View All Items

Title: Choices and Persuasion: A Rhetorical Analysis of Abortion Minded Social Media Content.
Creator: Van Erven, Alexandra, Mulvaney, Becky, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This thesis project seeks to answer the question of how visual rhetoric put forward in social media content by pro-life and pro-choice organizations may persuade their audiences’ perspective on abortion. Using Sonja Foss’s guidelines for analysis of visual rhetoric, I analyze 24 selected examples of Facebook content posted by two pro-life organizations (Human Coalition and Feminists for Life) and two pro-choice organizations (Planned Parenthood Action and NARAL Pro-Choice America) in 2017. My...
Show moreThis thesis project seeks to answer the question of how visual rhetoric put forward in social media content by pro-life and pro-choice organizations may persuade their audiences’ perspective on abortion. Using Sonja Foss’s guidelines for analysis of visual rhetoric, I analyze 24 selected examples of Facebook content posted by two pro-life organizations (Human Coalition and Feminists for Life) and two pro-choice organizations (Planned Parenthood Action and NARAL Pro-Choice America) in 2017. My analysis found that the visual rhetoric posted by both organizations on social media can and does function as a form of visual metonymy. Because of this, these visual strategies can stand in for more complex arguments in dramatic ways.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013103
Subject Headings: Social media., User-generated content., Visual rhetoric., Abortion.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Dialogues About Race Relations: What Kind of Talk is Needed to Overcome Racial Conflict?.
Creator: Ten Eyck, Roxanne H., Mulvaney, Becky, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: The Trayvon Martin shooting of 2013 and the Michael Brown shooting of 2014 by a White security guard and White police officer sequentially led to the Black Lives Matter movement which has grown internationally to 40 chapters. Police agencies have responded with active community outreach programs to proactively reduce conflict. The question arises whether a language of peace such as Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication would be an effective tool to be used in instances of conflict similar to...
Show moreThe Trayvon Martin shooting of 2013 and the Michael Brown shooting of 2014 by a White security guard and White police officer sequentially led to the Black Lives Matter movement which has grown internationally to 40 chapters. Police agencies have responded with active community outreach programs to proactively reduce conflict. The question arises whether a language of peace such as Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication would be an effective tool to be used in instances of conflict similar to the carnage involving Black men and White police officers between 2013-2017. Local members of the Black community, Black Lives Matter, and law enforcement were interviewed asking the efficacy of Rosenberg’s NVC and deliberative dialogue as well. The study showed that since Blacks and Whites view racism differently, a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the challenges of racism and race relations. This thesis describes the possible use of a few models structured to discuss the racial conflict between all parties affected by racism.
Show less
Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013269
Subject Headings: Race relations, Racism, Black lives matter movement, Dialogue
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Dhayam VR: Adapting a Traditional Board Game into a Virtual Reality Experience.
Creator: Ramachendran Selvaraj, Monisha, Maraffi, Christopher, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Ancestral forms of entertainment were not only meant as a pastime but also to carry forward the cultural values and stories over generations. With the ease of access to the technologically advanced and immersive games, we do not necessarily opt for traditional board games that are a representation of our culture. Dhayam VR is an amalgamation of a traditional Indian board game and virtual reality technology. Inspired by the story of Mahabharata – a Hindu epic, it creates an expressive,...
Show moreAncestral forms of entertainment were not only meant as a pastime but also to carry forward the cultural values and stories over generations. With the ease of access to the technologically advanced and immersive games, we do not necessarily opt for traditional board games that are a representation of our culture. Dhayam VR is an amalgamation of a traditional Indian board game and virtual reality technology. Inspired by the story of Mahabharata – a Hindu epic, it creates an expressive, educative, and entertaining experience. It provides an opportunity to contribute toward keeping traditional and cultural values alive, in a more expressive form using the latest technologies which are relatable to the current and future generations.
Show less
Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013499
Subject Headings: Virtual reality, Board games, Mahābhārata--Adaptations, Culture and technology, Dice games--India
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: FESSENDEN’S WORLDS: BIOSYS A SHORT FILM INSPIRED BY EDMOND HAMILTON’S “FESSENDEN’S WORLDS”.
Creator: Halak, Michael J., Eason, Shane, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Fessenden’s Worlds: Biosys is a short film inspired by the 1937 short story “Fessenden’s Worlds” by Edmond Hamilton. The first chapter situates the original story in science fiction film and media, and in wider folklore. Parallels and contrasts within the storylines of the original “Fessenden’s Worlds” and the Biosys short film are discussed. The second chapter examines all production techniques used to create Fessenden’s Worlds: Biosys. Aspects of filmmaking include storyboarding and...
