Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 72
Description
The depiction of mental illness, schizophrenia in particular, within film is a unique phenomenon that film directors have decided to undertake more so in the last 20 years than ever before in cinematic history (Wedding & Niemic, 2014; Robinson, 2004; Gabbard & Gabbard, 1999; Wahl, 1997). Countless filmmakers have taken on the challenge of depicting this complex, yet degenerative condition that entails auditory and visual hallucinations, disorganized thought and speech, and delusions. Its portrayals are usually exaggerated and romanticized, and convey a sense of separate "Otherness" with those who have a mental disorder. And while filmmakers try to encapsulate the schizophrenic experience, it is not without psychiatric error and regarding the person who has schizophrenia as a spectacle. This unfair and ostracizing view of people who have schizophrenia is fueled by films like A Beautiful Mind and The Shining where the film either creates impossibly high standards for schizophrenics to perform at, or the film paints the character as a violent savage. In either case, the end result is the marking and, usually, denouncement of the schizophrenic for their illness. What filmmakers tend to overlook is how much the public learns from the cinematic portrayals of these disorders, and that their films are contributing to an overarching issue of public presumptions of actual schizophrenia and how it is perceived. While the Hollywood approach offers a depiction that is usually more tangible and enjoyable for masses of audiences, spectators should recognize that these are artistic interpretations that take liberties in their depictions of schizophrenia. Viewing these films with an objective mindset to better understand the inner workings of schizophrenia is absolutely crucial in arriving anything close to the truth behind this mental illness that has been demonized long enough.
ContributorsFraga, Nicholas Andrew (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This thesis outlines the process of creating the concept work behind a television series called Liminality, written by my thesis partner, Elizabeth Hansen. Liminality aims to be an animated series about West Elliot Snow as he navigates his life as a spiritual medium and how this talent impacts his daily life. It is a coming of age story centered around West and his recently departed father, Lukas Snow, whose spirit is still tethered to the land of the living. Together, the two must learn how to control their powers while helping other spirits who have unfinished business on the earthly plane. It explores themes of sexuality and gender identity as well as non-nuclear family structures as a means of giving voice to those who have felt a lack of representation in mainstream media. In this paper, I explore the depth of the creative process from conceptualization to realization of character designs, scripting for the series, 3D modeling of characters and sets, and finally, the storyboarding of the pilot episode. I start by asserting why a series like Liminality would positively influence the already burgeoning creative landscape of television. Liminality's relevance in today's television market is explained through examples of series that aim to broaden the amount of representation given to underrepresented peoples and identities in mainstream media. From there, I outline which series influenced the process of writing Liminality and why. After that, I delve into the specifics of how Elizabeth and I designed the characters and what decisions went into the final product.
ContributorsRandall, Phoebe (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Dove-Viebahn, Aviva (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Theory Jam is a series of online, education videos that teach music theory in a fun, engaging way. Our project is a response to the growing need for successful online education content. It incorporates strategies for creating effective educational video content and engages with contemporary debates in the field of music theory surrounding the purpose of a music theory education.
ContributorsCannatelli, Joshua Bryce (Co-author) / Daval, Charles Joseph (Co-author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Scott, Jason (Committee member) / Tobias, Evan (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This work examines three common practices—yellowface in Cloud Atlas (2012), whitewashing in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and absence in Firefly (2002)—employed in popular science fiction that represent Asianness and disregard the Asian body. Though the creators purport to have progressive ideals at the center of their production choices, their works call on Techno-Orientalist and Orientalist tropes and divorce them from the Asian body, implicitly continuing the Orientalist argument of Western supremacy even in representing Asianness.
ContributorsTse, Kassidy Laurane (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Rondilla, Joanne (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
This thesis is a two-part theatre and literature project on The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The research component will consist of gathering information from the origins of this play in writing and in production to further understand my knowledge of the time it was written in and how it has been interpreted over the years. The theatrical elements will come as I direct and produce my own production of the play, and compare my research of Wilde's play and past productions to my own directorial decisions in attempt to make a successful student performed play.
