<p>The dissertation is a study of the 1985 alcohol policy reform in the Soviet Union. The task is to explain the making and failure of the policy, and to examine the policy as a case in rule creation in society. More specifically, I analyze the policy-making in terms of symbolic politics, moral entrepreneurship, and the prohibitive measures it led to a5 a reaction to alcohol abuse. Each of these concepts offers a partial explanation of rule creation. Yet, none adequately explains the policy repeal, much less the creation of informal social definitions of right and wrong. Similar to alcohol prohibitions in the USA, Finland and Canada, the Soviet alcohol reform effort attempted but ultimately did not succeed in changing the social definition of alcohol and drinking. This is in contrast to cannabis, opium and cocaine prohibitions that aimed to preserve existing definitions and have been largely successful around the world. The relationship between formal and informal definitions is addressed as a key element in any understanding of variations in the fate ofmoral reforms. From this standpoint, the post-reform period comes to be viewed as a distinct stage wherein the viability of a proposed definition is tested. Presently dominant approaches to the definitional process appear to limit their own potential in that they refuse to reconsider assumptions that can be shown erroneous, do not differentiate between dissimilar processes and settings, do not ask more pointed research questions and do not stimulate empirically grounded and verifiable explanations. To redress these limitations, I offer a critical reexamination of both the moral entrepreneur and claims-making approaches to social definition-making.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In the Arabian Gulf countries, the majlis is a central part of the house. The most public space within it, the majlis represents the household’s occupants to society and its social and economic status. As the house reflects culture and civilization, so the family is understood as a micro-level society of individuals raised in its institutions. Hence, the house is a manifestation of family structure, religious beliefs, and individual needs and desires, reflecting the family’s economic, cultural, and social backgrounds and aspirations. The majlis offers a unique space in Arab societies, articulating cultural and social factors that directly impact identity Accordingly, the design of the majlis and meanings associated with its constituents are essential to the discussion about Qatari culture and society from past to present (Rapoport 1969). Since the discovery of oil in Qatar, there has been a noteworthy change in the way that houses have been designed, with a major transformation in the use of house and majlis over the last few generations, including social factors such as family social structure, the role of women, kinship and its relationship with privacy and proximity, and economic factors such as the availability of disposable income. This research explores the evolution of house architecture in Qatar with a focus on the design and social impact of the majlis. The physical and social changes in the period between pre-oil discovery until today have created gaps between the built form, climate, and sociocultural activities. This research attempts to bridge this gap, concentrating on the majlis.

The idea of "region" in America has often served to isolate places from each other. Whether in the nostalgic celebration of folk cultures or the urbane distaste for "hicks," certain regions of the country are identified as static, and culturally disconnected from everywhere else. This title explores this trend and offers alternatives to it. / https://dc.etsu.edu/alumni_books/1005/thumbnail.jpg

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A study of migrant workers in Indiana and their relationship with various Christian churches and programs throughout the state.

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Political Economy in Practice: Career Contributions of Dwight Billings to Appalachian Studies Dwight Billings has contributed to shaping the conversation in Appalachian studies over the past forty years through his academic focus on political economy and his commitment to equity in who’s at the table in that conversation. The presenters will discuss his career contributions as scholar, teacher and mentor, social justice activist, and colleague.

This NCA Public Program addressed health, health care, and understandings about health in the Appalachian region, an area where residents face a disproportionately high incidence of poor health and unique barriers to health. The program took place in the East Tennessee Room of the D.P. Culp Center on the campus of East Tennessee State University. The moderated panel included scholars in Communication, Community Health, Nursing, and Appalachian Studies, as well as community practitioners.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the discrepancies of female breast cancer mortality between the Appalachian and Non-Appalachian regions of Kentucky using data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry. This study identified subtype, reproductive, and regional differences in women with breast cancer in Kentucky. Among women with breast cancer living in Kentucky from 2004 to 2007, one and three live births significantly increased a woman’s risk of breast cancer mortality by 91% and 58% respectively, compared to a woman with zero live births. Progesterone receptornegative tumor status significantly increased a woman’s risk of breast cancer mortality by 64% compared to women with progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer. Residence in the Appalachian region significantly increased a woman’s risk of breast cancer mortality by 3.14-fold. After adjusting for regional interactions, progesterone receptor-negative tumor status in the Appalachian region increased a woman’s risk of breast cancer mortality by 3.13-fold. These findings suggest parity and estrogen receptor tumor status do not contribute to the breast cancer differences between the Appalachian and Non-Appalachian region of Kentucky. The association between progesterone receptor status and Appalachian residency suggest factors associated with the Appalachian region provide the poorest prognosis for a woman with breast cancer in Kentucky.