summarizes the development of the pre-Reformation Sarum liturgy, its Eucharistic theology, and its relation to the late-medieval doctrine of purgatory. It also describes the richly decorated interiors of pre-Reformation English parish churches and their function as centers of community spiritual life. This provides a gauge through which to understand the extensive changes wrought to church liturgy and fabric during the Reformation. Chapter Two focuses on the unsettled nature of religious policy during the second half of Henry VIII's reign and how it set the stage for more severe changes to come. Chapters Three and Four examine the reign of Edward VI, which saw the most radical efforts at evangelical reform ever attempted in England. In these three chapters, official changes in religious policy are interwoven with analysis of local reaction in the four Suffolk parishes, revealing some surprising local responses and initiatives. The conclusion presents a summary of the historical narrative and analysis presented in the preceding chapters, suggests possibilities for further research, and offers closing thoughts about the local experience of negotiating religious change during this period. Title: Local Reception of Religious Change under Henry VIII and Edward VI: Evidence from Four Suffolk Parishes Author: Thompson, William Keene Year: 2012 From the second half of Henry VIII's reign through that of his son Edward VI, roughly 1530 through 1553, England was in turmoil. Traditional (Catholic) religion was methodically undermined, and sometimes violently swept away, in favor of a biblically based evangelical faith imported and adapted from European dissenters/reformers (Protestants). This thesis elucidates the process of parish-level religious change in England during the tumultuous mid sixteenth century. It does so through examining the unique dynamics and complexities of its local reception in a previously unstudied corner of the realm, the Suffolk parishes of Boxford, Cratfield, Long Melford, and Mildenhall. This thesis asserts that ongoing alterations in religious policy under Henry VIII and Edward VI reflected an evolution in both governmental tactics and local attitudes toward the locus of religious authority. Contrary to the view that the Reformation was done to the English people, the parish-level evidence investigated herein shows that, at least in Suffolk, the reformation was only accomplished with their cooperation. Furthermore, it finds that while costly, divisive, and unpopular in many parts of England, religious change was, for the most part, received enthusiastically in these four parishes. Two types of primary sources inform the historical narrative and analysis of this thesis. First, the official documents of religious reform initiated by the crown and Parliament tell the story of magisterial reformation, from the top down. Second, the often-mundane entries found in churchwardens' accounts of parish income and expenditure illuminate the individual and communal dynamics involved in implementing religious policy on the local level, from the bottom up. As agents operating between the distinct spheres of government authority and local interest, this study finds that churchwardens wielded significant power in the mediation of religious policy. The churchwardens' accounts are also supplemented throughout by analysis of selected parishioners' wills, which provide insight into personal beliefs of key individuals and hint at the formation of early religious affinity groupings within parishes. Chapter One summarizes the development of the pre-Reformation Sarum liturgy, its Eucharistic theology, and its relation to the late-medieval doctrine of purgatory. It also describes the richly decorated interiors of pre-Reformation English parish churches and their function as centers of community spiritual life. This provides a gauge through which to understand the extensive changes wrought to church liturgy and fabric during the Reformation. Chapter Two focuses on the unsettled nature of religious policy during the second half of Henry VIII's reign and how it set the stage for more severe changes to come. Chapters Three and Four examine the reign of Edward VI, which saw the most radical efforts at evangelical reform ever attempted in England. In these three chapters, official changes in religious policy are interwoven with analysis of local reaction in the four Suffolk parishes, revealing some surprising local responses and initiatives. The conclusion presents a summary of the historical narrative and analysis presented in the preceding chapters, suggests possibilities for further research, and offers closing thoughts about the local experience of negotiating religious change during this period. Close

