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- Creators: Arizona State University
Description
Ambivalent Blood examines the unsettled status of religious language in the semiotic construction of HIV/AIDS in America. Since public discourse about HIV/AIDS began in 1981, a variety of religious grammars have been formulated, often at cross-purposes, to assign meaning to the epidemic. The disease's complex interaction with religion has been used to prophesize looming apocalypses, both religious and national, demand greater moral solicitude among the citizenry, forge political advantage within America's partisan political landscape, mobilize empathy and compassion for those stricken by the disease, and construct existential meaning for those who have already been consigned to physical and social death. Several studies fruitfully have explored specific registers of religious discourse and the AIDS epidemic, particularly in regard to processes of social stigmatization and combating its very effects. However, assumptions about the secular aims of scientific inquiry as well as the presumably secular trajectory of American national culture have dampened a more robust consideration of religion within the history of HIV/AIDS. In most synoptic histories of AIDS, religion is constructed as either a wincing footnote to the Religious Right or as an occasional and bland example of salubrious Christian charity posed against the backdrop of disease and death. Ambivalent Blood seeks to extend such analysis beyond a digestible footnote by disinterring the often polysemous and ambivalent interaction of HIV/AIDS and religious discourses within American culture. Though not a historiographic work, the current project illuminates the complicated ways in which religious and HIV/AIDS discourses coalesced around the very definition of America itself. Like the Cold War that preceded and the Global War on Terror that followed, the AIDS crisis precipitated significant and contested recourse to the religious imaginary in the effort to forge conceptions of Americanness and citizen belonging.
ContributorsCleworth, Brandon (Author) / Fessenden, Tracy (Thesis advisor) / Cady, Linell (Committee member) / Martinez, Jacqueline (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
People may conceptualize God as benevolent and as authoritarian. This research investigates the influence of these God-concepts on prosocial behavior; specifically whether such concepts differentially predict a set of beliefs about the self and the world, volunteer motivations, and intentions to volunteer for secular causes. Two studies, one correlation and one experimental, were conducted among college students who were Christians and indicated they believe that God exists. A measurement model of the concepts of Benevolent and Authoritarian God was first tested, and a conceptual path model was then analyzed. I found that concepts of a benevolent God were associated with a benevolent self-identity, perceived moral and religious obligations to help, and a high sense of personal responsibility with a total positive indirect effect on intentions to volunteer - mainly via internal motivations. In contrast, concepts of an authoritarian God were associated with a perceived religious obligation, having a positive indirect effect on intentions to volunteer via external motivations; but also with a low benevolent self-identity and low personal responsibility associated with amotivation (the disinclination to volunteer). Thus, there was a null total indirect effect of belief in an authoritarian God on intentions to volunteer. Future directions including the use of religious primes are discussed.
ContributorsJohnson, Kathryn, Ph.D (Author) / Cohen, Adam B. (Thesis advisor) / Okun, Morris A. (Thesis advisor) / Neuberg, Steven L. (Committee member) / Kwan, Sau V.S. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Multi-media votive sculpture, made from wax, papier-mâché, wood, terra cotta and textiles, is a long-neglected subject of study in early modern Italian art history. This dissertation focuses on an unparalleled seventeenth-century manuscript, the Libro dei miracoli, which reproduces in watercolor a number of the lost multi-media votive statues that once populated the church of S. Maria della Quercia in Viterbo. The names of votaries, along with a description of their miracles, accompany the watercolors and present an invaluable source of information that allows for this first comprehensive study of votary identity. Abundant archival material maintained by S. Maria della Quercia, situated within larger historical events and cultural trends, informs this dissertation which explores the democratic nature behind votive statuary effigies. The offerings granted male and female members of most socio-economic classes in early modern Italy the extraordinary opportunity to act as patrons of art. Moreover, the sculptures, and watercolors after them, were individualized representations of votaries that can be considered a form of portraiture available to rich and poor alike.
ContributorsAdams, Jennifer (Author) / Codell, Julie (Thesis advisor) / Wolfthal, Diane (Thesis advisor) / Vitullo, Juliann (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The organ in the Catholic Church of the United States is a mirror of its time, reflecting the various challenges facing Catholic liturgy today. In some cases, it reflects the rich patrimony of European immigrants, anxious to replicate the liturgical conditions they left behind. In others, it reflects the efforts of liturgical reformers to "update" the liturgy, creating more opportunities for what they understand to be active participation of the faithful. The absence of the organ in some American Catholic churches, particularly, in the time following the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, raises questions on the direction of sacred music in these churches as well as the survival and viability of the organ as the principal musical instrument of the Catholic liturgy. In all, the organ in American Catholic churches serves as a gauge of the current liturgical climate, and, in a broader sense, the direction and viability of the Catholic Church in America. In this paper, I argue that the survival of the organ in American Catholic churches depends largely on the number of Catholics who continue to remain active in the Church, as well as their views on liturgy, and their musical formation. While recent figures indicate a gradual decline in membership in the Catholic Church among younger generations, interest in organ and traditional Catholic sacred music by some Catholics may ensure the organ's continued presence. The extent to which some groups implement liturgical directives of Pope Benedict XVI, and the activities of groups that support traditional Roman Catholic liturgy, play a role in the organ's continued survival. Also crucial are those who support the organ for its own artistic and musical merit, including contemporary composers of liturgical organ music, organ students in Catholic higher education programs, and organ builders. As opposed to total extinction, the use of the organ in American Catholic churches may take on a new shape, surrounded by a church that struggles to reconcile modern culture with the transcendent.
