<p> Abstract This work advances a practical theology of relationships that attend to the narratives, struggles, and needs of Christians caught in ethnic and religious violence in Taraba, a northeastern state in Nigeria. The study re-visions dialogue, in particular, the 'dialogue of life' which leads to fostering inter-community relations, advancing lasting peace in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. This work utilizes the praxis method that is interpretive and dialogical. It builds on John Baptist Metz&rsquo;s categorical Method and incorporates the praxis aspects of the Cardijin method (see, judge and act). The purpose of the praxis is to transform difficult pastoral situations into life flourishing situations. The study seeks to motivate a re-examination of the design and governance of conflicting communities and contribute towards developing an inclusive, interreligious and ecumenical ecclesiology. The research describes the reality of social context in order to discern conflicting cultural and religious understandings that inform the use of social medium for dialogue. Granted there are challenges of social violence across contemporary Nigeria, and the impact of ethnic and religious crises that have led to so many ruptures in Nigeria, in particular, Taraba State the church can be an effective instrument in rebuilding these relationships and fostering reconciliation.</p><p> As dialogical research, this study adopts a method of practical theological reflection that builds on three categories of Metz&rsquo;s method that explores the &ldquo;judging&rdquo; portion of the work in order to engage both African tradition and Catholic theological wisdom. In this way, a deeper consideration of the impact of violence both interpersonal and structural is brought forth. Notably, evidence from contemporary social science in terms of analysis of the people involved in Taraba State and similar conflicts show that the social psychological dimension of violence is long-term stress that ultimately destroys both personal and social relationships. Knowing that identity and social experiences are shaped by relationships Christians are called to understand their interpersonal social relationships in the light of scripture and tradition. God's self-revelation can only be in relationship since God reveals God self as a Trinitarian community of persons. This is well expressed in the experience of the Eucharist which further reveals a profound sense of relationship where divine narrative intersects with human narrative.</p><p> Finally, this study explores narratives as another critical category in the theological reflection on violence in Nigeria and the &ldquo;dialogue of life&rdquo; as a Catholic response. The study examines the African understanding of community, which itself builds on narratives and relationships. Ultimately, the understanding of community also shapes everyday ecclesiology. When these categories are, therefore, taken together, they confirm the value of connecting magisterial teaching regarding a &ldquo;dialogue of life,&rdquo; developed in the context of interreligious dialogue, with magisterial social teaching. </p><p> The strength of this work is its major contribution to method which builds on Metz&rsquo;s categorical method utilized here in relationships, narratives, community and the dialogue of life. It is hoped that the work brings reconciliation in Taraba State, and leads to healing among warring communities both within and without Nigeria. The journey begins with the daily Christian practices of community living surmised here as the &lsquo;dialogue of life.&rsquo;</p><p>

<p> This research explores Chicanx identity and how <i>cultura,</i> specifically <i>son jarocho,</i> can be used to reshape and remake identity. <i>Son jarocho,</i> a musical and cultural tradition from Veracruz, M&eacute;xico, has moved across borders, and is now present in the U.S. (D&iacute;az-S&aacute;nchez and Hern&aacute;ndez, 2013). However, there is little documentation as to how <i>son jarocho</i> is embodied in the communities that are practicing this music. This research documents how an intergenerational collective of Chicanxs in San Antonio, <i>Tejas </i> is using <i>son jarocho</i> and its <i>cultura</i> to decolonize their identities, reclaim indigenous and afro-mestizo roots, and as a vehicle for social justice. Through <i>testimonios</i> from Chicanxs, this thesis documents how <i>son jarocho</i> traditions and culture have formed transnational communities between Chicanxs and communities in Veracruz, <i>M&eacute;xico.</i> Through Chicana feminist epistemologies (Delgado Bernal, 1998) and decolonial research methods (Tuhiwai Smith, 2012), this thesis documents Chicanx stories through Chicanx voices. This research aims to help fill the need for documentation&mdash;through Chicanx voices&mdash;on how Chicanxs today are using the arts to build community. </p><p>

