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Title: Believers in Dixie: A Cultural Geography of the Kentucky Shakers.
Creator: Rhorer, Marc A., Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The Kentucky Shakers were distinct from those of Ohio and the Northeastern United States because they were products of the cultural environment of the Upper South. The variation originated in the country's settlement and migration patterns. People with similar cultural backgrounds tended to concentrate and migrate together. As the western frontier expanded, settlers with more socio-cultural commonalities tended to migrate in similar patterns and maintain a sense of cultural cohesion in the...
Show moreThe Kentucky Shakers were distinct from those of Ohio and the Northeastern United States because they were products of the cultural environment of the Upper South. The variation originated in the country's settlement and migration patterns. People with similar cultural backgrounds tended to concentrate and migrate together. As the western frontier expanded, settlers with more socio-cultural commonalities tended to migrate in similar patterns and maintain a sense of cultural cohesion in the newly opened westward frontier. We can observe the similarities between the Kentucky Shakers of the Pleasant Hill and South Union villages and their Southern neighbors by analyzing cultural commonalities. Examples of cultural indicators examined for evidence of regional variation include: folkways, organizational and leadership patterns, foodways and political environments. Material culture, including architecture, furniture, clothing and textiles are also considered in the regional comparison between Kentucky's Shakers and the remainder of the sect. The Kentucky Shakers were in a very unique environment, as no other Shaker settlements were situated in a slavery territory. Their geographical locale, in a strategically critical border area during the Civil War, caused the Kentucky communities to endure significant hardships not experienced by other villages during the War Between the States. In many ways the Shakers of Kentucky had more in common with their neighbors of the Upper South than they did with the other members of their sect in Ohio and the Northeastern states. These differences with the remainder of the sect caused considerable problems for the Kentucky Shakers. The cultural variations of the Kentuckians were also sources of rich uniqueness that made the Southern Shakers perhaps the most fascinating adherents to the religious movement.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000989
Subject Headings: Collective settlements--United States--Kentucky--South Union, Shakers--Kentucky--South Union--History, Christian sects--Kentucky--History--19th century, Human geography--Kentucky--South Union
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Bodies from the Darkside: Paradoxes of Female Anatomy in the Rena issance.
Creator: Thompson, Lana., Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The body in anthropo logy represents more than a phys ical endpoint of human evolution. It is both the template for cultural imprint, and a symbol that communicates cultural information. ln the context of the Renaissance as an ethnographic e ntity, th e status of women is examined through two kinds of images: anatomic and fine art. Although the Renaissance is generally heralded as a boundary between medieval superstition and humanism, with its improvement in the quality of life, few scholars...
Show moreThe body in anthropo logy represents more than a phys ical endpoint of human evolution. It is both the template for cultural imprint, and a symbol that communicates cultural information. ln the context of the Renaissance as an ethnographic e ntity, th e status of women is examined through two kinds of images: anatomic and fine art. Although the Renaissance is generally heralded as a boundary between medieval superstition and humanism, with its improvement in the quality of life, few scholars have examined if that change applied to women. Using Kelly-Gadol's thesis that women did not have a renaissance in the Renaissance, this thesis wiII show their restricted status through the lens of anthropology of the body. Witch persecutions, sumptuary laws and curious metal appurtenances to restrict the body support this view. Kuhn's paradigm theory and Turner's work on IIminality are relevant with regard to unequal male-female status. When normal science is presented with new information that is anomalous, a period of denial ensues. Thus, the domain of authority was challenged by observation and created conflict along with discovery. The most drastic of these raged between female sexuality versus reproduction.
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Date Issued: 1999
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000970
Subject Headings: Physical anthropology, Women--History--Renaissance, 1450-1600, Body, Human--Social aspects, Anatomy, Artistic
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Between Home and School: Guatemalan Maya Students and Cultural Gender Roles in South Florida.
Creator: Robbins, Kristin L., Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Second-generation Guatemalan Maya children and adolescents who were born in Palm Beach County had to balance two cultures. As children of Guatemalan Maya parents, these youths belonged to Guatemalan Maya households--but many of their other roles in the United States, particularly their roles as students, involved the wider American culture. As such, they endured many of the same acculturation challenges that first generation immigrants do. They often had to choose between fulfilling student...
