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- Creator:
- Licon, Adelita.
- Description:
- This thesis explores how guerrilla movements aided in the formation of women's and feminist groups that emerged in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Chiapas, Mexico. The development of feminism has been attributed to women's participation in the guerrilla movements of these regions. Feminism did not originate from women's involvement in guerrilla warfare; instead it grew from gender inequalities that women suffered in these countries. This thesis argues that feminism in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Chiapas, Mexico, derives from historically unbalanced power structures between the genders and cannot be entirely understood as a derivative from the revolutionary struggles in these regions.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- History
- Creator:
- Dansby, Robin E.
- Description:
- An optimal linear control-law formulation is developed herein using an evolutionary state-transition to meet various performance objectives in seismically excited structures. The control-law makes use of a predictive optimal linear control algorithm that is expanded using the Force Analogy Method to incorporate the nonlinear behavior of an inelastic structure. The optimal linear control algorithm developed herein uses an evolutionary gain approach (varying the gain per time step), which makes the control mechanism more adaptive to the needs of the system in real time. Convergence on an appropriate gain value is achieved by setting performance objectives for the system that the control mechanism is required to satisfy. This ensures that the control force applied to the system is not arbitrary, but has been verified, by calculation, to force the system to respond within an acceptable range of deflection. The solution is best able to satisfy performance objectives by limiting the amount of inelastic strain using a changing strain-based window of allowable deflections. Various control-law formulations are examined analytically using a “software testbed” and a theoretical singledegree-of-freedom benchmark structure. The optimal control-law formulation is the one that best mitigates structural and nonstructural damage while applying an achievable value of control force
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Civil and Geomatics Engineering
- Creator:
- Vang, Linda.
- Description:
- The Hmong are undergoing a process of acceptance and rejection in forming their new Hmong American identities. As borderlands citizens, the Hmong’s new identities reflect the bicultural communities around them, and therefore, exemplify both Hmong and American values. In their formation of this identity, the Hmong are reevaluating all aspects of their history and culture, and their rhetorical gestures illustrate a reconceptualization of Hmong ways within the context of America, thereby reconfiguring Hmong American hybridity. As the Hmong accept certain western ideals and preserve certain Hmong traditions, their transnational, collective, and individual identities and ideologies change accordingly. Organizations like Stone Soup and Lao Family are assisting Hmong Americans in this process through the programs they offer, while also promoting Hmong visibility. Their gestures and language highlight the Hmong people as an asset to the wider community. The Hmong’s identity negotiation is particularly influencing the lives of Hmong American women as they struggle for gender equality. Their stories and their negotiation of a new identity are being portrayed through the literary works of Hmong American women, particularly those of Kou Vang. Through rhetorically significant acts, Hmong Americans are all obtaining new identities and voices, marking the start of a new era for the Hmong people in America.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- English
- Creator:
- Bowe, Matthew Joseph
- Description:
- The natural formation of the rainbow is one of the most important and widely studied optical phenomena throughout history. Its creation is due to a process of refraction, and an underlying wave interference that is not commonly discussed among introductory physics texts. I have created an experiment that simulates the light scattering processes within a water droplet to clearly show this process of interference. I show that through the use of tapered glass rods, it is possible to recreate rainbow scattering of individual wavelengths of light that agree with the Debye theory of scattering. Experimentally, I show that the material of fused quartz is better than borosilicate when recreating a diffraction pattern similar to that of a natural rainbow. Calcium fluoride may provide an even better result, however it requires a more careful approach than I was able to achieve to properly modify it into an appropriate tapered shape. Within this experiment, I also include methods to superimpose lights of different colors onto the same position. When superimposing light, the 50-50 beamsplitter has out performed the available dichroic filter. It may be possible to achieve overall better results with the dichroic filter, if one with proper specifications is used. The methods I have used throughout this experiment can be applied for future analysis of rainbow diffraction, or they may be ideal for demonstrative purposes.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Physics
- Creator:
- Ayala, Miryam
- Description:
- Adolescents encompass a considerably large amount of the foster care population in the United States. Every year the number of youth who “age-out” of the foster care system at the age of 18 or 21 to live independently has continued to increase. Youth who are in the transition from out of-home care into emerging adulthood are considered to be one of the most vulnerable sub-populations of the foster care system. Aside from the trauma and the challenges associated with out-of-home care, adolescents emerging into adulthood are faced with the responsibility of self-sufficiency as they leave the system. A significant portion of AB12 youth who are aging-out of the foster care system are facing difficulty in transitioning into adulthood and stabilizing their life on their own. AB12 foster youth are individuals that are at least 18 years of age who wish to continue to be involved in the foster care system until the age of 21. Many of them are forced to live on the streets; they lack the money to meet basic living expenses, have a history with the criminal justice system, are unable to obtain health care, and fail to maintain employment (Mares, 2010). This study utilized qualitative methods to identify how social workers can work towards providing services to youth who are transitioning out of foster care to ensure they have the necessary skills needed to successfully transition into adulthood.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Social Work Education
- Creator:
- Platt, Bryant William
- Description:
