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Title: Nursing and national healthcare implications with the rise of the California Nurses Association and the National Nurse Organizing Committee.
Creator: Silver, John., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: In 1993, a group of unionized bedside nurses took control of their state nursing association. In 1995, they disenfranchised themselves from the American Nurses Association, which historically had billed itself as - THE voice of the profession of nursing. This study utilizes a case study format to look at who they are, what their intentions are, and what their vision is for the future of the profession. Twenty questions were submitted to key participants identified by the California Nurses...
Show moreIn 1993, a group of unionized bedside nurses took control of their state nursing association. In 1995, they disenfranchised themselves from the American Nurses Association, which historically had billed itself as - THE voice of the profession of nursing. This study utilizes a case study format to look at who they are, what their intentions are, and what their vision is for the future of the profession. Twenty questions were submitted to key participants identified by the California Nurses Association (CNA). The questions were organized into three main areas: the period leading up to the disenfranchisement, the period of growth after the takeover up until the historic passage of the ratio laws and whistle blower protection, and the period after the passage of the laws wherein the association began a national movement. This movement continues to evolve, and in December, 2009, the CNA (now the National Nurses United) became the largest nursing organization in the country. As the title of the study implies, one intention of the study is to look at the implications for the profession of nursing and the inevitable political implications for the national healthcare debate. Another purpose is to introduce this group to the academic and professional nursing communities, which until now have largely ignored them. Still another purpose is to lay out a blueprint for other state nursing associations who may wish to empower themselves, to analyze the process by which this group has grown to political prominence. No other nursing association has been able to duplicate their political success. Finally, the study raises many crucial questions which nursing academics and nursing leaders must address if nursing is going to able to utilize our only real political power, the power of numbers. Uniting the field, or at least growing the association to significant numerical strength, is the only way nursing can become an equal partner in the national healthcare debate.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2979376
Subject Headings: Nursing, Political aspects, Medical policy, Nurses, Political activity, Labor unions, Nurses
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Predictive modeling of archaeological site location in Cuba.
Creator: Watson, April A., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: This work aimed at aiding academic and CRM professionals in archaeology by developing a predictive model of prehistoric sites on the southeastern coast of Cuba. The variables in this model were identified by previous archaeological research at Guantâanamo Bay Naval Station. Both GIS analysis and weights of evidence testing were conducted on the model. The results of the GIS and statistical analysis allowed for refinement of the model. Cuba is central to understanding the prehistoric...
Show moreThis work aimed at aiding academic and CRM professionals in archaeology by developing a predictive model of prehistoric sites on the southeastern coast of Cuba. The variables in this model were identified by previous archaeological research at Guantâanamo Bay Naval Station. Both GIS analysis and weights of evidence testing were conducted on the model. The results of the GIS and statistical analysis allowed for refinement of the model. Cuba is central to understanding the prehistoric settlement of the Caribbean. The model explored not only site occurrence and environmental correlations, but also looked at intersite correlations. It was determined that site occurrences are strongly linked to low elevation, proximity to other sites, south-facing areas, mangroves, and geologic formations. This model may add to the understanding of the prehistoric settling of Cuba, as well as the interactions between native groups.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174309
Subject Headings: Geographic information systems, Archaeology, Methodology, Archaeology, Geographic information systems
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Prehistoric trade routes in the Lake Okeechobee Region: evidence from the RItta Island and Kreamer Island sites.
Creator: Mount, Gregory J., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: During pre-Columbian times, the Lake Okeechobee Region was home to people of the Belle Glade culture. The lake provided an area rich in resources that facilitated not only the hunter-gatherer-fisher lifestyle of the people but also supported increased cultural complexity. Over time, people participated in an exchange network, trading materials with cultural groups from a variety of locations. This thesis provides an analysis of those non-local artifacts, their probable points of origins and...