Show moreSecond-generation Guatemalan Maya children and adolescents who were born in Palm Beach County had to balance two cultures. As children of Guatemalan Maya parents, these youths belonged to Guatemalan Maya households--but many of their other roles in the United States, particularly their roles as students, involved the wider American culture. As such, they endured many of the same acculturation challenges that first generation immigrants do. They often had to choose between fulfilling student roles, family roles, and contrasting cultural beliefs and values, and negotiate shifting cultural, familial, community, and gender dynamics. My primary research interest was to understand how home, community, and cultural roles and identities affected students' school experiences and how their student identities and school experiences affected their home lives. 1 found that second-generation Guatemalan Maya faced maJor obstacles as students such as poverty, language barriers, and rigid grading standards and views of knowledge that educational institutions adhere to. In addition, because of the extreme persecution against indigenous Maya in Guatemala. most of the students' parents received little fonnal education; thus, they were often unable to help their children with homework. Further, Maya also have adopted cautious views of fonnal education because of the tendencies of mainstream curriculums to devalue an indigenous lifestyle. Maya beliefs about the usefulness of a Western education also influenced students' perceptions of school. Moreover, most Maya immigrants came to the United States poor, and often had to work several jobs and long hours to financially support their families. Poverty was the primary factor that created hardships in students' lives. Families faced challenges of poverty by staying interdependent and working together to maintain the household. Thus, Guatemalan Maya children were expected to fulfill Maya adult roles, which varied for women and men, and contribute to the household by doing chores. Students' responsibilities at home diverted time and energy away from school, but these roles also gave students a greater understanding of adult roles and responsibilities. Thus, Guatemalan-Maya students gave family, home, community, and adult Maya roles priority while giving school identities and roles second priority.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000990
Subject Headings: Education and globalization--Cross-cultural studies, Mayas--Social conditions--Florida--Indiantown, Mayas--Cultural assimilation--Florida, Home and school--United States--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Colombian Happiness: A Look at Life Satisfaction and Explanatory Style.
Creator: Sinisterra, Diana, Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: This project examines the explanatory style of Colombians, the habitual way in which they explain the good and bad events that occur in their lives, and its relationship to life satisfaction. Two hundred and twenty Colombians completed a life satisfaction question, the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and demographic questions. Simple means, correlations, and a multiple regression analysis were used to assess the results. The results of the ASQ were also compared to two previously...
Show moreThis project examines the explanatory style of Colombians, the habitual way in which they explain the good and bad events that occur in their lives, and its relationship to life satisfaction. Two hundred and twenty Colombians completed a life satisfaction question, the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and demographic questions. Simple means, correlations, and a multiple regression analysis were used to assess the results. The results of the ASQ were also compared to two previously conducted studies: a comparison of American and Chinese national levels of explanatory style and a study conducted on a non-clinical sample of American adults. The results of this study showed that the mean of Colombian overall explanatory style is more optimistic than the mean overall explanatory style for participants in both the United States and mainland China. There are no correlations between individual responses of life satisfaction and explanatory style for the full sample; however, national means for explanatory style seem to correlate with national means of life satisfaction. The multiple regression analysis showed that when taking explanatory style, gender, age, stratum, income, education, occupation, and city into account, the only factors that are statistically significant are occupation and city. More specifically, the results show that those Colombians who Jive in Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, and Medillfn will tend to have higher levels of life satisfaction than those who live in Bogota, and those who are unemployed will tend to have a lower level of life satisfaction than those who work.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000993
Subject Headings: Centering (Psychology), Mind and body, Happiness, Culture--Philosophy, Colombia--Social life and customs, Quality of life
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: In the habitus of African American grandmothers: Self-identity, grandmothering, and words of wisdom.
