Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item Formative Figures: Elderly Women in The Art of Rembrandt and His Leiden Circle(2024) Hughes, Alyssa Marie; Wheelock, Jr., Arthur K.; Colantuono, Anthony; Art History and Archaeology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation examines the roles of personal connections as well as social and cultural influences in the paintings, etchings, and drawings of elderly women that Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) and his circle made in Leiden. Together, as part of the creative exchange they developed during the 1620s and early 1630s, Rembrandt and his early comrade Jan Lievens (1607–1674) created many images of aged women that are exceptional in their compassionate character. Rembrandt also shared his fascination with these subjects with his first student, Gerrit Dou (1613–1675), whose later genre scenes that feature older women, from the 1650s and 1660s, are similarly humane. Through an examination of their portrayals of these subjects in their tronies, history paintings, and scenes based on everyday life, and the interactions they had in Leiden, this dissertation seeks to provide a greater understanding of the body of influences that shaped these artists’ distinctly sympathetic approach to elderly women in their art.Item Family Reputation in Asian Indian American Women: An Exploration of Its Implications and Emotional Consequences(2023) Sheth, Anjali; O'Neal, Colleen R; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Asian Indian American young women are often torn between two incompatible cultures, Eastern and Western. The former promotes collectivism while the latter promotes individualism. In addition to this internal cultural conflict, there is the added obligation of maintaining one’s family reputation which can create challenges for young women who are navigating these opposing cultures. The specific goal of this study was to understand how Asian Indian American undergraduate women experience and perceive family reputation, in addition to its impacts on their emotional experience, emotional coping, and mental health. The method involved semi-structured interviews with ten participants who identified as (a) Asian Indian American, (b) cis-gendered woman, (c) second-generation immigrant, (d) the child of two parents born in India, and (e) an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland. For analyses, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to code and develop themes that emerged from the interview narratives. Results yielded six superordinate themes that defined family reputation through the perspective of the participants as well as their conceptualization of the various factors that are related to the construct (e.g., gender). The discussion addresses the importance of understanding this construct as it shows up for this sample given its relevance in various aspects of their lives.Item “But Hold Me Fast and Fear Me Not” Comparing Gender Roles in the Ballad Tam Lin and Medieval and Renaissance Scotland.(2023) Conant, Charlotte; Bianchini, \Janna; History/Library & Information Systems; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Tam Lin, a medieval Scottish Ballad tells the story of an unusually forceful young Lady Janet. Janet does many of the feats of strength in her story, defies her father, refuses to behave as a ‘good Christian woman’ might and suffers no consequences for her actions. She ends her story successfully married to a noble Christian man, having saved him from the evil pagan Fairy Queen. This ballad has been popular for centuries, and has been cited as a ballad unique to Scotland that represents Scottish culture. The ballad contains ideas that one might think contradictory to the ideas of a medieval Christian society, yet the ballad was so popular it had a ballet (now lost) and has survived for at least four hundred years. This dissertation examines the differences and similarities between the lack of consequences Janet suffers and what real women in Scotland from the Medieval Ages to the Early Modern period would have experienced. It also will delve into the various cultural groups that contributed to the ‘Scottish Nature’ of the ballad. Stories are told by humans all across the world, a ballad, likely sung in a group, in order to continue being told, must not go against the inherent social rules of the people performing it, or else act as a cautionary tale. However, since Janet does not end her story suffering, Tam Lin is not meant to be a cautionary tale. Why then, was this ballad, that might appear to be so contradictory to the society that was telling it, have managed to survive (and be so popular) to the current day and age.Item “I BELONG HERE”: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY ON THE EXPERIENCES OF PARTICIPANTS IN WOMEN’S CLUB SPORT(2022) Crawford, Mary Kathryn Sullivan; Espino, Michelle M; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Dominant narratives are the stories society tells about the way things are and the way things should be. Often, these stories are internalized and thought of as true and accurate representations of people and systems. In sport, and in higher education, dominant narratives reinforce notions that men are always superior to women. Men are more athletic, more exciting to watch, have greater natural inclinations towards leadership, and as a result, are rightly in positions of power in sport and higher education institutions. In this study, I present counterstories that are contrary to these dominant narratives and represent the experiences of 7 club sport participants who engaged at the intersection of sport and higher education. In this narrative inquiry, club sport participant stories resist these dominant narratives and provide insight into the experiences of women and non-binary students as they navigate sport participation and leadership in student organizations. Findings suggest club sport participants rely on sport for familial and social connections and as a protective environment to express one’s true self. Additionally, club sport participants thrive as leaders when they feel supported and valued by teammates. Implications for practitioners of collegiate recreation and for future research are discussed.Item Determinants of Food Insecurity in the League of Arab States(2022) Sheikomar, Olfat Bakur; Sahyoun, Nadine R; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Background Food insecurity (FI) is widespread in the League of Arab States (LAS) due to factors including gender inequality, conflict, and political turmoil. However, limited data are available on its prevalence and determinants in that region. This dissertation aims to 1) validate the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), developed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and assess the prevalence of FI in that region; 2) examine the association between FI, physical health, and mental well-being by sex and whether social support modifies this association in women; 3) examine the relationship between Palestinian live-in grandparents (GP) and the health and well-being of their grandchildren.Methods Rasch modeling was applied to the Gallup World Poll data to validate FIES in 19 countries of the region. