Investigation into how the Jane and Cadwallader Colden navigated the physical, social, and cultural environment of colonial New York both as regular people representative of their class, and as scientists offers insight into the changing nature of colonial society and views of science in the mid 1700s. The work of the Coldens is especially important to this topic because it shows the influence of Enlightenment thought in creating "proper" fields of science and intellectual activity in the English colonies on in the mid to late 18th century when this "feminization" of certain sciences is often seen as primarily an English phenomenon of the 19th century. Instead, their work shows that this was a trans-Atlantic change with earlier origins. As elite women participated in the sciences with greater frequency, multiple narratives emerged in both England and the American colonies, to justify this change and place it in an understandable context. For men, society accepted participation in sciences as a manifestation of Enlightenment values focused on reason. Women"s participation in the sciences, on the other hand, was often justified through an appeal to natural philosophy or through emphasis on continuity with established beliefs about manners and hetero-gender social interaction that generally mandated familial support for their endeavors. By examining the writings of the Colden family and commentary on changes to intellectual culture that emerged in popular pamphlets and behavior manuals we can see that the groundwork for the "feminization" of certain intellectual subjects such as botany was already in place in the 18th century and examine some of the cultural forces that led to this trend which would continue into the 19th century. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2010. / March 26, 2010. / Gender, Botany, Jane Colden, Cadwallader Colden / Includes bibliographical references. / Edward Gray, Professor Directing Thesis; Jennifer Koslow, Committee Member; Frederick Davis, Committee Member.

The Soviet Union was unique in its use of women for combat roles, becoming the first state to use female pilots to fly combat missions. "Unit Cohesion Among the Three Soviet Women's Air Regiments During World War II" analyzes the factors that shaped the cohesion of the three women's regiments formed from Aviation Group No. 122. Unit cohesion is the glue that holds together a military unit through times of adversity, fear of death, and unimaginable suffering and sacrifice. Many factors affect the cohesion of a unit. The factors discussed in this study are: the effectiveness of command, the plane each regiment flew, the gender composition of the unit, and the reaction of men to the women fighting. This thesis utilized the published memoirs written by veterans of the women's regiments along with interviews conducted years later by Anne Noggle and Reina Pennington. The study of these women presents a tremendous opportunity to straddle military history, women's studies, and Russian history to establish precedence in contemporary debates surrounding the use of female combatants. / A Thesis Submitted to the Interdisciplinary Program in Russian and East European Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2004. / March 25, 2004. / World War II, Soviet Airwomen, Unit Cohesion / Includes bibliographical references. / Jonathan A. Grant, Professor Directing Thesis; Ljubisa S. Adamovich, Committee Member; Michael K. Launer, Committee Member.

This study provides a historical examination of working women's relationship with social and theatrical dance in New York City during the Progressive Era. These years, between 1890 and 1920, were seminal in bringing America into the modern age, as well as providing a unique framework for women's activism against restrictive sociopolitical roles. The purpose of this thesis is to illuminate the relationship between New York City working class women, dance, and intellectual ideas in an attempt to broaden the scope of both dance studies and history. By utilizing historiography, women's studies, cultural studies, and movement analysis, this project addresses the shift of women (from Victorian to Modern) through the lens of dance. Social dancing, especially in dance halls, was an outlet for working class experimentation with new attitudes of social and financial independence, as well as in defining a more liberal attitude of sexuality. Likewise, the chorus girls of Ziegfeld's Follies used a theatrical medium in which to explore new identities of independence and sexuality. These high-grade chorines epitomized the working girl dream--they earned their own money while gallivanting through elite social circles. Throughout these two spheres--social or theatrical--the social and sexual transformation of women was underscored through ideas of conspicuous consumption and ethics of leisure. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Dance in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Summer Semester, 2003. / June 6, 2003. / Social Dancing, Working Women / Includes bibliographical references. / Neil Jumonville, Committee Member; John O. Perpener, III, Committee Member.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in United States women, estimated to be diagnosed in 1 out of 8 women in their lifetime. Screening mammography detects breast cancer in its pre-clinical stages when treatment strategies have the greatest chance of success, and is currently the only population-wide prevention method proven to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer. Research has shown that the majority of women are not screened annually, with estimates ranging from 6% - 30% of eligible women receiving all available annual mammograms over a 5-year or greater time frame. Health behavior theorists believe that perception of risk/susceptibility to a disease influences preventive health behavior, in this case, screening mammography. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat screening mammography using a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. A series of SEM multivariate regressions were conducted using selfreported, nationally representative data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. Interaction contrasts were tested to measure the potential moderating effects of variables which have been shown to be predictive of mammography use (physician recommendation, economic barriers, structural barriers, race/ethnicity) on the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat mammography, while controlling for the covariates of age, income, region, nativity, and educational level. Of the variables tested for moderation, results of the SEM analyses identify physician recommendation as the only moderator of the relationship between risk perception and repeat mammography, thus the potentially most effective point of intervention to increase mammography screening, and decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer. These findings expand the role of the physician from recommendation to one of attenuating the effect of risk perception and increasing repeat screening. The long range application of the research is the use of the SEM methodology to identify specific points of intervention most likely to increase preventive behavior in population-wide research, allowing for the most effective use of intervention funds.