Creator: O'Brien, Ellen L., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: To test the images and expand upon the knowledge of the African American grandmother as set forth in the scholarly literature, 13 African American grandmothers, who share a southern African American cultural heritage, were interviewed. First, this study explores how each participant developed her self-identify as a grandmother and the emotional depth of that identity. The development of the participants' self-identifies as grandmothers and the emotional depth of their identities are related...
Show moreTo test the images and expand upon the knowledge of the African American grandmother as set forth in the scholarly literature, 13 African American grandmothers, who share a southern African American cultural heritage, were interviewed. First, this study explores how each participant developed her self-identify as a grandmother and the emotional depth of that identity. The development of the participants' self-identifies as grandmothers and the emotional depth of their identities are related to a tripartite model of child involvement articulated as "having," "raising," and "keeping" a child. Second, this study explores how each of the women defines the practice of "grandmothering." Third, this study explores which practices and values the women feel are the most important to pass onto their grandchildren. The findings are interpreted in terms of Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practice, and the concepts of women-centered networks and other mothers as set forth by Black feminist theorists.
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Date Issued: 2000
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15782
Subject Headings: Grandmothers--United States, African American families, African Americans--Social life and customs
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Orientalism, representations, and created fantasies: The transformation of traditional Middle Eastern dances to belly dance.
Creator: Fisher, Julie Marie., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: Belly dancing is often believed to be a traditional Middle Eastern dance. Belly dance, though, developed in America and only recently appeared in the Middle East. The similarities between traditional women's dances in the Middle East and belly dance are minimal, but representations influenced by the concept of Orientalism have affected our perception of what we accept as Middle Eastern traditions. The concept of Orientalism holds that certain items are selectively chosen or formulated to...
Show moreBelly dancing is often believed to be a traditional Middle Eastern dance. Belly dance, though, developed in America and only recently appeared in the Middle East. The similarities between traditional women's dances in the Middle East and belly dance are minimal, but representations influenced by the concept of Orientalism have affected our perception of what we accept as Middle Eastern traditions. The concept of Orientalism holds that certain items are selectively chosen or formulated to depict Middle Eastern culture. Representations inspired by Orientalism do not rely on unbiased and truthful portrayals, but rather exaggerate or amplify particular cultural aspects to fashion an image of the Middle East that fits with carefully crafted Western expectations, resulting in stereotypes. Within such an environment, the ideas and beliefs that permitted the fantasy of belly dance as a expression of Middle Eastern culture grew and flourished to create the current attitudes about belly dancing.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12979
Subject Headings: Belly dance., Orientalism., Dance--Middle East.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Power, politics, and the mourning mother: A cross-cultural analysis of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.
Creator: Scarpa, Shelby Lynn., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: Mothers Against Drunk Driving in the United States (MADD) and the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina each formed out of a loss of its children and organized under the identity of the mother in order gain access to the political arena. Transformed into political movements, both groups of mothers were able to effectively bring about changes in public policy, and therefore, society as a whole. Additionally, they were able to transcend traditional cultural norms, by redefining the role and...
Show moreMothers Against Drunk Driving in the United States (MADD) and the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina each formed out of a loss of its children and organized under the identity of the mother in order gain access to the political arena. Transformed into political movements, both groups of mothers were able to effectively bring about changes in public policy, and therefore, society as a whole. Additionally, they were able to transcend traditional cultural norms, by redefining the role and identity of the mother. By exploiting opportunities that propelled them into positions of power, the women fundamentally changed the concept of power itself, to include components of the traditionally female realm, which has historically been absent from the way in which power has been perceived.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12858
Subject Headings: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (Organization), Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Association), Mothers--Psychology, Women in politics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Recovering Eden: The photographer in the garden.
Creator: Bentley-Kemp, Lynne Austin., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: This dissertation explores the intersection of Paradise, art making, concepts of beauty and the social conventions that influence artists. My exploration occurs within the landscape genre, specifically the landscape photograph. For the purpose of contextualizing this analysis the dissertation is designed as an illustrated book where word and image occupy places of equal importance. Photographs are used as primary source material in this investigation. The work of six accomplished American...