Show moreDuring pre-Columbian times, the Lake Okeechobee Region was home to people of the Belle Glade culture. The lake provided an area rich in resources that facilitated not only the hunter-gatherer-fisher lifestyle of the people but also supported increased cultural complexity. Over time, people participated in an exchange network, trading materials with cultural groups from a variety of locations. This thesis provides an analysis of those non-local artifacts, their probable points of origins and the type of exchange that facilitated the movement of these goods into the region.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/217112
Subject Headings: Navigation, Prehistoric, Trade routes, Excavations (Archaeology), Antiquities
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Preacher's Cave: developing a national heritage tourism site in Eluthera, Bahamas.
Creator: Day, Jane S., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Preacher's Cave, an archaeological site in North Eleuthera, Bahamas, is arguably one of the most important historical places in that country. This large cave, isolated in a natural setting, has long been associated in the popular imagination with the first English colonists who shipwrecked in the Bahamas in 1648 and laid the foundation for the modern nation. Before the present work, no systematic scientific archaeological work had ever been conducted at this site. While Project Director for...
Show morePreacher's Cave, an archaeological site in North Eleuthera, Bahamas, is arguably one of the most important historical places in that country. This large cave, isolated in a natural setting, has long been associated in the popular imagination with the first English colonists who shipwrecked in the Bahamas in 1648 and laid the foundation for the modern nation. Before the present work, no systematic scientific archaeological work had ever been conducted at this site. While Project Director for the Preacher's Cave archaeological investigations in 1991, 1992, 2005, 2006, and 2007, I acted as liaison between the Bahamian Government, local island constituents, and the team of scholars who accomplished the work, organizing all aspects of the excavations. By analyzing the recovered material assemblage from these excavations, we were able to prove that the seventeenth-century English Puritans not only used Preacher's Cave for shelter in the first period of colonization, but altered the natural rock formations of the cave for use as the first church in the Bahamas. These excavations, in conjunction with the written record, also suggest that the area surrounding the site is the location of the first free black community in the country. Finally the scientific investigation confirmed Preacher's Cave as a prehistoric burial spot for the Lucayan people who lived in the islands before Columbus landed in 1492. These burials are unique because they were recovered with grave goods and one of the five Lucayan burials appears to be a victim of human sacrifice. No where else in the country do these three compelling narratives come together and form the basis for the development of a National Heritage Tourism Site., But protecting an historic site and interpreting it for visitors in a country where tourism is one of the major industries can be challenging. This study summarizes past strategies that were successful in the development of a small museum on the nearby is Wells using the techniques of the public historian and public archaeologist to proceed with plans for the opening of Preacher's Cave as a national park. Discussions concerning constituents, park boundaries, access, and political realities in the twenty-first century Bahamas are considered while examining the larger concept of heritage and tourism as collaborative industries.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1927305
Subject Headings: Excavations (Archaeology), Historic sites, Antiquities, Antiquities
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The coastal Ecuadorian Travestâi: an analysis of social space.
Creator: Brooks, Eve E., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: This research is based on an ethnographic study conducted in 2008. The study took place in Ecuador's coastal province of Manabâi and investigates the lives of a community of transvestite males, known locally as travestâis. This research holds that the social space in which the travestâis live and work, in Puerto Lopez, is negotiated and maintained through a complex interchange of three key factors: the experience of mother's love, the local economy, and sexual desire. The social space itself...
Show moreThis research is based on an ethnographic study conducted in 2008. The study took place in Ecuador's coastal province of Manabâi and investigates the lives of a community of transvestite males, known locally as travestâis. This research holds that the social space in which the travestâis live and work, in Puerto Lopez, is negotiated and maintained through a complex interchange of three key factors: the experience of mother's love, the local economy, and sexual desire. The social space itself is defined as a "binary passage." Most of the travestâis are employed as hairdressers, and they draw a wide range of clientele from Puerto Lopez and surrounding smaller villages. Yet, how is it that travestâis can lead open and productive lives in a region that highly values machismo? This research focuses on both the origins of the travestâis' social space and the means by which it is maintained through key discourses.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/368610
Subject Headings: Transvestism, Social aspects, Gender identity, Homosexuality, Social aspects, Men, Sexual behavior
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: " You're too late!": prenatal health seeking behaviors of Guatemalan Mayan women in Palm Beach County.