Show moreFessenden’s Worlds: Biosys is a short film inspired by the 1937 short story “Fessenden’s Worlds” by Edmond Hamilton. The first chapter situates the original story in science fiction film and media, and in wider folklore. Parallels and contrasts within the storylines of the original “Fessenden’s Worlds” and the Biosys short film are discussed. The second chapter examines all production techniques used to create Fessenden’s Worlds: Biosys. Aspects of filmmaking include storyboarding and previsualization research, production design and prop building, and filming for green screen compositing. The post-production software techniques used to create Fessenden’s Worlds: Biosys are discussed, including hard surface and organic 3D modeling in Maya; texturing in Substance Painter; rendering in Arnold; particle and geometric procedural visual effects using Trapcode Particular, Mir, and Shine; and motion graphics design for device displays in Adobe After Effects.
Show less
Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013770
Subject Headings: Hamilton, Edmond, 1904-1977, Hamilton, Edmond, 1904-1977. Fessenden's worlds, Short films
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Foam Fighting: Technology and Culture.
Creator: Wichinsky, David, Eason, Shane, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Foam fighting is a form of Live Action Role Playing (LARP) that focuses on mock combat and recreational battle, with role-playing aspects taking a less prominent role. It is sometimes referred to as a “poor man’s martial art”.While there does not appear to be any clear documentation concerning the origins, research on foam fighting suggests the sport began in Maryland in the 1970’s and slowly spread throughout the United States. This research will illustrate how the sport of foam fighting...
Show moreFoam fighting is a form of Live Action Role Playing (LARP) that focuses on mock combat and recreational battle, with role-playing aspects taking a less prominent role. It is sometimes referred to as a “poor man’s martial art”.While there does not appear to be any clear documentation concerning the origins, research on foam fighting suggests the sport began in Maryland in the 1970’s and slowly spread throughout the United States. This research will illustrate how the sport of foam fighting demands a level of critical thinking that takes both the participant and audience beyond the sight of a swinging stick. I plan to show how this sport provides an outlet for high levels of creativity, social interaction and strategic planning skills. It is a hobby that has had a great impact on the daily lives of many of its participants and continues to grow and evolve.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004642, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004642
Subject Headings: Fantasy games., Role playing., Shared virtual environments., Games--Sociological aspects.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Focusing on the local, connecting to the global: the role and success of local media stations in Kargil.
Creator: Khan, Abdul Nasir, Fejes, Fred A., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This thesis is a study of the role of local television stations in Kargil (India), which investigates whether the success of local media in Kargil is a result of fulfilling the needs and desires of the local community, using the methods of content analysis, interviews, and surveys. Kargili local television stations have adopted global media technologies for disseminating their programs, but at the same time have changed some of the television convention to feed their needs and expectations of...
Show moreThis thesis is a study of the role of local television stations in Kargil (India), which investigates whether the success of local media in Kargil is a result of fulfilling the needs and desires of the local community, using the methods of content analysis, interviews, and surveys. Kargili local television stations have adopted global media technologies for disseminating their programs, but at the same time have changed some of the television convention to feed their needs and expectations of local viewers. The forces of globalization have not only exposed places like Kargil to new technologies, but it has given them an opportunity to participate in new discourses, to create a local media that is being used to address the specific concerns and problems of the local community.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004449, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004449
Subject Headings: Kargil (India)--Social aspects., Jammur and Kashmir (India)--Social aspects., Mass media--Kargil (India)--Social aspects., Mass media--Kargil (India)--Moral and ethical aspects., Online social networks--Influence.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Dissipating hostility through feminine rhetorical style: Barbara Bush and the petitioners of Wellesley College.
Creator: Doran, Bethany Lynne., Gorbacheva, Raisa Maksimovna, Wellesley College, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This study uses Karlyn Campbell's concept of feminine rhetorical style as a theoretical framework for analyzing the rhetoric of Barbara Bush's 1990 Wellesley College commencement address. Through a systematic evaluation of Barbara Bush's speech, this study reveals that her rhetoric exemplifies feminine rhetorical style. The analysis also concludes that Barbara Bush's personal tone, specifically her use of narrative and humor, is the most useful and effective characteristic of her feminine...