Show moreThis dissertation explores the intersection of Paradise, art making, concepts of beauty and the social conventions that influence artists. My exploration occurs within the landscape genre, specifically the landscape photograph. For the purpose of contextualizing this analysis the dissertation is designed as an illustrated book where word and image occupy places of equal importance. Photographs are used as primary source material in this investigation. The work of six accomplished American photographers has been selected so that a lineage may become apparent in the portrayal of a pictorial vision of Eden. All the photographers chosen for the project made/make art that is centered on the paradisiacal landscape, an ideal that is interpreted by each individual photographer according to their gender, socio-political influences, personal spirituality and cultural orientation. The review begins in the 1860's with the work of Carleton Watkins, one of the first photographers of the western American landscape and continues with Timothy O'Sullivan. The review will segue into Modernism with Ansel Adams and Laura Gilpin and ends in latter part of the 20th century with two contemporary American photographers, Linda Connor and Marilyn Bridges. This particular analysis is structured upon a universal image of paradise as a garden and how that image has become culturally imprinted upon humans. The visual manifestations of Eden seen in nineteenth and twentieth century painting and photography are constructed throughout history. They represent use of art as means towards creating utopias. With this impulse to escape or change the status quo I have examined the connection of the appreciation of beauty to ethical transformation.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12038
Subject Headings: Landscape photography--United States, Eden in art, Photographers--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Teckno culture: A context for the hybridization of belief systems.
Creator: Rill, Bryan R., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: Teckno (or Rave) as a musical movement has rapidly spread across the globe. The youth culture that has developed has been sorely misunderstood by academia and media, often labeled as narcissistic, hedonistic, and lacking meaning. Contrary to these perceptions, Teckno culture is a collage of meanings. Long-term participation in Teckno culture has resulted in the development of new hybridized belief systems for many of the participants. Hybridization occurs as a result of exposure to multiple...
Show moreTeckno (or Rave) as a musical movement has rapidly spread across the globe. The youth culture that has developed has been sorely misunderstood by academia and media, often labeled as narcissistic, hedonistic, and lacking meaning. Contrary to these perceptions, Teckno culture is a collage of meanings. Long-term participation in Teckno culture has resulted in the development of new hybridized belief systems for many of the participants. Hybridization occurs as a result of exposure to multiple religious and mystic beliefs while in altered states of consciousness. This thesis explores the characteristics of these hybrids and identifies the seven elements that create and maintain the unique rave atmosphere in which this process is occurring. Further, the social impact of this culture is explored. In particular, the widespread unity in acceptante of diversity (UAD) arts to break down prejudice and is sustained outside Teckno culture as a lasting change in attitude and worldview.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13063
Subject Headings: Rave culture, Techno music--Social aspects, Religion and culture, Youth--Social life and customs
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Voy a luchar por mi misma! "I will fight for myself!": Extraordinary acts and ordinary womanhood. The political leadership of a rural, Mayan woman.
Creator: Gutierrez, Dulce M., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: Early studies concerning the participation of women in social movements have been shown to lack portrayals of women as agents of change. This thesis examines a political anthropology of action or agency within the context of gender, including a discussion on the characterization of women in Mexican politics, to analyze the structures of opportunity that have allowed Soledad Torrez Chay, a rural Mayan woman, access to resources, power, and leadership. Aspects of Soledad's life history...
Show moreEarly studies concerning the participation of women in social movements have been shown to lack portrayals of women as agents of change. This thesis examines a political anthropology of action or agency within the context of gender, including a discussion on the characterization of women in Mexican politics, to analyze the structures of opportunity that have allowed Soledad Torrez Chay, a rural Mayan woman, access to resources, power, and leadership. Aspects of Soledad's life history illustrate her understanding of the economy, politics, and history of Mexico. This research fills gaps in previous analyses that have focused on women as victims of oppression and exploitation.
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Date Issued: 2002
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12892
Subject Headings: Chay, Soledad Torrez., Women in politics--Mexico., Women politicians--Mexico., Political anthropology.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A cultural analysis of children and parenting as portrayed in Hollywood films of the 1990's.