Creator: Supanich, Colleen., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: In this thesis I explore the circumstances in which pregnant Guatemalan Mayan women in South Florida communities found themselves. A local non-profit organization, the Guatemalan Maya Center (GMC), offered assistance to pregnant Mayan women to secure biomedical prenatal care, yet many continued to underutilize these services. The decision to utilize this form of care largely depended on whether a woman received care from a traditional midwife in the community. Women receiving care from a...
Show moreIn this thesis I explore the circumstances in which pregnant Guatemalan Mayan women in South Florida communities found themselves. A local non-profit organization, the Guatemalan Maya Center (GMC), offered assistance to pregnant Mayan women to secure biomedical prenatal care, yet many continued to underutilize these services. The decision to utilize this form of care largely depended on whether a woman received care from a traditional midwife in the community. Women receiving care from a midwife generally did not seek biomedical care until late in their pregnancies. Women unable to locate a midwife often incorporated biomedical care once they suspected pregnancy. Due to the difficulties accessing the GMC's services prior to enrollment many of these women did not obtain "timely" care. A better understanding of the ways in which Guatemalan Mayan women incorporated biomedical prenatal care into their lives is the first step towards increasing their participation in these services.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/192990
Subject Headings: Maya women, Medical care, Prenatal care, Maternal health services, Midwifery, Social aspects, Migrant agricultural laborers, Medical care
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: We are what we eat: food consumption and identity in the United States.
Creator: Dates, Marlena Kay., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: In the modern United States, capitalism is the predominant cultural value that structures the food system. The current American relationship to food is strained, at best, as two-thirds of Americans experience overweight and obesity and are at risk for a number of serious health complications. An understanding of the historic and political-economic aspects of the American food system is necessary to address the effects of our modern food habits on our ideas of our selves. This thesis analyzes...
Show moreIn the modern United States, capitalism is the predominant cultural value that structures the food system. The current American relationship to food is strained, at best, as two-thirds of Americans experience overweight and obesity and are at risk for a number of serious health complications. An understanding of the historic and political-economic aspects of the American food system is necessary to address the effects of our modern food habits on our ideas of our selves. This thesis analyzes the types of foods Americans eat, why they make the food choices that they do, how they feel about their eating habits and their habits' effects on their bodies, and how this all relates to our sense of identity as Americans.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186678
Subject Headings: Food consumption, Food habits, Nutrition, Social aspects, Diet, Popular culture
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A new method to achieve lithic use-wear discrimination using laser scanning confocal microscopy.
Creator: Farber, Elliott, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: My study sought to acquire quantitative data from the surface of lithic tools and use that data to discriminate tools used on different contact materials. An experimental archaeological wear production method was conceived, whereby I and several volunteers produced wear on chert, heat-treated chert, and obsidian flakes by using those flakes on several contact materials. The flakes were then analyzed using a laser scanning confocal microscope, which recorded three-dimensional surface data from...
Show moreMy study sought to acquire quantitative data from the surface of lithic tools and use that data to discriminate tools used on different contact materials. An experimental archaeological wear production method was conceived, whereby I and several volunteers produced wear on chert, heat-treated chert, and obsidian flakes by using those flakes on several contact materials. The flakes were then analyzed using a laser scanning confocal microscope, which recorded three-dimensional surface data from each tool. The data was analyzed using cluster analysis to find the ideal combination of parameters which correctly discriminated the flakes based on use-wear data. After finding acceptable parameters which grouped flakes appropriately through cluster analysis, those groups were subjected to a discriminant analysis. Each analysis returned a p-value under .05, meaning that the clustering based on the parameters Sq and Sfd produced by the cluster analysis was not random, but indicative of these variables' ability to discriminate lithic use-wear. The major advantage of the approach developed in this study is that it can quantitatively discriminate use-wear produced by different contact materials on flakes with no a priori information at all.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362342
Subject Headings: Archaeology, Methodology, Archaeological surveying, Laser use in, Topographical surveying, Laser use in, Nanostructured materials, Tools, Prehistoric, Analysis
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An osteological analysis of human remains from Cusirisna Cave, Nicaragua.