Show moreThis study uses Karlyn Campbell's concept of feminine rhetorical style as a theoretical framework for analyzing the rhetoric of Barbara Bush's 1990 Wellesley College commencement address. Through a systematic evaluation of Barbara Bush's speech, this study reveals that her rhetoric exemplifies feminine rhetorical style. The analysis also concludes that Barbara Bush's personal tone, specifically her use of narrative and humor, is the most useful and effective characteristic of her feminine rhetorical style. Using feminine rhetorical style, Barbara Bush successfully dissipates some of the tension she faced prior to the graduation ceremony at Wellesley College. Therefore, this study reveals that feminine rhetorical style is an attractive alternative for speakers seeking to build identification in hostile situations when identification is, or appears to be, lacking.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2100573
Subject Headings: Influence, Criticism and interpretation, Feminist theory, Narration (Rhetoric), Psychological aspects, Persuasion (Rhetoric)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Distracted Driving: A Cross-Disciplinary Analysis Exploring The Effectiveness Of Public Service Announcements Regarding Texting And Driving That Employ A Filmed Narrative With Emotional Appeals.
Creator: Seibold, Jeremy R., Charbonneau, Stephen, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Despite efforts to mitigate texting and driving in the United States, accidents as a result of distracted driving continue to increase, especially within the 16-24 age group. Considering the traits of the members of this age group, as well as the attributes of the various means that are utilized to mitigate such behavior, I hypothesize that the employment of filmed narratives in public service announcements is more effective than any other established approach. Testing the validity of this...
Show moreDespite efforts to mitigate texting and driving in the United States, accidents as a result of distracted driving continue to increase, especially within the 16-24 age group. Considering the traits of the members of this age group, as well as the attributes of the various means that are utilized to mitigate such behavior, I hypothesize that the employment of filmed narratives in public service announcements is more effective than any other established approach. Testing the validity of this hypothesis, contributing to a lack of research, three methods of analysis were employed in this project: a textual analysis of a filmed narrative; an audience analysis of the comments accompanying the filmed narrative; and a video session followed by a self-administered questionnaire. The results of this study indicate that while the filmed narrative is more effective than the spoken narrative, more intensive analyses are necessary for further speculation.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004874, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004874
Subject Headings: Distracted driving--Case studies., Advertising, Public service--Case studies., Text messaging (Cell phone systems), Traffic safety.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Embodied Mimicry: Lightening Black Bodies in the Visual Rhetoric of Popular 20th Century Black Media.
Creator: Judge-Hemans, Janéa, Heidt, Stephen, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This study analyzes various forms of visual and textual rhetoric found in popular black-owned print media from 1900-1970, including: beauty product advertisements, magazine cover photography and feature articles in order to contribute to a rhetorical history of color bias within the African-American community. The imagery included here validated and encouraged the transformation and lightening of African-American bodies through what I call embodied mimicry in order to achieve dominance within...
Show moreThis study analyzes various forms of visual and textual rhetoric found in popular black-owned print media from 1900-1970, including: beauty product advertisements, magazine cover photography and feature articles in order to contribute to a rhetorical history of color bias within the African-American community. The imagery included here validated and encouraged the transformation and lightening of African-American bodies through what I call embodied mimicry in order to achieve dominance within the racial group and a semblance of acceptance outside of it. Mimicry of white societal standards by African-Americans including: formatting of print media, circulation of beauty ads and physical embodiment of white physical features ultimately re-inscribed the tenets of racism into the black public sphere in the form of colorism. The intention of this research is to analyze the rhetorical history of colorism in order to better understand the current state of colorism in American society.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004719, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004719
Subject Headings: African Americans -- Color -- Social aspects, Black race -- Color, Colorism -- United States, Ethnicity in mass media, Human skin color -- Social aspects, Mass media and minorities, Race awareness, Racism in mass media
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Feminist Cultural Study of Identity, Hair Loss, and Chemotherapy.
Creator: Guillerm, Celine, Scodari, Christine, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: The main aim of this dissertation is to discuss the way women negotiate the cultural meaning of hair loss, alopecia, as a result of undergoing chemotherapy, and to understand, accordingly, how cancer's cultural effects regarding women can be deeply different from those of men. Very few studies have been done about the cultural impact and resonance of alopecia. It is often regarded as "secondary" to other effects of chemotherapy. Because, in many cultures, head hair for women expresses or...