The current research integrates social cognitive theories of psychological construals and information processing with theories of social identity to identify the conditions under which multiculturalism helps versus hinders positive intergroup relations. Three experiments investigated how abstract vs. concrete construals of multiculturalism impact majority group members' attitudes and behavioral intentions toward ethnic minorities in the US. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that construing multiculturalism in abstract terms by highlighting its broad goals reduced majority group members' prejudice toward ethnic minorities by decreasing the extent to which diversity is seen as threatening the national group. However, construing multiculturalism in concrete terms by highlighting specific ways in which its goals can be achieved increased majority group members' prejudice toward minorities by amplifying the extent to which diversity is seen as threatening the national group. Experiment 3 then revealed that a different concrete construal that incorporates values and practices of both majority and minority groups reduced perceived threats to the national group and in turn attenuated prejudice and increased desire for contact with ethnic minorities. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate when and why multiculturalism leads to positive versus negative intergroup outcomes, while identifying new ways in which multiculturalism can be successfully implemented in pluralistic nations.

This dissertation investigates the economic consequences of urban sprawl for US minorities. Each essay focuses on a key empirical debate related to that relationship. The first essay establishes a set of attributes and empirical measures of sprawl based upon a comprehensive review of the literature. I define sprawl as a multi-faceted pattern of three land-use attributes: low density, deconcentration, and decentralization. I then resolve several methodological inconsistencies in the measurement of sprawl. Extensive analysis of spatial and economic data finds that metropolitan areas do not commonly exhibit high-sprawl (or low-sprawl) features across multiple measures. Instead, they often exhibit unique combinations of low-sprawl and high-sprawl attributes. The second essay examines the effect of sprawl on minority housing consumption gaps since the housing bust. I make two contributions to the literature. First, I reveal a facet of the relationship between sprawl and the Black-White housing gap not examined by previous econometric studies: Sprawl only contributes to reducing that gap once a metropolitan area reaches a critical threshold level of sprawl, typically at high levels of sprawl. Below a threshold, sprawl facilitates an expansion of the Black-White housing gap. Second, I compare results for Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics using recent data. For Blacks, the benefits from sprawl occur above an even higher threshold, as compared to preceding studies using 1990’s data. For Asians, sprawl yields significant gains in housing consumption relative to Whites. As such, arguments that anti-sprawl policies reduce minority gains in housing should be treated with considerable skepticism in the post-Great Recession economy. The third essay explores the relationship between sprawl and racial and ethnic segregation. This econometric study advances the understanding of that relationship in two ways. First, I examine the effect of countervailing patterns of multiple land-use attributes, i.e. unique combinations of low-sprawl and high-sprawl attributes, on all five of the dimensions of segregation. Second, I compare outcomes for Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. The study analyzes the contribution and transmission of countervailing spatial patterns of land use to increasing (or decreasing) segregation. These complex effects bring new precision and insights to the analysis of racial and ethnic inequality in an age of rapid demographic change.

On September 30, 2012, Jonathan Torres stabbed his wife, Miguelina Martinez, fifty-two times in a beauty salon in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Ms. Martinez, 33 years-old, went to the district attorney's office eighteen times in the two weeks prior to her murder to report that because of her husband's violent threats she left her home. He killed her because she no longer wanted to be with him; the knife he used was hidden in a bouquet of roses. This three-essay style dissertation interrogates the state of development and gender violence in the Dominican Republic. The first chapter examines the implications of racial, gender, and class stratification on the economic and social opportunities of low-income women, predominantly of African descent, working in the export processing zones and as domestic workers. The second chapter explores the correlation between women's economic, political, and social characteristics and the incidence domestic violence using data from the Demographic and Health Survey. Further, I test which model--the household bargaining model (HBM) or the male backlash model (MBM)--best explains gender violence. I find that the HBM better predicts physical violence, while the MBM better predicts sexual violence. However, when I disaggregate asset-poor women and asset-rich women, I find that the HBM is more adept at explaining gender violence for asset-rich women and the MBM for asset-poor women The third chapter explores the role of women's and men's endogenous preferences on the justifications of gender violence. In both the female and male specifications, there is a positive correlation between men making more decisions and the justification of gender violence. Women that support gender equity are less likely to justify gender violence; while husbands that are less gender progressive are more likely to justify gender violence. Based on my findings, I conclude that the Dominican government's economic policies of the last thirty years are the knife hidden in the government's roses or rhetoric of human development and women's rights. To promote human development and foster women's rights, the Dominican government must embark on a new trajectory focused on human capital formation and a more equitable distribution of income, wealth, and power.

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