Creator: Wahlberg, Katherine E., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: Because the film genre categorized as "family" has become a larger segment of the film industry in the last decade, family films have become an abundant source of cultural information about children and family structure. This study examines from a cognitive perspective how preadolescent children and their parents are portrayed in mainstream Hollywood films during the 1990's, how these film narratives reflect the durability of core cultural models, and elements of negotiation and change. The...
Show moreBecause the film genre categorized as "family" has become a larger segment of the film industry in the last decade, family films have become an abundant source of cultural information about children and family structure. This study examines from a cognitive perspective how preadolescent children and their parents are portrayed in mainstream Hollywood films during the 1990's, how these film narratives reflect the durability of core cultural models, and elements of negotiation and change. The portrayal of family relationships and the conceptualization of a child are affected by cultural models surrounding nurturance, self-reliance, success, nostalgia and the future orientation of our culture. Salient issues include the perceived disintegration of the family and the nature of the relationship between fathers and their children. A significant number of films focus on the family from the father's perspective, emphasizing his need to enrich his life beyond the workplace and develop close familial relationships.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12864
Subject Headings: Children in motion pictures--United States, Family in motion pictures--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Kona Field System: An interdisciplinary investigation of the human-environmental interactions that caused the death of Captain James Cook.
Creator: Carney, Melissa Crimi., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: By comparing research from several disciplines and subfields such as history, anthropology, and environmental archaeology, an alternative theory for the cause of Captain James Cook's death on February 14, 1779 developed. One of the basic needs of human beings is food. In 1779, food played an integral part in Hawaiian culture. The population in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii was at maximum potential and was supported by a large-scale agricultural system known as the Kona Field System. There were 284...
Show moreBy comparing research from several disciplines and subfields such as history, anthropology, and environmental archaeology, an alternative theory for the cause of Captain James Cook's death on February 14, 1779 developed. One of the basic needs of human beings is food. In 1779, food played an integral part in Hawaiian culture. The population in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii was at maximum potential and was supported by a large-scale agricultural system known as the Kona Field System. There were 284 men on Captain Cook's third expedition and they relied on the Hawaiians for their food provisions. The economic production of the Kona Field System was affected by several external factors. Environmental conditions, limited farming technology, population density, and sociopolitical organization were causes of food shortages and famines in Hawaiian prehistory. The death of Captain Cook was an indirect result of food scarcity that was caused by a combination of these external factors.
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Date Issued: 2002
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12946
Subject Headings: Cook, James,--1728-1779, Agricultural systems--Hawaii--18th century, Food supply--Hawaii--18th century, Human beings--Effect of environment on--Hawaii--18th century
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The stories of America: In search of national values in family memorate.
Creator: Neile, Caren Schnur., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: This study examines American cultural values through the lens of family storytelling. It addresses: (a) the role of family stories in the transmission of cultural values, (b) the existence of shared American cultural archetypes, motifs and themes, (c) the existence of shared national values, and (d) the role of storytelling in promoting peace. Since September 11, 2001, American leaders and journalists have repeatedly emphasized the distinction between the American Weltanschauung and that of...
Show moreThis study examines American cultural values through the lens of family storytelling. It addresses: (a) the role of family stories in the transmission of cultural values, (b) the existence of shared American cultural archetypes, motifs and themes, (c) the existence of shared national values, and (d) the role of storytelling in promoting peace. Since September 11, 2001, American leaders and journalists have repeatedly emphasized the distinction between the American Weltanschauung and that of the terrorists and their supporters, particularly with regard to an orientation to life and death, and tradition and progress. As dynamic folklore, family stories are the ideal instruments with which to tease out deep-rooted values. Stories are rich repositories of cultural schemas, the bricolage of information and attitudes that form our identities. They are also replete with symbols that reflect shared, unconscious understandings. Unlike many other cultural products, moreover, family stories are relatively unaffected by government or corporate agendas. What is more, they typically resonate with Americans. For this study, I examined 54 family stories collected from 12 native-born informants of diverse backgrounds according to four modes of analysis: archetypes; motifs; themes and subjects. The analyses revealed that the primary relevant archetypes, motifs, themes and subjects present in these stories are unlucky accidents/survivors; tricksters/heroes; death/rebirth, and family feuds. National values that emerged from the stories tend to reflect many of the values that are historically attributed to Americans, including an emphasis on achievement, individualism, and, in particular, progress. In addition, the stories reveal a certain tension between past- and future orientation in American culture. Finally, storytelling both reflects and comprises the social drama characterized by Turner as breach/crisis/redress/integration that leads to communitas. This study attempts to help promote communitas by demonstrating how we can begin to connect with others through the common values found in our stories.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12023
Subject Headings: Storytelling--United States, Family--United States, Values, Interpersonal relations
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The other side of fifty: The Crones Among Us.