Show moreThe main aim of this dissertation is to discuss the way women negotiate the cultural meaning of hair loss, alopecia, as a result of undergoing chemotherapy, and to understand, accordingly, how cancer's cultural effects regarding women can be deeply different from those of men. Very few studies have been done about the cultural impact and resonance of alopecia. It is often regarded as "secondary" to other effects of chemotherapy. Because, in many cultures, head hair for women expresses or manifests attractiveness and power, to be bald is to be deprived of the ability to fit into society, whether in the public or private sphere. The study examines the representation of such women in the media, audience/subject responses to these representations, and interrogates women's identities and representations in terms of Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze. Women who have experienced chemotherapy-induced alopec ia were interviewed in this regard. Other contributive feminist, cultural and/or media studies works, such as those by Suzanna Walters, Susan Bordo, Naomi Wolf, Donna Haraway, Stuart Hall, Kimberle Crenshaw, and Judith Butler, help facilitate the analysis. From these perspectives, a historical analysis takes into consideration the symbolic dimension of hair, especially women's head hair, within Western cultural history, particularly in France and a multicultural America. In addition, a textual analysis looks at women, cancer, and hair loss as represented in popular culture characters and personalities. The study insists on the necessity for women to resist to the culture industries and deconstruct the male gaze, as well as the female gaze, which can both contribute to, and perpetuate women's objectification.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004502, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004502
Subject Headings: Baldness -- Psychological aspects, Body image, Cancer -- Psychosomatic aspects, Cancer -- Treatment -- Complications, Feminine beauty (Aesthetics), Identity (Psychology), Self esteem in women
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Advocating environmental issues through mobile gaming.
Creator: Gutierrez, Cynthia, Lewter, Bradley, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Recently, many researchers have been interested in how videogames can influence the attitude and behavior of children. It has also been questioned if videogames can be a useful teaching tool in the classroom. There are many games that have been created to teach traditional school subjects such as Math and English. But what about creating games to teach about current environmental issues? The goal of my thesis project is to create an educational advocacy game for smartphone devices that will...
Show moreRecently, many researchers have been interested in how videogames can influence the attitude and behavior of children. It has also been questioned if videogames can be a useful teaching tool in the classroom. There are many games that have been created to teach traditional school subjects such as Math and English. But what about creating games to teach about current environmental issues? The goal of my thesis project is to create an educational advocacy game for smartphone devices that will educate children about the effects of overfishing on marine life and how it can negatively affect coastal communities in the Caribbean.
Show less
Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004118
Subject Headings: Video games -- Design., Video games -- Social aspects., Computer games -- Social aspects.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Image Restoration in the Apologetic in the Apologetic Rhetoric of Professional Athletes: A Case Study of Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Phelps.
Creator: Epstein, Adam, Mulvaney, Becky, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This purpose of this study is to investigate the apologetic rhetoric of professional athletes’ off-field scandals. The three case studies used were Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Phelps. A genre analysis was conducted to determine the success or failure of the speech by examining the image repair strategies used during the rhetoric. Further research revealed that the audiences’ perception plays a large role in determining if the rhetoric was successful or not. Two factors that aid the...
Show moreThis purpose of this study is to investigate the apologetic rhetoric of professional athletes’ off-field scandals. The three case studies used were Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Phelps. A genre analysis was conducted to determine the success or failure of the speech by examining the image repair strategies used during the rhetoric. Further research revealed that the audiences’ perception plays a large role in determining if the rhetoric was successful or not. Two factors that aid the audience are the medium in which the public address was given, and the time it took to deliver the speech once the off-field scandal took place. The findings determined that Tiger Woods apologia was not successful, while Kobe Bryant’s was successful. The rhetoric of Michael Phelps’ speech lacked in delivery and strategies chosen. To have a successful apologia, one should have a clear use of strategies as well as a timely public address.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004878, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004878
Subject Headings: Woods, Tiger., Bryant, Kobe--1978-, Phelps, Michael--1985-, Sex scandals--United States., Verbal self-defense., Rhetorical criticism., Discourse analysis., Crisis management., Sports--Public relations.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Imagining Kandinsky’s theories as a synesthetic iPhone app.