Creator: Philmon, Kendra L., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Cusirisna Cave was discovered in the 1870s by Dr. Earl Flint, an explorer for the Harvard Peabody Musuem. The human remains and artifacts found in the cave were collected and sent to the museum, where they have remained since, unanalyzed. In December 2011, Dr. Clifford T. Brown and I analyzed the osteological material and artifacts because we thought they might be related to the Preclassic cave complexes of neighboring Honduras, an idea originally suggested by Dr. James Brady. I analyzed the...
Show moreCusirisna Cave was discovered in the 1870s by Dr. Earl Flint, an explorer for the Harvard Peabody Musuem. The human remains and artifacts found in the cave were collected and sent to the museum, where they have remained since, unanalyzed. In December 2011, Dr. Clifford T. Brown and I analyzed the osteological material and artifacts because we thought they might be related to the Preclassic cave complexes of neighboring Honduras, an idea originally suggested by Dr. James Brady. I analyzed the human remains while Dr. Brown studied the artifacts. This thesis presents the results of the analyses and compare the findings to other mortuary complexes in Mesoamerica. Despite the paucity of material culture, information regarding context, and the small sample size, I propose Cusirisna as a place of exceptional ritual importance. This project adds to our understanding of cave bioarchaeology, mortuary practices in Mesoamerica, and the prehistory of Nicaragua.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358967
Subject Headings: Forensic anthropoloby, Human remains (Archaeology), Paleopathology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A preliminary typology of Aztec formal chipped stone tools.
Creator: Guyah, Timothy J., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: This preliminary typology of Aztec formal chipped stone tools was created taking into account the context in which the lithics were recovered, their morphology, and manufacturing processes. The typology defines six categories of stone tools: ornately decorated bifaces (this includes ceremonial lithic artifacts), projectile points, scrapers, perforators, denticulates, and other. The thesis also includes an analysis of 10 previously unanalyzed Aztec lithic assemblages. When taken together the...
Show moreThis preliminary typology of Aztec formal chipped stone tools was created taking into account the context in which the lithics were recovered, their morphology, and manufacturing processes. The typology defines six categories of stone tools: ornately decorated bifaces (this includes ceremonial lithic artifacts), projectile points, scrapers, perforators, denticulates, and other. The thesis also includes an analysis of 10 previously unanalyzed Aztec lithic assemblages. When taken together the typology and lithic analysis provide a summary description of the Aztec lithic industry.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3342112
Subject Headings: Indians of Mexico, Antiquities, Aztecs, Antiquities, Stone implements, Obsidian implements
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The modeling of an ecology of language: Haitian Creole among first and second generation Haitian college students.
Creator: Kepley, Kristyl Williams., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this research study was to identify and define important components that might constitute an ecology of language (Mufwene 2001; Haugen 1972). Focusing on components as varied as social networks, physical ecology, identity and linguistic realities allowed for the construction of such a model, which was then applied to a specific case study addressing the vitality of Haitian Creole among first and second generation Haitian college students in South Florida. The resulting ecology...
Show moreThe purpose of this research study was to identify and define important components that might constitute an ecology of language (Mufwene 2001; Haugen 1972). Focusing on components as varied as social networks, physical ecology, identity and linguistic realities allowed for the construction of such a model, which was then applied to a specific case study addressing the vitality of Haitian Creole among first and second generation Haitian college students in South Florida. The resulting ecology of language model demonstrates that the competition and selection pressures guiding language use among first and second generation Haitian college students hinge on two ecological factors: the survey respondents' level of American acculturation and their desire to be involved in or affiliated with a separate subgroup of Haitians. The study found that (1) the reported language behavior of parents had no correlations with the respondents' interest in affiliating with other Haitians, and (2) Haitia n college students who do identify strongly with Haitian culture do not necessarily equate that cultural identity with the Haitian Creole language. These results suggest, in contrast to the claims of Zephir (2001), that Haitian college students will acculturate quickly into American linguistic society despite their desire to maintain the hyphenated identity of Haitian-American. Additionally, many of the conditions which are noted in the language endangerment literature (Grenoble & Whaley1998; Nettle & Romaine 2000; Crystal 2000) pointing towards language loss are occurring within the Haitian college community in South Florida. Despite the fact Haitian college students in South Florida all have positive attitudes towards Haitian culture and language, the respondents prefer to speak English rather than Haitian Creole. As is the case with other minority languages (Potowski 2010), it can be predicted that Haitian Creole will maintain its integrity and vitality in America continued, immigration.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3332252
Subject Headings: Languages in contact, Social ecology, English language, Study and teaching, Creole speakers, Language attrition, Haitians, Languages, Linguistic minorities, Ecolinguistics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Using the visual to "see" absence: the case of Thessaloniki.