Creator: Benson, Bonnie Marie., Florida Atlantic University, Brown, Susan Love
Abstract/Description: The playwright can be both a public intellectual and an agent for social change. In this creative dissertation, consisting of a series of essays and a full-length play, I demonstrate an alternative view of aging women to combat the pejorative images now current. Drawing on dramatic portrayals from the past 100 years and current information on aging in the United States, I explore the dominant viewpoint on aging women. Combining the structures of spiritual quest and rite of passage with an...
Show moreThe playwright can be both a public intellectual and an agent for social change. In this creative dissertation, consisting of a series of essays and a full-length play, I demonstrate an alternative view of aging women to combat the pejorative images now current. Drawing on dramatic portrayals from the past 100 years and current information on aging in the United States, I explore the dominant viewpoint on aging women. Combining the structures of spiritual quest and rite of passage with an appreciation for the ritual that celebrates such events, I have written a play, The Crones Among Us, from a female viewpoint. Presenting female characters as subjects rather than objects, the play provides an alternative view of women on the other side of fifty. Using the archetype of the crone, the play affords a more empowering view of women as they age in a society which has privileged youth and beauty.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12039
Subject Headings: Middle-aged women--Fiction, Aging--United States, Women dramatists, Playwriting
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Ethnographic Comparison of a Niche Fashion Group, Lolita.
Creator: Berry, Bayli, Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Lolita fashion is a small youth fashion that originated in Japan but is inspired by historical western clothing. The clothing is not sexual in nature. Most studies look at the style in Japan, but the fashion has also found popularity overseas. This paper takes an ethnographic approach to studying the Lolita community in the United States by comparing two regional communities, Houston and South Florida. The research found that the largest difference between the two groups was size and...
Show moreLolita fashion is a small youth fashion that originated in Japan but is inspired by historical western clothing. The clothing is not sexual in nature. Most studies look at the style in Japan, but the fashion has also found popularity overseas. This paper takes an ethnographic approach to studying the Lolita community in the United States by comparing two regional communities, Houston and South Florida. The research found that the largest difference between the two groups was size and community involvement, with Houston as the larger group and the smaller South Florida group being more concerned with group activity. The study found that compared to the strong subversive element of the wearers in Japan, the United States community at large appears to be motivated by Lolita as a creative outlet. There was no support of the idea that aging played a role in what kind of Lolita fashion was worn.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004982
Subject Headings: Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Lolita., Fashion., Ethnographic study.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Between Rock Cairns And Charm Stones: An Examination Of Women’s Access To Healing Roles In California Hunter-Gatherer Groups.
Creator: Hampton, Ashley, Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity of previous theories concerning women’s access to roles of power within hunter-gatherer societies. This study examines how accurately immanent social identity theory and bifurcated role circumstantiality predict women’s access to the role of healer (shaman) within California hunter-gatherer groups. A sample of 27 California hunter-gatherer groups was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Notably, chi-square tests of...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity of previous theories concerning women’s access to roles of power within hunter-gatherer societies. This study examines how accurately immanent social identity theory and bifurcated role circumstantiality predict women’s access to the role of healer (shaman) within California hunter-gatherer groups. A sample of 27 California hunter-gatherer groups was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Notably, chi-square tests of independence evinced a correlation between men’s and women’s circumstantial labor and observed healer gender. Through the statistical verification of such engendered ideas, this study tests notions concerning the strict binary division of labor and posits that gender may have operated as a role-based identity marker rather than one structured around innate characteristics. This research ultimately provides a better analytical framework from which archaeologists can interpret the past through the use of ethnographic analogies that are more inclusive of gender-enriched methodologies.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004600, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004600
Subject Headings: Hunting and gathering societies--California--Social life and customs., Indian women--California--Social life and customs., Indians of North America--California--Material culture., Indians of North America--California--Social life and customs., Power (Social sciences), Sexual division of labor.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Decade of progress: origins of the Pérez art museum Miami.