Creator: Torlen, Anna, Bargsten, Joey, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Wassily Kandinsky wrote Über das Geistige in der Kunst, in 1912, and was translated from German into English by Michael Sadler. Naming it at first, “The Art of Spiritual Harmony” in 1914 it is known as, Concerning the Spiritual in Art. He wrote color and music theories based on angles, synesthetic experiences, subjective instincts, chromotherapy, and shapes. Kandinsky’s theories are worth continuing to research and bring forth into the new generation of technology where we can see music as...
Show moreWassily Kandinsky wrote Über das Geistige in der Kunst, in 1912, and was translated from German into English by Michael Sadler. Naming it at first, “The Art of Spiritual Harmony” in 1914 it is known as, Concerning the Spiritual in Art. He wrote color and music theories based on angles, synesthetic experiences, subjective instincts, chromotherapy, and shapes. Kandinsky’s theories are worth continuing to research and bring forth into the new generation of technology where we can see music as numerical expressions. The goal of this iPhone Application is to teach users the relationship between color and music based on Kandinsky’s theories.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004414, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004414
Subject Headings: Art and music, Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Psychological aspects, Blaue Reiter (Group of artists), Computer art -- Technique, Expressionism (Art) -- 20th century, Kandinsky, Wassily -- 1866-1944 -- Concerning the spiritual in art -- Criticism and interpretation, Kandinsky, Wassily -- 1866-1944 -- Influence, Spirituality in art, iPhone (Smartphone) -- Mobile apps
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Gay-centric identity: a challenge to gay cultural script, gay ghetto and performance.
Creator: Beebe, Robert D., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: For many gay men performing a gay-centric identity can be challenging. By adopting a set of expected behaviors known as the gay cultural script, many of these men are potentially met with discrimination from both heterosexual and homosexual communities. The gay cultural script is readily available as it is found within the gay ghettos and through various representations of gay men in the media. This research question examines how the gay cultural script when found within the gay ghetto and...
Show moreFor many gay men performing a gay-centric identity can be challenging. By adopting a set of expected behaviors known as the gay cultural script, many of these men are potentially met with discrimination from both heterosexual and homosexual communities. The gay cultural script is readily available as it is found within the gay ghettos and through various representations of gay men in the media. This research question examines how the gay cultural script when found within the gay ghetto and through the media's representation of gay men provides a lens to which the performance of a gay-centric identity may be communicated and shared. The focus of this research is separated into three interconnected areas: (1) exploration of gay-cultural script, (2) location to which the gay cultural script operates and, (3) analysis of the relationship between the gay cultural script and gay-centric identity performance.
Show less
Date Issued: 2008
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/107802
Subject Headings: Gender identity, Gays in popular culture, Gay men, Identity, Gay men in mass media
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Improving communication based on cultural competency in the business environment.
Creator: Burton, Walter N., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to show support that certain cultural characteristics of an individual could be identified based on the region where that individual was born and raised. These cultural characteristics were identified and defined, and strategies on understanding these cultural characteristics were reviewed. This study revealed that by focusing on this understanding, trust can be established quickly and it is this trust that is the basis of building any type of relationship....
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to show support that certain cultural characteristics of an individual could be identified based on the region where that individual was born and raised. These cultural characteristics were identified and defined, and strategies on understanding these cultural characteristics were reviewed. This study revealed that by focusing on this understanding, trust can be established quickly and it is this trust that is the basis of building any type of relationship. Several different macrocultural systems were examined in this study. These included the United States, Asia, Central and South America, India, the Middle East, and the European Union cultures. These are the largest and the fastest growing regions of the world as well as the locations where most of the newly established business relationships are being formed., The study examined each macrocultural system individually by giving some background information on the culture and reasons for their recent explosive economic growth. Upon review of this study, any individual should be able to approach others with the realization that, with some degree of confidence, cultural characteristics of the individual being pursued can be predetermined based on a number of factors. The ability to recognize these factors facilitates a cultural competency that includes the skills and qualities that enable successful outcomes to happen in business contexts where different cultures are interacting. This predetermination will provide a type of blueprint to an individual's thoughts, tendencies, and even buying patterns., These strategies will reveal ways of sidestepping everyone's natural tendency to say "no." By providing this insight into predisposed behavior patterns, most individuals will tend to lower their natural defense barriers and a smooth and effective conversation will follow. Personality types are recognized during or after a conversation, but cultural characteristics can be determined prior to the start of any conversation. Oftentimes, it is too late to try and figure out a personality type to adjust your sales approach or strategy in the middle of a conversation. There are ways to recognize cultural characteristics and incorporate certain strategies simply by knowing where a prospect was born and raised, as well as knowing their ethnicity.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360620