ContributorsMarnick, Courtney Melissa (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Brown, Dori (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
A Monster in the House: Gothic and Victorian Representations of Female Madness explores female madness and mental illness as perceived by Gothic and Victorian society over the span of three literary works: The Fall of the House of Usher (1839); Jane Eyre (1847), and The Yellow Wallpaper (1892). Each text features a ‘mad’ female character--Madeline Usher (The Fall of the House of Usher), Bertha Mason (Jane Eyre), and Jane (The Yellow Wallpaper)--who symbolizes the vast inequality women of the mid-to-late 1900s endured. Each character challenges social and religious mores and subverts the established order of a sacrosanct, male-dominated perspective. In Victorian society, female divergence was equated with madness and “moral insanity.” The penalty was isolation, confinement, and/or the woman’s complete removal from society. Depression, aggression, overt sexuality and excessive mental or physical stimulation are just a few of the characteristics considered to be socially inappropriate. In assessing these texts, this essay examines and problematizes the prevailing medical practices and beliefs of the time, the mischaracterization and demonization of natural biological female functions, and the prescribed medical treatments and cures for madness (insanity) and mental illness. Furthermore, this essay reveals how each text features female characters who weaponize their madness to usurp their male oppressors, and as tools to speak out against the hegemonic discourse. A common theme to many Gothic and Victorian novels is the threat posed by female characters whose behavior directly challenges then-contemporary social, behavioral and religious standards. In defense of these institutionalized mores, the deviant character is portrayed as “morally insane,” or inherently evil. What bridges these texts together are the unifying themes of female mental illness, sexual prowess, societal stereotypes, and how each of these female characters employed their madness in an effort to resist and overcome persecution.
ContributorsArtiano, Aubrie Ellen (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Barnard, James (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
American society reflects a never-ending cycle of sociopolitical anxiety; as one source of anxiety disappears, another materializes. One of the most prominent and relevant examples of a sociopolitical anxiety currently plaguing the United States is our government, especially the president. Donald Trump, a successful businessman with no political background who is infamous for his crass, rude demeanor, is currently in charge of the United States. At the Women’s March in Washington on January 21, 2018, a protestor held up a sign reading “This episode of Black Mirror sucks” in response to President Trump’s election into office. Women, especially, have felt so threatened by Trump’s presence that they have made comparisons between the current political reality and the depressing dystopias illustrated in Netflix’s series Black Mirror. Such comparisons speak volumes about the current state of our country, suggesting that our future is likely to devolve into one similar to the exaggerated and decidedly dark futures portrayed in the series.
In order to evaluate this sentiment, this thesis will explore the representation of various modern social anxieties as presented in five different episodes of Black Mirror: “Fifteen Million Merits,” “White Bear,” “Nosedive,” “Men Against Fire,” and “Hang the DJ.” The essay begins with a brief introduction to the series and background information that explores the modern relationship between technology and some of the anxieties it raises. Following this contextualization, I will present a definitional section that outlines the various concepts that are relevant to dystopias and the ones depicted in Black Mirror specifically. The next segment discusses the more specific evolution of technology within dystopias. I will analyze nondiegetic and extratextual material related to the series, such as the Black Mirror theme music and the posters used to advertise the series. This section will also include some background information about the show, including its structure and the intentions of the creator as expressed in interviews. The main portion of the thesis will use the aforementioned episodes to demonstrate the various threats that technology presents to the individual, such as commodification, an illusion of agency, emotional and mental deterioration, and obtaining pleasure from violence. The paper also discusses the threats that technology poses to society including brainwashing, a lack of authenticity in social interactions, the presence of monotony, and dehumanization. Finally, a concluding section will explain how the series Black Mirror represents prominent modern social anxieties and conveys why contemporary users of technology should fear it.
In order to evaluate this sentiment, this thesis will explore the representation of various modern social anxieties as presented in five different episodes of Black Mirror: “Fifteen Million Merits,” “White Bear,” “Nosedive,” “Men Against Fire,” and “Hang the DJ.” The essay begins with a brief introduction to the series and background information that explores the modern relationship between technology and some of the anxieties it raises. Following this contextualization, I will present a definitional section that outlines the various concepts that are relevant to dystopias and the ones depicted in Black Mirror specifically. The next segment discusses the more specific evolution of technology within dystopias. I will analyze nondiegetic and extratextual material related to the series, such as the Black Mirror theme music and the posters used to advertise the series. This section will also include some background information about the show, including its structure and the intentions of the creator as expressed in interviews. The main portion of the thesis will use the aforementioned episodes to demonstrate the various threats that technology presents to the individual, such as commodification, an illusion of agency, emotional and mental deterioration, and obtaining pleasure from violence. The paper also discusses the threats that technology poses to society including brainwashing, a lack of authenticity in social interactions, the presence of monotony, and dehumanization. Finally, a concluding section will explain how the series Black Mirror represents prominent modern social anxieties and conveys why contemporary users of technology should fear it.