This dissertation presents findings from a study of knowledge sharing and gaining via cameraphone photography by women who have undergone cesarean sections. Informed by authoritative knowledge, cameraphone photography, and a photo elicitation method known as photovoice, this research sought to understand how cameraphone photography allowed participants to provide a visual context through which empowering discussions about birth and the aftermath of their cesarean births could be explored. To discuss the relationship between authoritative knowledge and cameraphone photography, a theoretical model was created to highlight the ways knowledge is shared via cameraphones (Figure 1). This model was created to illustrate the relationship between authoritative knowledge and cameraphone photography within the context of cesarean births in the U.S. Thirty adult women in the United States were recruited for participation in this study, all of whom had one or more children via cesarean birth. Participants were trained in the purpose of the study, the ethical decisions photographers make, and photographic techniques, and were given themes to address relating to knowledge sharing and gaining via their cesarean birth experiences. Analysis of these data indicates using cameraphone photography allowed participants to share details, and the knowledge they gained, of their cesarean births with other mothers who had also undergone cesarean deliveries. Further research is indicated, to continue to refine the Authoritative Knowledge Model of Cesarean Births, and determine its applicability to topics beyond birth. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2016. / July 7, 2016. / birth, cameraphone, cesarean section, photographs, visual methodology / Includes bibliographical references. / Michelle M. Kazmer, Professor Directing Dissertation; Andy Opel, University Representative; Richard Urban, Committee Member; Mia Liza A. Lustria, Committee Member; Lynne Hinnant, Committee Member.

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Thesis (S.B. in Women's Studies)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 48-50). / This thesis explores the ideology of midwifery in a particular training program, that of the University of York By analyzing the history which shaped the program, the legislation which regulates it, and the philosophical beliefs which influence it. In Great Britain, giving birth has evolved from a women-only event, attended by a midwife, which took place in the home to one which is now often attended by a variety of medical practitioners, both male and female, and most often takes place in a hospital. With childbirth, midwifery has undergone dramatic transition. The study describes the ways in which York's ideology revolves around the goal of "woman-centered care," which seeks to provide pregnant women and new mothers with the power to make choices about their maternity care, to ensure that they have the greatest continuity of caregiver throughout their pregnancy, and that the care they receive is appropriate to their needs and desires. "Woman-centered care" is an ideal advocated by both the government and midwives themselves. The program trains its midwives to base their practice on knowledge, as opposed to habit or protocol; to be partners in care with women, rather than administrators of care; and to be safe, autonomous practitioners. The underlying philosophy is the idea that birth is a natural process, rather than a dangerous, disease like state which requires medical intervention. / by Andrea H. Zengion. / S.B.in Women's Studies

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The purpose of the present inquiry is to examine the family and adolescent role development, with emphasis upon the aspect of sexuality, within the context of the Greek and American society. Greece and the United States differ with regard to their respective cultural background and contemporary stage of socio-economic development. Consequently, the family ideology and its implications for the issue of sexuality are different in the two countries