Subject Headings: Personality and culture, Business communication, Intercultural communication, Discourse analysis
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Muslim Women: Between Culture and Feminism.
Creator: Alotaibi, Hanadi, Darlington, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Women’s rights in Islam became a major subject after the third feminist movement in the United States. When feminism spread globally, many Islamic scholars connected it to Islam. Islamic feminism is a term that takes most of its ideologies from the two primary sources of Islam – the Quran and the Sunnah. This qualitative research explained the bias directed towards women in Islam by using objective reasoning through examples as well as by encompassing any misinterpretation of views regarding...
Show moreWomen’s rights in Islam became a major subject after the third feminist movement in the United States. When feminism spread globally, many Islamic scholars connected it to Islam. Islamic feminism is a term that takes most of its ideologies from the two primary sources of Islam – the Quran and the Sunnah. This qualitative research explained the bias directed towards women in Islam by using objective reasoning through examples as well as by encompassing any misinterpretation of views regarding women’s rights in Islam. The method used was a content analysis. The findings were that Islam is a feminist religion. While Islam provides Muslim women with full rights, U.S. and Saudi Arabian cultures have impeded Islamic feminism. Lastly, the U.S. feminism started as a movement by women to empower women. However, Islamic feminism first focused on the rights of all human beings, then concentrated on women in Islam.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004563, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004563
Subject Headings: Islam--21st century., Muslim women--Islamic countries--Social aspects., Women in Islam., Islam and secularism--History., Feminism--Islamic countries., Feminism--Religious aspects--Islam., Women's rights--Islamic countries., Equality before the law--Islamic countries.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: No Surrender: Bruce Springsteen, Neoliberalism and Rock and Roll’s Melancholic Fantasy of Sovereign Rebellion.
Creator: Graves, Kaitlin N., Trapani, William, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This thesis builds from press accounts of Bruce Springsteen’s South by Southwest keynote address, taken by many to be a renewed call to arms of the classic mantras of the rock ethos in the age of a declining recording industry. In tracing the ways the speech circulated I argue that its discourse was rearticulated toward quite different (and concerning) ends. Throughout, I aim to show the apparatuses of power that sustains the rock liberation fantasy. I read the coverage of Springsteen’s...
Show moreThis thesis builds from press accounts of Bruce Springsteen’s South by Southwest keynote address, taken by many to be a renewed call to arms of the classic mantras of the rock ethos in the age of a declining recording industry. In tracing the ways the speech circulated I argue that its discourse was rearticulated toward quite different (and concerning) ends. Throughout, I aim to show the apparatuses of power that sustains the rock liberation fantasy. I read the coverage of Springsteen’s address as a therapeutic discourse meant to soothe the anxiety over the closure of agency in the age of neoliberalism. The general problematic for the thesis, then, addresses an anxiety over the collapse of freedom and as such works to offer broad reflections on the nature of radical agency in our increasingly neoliberal present.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004945, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004945
Subject Headings: Springsteen, Bruce--Influence., Neoliberalism., Politics, Practical--United States., Popular culture--United States--History--20th century., Popular music--Social aspects--United States--History--20th century., Rock music--Social aspects--United States--History--20th century.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Sorcerer’s Apprentices: Authorship and Sound Aesthetics in Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Creator: Fernandez, Daniel, Guneratne, Anthony R., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This thesis makes three claims new to the critical literature onWalt Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia. Setting the scene by placing a spotlight on the long-serving Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Leopold Stokowski, it contextualizes his pervasive influence, as well as contributions by others that shaped Fantasia and defined the film’s stylistic elements. Inspired by recent critical debates on post-silent era filmmaking and theories of authorship, it makes a case for Fantasia being the culmination...
