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Description
Jacob D. Green's slave narrative breaks standards surrounding slave narratives and wrote a strong, unique story that allowed his audience to relate to his human characters. His narrative has unprecedented qualities that make his autobiography distinctive. An attempt to locate him in historical documents proved inconclusive and some of his stories elaborated, but his narrative is still a valuable piece of literature that gives historians a glimpse into slavery in the United States and the abolition movement in England.
ContributorsLepore, Amanda Lynn (Author) / Schermerhorn, Calvin (Thesis director) / Soares, Rebecca (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Once planted firmly in America, murder ballads old and new sparked the Southern imagination, and familiar motifs and formulas were sung with a distinct American twist. The moral standards and beliefs of Christianity, specifically those of Baptist and Methodist denominations, are weaved through a majority of Southern murder ballads, which reflects the impact of the Second Great Awakening, a religious revival founded in the South during the 1790s and early 1800s. Murder ballads found in the American South from 1800 to 1950 follow a structure that reinforces southern expectations for men and women, emphasizing moral and immoral traits in a way that encourages the listener to adhere to strict gender roles. The question of who the villain is and who the victim is must be confronted while examining American murder ballads, because the answer is not as clear cut as one would assume. Virginal women and sinful women, hapless men and cold-blooded men, each play a role in these ballads and the way in which they are perceived shifts the moral weight of the song. Heterosexuality and gender norms are heavily enforced in murder ballads from the South, and any deviations from these norms leads to murder, execution, or eternal damnation.
ContributorsDonalson, Rachel (Author) / Soares, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Ellis, Larry (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Books are constantly changing. For this project I looked at books and how they have changed over time. Starting with just before the Gutenberg Printing Press was invented and ending with the introduction of the Internet this project tracked those changes over time and looked at how they changed how people read, who read, and what this said about the people at the time. First, I looked at how books changed physically. At the time of the Gutenberg Printing Press vellum and parchment were being used for the pages of books and illuminated manuscripts made some volumes works of art. Now with the Internet greatly influencing books, that format is radically different. Different materials allowed for books to be made more cheaply and when this happened more people were able to afford them. I also looked at aspects of books like publishing and where the books were sold and how that made a difference in how and why people read. Through all of my research I kept a blog and this allowed me to be almost part of the history and research I was doing. This blog will eventually become an eBook. Books have not only shaped history and people but have been shaped by history. Books are a vital part of helping to spread information and while they will keep changing especially with the Internet, books will never disappear.
ContributorsAdams, Kennedy Rei (Author) / Tebeau, Mark (Thesis director) / Soares, Rebecca (Committee member) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The core objective of this thesis project is to highlight the enriching contributions of Japanese authors to university-level literature courses that survey human history through literature. Japanese literature, rich in its exploration of complex emotions and philosophical depths through the novella and other forms, presents a unique opportunity to broaden the scope of "Great-Books" courses. Traditionally, these courses have predominantly featured Western texts, inadvertently reinforcing the notion that modern philosophical thought is exclusively a Western domain.
This project has taken thematic elements from HON272 at Arizona State University (ASU), Barrett, The Honors College's flagship humanities course, as a basis for analysis. A selection of texts from a diverse array of Japanese literature was then methodically paired with these materials based on periodization, thematic resonance, and the audience's interests. Of the twenty-seven different pieces of literature spanning from 1651 to the present day included in HON272, this project has identified twenty-one Japanese novels or primary texts that can serve as complements to the existing curriculum. This approach not only enriches the curriculum but also empowers professors to introduce themes vital for a comprehensive understanding of human history and thought, thereby enhancing the flexibility and inclusivity of their course designs.
To support this endeavor, a comprehensive sourcing guide has been developed. This guide prioritizes Japanese literature, listing these texts first and detailing their potential integration into conversations typically dominated by Western texts. It provides, where possible, links to free online PDF versions or excerpts, purchasing information, and availability within the ASU library system. This initiative aims to foster a curriculum that appreciates the global expanse of intellectual heritage and encourages a move away from a Euro-centric narrative. By doing so, it aspires to cultivate a diverse cultural perspective within higher education, both for faculty and students alike.
By embracing the vast thematic landscapes offered by Japanese literature, this project serves as a step towards avoiding the pitfalls of cognitive imperialism. It champions the cause of diversifying educational content, ensuring we are moving in the right direction by celebrating and integrating the depth and diversity of global literature into our academic pursuits.
ContributorsLisk, Harrison (Author) / Soares, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Hedberg, William (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis project focuses on the rhetoric of dress reform in The Sibyl, the official journal of the National Dress Reform Association from 1856 to 1864. The American Dress Reform Movement grew out of the women’s rights and health reform movements during the Second Great Awakening. Dress reformers viewed women’s fashionable dress as both a symbol of and reason for their political and economic oppression. They believed that by modifying women’s everyday dress, women’s health (and in turn, the health of their descendants) would improve and they would have more opportunities outside of the home. Close reading of The Sibyl reveals that dress reformers gravitated towards the rhetoric of slavery, comparisons to non-Christian nations, and the characterization of women as weak to advocate for their cause. I argue that this rhetoric disempowers women and promotes racist and xenophobic ideas, which ultimately undermines the movement’s goals.
ContributorsWise, Catherine (Author) / Soares, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Looser, Devoney (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor)
Created2024-05