published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

A strong relationship exists between the Cahuilla people and their cultural landscapes. The meaning of cultural places is expressed through traditional knowledge of oral histories, place names, traditional songs, ceremonies and landscape use. Historically, the Cahuilla maintained their relationship with landscapes while incorporating new lifestyles introduced by the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans. My thesis provides a basic model for examining historical settlements patterns and analyzing the continued traditional lifestyle and landscape by the Desert Cahuilla. Using information from published ethnographic data and traditional knowledge, I use GIS mapping to provide visual support to some hypotheses scholars have on village migrations and continued cultural landscape use. This is the first step in researching historic cultural landscape use and the information can be used in further analysis in archaeology and cultural resource use. Furthermore, this thesis will serve as a significant source in rediscovering, reconnecting, and preserving Cahuilla places.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

After years of education, many people enter the workforce without the team-working skills fundamental in today's innovation economy. As one of the primary goals of education is to prepare students for the workforce, a shift from individual learning to collaborative learning is recommended. One way to incorporate collaborative learning in formal education is through students' engagement in the collaborative development of plays. When understanding of collaboration is achieved, according the theories of Teaching for Understanding, the learner can apply knowledge outside of the domain in which it was learned. Team-based management in business and collaborative playbuilding in theatre share congruent structural principles, therefore, the application of knowledge from one domain to the other is natural. This study investigated how university students came to understand collaboration through involvement in a Collaborative Play Development course. Findings support the recognition of collaborative theatre as an opportunity to develop marketable skills for the learners.

This dissertation employs techniques from folkecology to identify factors that have influenced lawmakers in their decision-making about animals. The purpose of this research is to understand the natural world as seen by lawmakers, identify and explain variation between lawmakers and scientists priorities, and, ultimately, consider ways to improve communication of understandings between these two cultures. The study is structured to follow Amadeo Rea's recommendation that scholars "note the etic while searching for the emic" (Rea 1998: xx) It compares priorities and then discusses findings to get at the question of meaning. What do different animals mean to lawmakers? What forces are operating when they make or interpret laws on behalf of animals? The answer "takes us into the realm of mythology," as Rea said it would (Rea 1998: xx), and provides an opportunity to consider the foundations of law and science, and the role of reason, narrative and imagination across the disciplines and across time, as lawmakers - who are keepers and shapers of their cultures -- continuously define and redefine what it means to be human, and what that means for other animals. Findings indicate that conservation efforts need to increase the cultural relevance of the natural world, rather than hope that science alone will change the ethic and priorities of lawmakers.

This qualitative study focused on the stories told by five, White, female teachers with a long-term commitment to teach at a predominantly Hispanic high school. The stories of these teachers' life experiences were part of a teaching journey that began long before their formal teacher preparation. Understanding the personal, practical knowledge embedded in the events and experiences of these teachers' journeys was important to study, as these teachers possessed an extremely positive personal and academic reputation with their mostly Hispanic students. This study shed light on possible reasons for these teachers' longetivity in the profession of teaching as well as their ability to bridge cultural differences potentially dividing them from their students.Data collection came from classroom observations, a questionnaire, and a series of three, semi-structured interviews. In a cross-case analysis of the narratives compiled from the data, three main types of stories were told: stories of cross-cultural experiences, difficult challenges, and conversations with students. The highs and lows of these unusual women's experiences provide cases for preservice teachers to consider as they prepare to teach an increasingly diverse student population. These cases also reinforce the importance of cross-cultural experiences and intimate knowledge of challenging issues facing Hispanic communities as a prerequisite both before and throughout teacher preparation programs. These cases also emphasize the importance of conversation as a cultural strategy in bridging the cultural divide with Hispanic students.

The primary objective of this M.A. thesis is to examine the portrayal of Switzerland and the role of the Swiss detective in the modern Swiss crime novel, with special focus on the works of three modern Swiss authors of different social status: Friedrich Glauser, Friedrich Durrenmatt and Hansjorg Schneider. While the crime novel is generally considered trivial entertainment for mass audiences within the realm of German literature, the case is somewhat different in Switzerland, a country with a small state mentality. The forthcoming analysis will demonstrate how these authors employ the crime novel as an educational device to convey a very important message to their fellow countrymen about the society in which they live. In their portrayal of Switzerland, the authors cover a wide range of circumstances relevant to their respective time periods, often dealing with controversial issues. Consequently, the Swiss detective plays a major role, as he must often solve difficult cases while faced with tremendous pressure from society. By focusing exclusively on Switzerland, this analysis will ultimately prove that the modern Swiss crime novel contains not only an entertainment aspect, but also important political, sociological and historical elements that distinguish the phenomenon from its international counterparts.