ContributorsHart, Skye (Author) / Marshall, Kimberly A. (Thesis advisor) / Koonce, Frank W. (Committee member) / Ryan, Russell R. (Committee member) / Solis, Theodore (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
An early Christian construct which had the recently-deceased soul endures a series of judicial proceedings by demons, the telonia has survived as a folk belief in Orthodox nations such as Russia and Ukraine. The telonia construct is a controversial one in Orthodoxy, however, as discussions of the construct's origins often break down into polemical debate regarding the ontological reality of the telonia. This thesis, as its primary goal, investigates the origins and early development of the telonia in a methodical, scholarly manner. It adduces texts from ancient Egypt to propose that the origins of the telonia extend to the earliest written phases of the Egyptian religion. Secondarily, this thesis investigates the origins of the logismoi: intentions which demons introduce into human minds to seduce them to sin. In 1952, Morton Bloomfield posited that the logismoi ultimately evolved from the telonia. Bloomfield's assertion has become the secondary inquiry of this thesis: to wit, whether the logismoi construct evolved from the telonia. This study employs textual criticism of sources in Greek, Latin, and Coptic to answer the two queries. The evidence indicates that the telonia evolved from three previous constructs over the course of at least 2500 years. It also indicates that neither the telonia nor any of its ancestral constructs influenced the creation of the logismoi.
ContributorsMcAvoy, Shawn Daniel (Author) / Newhauser, Richard (Thesis advisor) / Clay, J. Eugene (Committee member) / Tueller, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Gangs present a wide array of consequences, both for society as a whole and for gang members themselves. Addressing factors that influence gang membership is of critical importance; however, very little research to date has sought to understand the relationship between spirituality, religion, and gang membership, instead focusing on general deviance. The goal of the present study is to bridge this gap by addressing two research questions: 1. what is the relationship between spirituality and gang membership? And 2. what is the relationship between formal religious participation and gang membership? In order to answer these questions, the current study utilizes Pathways to Desistance, a longitudinal study of adjudicated youth and young adults in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Phoenix, Arizona. Logistic regression indicates that spirituality, not formal religious participation, is associated with decreased odds of gang membership in the first two years following adjudication. In addition, increased levels of antisocial peer deviance are significantly associated with increased odds of gang membership. Together, these results indicate that reorienting gang members away from their deviant peers, fostering new, prosocial connections, and encouraging spiritual ideas such as personal closeness to a higher power and feelings of spiritual support may help decrease their odds of continuing participation in gang life. These findings support the continuation of faith-based gang treatments, but do not support formal religious practices (such as church services) as a focus of these treatments. Future research should collect original data, including qualitative interviews about gang members’ perceptions of and relationship with religion and spirituality, as well as utilize Pathways to Desistance in its full seven-year capacity in order to further understand the nuances of this relationship.
ContributorsLoomis, Katelyn (Author) / Decker, Scott H. (Thesis advisor) / Sweeten, Gary (Committee member) / Young, Jacob Tn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
One salient aspect of most world religions is an emphasis on reproductive morality—rules about which types of sexual behaviors and familiar structures are acceptable. In Chapter 1, I introduce the theoretical background of the dissertation, including the Reproductive-Religiosity Model. Then, in one theoretical paper (Chapter 2) and two empirical papers (Chapters 3 and 4), I consider the cultural and social implications of religious proscriptions on sexual behavior. In Chapter 2, I review the Reproductive-Religiosity Model, which posits that religions are especially attractive to people who desire monogamous, long-term mating strategies. I also discuss the implications of this model for cultural evolution. In Chapter 3, I look at the social implications of these religious proscriptions. That is, if restricted attitudes toward sexuality are strongly linked to religious belief, it follows that people’s stereotypes of religious people may track this relationship. Three studies showed that people tended to trust religious targets more than nonreligious targets, but that this effect seems to be due to inferences about religious targets’ reproductive strategies—that is, people trusted religious targets because they perceived them more likely to be interested in starting a family. In Chapter 4, I examine patterns of religiosity across the world through a rational choice lens, positing that people are more likely to be religious when religion can help them fulfill their goals. Analysis of two global datasets shows that men, more so than women, tend to be less religious in countries with greater gender equality. Finally, Chapter 5 summarizes results and discusses future directions for this line of research.