Show moreThis thesis makes three claims new to the critical literature onWalt Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia. Setting the scene by placing a spotlight on the long-serving Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Leopold Stokowski, it contextualizes his pervasive influence, as well as contributions by others that shaped Fantasia and defined the film’s stylistic elements. Inspired by recent critical debates on post-silent era filmmaking and theories of authorship, it makes a case for Fantasia being the culmination of a “sound film” and notes that its displays of individual artistic talent makes it a noteworthy example of distributed authorship. Fantasia remains a unique experiment in Disney’s filmmaking in that it acquired its eventual form only because of decisions taken during production since no absolute “blue-print” for the finished film existed at the time it went into production, when a large selection of musical numbers were assigned to teams of animators.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004854, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004854
Subject Headings: Stokowski, Leopold--1882-1977., Authorship., Animated film music., Musical films.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Very Useful Notion: A Rhetorical History of the Idea of Human-Made Climate Change, 1950-2000.
Creator: Brooten, Gary, Marin, Noemi, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This dissertation tests an original hybrid methodology to explore the rapid spread of the idea of human-made climate change that began in the 1950s after the idea had lain dormant for half a century. It describes the 1950s rhetorical events that triggered the idea’s diffusion, then traces how its rhetorical uses gradually gave root to the end-of-thecentury political impasse over how to respond to the societal implications of the idea. The research methodology rests on the simple logic that an...
Show moreThis dissertation tests an original hybrid methodology to explore the rapid spread of the idea of human-made climate change that began in the 1950s after the idea had lain dormant for half a century. It describes the 1950s rhetorical events that triggered the idea’s diffusion, then traces how its rhetorical uses gradually gave root to the end-of-thecentury political impasse over how to respond to the societal implications of the idea. The research methodology rests on the simple logic that an idea can only spread by being used in human discourses. It combines traditions of rhetorical historiography with a philosophical view of intellectual history as the cumulative effect of a “natural selection” of ideas and their spread by human individuals over time and geography. It calls for sampling and analyzing rhetorical artifacts in light of the rhetorical situations in which they originate, focusing on how the idea of human-made climate change is used rhetorically in scientific and other discourses. The analyses form the basis of a narrative giving emphasis both to rhetorical continuities and to conversation-changing rhetorical events. They also show how these rhetorical dynamics involve interactions of human communities using or attacking the idea for their communal purposes. The results challenge science-focused understandings of the history of the idea itself and also suggest that the methodology may be more broadly useful. As to the history, the analyses highlight how changes in the rhetorical uses of the idea made possible its 1950s breakout in climate science, then led to uses that spread it into other sciences and into environmentalism in the 1960s, attached it to apocalyptic environmentalism in the 1970s, injected it into partisan politics in 1980s and shaped the political impasse during the 1990s. The data show that the methodology reveals elements of the discourses missed in histories emphasizing the “power of ideas,” suggesting that a focus on the usefulness of ideas may be more fruitful. A focus on rhetorical uses of ideas grounds the causation of intellectual change in human motivation and agency, expressed in material acts that multiply and disperse naturally through communities and populations.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004691, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004691
Subject Headings: Climate change mitigation, Climatic changes -- Philosophy, Climatic changes -- Social aspects, Global environmental change, Human beings -- Effect of climate on, Rhetorical criticism
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Through the North Door: The Invocation of Invitational Rhetoric in Wiccan Rituals.
Creator: Howald, Kayleigh, Mulvaney, Becky, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Wiccan witchcraft, a contemporary religion, frequently suffers from misunderstandings; the worst of which, arguably, being that it thrives in a postfeminist society. Although it remains unclear why witches, despite their specific traditions, would not immediately embrace feminism, this study claims that whether practitioners agree or disagree, they are performing feminism. In this study, I argue that Wiccan rhetoric (both discursive and non-discursive) functions epistemically to encourage...
Show moreWiccan witchcraft, a contemporary religion, frequently suffers from misunderstandings; the worst of which, arguably, being that it thrives in a postfeminist society. Although it remains unclear why witches, despite their specific traditions, would not immediately embrace feminism, this study claims that whether practitioners agree or disagree, they are performing feminism. In this study, I argue that Wiccan rhetoric (both discursive and non-discursive) functions epistemically to encourage feminist values. The thesis analyzes three typical forms of Wiccan rhetoric using Sonja K. Foss and Cindy L. Griffin’s approach of invitational rhetoric and the values of equality, immanent value, and self-determination.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004698, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004698
Subject Headings: Feminism -- Religious aspects, Feminist theory, Goddess religion, Magic, Wicca, Witchcraft, Women and religion
Format: Document (PDF)