• 9. [Article] Neurobiology of Seasonal Life-history Transitions

  Many animals exhibit seasonal changes in life-history stages, and these seasonal transitions are often accompanied by dramatic switches in behavior. While the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate such ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Neurobiology of Seasonal Life-history Transitions Author: Lucas, Ashley Rae Year: 2015 Many animals exhibit seasonal changes in life-history stages, and these seasonal transitions are often accompanied by dramatic switches in behavior. While the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate such behavioral transitions are poorly understood, arginine vasotocin (AVT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are excellent candidates because they regulate reproductive and feeding behavior, respectively. In this study, I asked if seasonal changes in AVT and/or NPY are concomitant with spring migration away from the breeding grounds, as male and female red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) are transitioning from reproductive to non-reproductive behavior during this time. To address this question, I collected male and female snakes in different migratory stages during the spring and fall. Brains were processed for AVT and NPY immunohistochemistry and the total number of immunoreactive (-ir) cells quantified for each individual. As predicted, males had significantly more AVT-ir cells in the preoptic area and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, brain regions important for courtship behavior, during the spring mating season compared to the fall. Females had significantly more AVT-ir cells in the preoptic area during the spring compared to the fall and, surprisingly, did not exhibit seasonal changes in NPY. In contrast, males had significantly more NPY-ir cells in the cortex, a region important for spatial memory, and in the posterior hypothalamus during the fall compared to the spring, which likely reflects increased feeding behavior during the summer foraging period. Neither AVT- nor NPY-ir cell number varied significantly with migratory status, indicating that seasonal changes in these neuropeptides are not directly related to migration. I then asked if the observed seasonal changes in AVT and NPY in males and females are related to the transition from reproductive to non-reproductive states. Compared to courting males, non-courting males had significantly more AVT-ir cells in the supraoptic nucleus and more NPY-ir cells in the cortex. AVT- and NPY-ir cells did not differ between unmated and mated females. Collectively, my results suggest that AVT and NPY play a role in regulating seasonal transitions in male reproductive behavior, rather than regulating migration per se. Further, these data indicate that both AVT and NPY are regulating reproductive behavior differently in males versus females. These data provide the framework for future studies examining the mechanisms regulating transitions between reproductive, migratory and foraging behaviors. Title: Neurobiology of Seasonal Life-history Transitions Author: Lucas, Ashley Rae Year: 2015 Many animals exhibit seasonal changes in life-history stages, and these seasonal transitions are often accompanied by dramatic switches in behavior. While the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate such behavioral transitions are poorly understood, arginine vasotocin (AVT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are excellent candidates because they regulate reproductive and feeding behavior, respectively. In this study, I asked if seasonal changes in AVT and/or NPY are concomitant with spring migration away from the breeding grounds, as male and female red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) are transitioning from reproductive to non-reproductive behavior during this time. To address this question, I collected male and female snakes in different migratory stages during the spring and fall. Brains were processed for AVT and NPY immunohistochemistry and the total number of immunoreactive (-ir) cells quantified for each individual. As predicted, males had significantly more AVT-ir cells in the preoptic area and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, brain regions important for courtship behavior, during the spring mating season compared to the fall. Females had significantly more AVT-ir cells in the preoptic area during the spring compared to the fall and, surprisingly, did not exhibit seasonal changes in NPY. In contrast, males had significantly more NPY-ir cells in the cortex, a region important for spatial memory, and in the posterior hypothalamus during the fall compared to the spring, which likely reflects increased feeding behavior during the summer foraging period. Neither AVT- nor NPY-ir cell number varied significantly with migratory status, indicating that seasonal changes in these neuropeptides are not directly related to migration. I then asked if the observed seasonal changes in AVT and NPY in males and females are related to the transition from reproductive to non-reproductive states. Compared to courting males, non-courting males had significantly more AVT-ir cells in the supraoptic nucleus and more NPY-ir cells in the cortex. AVT- and NPY-ir cells did not differ between unmated and mated females. Collectively, my results suggest that AVT and NPY play a role in regulating seasonal transitions in male reproductive behavior, rather than regulating migration per se. Further, these data indicate that both AVT and NPY are regulating reproductive behavior differently in males versus females. These data provide the framework for future studies examining the mechanisms regulating transitions between reproductive, migratory and foraging behaviors. Close

• 10. [Article] Beyond Black and White: An Examination of Afrocentric Facial Features and Sex in Criminal Sentencing

  Research on race and sentencing is increasingly moving beyond racial category analyses to include more subtle attributes such as skin tone and facial features. In keeping with this progression, this research ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Beyond Black and White: An Examination of Afrocentric Facial Features and Sex in Criminal Sentencing Author: Petersen, Amanda Mae Year: 2014 Research on race and sentencing is increasingly moving beyond racial category analyses to include more subtle attributes such as skin tone and facial features. In keeping with this progression, this research examines the extent to which convicted offenders' Afrocentric facial features interact with sex in order to create longer criminal sentences for stereotypically Black males and females. A random sample of Black and White males and females currently serving prison sentences in the state of Oregon were selected for inclusion in the study. A preliminary regression analysis was run in order to determine the effect of broad racial category on sentencing length when controlling for offense characteristics, offense history, and extralegal factors. Additionally, photographs of a sample of 110 Black males and 91 Black females were rated for strength of Afrocentric facial features by undergraduate students. These ratings were averaged to create an Afrocentric rating for each Black individual in the sample. Regression analyses were then conducted for Black individuals in order to determine the effect of Afrocentric facial features and sex on sentence length. Results suggested that although broad racial category is not a significant predictor of sentence length, Afrocentric facial features interact with sex to produce longer sentences for Black males, but not Black females, with stronger Afrocentric facial features. Individuals with the fewest Afrocentric facial features were excluded from the analysis in order to limit the potential misperception of racial category by judges. These findings are consistent with current understandings of feature-trait stereotyping, as well as the focal concerns perspective regarding judicial decision-making. Title: Beyond Black and White: An Examination of Afrocentric Facial Features and Sex in Criminal Sentencing Author: Petersen, Amanda Mae Year: 2014 Research on race and sentencing is increasingly moving beyond racial category analyses to include more subtle attributes such as skin tone and facial features. In keeping with this progression, this research examines the extent to which convicted offenders' Afrocentric facial features interact with sex in order to create longer criminal sentences for stereotypically Black males and females. A random sample of Black and White males and females currently serving prison sentences in the state of Oregon were selected for inclusion in the study. A preliminary regression analysis was run in order to determine the effect of broad racial category on sentencing length when controlling for offense characteristics, offense history, and extralegal factors. Additionally, photographs of a sample of 110 Black males and 91 Black females were rated for strength of Afrocentric facial features by undergraduate students. These ratings were averaged to create an Afrocentric rating for each Black individual in the sample. Regression analyses were then conducted for Black individuals in order to determine the effect of Afrocentric facial features and sex on sentence length. Results suggested that although broad racial category is not a significant predictor of sentence length, Afrocentric facial features interact with sex to produce longer sentences for Black males, but not Black females, with stronger Afrocentric facial features. Individuals with the fewest Afrocentric facial features were excluded from the analysis in order to limit the potential misperception of racial category by judges. These findings are consistent with current understandings of feature-trait stereotyping, as well as the focal concerns perspective regarding judicial decision-making. Close