- The injection of mafic magma into cooler crustal reservoirs has long been proposed as a trigger for volcanic eruptions. If the arrival of hot recharge magma does provide the immediate eruption trigger, then mineral thermal profiles should reflect a final heating event immediately prior to eruption. Recent work at the Chaos Crags member of the Lassen Volcanic Center, California, identifies evidence for pronounced post-recharge cooling and crystallization of mafic enclaves, suggesting that time must have elapsed between the timing of recharge and eruption. This thesis tests those findings by applying feldspar, clinopyroxene, and orthopyroxene geothermometry to ninety-two mineral transects derived from crystals in ten andesite flows at Brokeoff Volcano to reconstruct pre-eruption magma chamber conditions. Seventy-four (81%) of the analyzed thermal profiles record the arrival of high-temperature recharge magma followed by post-recharge cooling back toward pre-recharge temperatures, while only seventeen (19%) thermal profiles record heating immediately prior to eruption. Most mineral thermal profiles from nine of the andesitic flows exhibit evidence for post-recharge cooling, while only one flow primarily preserves evidence for eruption immediately following recharge. This analysis suggests that while the arrival of recharge magma may be necessary to produce an eruptible magma, the increase in volume and heat flux associated with recharge may be insufficient to directly trigger some volcanic eruptions.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Creator:
- Andrew, Christine Thykootathil
- Description:
- The rise of children living and/or working on the streets has become a global phenomenon following the increased industrialization and urbanization of our times. Despite the best efforts of helpers globally, many street children return to the streets. The perspective exists for some that street children “challenge and sabotage all efforts to help them.” The purpose of this qualitative study with a locality-based case study approach is to examine the lived experiences of the helpers of street children in India in order to gain insight into how to best serve this population. The research question is “What are the challenges for professionals in working to help street children to reintegrate in India?” 12 participants were obtained through mostly purposeful sampling. In-depth interviews utilizing open-ended questions were conducted. NVivo software was used for content analysis with instrumental and collective case study paradigms. Multiple investigators were consulted and member checking was done to improve the validity of the findings. From a list of 62 subthemes emerged six overarching themes: Organizational Limitations; Street Children’s Education; Government Policy; Societal Perceptions; Psychologically and Emotionally Demanding Work; and Interpersonal Hurdles. The findings were considered in light of this study’s theoretical frameworks: The Capability Approach and Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice. An evaluation of helpers’ work to empower and promote the capabilities, agency, participation, and autonomy of street children was completed.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Social Work Education
- Creator:
- Brown, Becky
- Description:
- The Edenton Tea Party is frequently cited by historians and antiquarians alike as the first political action taken by women in the years leading to the American Revolution. Although the original text no longer exists, it is known that on or about October 25, 1774, fifty-one women from the greater Edenton area signed their names to a resolution in support of recent resolves passed by the Provincial Congress of North Carolina. The resolution, and a list of those who signed it, appeared in only one colonial newspaper in 1774. Interestingly, British response was much greater. After the spring of 1775, the resolution disappeared from the pages of history. Then in 1892, it was rescued from obscurity by the antiquarian writer, Dr. Richard Dillard, whose pamphlet, The Historic Tea-Party of Edenton, provided fuel for Southern genealogical societies working strategically to counteract a historical narrative that they, like Dillard, believed ignored the South’s contributions to the founding of America. Throughout the early twentieth century and well into the twenty-first, the narrative surrounding the Edenton Tea Party has continued to be appropriated in a variety of ways. This study will explore the historical foundation of the resolution, its transition to becoming known as a “tea party,” and the numerous ways in which the myth of the signing endures to this day. Finally, it will demonstrate that the true importance of the resolution lay not in its influence at the time it was written, but in the varying ways its narrative has been constructed and utilized over time.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- History
- Creator:
- Carr, Sarah Joan
- Description:
- This research pursues interventions to stabilize and reduce harm of youth at risk of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) while in the care of child welfare services. Researchers have identified an intersection between youth at risk of DMST and the child welfare system. Youth in the child welfare system run away from placement frequently. Past studies have found that running away from placement positions youth at a greater risk to be victimized of DMST. Researchers have found reasons youth run from placement include access to positive social support systems and to run away from negative social interactions with care providers. There is a gap in the current literature for interventions to stabilize youth at risk of DMST. This study employs qualitative research methods to explore effective interventions from the perspective of social workers employed by Child Welfare System (CWS) who work closely with youth at risk of DMST. A total of 10 social workers were interviewed. An instrumental case study was described to exemplify the strategies used by the social workers to successfully stabilize a youth victimized of DMST. The findings describe practical strategies for service providers to employ when working with youth at risk of DMST in the child welfare system who frequently run away.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Social Work Education
- Creator:
- Chen, Sylvia
- Description:
- Worldwide, there are 65 million people that have epilepsy and approximately 200,000 additional individuals are diagnosed with epilepsy annually. There is no cure and currently available anticonvulsants, which are medications to treat seizures, are not universally effective. Additional studies are needed to generate better treatment options. Drosophila melanogaster provides a valuable and efficient model to study seizure disorders due to the low cost of maintenance, genetic tractability, and short lifespan, which allows for observation at various life stages. D. melanogaster also possesses similarities to humans on cellular and subcellular levels. These advantages allow the development of a model for the high throughput study of epilepsy. This study aims to induce single and multiple seizures and monitor locomotion, learning, and memory. The results from the negative geotaxis assay, which takes advantage of D. melanogaster’s innate climbing behavior, suggest that single seizure events have minimal impact, whereas multiple seizures result in deficits in visuo-motor/motor behavior. Additionally, a visual place learning assay was used to study the cognitive abilities and results suggest a single seizure event impacts learning and memory. Lastly, whole brain slides were made and determined lesions in brain tissue result from repeated seizure events. The significant findings from this research may contribute to improve therapeutics for epilepsy by providing a method of high throughput screening.
- Resource Type:
- Masters Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- Fresno
- Department:
- Biology