Creator: Stein, Nancy Carol., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Thessaloniki, a city with an Ottoman, Byzantine, and Sephardic past, is located in the Balkan area of Macedonia, in northern Greece. Its history is the story of people who have come from someplace else. For several hundred years, the majority population of the city was comprised of Spanish speaking Sephardic Jews who contributed to all aspects of the development of the city. This significant presence is no longer visible unless one specifically knows where to look for its traces. It is not a...
Show moreThessaloniki, a city with an Ottoman, Byzantine, and Sephardic past, is located in the Balkan area of Macedonia, in northern Greece. Its history is the story of people who have come from someplace else. For several hundred years, the majority population of the city was comprised of Spanish speaking Sephardic Jews who contributed to all aspects of the development of the city. This significant presence is no longer visible unless one specifically knows where to look for its traces. It is not a history that has been silenced or erased, but rather obliterated. In this dissertation, I present the documented presence and transformations of the Jewish population in Thessaloniki from the earliest contributions to present day. This work on absence uses visual anthropology to explore the present day urban environment through an ethnographic account of the city of Thessaloniki. . This is a work about what happens when intentionally omitted histories remain absent from the public sphere. What remains physically present but unrepresented proves equally important in creating and reinforcing memory. Our relationship to our environment also may be compromised by what is absent. This project examines absence through the circumstances by which the past is represented in the present, and looks at how the past is experienced in ways that may be used to invoke, challenge, or re-direct the way a community is remembered.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361054
Subject Headings: Jews, History, Sephardim, History, Ethnic relations, Social life and customs, History, Ethnic relations, History
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The timing of growth spurts in Neanderthals.
Creator: Lupo, Amy C., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The timing of skeletal growth spurts in modern humans is unique among mammals. In modern humans, peak growth occurs after puberty during the adolescent period, whereas large-bodied non-human primates exhibit an earlier juvenile growth spurt. Based on limited data, previous researchers have suggested that Neanderthals experienced a late, modern human-like adolescent growth spurt. In this study, I examined the timing of stature and facial growth spurts in Neanderthals to test the hypothesis...
Show moreThe timing of skeletal growth spurts in modern humans is unique among mammals. In modern humans, peak growth occurs after puberty during the adolescent period, whereas large-bodied non-human primates exhibit an earlier juvenile growth spurt. Based on limited data, previous researchers have suggested that Neanderthals experienced a late, modern human-like adolescent growth spurt. In this study, I examined the timing of stature and facial growth spurts in Neanderthals to test the hypothesis that Neanderthals grew like modern humans. In order to assess the timing of Neanderthal growth spurts, I plotted a non-human primate regression estimate of age at puberty onto Neanderthal stature and mandibular velocity growth curves. The mandibular growth curve exhibits a discernible growth spurt after puberty, reminiscent of the modern human adolescent growth spurt. Future research on additional regions of the skeleton is necessary to further refine this estimate for the timing of Neanderthal growth spurts.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1930487
Subject Headings: Neanderthal race, Human evolution, Fossil hominids, Anthropometry, Physical anthropology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Jaws of significance: the conservationist's perception of the shark in South Florida.