FAU Theses and Dissertations (104)	+ -
FAU College Collections (12)	+ -
Generations (4)	+ -

Criticism and interpretation (13)	+ -
Feminist theory (8)	+ -
Florida Atlantic University -- History (7)	+ -
History (6)	+ -
Virtual reality (6)	+ -

Mass media and culture (5)	+ -
Social aspects (5)	+ -
Mass Communications (4)	+ -
Politics and government (4)	+ -
Influence (3)	+ -
Motion pictures (3)	+ -
Popular culture (3)	+ -
Reality television programs (3)	+ -
Rhetoric (3)	+ -
Social media (3)	+ -
Women in popular culture (3)	+ -
Black lives matter movement (2)	+ -
Business communication (2)	+ -
Communication (2)	+ -
Digital humanities (2)	+ -
Discourse analysis (2)	+ -
Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University (2)	+ -
Empathy (2)	+ -
Experimental films (2)	+ -
Gender identity (2)	+ -
Horror films (2)	+ -
Immigrant experiences (2)	+ -
Interactive multimedia. (2)	+ -
Intercultural communication (2)	+ -
Journalism (2)	+ -

United States (8)	+ -
Australia (1)	+ -
Balkan Peninsula (1)	+ -
Bosnia and Hercegovina (1)	+ -
East Timor (1)	+ -

Europe, Eastern (1)	+ -
Florida (1)	+ -
Jamaica (1)	+ -
Japan (1)	+ -
Kingston (Jamaica) (1)	+ -
Persepolis (Iran) (1)	+ -
Romania (1)	+ -
Texas (1)	+ -
Timor Timur (Indonesia) (1)	+ -
Timor-Leste (1)	+ -
Yugoslavia (1)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Collection

Topical Subject

Geographic Subject

Temporal Subject

Genre Subject

Title as Subject

Genre

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner

20th century (3)	+ -
21st century (2)	+ -
1989- (1)	+ -
2001- (1)	+ -
2002- (1)	+ -

text (112)	+ -
mixed material (4)	+ -