ContributorsRamesh, Bhavna (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Mack, Robert (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Liminality is a story yet to be told in broad scale entertainment. While a story about a boy who sees ghosts may be a recurring theme in Hollywood, (Sixth Sense, anyone?), queerness, particularly asexuality, is practically non-existent, and narratives that feature the coming of age of a queer adolescent in a positive manner are even less present. Queerness, it seems, is more of a myth than ghosts and the supernatural to most media creators. This project seeks to combat this lack of representation. Liminality is a creative project working to normalize lesser known and underrepresented queer identities into mainstream media through the conceptualization of animated and comic web series. By doing so, this project demonstrates that entertainment can be used as a means of promoting acceptance and understanding of these identities. Our aim with this project is to develop an intriguing long-form story with realistic, relatable characters that exhibits the sociological themes we want to address. We intend this story to be an animated series that entices viewers of all ages, by which we mean that the story explores complex themes that would typically be limited to an older audience, yet are presented in a way that is still accessible to a younger audience. In the process of this project, we have drawn up concept art and storyboards, written character biographies and scripts, created sets and characters using 2D and 3D animation software, and begun setting up the infrastructure for the studio, Studio Skald, with which we may create this series.
ContributorsRandall, Phoebe Airika (Author) / Hansen, Elizabeth (Co-author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Dove-Viebahn, Aviva (Committee member) / Hannan, Peter (Committee member) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
This thesis explores the emergence and evolution of the term ‘binge-watching’ and considers how this practice of television consumption became a widespread cultural phenomenon. For the purposes of this project, binge-watching will be defined as watching several episodes of a television series in a row, without stopping (trips to the bathroom and kitchen excluded). This type of television consumption has become increasingly popular due to the rise in digital streaming content available on sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video. This paper focuses on Netflix, the foremost streaming service used in the United States, because of its implementation of features that allow for easier binge-watching, such as its autoplay countdown feature and its personalized rating system which recommends new content to users based on their preferences. Not only has binge-watching become a popular form of television consumption, the term itself is prevalent in advertisement, critical media discourse, and casual conversation amongst spectators, prompting questions about its etymology. Very little research has yet been published on the topic of binge-watching and what those who consume television this way are doing to their bodies and minds – essentially placing consumers in the midst of an uncontrolled experiment. Future research should be pursued to address these gaps in literature and understanding of this phenomenon. This paper sought to piece together the conflicted responses to the practice of binge-watching, with both producers and viewers lauding how technology enables viewers to have a sense of agency and control over their viewing practices, while also admitting that such practices may have a detrimental impact on the industry and spectators’ physical and mental well-beings.
ContributorsTaylor, Emma Lynette (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Dove-Viebahn, Aviva (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
The rate of cancer incidence is a morbid figure. Twenty years ago, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women were predicted to be afflicted by cancer throughout their lifetime (Cancer Facts & Figures- 1998). In 2017, the rate remains the same ("Cancer Statistic Center"). Every year, more people are affected by cancer, which is a physiologically, psychologically, emotionally and socially devastating disease. And yet the language and metaphors we use to describe cancer focus our attention on the "fight" of the heroic individual against the brutal disease or on finding a cure. Despite this narrow rhetoric, there are many meaningful, supportive, and palliative measures designed to substantively and holistically care for cancer patients, beyond their medical treatment. Many of these interventions help the patient feel supported (and less alone in this "battle") by building robust communities. In this thesis, I argue the summer camps for children affected by cancer are meaningful interventions that offer palliative care throughout their treatment by creating support networks with peers going through similar medical procedures. Drawing on anecdotal evidence from three cancer camps and a detailed literature review of a subset of palliative interventions designed to promote well-being, this thesis proposes a new model for a summer camp that focuses on emotional processing emotional expression, positive psychology in order to improve palliative care for cancer patients.
ContributorsPearce, Spencer Taylor (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Brian, Jennifer (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12