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were applied to data from 62,261 respondents aged 19 and over to examine determinants of FI. Logistic regression was also used to analyze the data of 2707 households and 8,034 children ages 0-17 from two surveys of Palestinian refugees. Results FIES met the Rasch assumptions indicating good internal validity. The prevalence of severe FI was 15.7% and women were at highest risk compared to men (17.6% vs. 14.1%, respectively, p<0.0001). Older age, living in rural areas, and high dependency ratio were associated with severe FI in women. High negative experience and low income were associated with severe FI, but good physical health and high positive experience with lower prevalence of severe FI. Having a live-in GP in the household was associated with grandchildren’s lower odds of experiencing an acute disease and higher odds of attending school. Conclusion FIES is a valid tool; however, cognitive testing of some items and omission of correlated ones may improve the scale. FI is highly prevalent and should be monitored to develop multi-sectoral intervention strategies. Mixed method studies are needed to better understand the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.Item Inclusion, Exclusion, Agency, and Advocacy: Experiences of Women with Disabilities in China(2021) Hu, Luanjiao; Lin, Jing; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Research has repeatedly shown that women with disabilities are more disadvantaged than both disabled men and non-disabled women due to the impacts of sexism and disability discrimination in different societies. In this dissertation study, I aim to add to the global body of literature and empirical research in the field of disability and gender. Currently, there is relatively little research focusing on the lives of women with disabilities in China. By examining the life courses and experiences of six Chinese women with disabilities, I explore how societies impact people’s experiences and how the disabled women negotiate their identities and deal with the multiple oppressions situated in their respective social positions. Research questions that guide this dissertation include: What is the general situation for women with disabilities in China? What are the experiences for women with disabilities in different aspects of their life, e.g., education, relationships, employment, family life, and social activism? To answer these questions, a qualitative multi-case study approach was adopted. Data collection consisted of multiple individual interviews, in order to study challenges that women with disabilities face, as well as their aspirations in their life courses. An overlapping conceptual framework combining a feminist perspective, critical disability lens, symbolic interactionism, and life course perspective was used to conduct a close examination of the issues concerning disabled women. The study traces important developments within the historical context for women with disabilities in China. The findings of the study reveal deeply embedded biases and discriminations in the social, political, economic, and educational systems of China; these biases and resultant discrimination manifest in disabled women’s everyday life experiences. The study also documents key life events and factors that empower women with disabilities to exert agencies in their educational and career courses. Findings of this study will be useful for government, disabled persons’ organizations, related civil society organizations engaged in disability and gender work, and disabled women in general.Item Quiet Country(2021) Hensley, Alannah; Arnold, Elizabeth; Creative Writing; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Quiet Country is a collection of poetry exploring love, violence, and grief. These poems examine the way poverty, addiction, and inter-generational cycles of abuse shape the landscape of rural Arkansas, and address patterns of violence toward children, animals, and women. The collection also includes a six-poem, Queer reimagining of the myth of Cassandra of Troy.Item In Pursuit of the Academic Deanship: Women's Considerations, Choice Environments, and Career Paths(2021) Templeton, Lindsey Lee; O'Meara, KerryAnn; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Fewer women than men hold leadership roles in many fields, including higher education (Johnson, 2016). Despite changes in the demographics of college students (Lumina Foundation, 2015) and the traditional definitions of leadership (Kezar et al., 2006), the number of women declines as rank increases, starting at the role of full professor (Dominici et al., 2009; Johnson, 2016). The traditional path to the pinnacle of academic leadership – the role of the academic president – typically flows from faculty to department chair, dean to provost to president (Moore et al., 1983). Based on this pathway, the academic deanship is frequently viewed as a critical point in the path to academic leadership (Moore et al., 1983; Thrash, 2012; Wolverton & Gonzales, 2000). Yet little research actually examines individuals’ reasons for pursuing the deanship and women lack representation at this critical point in the pipeline (Almanac of Higher Education, 2014; Behr & Schneider, 2015). The purpose of this study is to understand how and why senior women faculty decide to pursue the academic deanship. Using a qualitative, collective case study and awareness of different aspects of identity, this study examines the choice processes for 12 women serving as deans at research-intensive institutions as they reflect on their decision to pursue the academic deanship. This research is framed by Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et al., 1984), choice architecture (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008), and decision-making theories (March, 1994). Data collection included a two-step interview process and analysis