The purpose of this study was to examine the factors perceived by Hispanic-American women from the Southwestern United States, currently holding Ph.D. degrees from recognized colleges and universities within the United States, to have positively influenced their attainment of the Ph.D. degree. A secondary purpose of this study was to develop a profile of high achieving Hispanic-American women from the American Southwest. Although women have become more visible within higher education at all levels over the past two decades, the numbers of women holding Ph.D.s remain low. Minority and specifically Hispanic-American women's representation at doctoral levels is even lower. Furthermore, few studies on Hispanic-American educational success have been conducted, even fewer on Hispanic-American women, and fewer yet on Hispanic-American women Ph.D. recipients. Most research has used "cultural deficit models" to define and explain Hispanic-American educational achievement. Demographic, personal, and institutional data were obtained from 15 Hispanic-American women Ph.D. recipients through the use of an in-depth interview schedule constructed by the researcher, using persistence model factors developed by Tinto, Astin, Bean and Associates, Sedlacek, and Ogbu. Data collected were compared and analyzed to produce a profile of high achieving Hispanic-American women. An exploratory and descriptive approach was used to qualitatively analyze the educational ethnographic case studies. The findings reported offer new insight into the status of Hispanic-American women from the American Southwest holding Ph.D.s, as well as identifying the factors that positively influenced their attainment of the Ph.D. such as family background, grade performance, finances, outside encouragement, family responsibilities, understanding and dealing with racism, leadership, nontraditional knowledge, and acquiring standard English. This study's results provide information about the similarities and/or differences in factors perceived to influence the attainment of the Ph.D., and add a new dimension to the literature on Hispanic-Americans in higher education because of its focus on "success" rather than "failure".

Boloz and Lincoln (1983) conducted an intervention study concerning Native American student absences in the public schools in a rural setting. There is little known about Native American student absences in the public school in metropolitan areas. To address this issue, a qualitative study was conducted with the community members from an American Indian community in a metropolitan area. This community was chosen as a result of a pilot study that indicated there may be reasons for student absences not previously identified. The present research (a) documented the parents' and community members' understanding of student absenteeism in an American Indian community, (b) explored parents' and community members' values regarding school attendance in light of the values in the American Indian community, (c) examined the local district policy regarding absenteeism, (d) explored the congruence/incongruence of the local district policy with the family values in the American Indian community, and (e) explored collaborative problem solving directions the school district and community could consider. Nineteen people were interviewed. All had different positions within the community, including tribal administration, school personnel, parents and relatives of school children. Many interviewees functioned in more than one capacity such as tribal administrator and parent. Individual interviews and focus group sessions were analyzed using themes and categorical analysis to discern the community attitudes toward student absenteeism in the public schools. The study revealed that community members all valued education and school attendance. There were differences among people regarding their understanding of excused or unexcused absences. Parents and community members defined what they felt were responsibilities for themselves, school personnel, and tribal administration. School district policy defined student absences by using a coding system, yet parents and community members defined student absences in terms of family needs not district policy (e.g., there were many interpretations of what constituted illness). Parents and community members preferred to deal with school personnel on an individual basis although they expressed discomfort entering the schools. Several recommendations were made, based on parent and community member comments, for further dialogue among the parents, tribal administration, community members, school personnel, and district administration. Neither the American Indian community nor the school district were identified in this study to maintain anonymity for the American Indian people involved.

This study examines how the Cocopah maintain and express a sense of continuity with their past and how, in today's world, they use their understanding of the past to maintain their cultural identity in the present. An ethnohistorical reconstruction of Cocopah identity from the early period of contact explores the ways in which the political ecology of the Colorado River have influenced Cocopah identity. In approaching Cocopah identity from a political ecology perspective, it is argued that the federal bureaucracy's criteria for tribal status and the recognition of individuals as belonging to particular tribes are based on the commonly held notion of Indian tribes as being clearly distinguished, unchanging cultural entities occupying exclusively bounded tribal territories in stable ecosystems. Political ecology, in contrast, provides anthropology with a dynamic analytical framework in which to understand culture as adaptive systems. Political ecology provides a practical approach in which the interface between history and the dynamic complexities of diverse cultures within a local-global economic context can be examined. I add ethnicity theory to this political ecology framework in order to examine how these historical processes operate at the local level and how they affect Cocopah identity and cultural survival. The coping strategies that the Cocopahs applied to the ecological transformations of the lower Colorado River delta throughout the past 150 years have played a significant role in shaping present-day Cocopah identity. Recent economic development, provided by Indian gaming, has given the Cocopahs the opportunity to revitalize, redefine and perpetuate their cultural identity through the process of planning and developing a tribal museum and cultural center complex on the West Cocopah Reservation in southwestern Arizona.