ContributorsMoon, Jordan W (Author) / Cohen, Adam B (Thesis advisor) / Kenrick, Douglas T (Committee member) / Varnum, Michael E W (Committee member) / Infurna, Frank J (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This dissertation explores the concept of “Pacing the Void” (buxu 步虛) in Daoist scripture and ritual in relation to the Chinese literary tradition from early medieval China through the Tang dynasty. While the term generally connotes the act of ascending to the heavens, it took on varying layers of meaning throughout history, negotiated against the backdrop of new Daoist revelations, historical conditions, and the literary tradition. In part I, I examine early Daoist scriptures, both those of the Shangqing 上清 (Upper Clarity) and Lingbao 靈寶 (Numinous Treasure) traditions, to trace how the concept took shape in these works. The concept originated in Shangqing scriptures, which associate buxu with music and verse performed by the gods on momentous occasions. In Lingbao scriptures, buxu specifies the gods’ regular ritualized ascent up the Jade Capitoline Mountain (Yujing shan 玉京山). A distinct hymnal form, a series of ten verses, also emerged in Lingbao scriptures. Likely first intended for personal cultivation, these hymns were later adapted for communal ritual, in which priests embodied the scriptural doctrine in their performance, reenacting the heavenly precedent on the mundane stage. Part II explores how later writers adapted the Lingbao buxu hymnal form for various purposes and how they understood the idea of “Pacing the Void.” Yu Xin 庾信 composed a series of buxu poems in the Northern Zhou as a commentary on the religious and political scene of the period. Wu Yun 吳筠, writing in the mid 8th century, adapted the buxu hymn as part of his efforts to make Daoist cultivation and transcendence legible for a literati audience. Other Tang dynasty poets transformed buxu into a poetic trope, filtering their experience of Daoist ritual and music through more standard literary associations. By focusing on these writings in their social and historical context, I demonstrate how the concept of buxu, as scriptural doctrine, ritual form, and literary trope, evolved over this time, became embedded in the literary tradition, and captured the imagination of poets and rulers for centuries after its origin.
ContributorsFeezell, Tyler (Author) / Bokenkamp, Stephen R. (Thesis advisor) / West, Stephen H. (Committee member) / Ling, Xiaoqiao (Committee member) / Morrow Williams, Nicholas (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This paper is based on research conducted during my ongoing collaboration as a participant-observer with the Cuyamungue Institute (CI) of New Mexico, a self-identified nonreligious organization that uses postures to help participants achieve ecstatic trance experiences via a ritual process that prominently features sonic support of trance by the sound of a rattle or drum. While the purpose of the practice—which the Institute has referred to in such terms as “Ecstatic Trance Postures (ETP)” and “Ritual Body Postures”—is ostensibly spiritual in nature, apparent benefits for physical and emotional health have been reported by participants and observed in empirical studies carried out in collaboration with the CI. With appropriate nuance, the Institute traditionally emphasizes the ways these benefits demonstrate the process’s spiritual efficacy more than how they are outcomes desirable on their own merit. As I have continued to work with the CI, the discourse has gradually shifted. At present, the leadership of the Institute give more consideration than before to emotional health benefits as specific goals of the practice, yet spiritual conceptions maintain a dominant presence in conversations and achieving a deep connection with the “alternate reality / spirit realm / unbounded universe” remains the primary objective.
ContributorsMalnory, Lawson (Author) / Fossum, Dave (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Solís, Ted (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
It is common for Evangelical Christian churches to encourage young adult congregants to volunteer within their organization. However, when a volunteer applies for a position, and they do not receive it, they risk experiencing emotional hurt. There is a gap in the literature regarding responses of church attenders who have experienced rejection within the Evangelical church, specifically from a volunteer leadership position. In light of this, the present research conducted a qualitative study to identify how relationships between church staff and aspiring volunteers influence acquiring a leadership position and how young adults respond when they have been hurt by perceived rejection messages regarding volunteer leadership requests. This study gathered data through in-depth, one-on-one interviews of young adults, pastors, and church consultants. Pastors and church consultants provided context for young adults’ responses to rejection from volunteering. Analysis of raw data followed Braun and Clarke’s reflexive Thematic Analysis to identify patterns and themes seen throughout the data set. The depth of a relationship between a pastor and an aspiring volunteer is the primary evaluative process for pastors to acquire responsible leaders. However, aspiring volunteers who do not maintain a deep relationship with the pastor perceived behaviors demonstrating favoritism and were inclined to experience emotional hurt caused by feelings of exclusion and feelings of being morally or socially less than others. Young adult aspiring volunteers responded to perceived rejection through negative self-talk, avoidance, and continued participation in the ministry. Over time, young adults learned to understand and accept what had happened. Ultimately, the research found that the common leadership approach of developing leaders based on personal relationships between church staff and aspiring volunteers increases young adults’ hurt when they are not accepted into a leadership position.
ContributorsKatayama, Keara (Author) / Kelley, Douglas (Thesis advisor) / Waldron, Vincent (Committee member) / Taylor, Jameien (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022