Creator: Ando, Erica, Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: This dissertation reconstructs and investigates the origins of the Pérez Art Museum Miami. In 2013, the museum re-opened in a new, county-funded building to great acclaim and international attention, but the museum’s origins in the 1970s have been largely forgotten. A result of the 1972 “Decade of Progress” bond vote by county taxpayers that allocated funds to build a new art museum, the museum opened as the Center for the Fine Arts in 1983 as a non-collecting institution dedicated to...
Show moreThis dissertation reconstructs and investigates the origins of the Pérez Art Museum Miami. In 2013, the museum re-opened in a new, county-funded building to great acclaim and international attention, but the museum’s origins in the 1970s have been largely forgotten. A result of the 1972 “Decade of Progress” bond vote by county taxpayers that allocated funds to build a new art museum, the museum opened as the Center for the Fine Arts in 1983 as a non-collecting institution dedicated to displaying traveling exhibitions. The new institution represented the combined efforts of local government, business, and art to construct not only a place in which to view art but also as part of an overall plan to create a great metropolitan area.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004263, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004263
Subject Headings: Pérez Art Museum Miami., Museums--Philosophy., Politics and culture.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Food, fantasy, and the spectacle: the role of food and illusion at the wizarding world of harry potter.
Creator: Broemel, Erin T., Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Each year over 300 million people visit theme parks, making them the major vacation destination worldwide. Theme parks are known for their elaborate spectacle, the creation of artificial realities through intricate immersive experiences including costumed characters, stage shows, and extravagant decor. Though many aspects of the theme park experience have been reviewed, little focus has been given to the role of food in the overall immersion, particularly how food extends the spectacle into a...
Show moreEach year over 300 million people visit theme parks, making them the major vacation destination worldwide. Theme parks are known for their elaborate spectacle, the creation of artificial realities through intricate immersive experiences including costumed characters, stage shows, and extravagant decor. Though many aspects of the theme park experience have been reviewed, little focus has been given to the role of food in the overall immersion, particularly how food extends the spectacle into a fantastical created reality. This study examined the function of food within a highly immersive theme park setting, and how it contributed to the overall illusion and immersion of the fantasy environment. Research was conducted from December 2014 to March 2015 at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort themed food served three overarching functions: (1) it operated as an experience, (2) it functioned as a conduit to authenticity, and, (3) it extended sensory perceptions. Food immersed tourists in the themed experience, though visual cues remained the primary sensory stimulus. However, guests considered the location to be more authentic when coupled with a themed food item, as opposed to the generic food choices found in other parks. Themed food functions as an extension of the spectacle by maintaining the illusion and contributes to the overall exhibition of the themed space.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004430, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004430
Subject Headings: Consumer behavior, Food -- Psychological aspects, Food -- Social aspects, Food tourism, Harry Potter (Fictitious character) -- Influence, Rowling, J.K -- Characters -- Harry Potter -- Influence, Themed environments -- Influence, Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, Fla.) : Amusement Park -- Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Ethnography of Unitarian Universalism.
Creator: Tomaleh, Khawla, Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Unitarian Universalism is a modern religion with a long history of reformation rooted in Christianity. My ethnography examines one of the Unitarian Universalist fellowships located in South Florida. The research examines the role of the church in American lives and the significance of the religious experience among liberals and humanists. American religions have been the focus of social scientists for the past forty years. This study shed light on how modernity affects the trajectory of...
