My thesis focuses on the use of American Sign Language in popular movies. My paper analyzes the intersection between popular media and language, a subject I find personally interesting. My project addresses how and when ASL is used in movies, including technical components such as lighting, framing, visibility, and subtitling. It also looks at the function of ASL, as well as Deafness and how it is portrayed. It focuses on three popular films: Children of a Lesser God (1986), The Shape of Water (2017), and A Quiet Place (2018). It also studies a fourth film, No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie (2013), which provides a Deaf perspective when it comes to filmmaking. These films are studies from technical and representational perspectives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in preventative measures and has led to extensive changes in lifestyle for the vast majority of the American population. As the pandemic progresses, a growing amount of evidence shows that minority groups, such as the Deaf community, are often disproportionately and uniquely affected. Deaf people are directly affected in their ability to personally socialize and continue with daily routines. More specifically, this can constitute their ability to meet new people, connect with friends/family, and to perform in their work or learning environment. It also may result in further mental health changes and an increased reliance on technology. The impact of COVID-19 on the Deaf community in clinical settings must also be considered. This includes changes in policies for in-person interpreters and a rise in telehealth. Often, these effects can be representative of the pre-existing low health literacy, frequency of miscommunication, poor treatment, and the inconvenience felt by Deaf people when trying to access healthcare. Ultimately, these effects on the Deaf community must be taken into account when attempting to create a full picture of the societal shift caused by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in preventative measures and has led to extensive changes in lifestyle for the vast majority of the American population. As the pandemic progresses, a growing amount of evidence shows that minority groups, such as the Deaf community, are often disproportionately and uniquely affected. Deaf people are directly affected in their ability to personally socialize and continue with daily routines. More specifically, this can constitute their ability to meet new people, connect with friends/family, and to perform in their work or learning environment. It also may result in further mental health changes and an increased reliance on technology. The impact of COVID-19 on the Deaf community in clinical settings must also be considered. This includes changes in policies for in-person interpreters and a rise in telehealth. Often, these effects can be representative of the pre-existing low health literacy, frequency of miscommunication, poor treatment, and the inconvenience felt by Deaf people when trying to access healthcare. Ultimately, these effects on the Deaf community must be taken into account when attempting to create a full picture of the societal shift caused by COVID-19.

This paper explores the current literature and history of the Arabic language and culture. It particularly focuses on cuisine, literature, art, architecture, and education in relation to culture. The history and modern implications of the origin and evolution of Arabic and its connection to Islam is also explored. Specific loanwords from Arabic to English are shown, and the direct impact of the language itself on English speakers is investigated. The impact on Western economies is also examined. All of these ideas are organized by the pursuit of knowledge to better understand Arabs in order to breakdown negative stereotypes to preserve and cultivate future relations.