Matching Items (6)
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- Creators: School of Life Sciences
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Description
In the United States, the past thirty years have brought with them a substantial rise in income and wealth inequality rates. Inequality in the U.S. has risen to levels not seen for nearly a century and shows no signs of decreasing in the near future. Conversely, Canada has experienced lower levels of inequality during this same period despite many similarities and ties to the U.S. Therefore, the purpose of this paper will be to examine the extent to which these two countries differ in this area and identify some of the more salient factors that have contributed to this divergence, including tax policies, unionization rates, and financial industry regulation, as well as the deeper, more fundamental elements of each nation's identity.
ContributorsPetrusek, Nicholas Anthony (Author) / Puleo, Thomas (Thesis director) / Sivak, Henry (Committee member) / Thomas, George (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This creative project documents the changes to the Lopiano Habitat just north of Tempe Town Lake. Over the course of the project, the once restored wetland and desert habitat became overrun with debris and the plants and animals of the area were directly affected. Upon researching the city's choice to renovate the space, it was discovered that it was due to the increasing number of homeless and underserved individuals using the space for housing. Using photographs, the project displays the changed environment from lush habitat to trash-filled dirt patches. With the help of Julie Anand and Heather Green, I was able to select the best images to display as large scale prints, as well as small scale books that I constructed for my committee. Bioimagery was utilized to show what does not always meet the eye, and in some cases showed the effects that the demolition was having on the plant life, including what one of my committee members described as "an infection." They also acted as a metaphorical level to the photos in some cases, such as the hooks present on the regrown bamboo shoots that were slowly reclaiming the space. It was with the help of Dr. Page Baluch and her bioimagery lab that I was able to capture the smallest of details present on the samples I collected. The project serves as a potential starting point for other artists and community members to have a voice in the conversation and to hold the city accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to the underserved population. If they can spend so much time and funds into destroying what was once a beautiful habitat, why not put that effort into resources for the population they are trying to remove?
ContributorsGalbarski, Sydney (Author) / Anand, Julie (Thesis director) / Baluch, Debra (Committee member) / Green, Heather (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The Escucha Project: Documenting Hispanics of Phoenix started with one purpose: to speak less and listen more. Often times, I find myself focused on what I can contribute to a conversation rather than listening to what others have to say; this project was the first step in changing that. As a student pursuing a Spanish language minor in the School of International Letters and Cultures, I decided to combine three things I am passionate about: the Spanish language, storytelling, and people. Similar to the Humans of New York blog by Brandon Stanton, which features portraits and interviews collected on the streets of New York City, I photographed and highlighted the stories of Hispanics in Phoenix. Each interview started with a brief description of the project, followed by a series of questions, and finally, a photograph. Through a blog and social media, I documented the photographs and quotes of those who I spoke with. The simple concept and project procedure led to complex and thoughtful realizations, not only from myself, but also from those who followed along. I was surprised at how similar and thematic the responses were throughout the process. The most common themes throughout the interviews were family, education, opportunity, and fear. By speaking with individuals within the Hispanic population of Phoenix and learning more about them, I feel that the overall purpose was achieved. Regardless of the content of their interview, each one of them allowed a non-native Spanish speaker into some part of their life and that is something I am grateful to have facilitated.
ContributorsAvades, Meriam Jalal (Author) / Foster, David (Thesis director) / Cardoso, Jaime (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
"Phoenix as Refuge: A Photographic Exploration of Refugees Within the City" was a creative thesis project that aimed to bridge the gap between divided communities by creating awareness of refugees within the city of Phoenix. Through an IRB approved research study, multiple refugee families were interviewed and photographed. The project documented refugees and their stories and then made those interviews accessible to the greater Phoenix community. The purpose was to make the Phoenix community more aware of refugees in the hopes that this awareness would increase community activism and advocacy for this resilient yet vulnerable minority group. This paper explains the refugee resettlement process and addresses the social and economic implications of refugee resettlement and advocacy within an urban area. Many inhabitants of Phoenix are unaware the refugees that live in their city because of the geographic divide between social classes and ethnic groups. In highly urbanized communities, the geographic layout of the city leads to a more individualistic and segregated society. This notion leads to a discussion of Robert Putnam's theory of social capital, which argued that by improving and fostering social connections, one could increase social well-being and even make the economy more efficient. This paper then applies Putnam's ideas to the interaction between refugees and non-refugees, using space as a determining factor in measuring the social capital of the Phoenix community. As evident in the study of Phoenix's geographic divide between social and economic classes, Phoenix, like many urban cities, is not designed in a way that fosters social capital. Therefore, advocacy must go beyond people and into advocacy for a different kind of city and place that sets up refugees, and non-refugees alike, to succeed. In this way, rethinking the city through urban planning becomes integral to making new social networks possible, building social capital, and increasing social welfare in urban spaces.
ContributorsRutledge, Chloe Grace (Author) / Sivak, Henry (Thesis director) / Larson, Elizabeth (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
The climate conversation is growing more important and necessary than ever. The media has a way of promoting a "doom and gloom" sentiment over conservation efforts and what the public has the power to do in terms of making a change. Now due to the effects of COVID-19 on the population's attention spans and memories, there is a need for a way to communicate climate science effectively and to encourage those who feel discouraged by climate change to find their inner power. The answer lies in photography. Making science accessible and intriguing through the art of photography is what can get people more interested and empowered to fight against climate change and alter their attitudes towards environmentalism. This thesis explains psychological research and the reasons why people feel helpless in terms of our global future. In then dives into human subjects research conducted on ASU's campus and how the survey results argue in favor of the paper's hypothesis. Additionally, ways to get involved and reasons why we need to remain hopeful are discussed.
ContributorsGorlick, Vanessa (Author) / Hall, Sharon (Thesis director) / Makings, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / The Sidney Poitier New American Film School (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
The issue of wild horse management in the American West has become prevalent in the media recently and management strategies are often criticized and opposed by the public. Horses have been a core feature of American history and culture nearly since the colonization of the western frontier, and popular media such as television and movies paint a romantic but often unrealistic picture of wild horses. Land management agencies must balance limited resources with an ever-growing wild horse population in order to properly manage public land so that it retains its ecological integrity and is still able to be used by multiple stakeholders, and they also must endure public criticism throughout the process. I used a photo elicitation survey to gather responses to photographic images of wild horses and determine how the public feels about wild horse management, given that horses are seen as a symbol of freedom and the American West. It was revealed that people who are unfamiliar with the issue still have opinions about how the horses should be managed, and these opinions often mirror what can be found in popular media.
ContributorsDuran, Kiana Alexis (Author) / Minteer, Ben (Thesis director) / Schoon, Michael (Thesis director) / Murphree, Julie (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05