Show moreUnitarian Universalism is a modern religion with a long history of reformation rooted in Christianity. My ethnography examines one of the Unitarian Universalist fellowships located in South Florida. The research examines the role of the church in American lives and the significance of the religious experience among liberals and humanists. American religions have been the focus of social scientists for the past forty years. This study shed light on how modernity affects the trajectory of religion in the United States. This is a holistic approach viewed of one of the American religions through a socio economic and political lens. Unitarian Universalism is comprehended through themes of individual narratives. Unitarian Universalist narratives present the religious experience a heterogeneous group might share. The story of Unitarian Universalists explains how religion is attached socially and culturally to believers. My research offers an alternative narrative for people who represent a minority among traditional and world religions.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013271
Subject Headings: Ethnography, Unitarian Universalists, Narratives
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Food Buzzwords: Understanding How Schemas of Proper Dieting Are Formed.
Creator: Franklin-Jeune, Sacha, Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: In the modern United States, the concept of food has become as much of a social phenomenon as it is a biological need. The process of eating has become highly structured into a system of communication. Food terms used to share ideas are referred to as food buzzwords, terms rife with additional meanings whose values are continuously debated, discussed, and altered. Such terminology has swayed how middle-class Americans interpret the proper status quo of food consumption and production. This...
Show moreIn the modern United States, the concept of food has become as much of a social phenomenon as it is a biological need. The process of eating has become highly structured into a system of communication. Food terms used to share ideas are referred to as food buzzwords, terms rife with additional meanings whose values are continuously debated, discussed, and altered. Such terminology has swayed how middle-class Americans interpret the proper status quo of food consumption and production. This thesis analyzes how middle-class Americans form their view of a proper diet based on their understanding of food buzzwords and other factors that influence their food choices.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004593, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004593
Subject Headings: Food--Analysis., Food--Composition., English language--Slang., Food consumption., Food habits., Nutrition--Social aspects.
Format: Document (PDF)

Adams, David B.--Why there are so few women warriors--Criticism and interpretation. (1)	+ -
Adolescence -- United States (1)	+ -
African American families (1)	+ -
African American women artists (1)	+ -
African Americans--Social life and customs (1)	+ -

Aging--United States (1)	+ -
Agricultural systems--Hawaii--18th century (1)	+ -
Anatomy, Artistic (1)	+ -
Art (1)	+ -
Belly dance. (1)	+ -
Body, Human--Social aspects (1)	+ -
Centering (Psychology) (1)	+ -
Chay, Soledad Torrez. (1)	+ -
Children in motion pictures--United States (1)	+ -
Christian sects--Kentucky--History--19th century (1)	+ -
Chronic illness (1)	+ -
Collective settlements--United States--Kentucky--South Union (1)	+ -
Collins, Suzanne Hunger Games (Series) (1)	+ -
Colombia--Social life and customs (1)	+ -
Communication in social action -- Study and teaching (1)	+ -
Consumer behavior (1)	+ -
Cook, James,--1728-1779 (1)	+ -
Cotton, Eddy Joe -- Biography (1)	+ -
Critical pedagogy (1)	+ -
Culture--Philosophy (1)	+ -
Dance--Middle East. (1)	+ -
Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University (1)	+ -
Dystopias (1)	+ -
Eden in art (1)	+ -
Education and globalization--Cross-cultural studies (1)	+ -

Brown, Susan Love (27)	+ -
Florida Atlantic University (26)	+ -
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters (13)	+ -
Department of Anthropology (10)	+ -
Aldana, Melissa (1)	+ -

Ando, Erica (1)	+ -
Benson, Bonnie Marie. (1)	+ -
Bentley-Kemp, Lynne Austin. (1)	+ -
Berry, Bayli (1)	+ -
Boomer, Anne-Louise Lyttle (1)	+ -
Broemel, Erin T. (1)	+ -
Carney, Melissa Crimi. (1)	+ -
Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (1)	+ -
Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature (1)	+ -
Fisher, Julie Marie. (1)	+ -
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Franklin-Jeune, Sacha (1)	+ -
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