The purpose of this study is to create rich, descriptive portraits of the identity perceptions of three female, Mexican American adolescents, as revealed through selected texts of multiple sign systems. These portraits support the concept that identity is a continuum which is complex, dynamic, and multi-faceted. The identities of the participants encompass elements which were derived from each participant individually as well as from their relationships of connection to or opposition of others. Discussing concepts of identity with the participants exemplified that one's identity is a process which is continually evolving and transforming. This transformative process involves experiences of tension, observation, reflection, and action which encourage an individual to adjust, add, or discard particular elements of one's identity. Each participant's integrated self identity entails their individual and relational elements as well as the changes made through tension, observation, reflection, and action. The ethnographic case study design of the research facilitated an exploration of the complexities of constructing one's identity as an adolescent who must reconcile aspects of culture, gender, and class. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, participant and non-participant observation in various data collection sites including school, home, and work, and the gathering of written, visual, and auditory artifacts such as poetry, personal writing, photographs, drawings, and music. Data were analyzed inductively and compared, and case studies reported the findings. The portraits of these three young women illustrate the importance of providing our adolescent students with classroom opportunities to explore and construct their identities through texts of multiple sign systems. By expanding the concept of text to include multiple ways of knowing, educators invite students to express themselves through a variety of sign systems with which they may feel more comfortable. They may use "conventional" literacy, such as reading and writing, and "unconventional" literacies, including music, art, and movement. The portraits of the three female adolescents emphasize the necessity to embrace and seek to understand the multiple identities of our adolescent students, rather than judging them on assumptions made based on their race, class, or gender.

Smokers who successfully quit smoking gain weight; although important factors have been identified the mechanisms remain unclear. We measured changes in body weight, fat distribution, and dietary intake of macronutrients during a 26 week smoking cessation trial with the use of nicotine and placebo patch in a Hispanic sample of smokers (88% Mexican-American). Participants were randomized to receive patch treatment for 10 weeks and then followed for 16 weeks. We found that nicotine treated quitters experienced significantly less weight gain than placebo treated quitters at 6 weeks; however by 26 weeks, there were no significant differences among treatment groups. We found that percent total body fat (%TBF) for nicotine treated female quitters changed significantly less than for placebo treated female quitters at 10 weeks (p<0.05); there were no treatment differences in change in %TBF for males at 10 weeks. Male and female quitters experienced significantly less change in %TBF at 26 weeks than continued smokers (adjusted for treatment). Dietary intake of total energy, percent of total energy consumed as fat, protein, and carbohydrate were not significantly different by treatment group from BL for males or females. Thus, although body weight increased significantly in quitters versus non-quitters; dietary intake of macronutrients did not change significantly from BL for quitters and non-quitters. This suggests that factors other than changes in energy intake are responsible for the weight gain observed in this sample of Hispanic ex-smokers.

This research serves as an attempt to tell the story of student and faculty experiences at three departments in a Land Grant university in the United States, called Aspiring University. The story helps to reveal factors which have attributed to low graduation rates of ethnic minority (African American, Hispanic, and Native American) students at the institution. Background information, including a thorough literature review and discussion of research methodology, is provided. The research utilized data from The University of Arizona's National Graduation Rate Study, and was constructed around the framework of the Retention Assessment Model. Analysis revealed six themes (a surreal community, identity and isolation, diversity and pedagogy, mixed messages, weeding out, and who's responsible?), organized around the factors of environment and expectations, as possible answers to the question of why ethnic minority students are retained and graduate from AU at rates lower than predicted.

The American Indian concept of warriorhood is a direct reflection of their warrior ancestors. Today, many Native American celebrations and ceremonies pay homage to their warrior/veterans. Many of these ceremonies are to cleanse the veteran of the trauma of combat. This is not a new phenomenon. Native celebrations and ceremonies are a direct link to the culture, religion and ancient conception of warriorhood among American Indian nations today. In social gatherings like the American Indian Pow Wow, Native people have always honored their warriors. The only difference is that in these modern times these warriors will be called veterans. Ways of honoring these warrior/veterans may vary from nation (tribe) to nation or region to region, but the tradition of honoring ceremonies has been handed down through the centuries in social gatherings like the American Indian Pow Wow. The conception of the warrior is basically unchanged since the old days of native societies to these modern times of life on an Indian Reservation. The Indian warrior has always been a protector of his people. This warrior conception is explained in depth in the introduction. The Native concept of the warrior today is only a reflection of what that same conception was hundreds of years ago, even longer in many respects. What this means is a warrior was looked upon as a protector. The old Indian warrior codes of honor of those by gone days are now replaced by the U.S. Military code of honor. This concept fits well with the warrior/veterans of today. Because in truth, Indians have become Americans over the past one hundred years. After all is said and done, The American Indian's willingness to fight for this country is also a reflection of his ancestors' willingness to fight for this land. In the last analysis American Indians have always fought for this land.