of participant-generated narratives and visual depictions. Key findings suggest: 1) women choose to pursue the academic deanship in order to make an impact on their college, institution, or discipline; 2) the decision-making processes of women in pursuit of the academic deanship are shaped by their local choice environments, individual ambition, and prevailing assumptions; and 3) previous leadership experience is a critical component in women’s decisions to pursue the role of dean. Implications for research and practice are provided, including a need to systemically challenge the traditional path to academic leadership and to create space for women to lead at their home institution.Item DISPARITIES IN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS AWARENESS AMONG WOMEN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS OF SYNDEMIC RISK FACTORS(2020) Stubbs, Leandra Nicole; Curbow, Barbara; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While rates of HIV infection have declined among women in recent years, women still account for 19% of all new infections each year in the United States (US). Sociodemographic disparities remain with much of the burden falling on Black adult women aged 25-44. Ongoing transmission of HIV in this population has mostly resulted from heterosexual contact and prior studies have identified interpersonal and sociocultural factors that impede a woman’s choice to engage in safe sex and prevent HIV acquisition. With the debut of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an FDA-approved once-daily pill to prevent HIV transmission, researchers believed that this user-controlled method would be an innovative method in reducing HIV in this subpopulation. However, since its release in 2012, there has been insufficient knowledge of PrEP among women in the U.S, resulting in slow and disproportionate uptake of PrEP in this population. While we know the clinical efficacy of PrEP, more understanding of the behavioral, social, and structural factors that impede PrEP awareness among women is important in the dissemination of PrEP-related information and subsequent use.In this dissertation, I took an exploratory approach to: a) identify awareness, knowledge, barriers and facilitators of PrEP use among US-based women through a systematic review; b) identify factors associated with PrEP awareness among female participants in the 2018 Community Health Survey; and c) explore how the presence of multiple deleterious factors can create distinct subgroups of women and further exacerbate disparities in PrEP awareness. In Paper 1, the systematic review of PrEP knowledge among Black/African American women identified 12 articles with findings disaggregated by both race and gender. Primary findings included gaps in PrEP knowledge; acceptability and willingness to use once informed of PrEP; perceived disadvantages as a result of exclusion in clinical trials and early dissemination; and social, structural, and institutional barriers to engagement in the PrEP care continuum. Papers 2 and 3 leveraged data from the 2018 Community Health Survey, a cross-sectional telephone survey of randomly selected adults aged 18 and older from all five boroughs of New York City. In Paper 2, 36% of a female subsample (N=2,295) were aware of PrEP at time of survey. As a result of multinomial linear regression, nine variables were significantly associated with PrEP awareness: nativity, education level, recent HIV test, number of sex partners, IPV, age, race/ethnicity, general health, and prior incarceration. In Paper 3, latent class analysis was used to identify distinct classes of women with varied responses to behavioral and structural variables. The adjusted item-response probabilities resulted in three distinct profiles of women: high resource and low risk group (39%), low resource and moderate risk group (33%), and moderate resource and high-risk group (28%). Key differences between groups include PrEP awareness, perceived health, count of sexual partners, and neighborhood poverty level. These findings have key implications for the way in which PrEP is marketed to women. Future studies should consider the importance of intersectionality and the social and structural context through which women engage with HIV prevention materials and promotional campaigns.Item ENGENDERED EXPERIENCES OF FREEDOM: LIBERATED AFRICAN WOMEN IN RIO DE JANEIRO, 1834-1864(2020) Nadalini Mendes, Ana Paula; Williams, Daryle; History; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)“Engendered Experiences of Freedom: Liberated African Women in Rio de Janeiro (1834-1864)” investigates how gender differences in daily lives of liberated African women in Brazil shaped the way they experienced freedom. This research argues that gendered-based differences influenced their experiences of freedom in its various contexts, including their relationship to labor, their struggles for emancipation, and their approach to legal system. Moreover, this thesis follows the lives of particular liberated African women through their process of petitioning for emancipation twenty years after they got to Brazil. Although the first half of the nineteenth century was marked by legal efforts to bar importation of slaves from Africa to Brazil, many slave ships entered Brazilian ports successfully. The Rio da Prata, however, was an exception. In November 1834, the British marine intercepted the vessel, that was halfway between Africa and South America. The Anglo-Brazilian Mixed Commission judged the case as a transgression of the Treaty of 1826, that forbade Brazil to participate in the slave trade, condemned the vessel to be a good-prize and liberated more than two hundred Africans. These Africans worked for private houses and public works in a probation system for at least 20 years when the decree 1303 of 1853 allowed them to access the legal system and request their final emancipation. This process lasted for ten years, when in 1864 the Brazilian government declared emancipated all liberated Africans This thesis intervenes in debates about bondage and resistance by considering liberated Africans women inside the context of slavery in Brazil. It argues that these women had a particular way of fighting for freedom, due, first, to their own capacity of resistance, second to their conditions of labor, and, third, to specificities of the Brazilian set of laws. From legal petitions of emancipation, police records, guardians’ declarations, and newspapers advertisements the chapters follow lives of liberated African women from the Rio da Prata to show how they experienced freedom.