In the midst of revolution as the Qing Dynasty faded into the twentieth century, metropolitan Chinese Muslim leaders took initiatives in their communities, which shaped change. As a result, a process was set in motion, one that effected the identity of urban Chinese Muslims in more ways than one--within the new political scene nationally, internationally, and in regards to other Muslims in China. The process stimulated a self-awareness among Chinese Muslim urban populations, which promoted new perceptions of their identity as Hui. The process also triggered a debate among Chinese Muslim intellectuals in which ideas of minzu-ness, ethnicity, and religiosity were argued. The process fostered a sense of solidarity among the urban Muslim communities. Chinese Muslim activities paralleled those of other Chinese. Chinese Muslims took part in the New Culture Movement, many joined the army. At the same time they focused attention on improving their communities. This dissertation examines the activities of urban Chinese Muslims: the creation of study groups and associations; the revamping of Muslim schools; and the publishing of books and periodicals. The dissertation is a look at strategies used in adapting to change. The goal has been to illustrate that the Chinese Muslims accepted change, even welcomed it, but in so doing altered perceptions of themselves and their religion. The metropolitan Chinese Muslims got swept up in the enthusiasm of the early republican era. Many influential members of the community endorsed the Nationalists' revolution and the new republic. Chinese Muslim urbanites welcomed modernization and nationalism, seeing them as vehicles that would facilitate their efforts, and protect them. Chinese Muslim motives were nationalistic, as Chinese they wanted a strong China. Their motives were also parochial. They wanted a strong local community, and they actively set out to improve conditions. By strengthening their communities they could insure the survival of Chinese Muslim culture, just as a strong China would insure the survival of Chinese culture.

Over the last ten to fifteen years, an expanding body of research has sought to ascertain whether environmental hazards are distributed equitably according to race and income. While much attention has been paid to the relative ability of each of these variables to predict increased hazard levels, little attention has been paid to the forces giving rise to environmental inequality. This dissertation fills this gap by examining the forces giving rise to the current distribution of industrial pollution in the Detroit metropolitan area. The dissertation addresses three basic questions. First, is there a positive association between manufacturing facility presence and race in the Detroit area? In other words, are blacks more likely than whites to live near potentially hazardous manufacturing facilities? Second, has the distribution of whites and blacks around regional manufacturing facilities changed over time? Third, since it turns out that there is a positive association between facility presence and race in Detroit, why is this the case? Is the racially inequitable distribution of manufacturing facilities in Detroit due to (a) differences in black/white income levels, (b) racist siting practices, or (c) the biased operation of institutional arenas such as the housing market? It turns out that the racially inequitable distribution of manufacturing facilities in the Detroit metropolitan area is not the result of black/white income inequality or racist siting practices. Instead, the distribution of blacks and whites around the region's manufacturing facilities is shaped by residential segregation. Thus, racial status and racism are important determinants of environmental stratification in the Detroit metropolitan area.

Using a random sample of 368 parents of young children in Pima County, Arizona, this study examines the implications of childrearing for social networks. In addition to cross-sectional network data, the study includes retrospective measures of networks at two periods: just before the birth of the respondent's oldest child, and around the time of the oldest child's first birthday. These retrospective longitudinal data permit a detailed assessment of stabilities and changes in parents' social contact patterns, and a discussion of their implications. Expectant parents occupy distinct structural positions related to the timing of parenthood in the life course, relationship status, ethnicity, and gender. In the year following parenthood, many of these differences are attenuated, suggesting that parenthood is itself a unique social position that may reduce the distinguishing power of other structural parameters. But while the networks of parents are, as a whole, more similar to each other than those of expectant parents, gender differences in network characteristics appear to be somewhat enhanced over the transition to parenthood. Cross-sectional data show that involvement in the domestic sphere, rather than sex-category, is especially predictive of network structure. The patterns identified here Will lead to more precise conceptualization and measurement of gender processes, as roles in work, marriage, and parenting gain increasing flexibility.