Creator: Nason, Patrick., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: In examining the intentional relationship between the conservationist and the shark in South Florida, this thesis considers the latter as both a scarce natural resource - caught up in what Clifford Geertz citing Weber referred to as "webs of significance" (Geertz 1973:5) - and as a reflection of dynamic human conceptions of nature : a meta shark. This complex relationship is described by interpretations of conservation discourse recorded through ethnographic interviews that demonstrate how...
Show moreIn examining the intentional relationship between the conservationist and the shark in South Florida, this thesis considers the latter as both a scarce natural resource - caught up in what Clifford Geertz citing Weber referred to as "webs of significance" (Geertz 1973:5) - and as a reflection of dynamic human conceptions of nature : a meta shark. This complex relationship is described by interpretations of conservation discourse recorded through ethnographic interviews that demonstrate how these perceptions have been influenced by factors such as personal experiences, film and text, and broad changes in the relationship between humans and nature since the early days of the environmental movement. By linking these perceptual changes with changes in American shark conservation policy, this work not only explains a relationship between culture, perception, and policy, but also celebrates the emergence of a multispecies marine community.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358755
Subject Headings: Sharks, Conservation, Predation (Biology), Wildlife conservation, Aquatic resources conservation, Marine animals, Ecology, Human-animal relationships
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Status symbols in triathlete culture.
Creator: Slotnick, Adam., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Triathlon status symbols allow community members to gain prestige. The accrual of paraphernalia, such as race apparel and bumper stickers, provide individuals with a means to display their accomplishments for non-participants, too. Ethnographic fieldwork, questionnaires and interviews provided insight into a variety of experiences. The individual nature of the sport is reflected by a participant's decision to display status markers. Car signs (e.g., bumper stickers and license plate frames)...
Show moreTriathlon status symbols allow community members to gain prestige. The accrual of paraphernalia, such as race apparel and bumper stickers, provide individuals with a means to display their accomplishments for non-participants, too. Ethnographic fieldwork, questionnaires and interviews provided insight into a variety of experiences. The individual nature of the sport is reflected by a participant's decision to display status markers. Car signs (e.g., bumper stickers and license plate frames) are displayed by a quarter of race participants. They come in a variety of forms allowing the car's driver to communicate with triathletes and non-triathletes while driving on the road. The most prestigious triathlon is the Ironman. The M Dot Ironman logo appears as a decal on vehicles and as a mark of permanence on the body. Tattoos act as a formal communication system in a similar manner to car signs. Triathletes display status symbols to garner respect from their peers and separate themselves from the larger society.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3359154
Subject Headings: Triathlon, Training, Triathlon, Psychological aspects, Bumper stickers, Popular culture
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Relative prefrontal cortex surface area in Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens and its implications for cognitive evolution.
Creator: George, Ian D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The human prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with complex cognitive behaviors such as planning for the future, memory for serial order, social information processing and language. Understanding how the PFC has changed through time is central to the study of human neural evolution. Here we investigate the expansion of the PFC by measuring relative surface area of the PFC in Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens. Magnetic resonance images (MRI's) from 8 preserved chimpanzee brains (3 male and 5...
Show moreThe human prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with complex cognitive behaviors such as planning for the future, memory for serial order, social information processing and language. Understanding how the PFC has changed through time is central to the study of human neural evolution. Here we investigate the expansion of the PFC by measuring relative surface area of the PFC in Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens. Magnetic resonance images (MRI's) from 8 preserved chimpanzee brains (3 male and 5 female adults) were segmented and measured. The results of this study indicate that there are gross anatomical differences between the chimpanzee and human prefrontal cortex beyond absolute size. The lower surface area to volume ratio in PFC of the chimpanzee when compared to a human indicates less gyral white matter in this region and thus, less associative connectivity. This anatomical evidence of a difference corresponds with the lesser cognitive complexity observed in chimpanzees.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/221945
Subject Headings: Frontal lobes, Physiology, Brain, Evolution, Cognitive neuroscience, Psychophysiology, Vertebrates, Evolution, Evolution (Biology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Roma uncovered: deconstructing the (mis)representation of a culture.
Creator: Velez, Alexi M., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The Roma people, often referred to by the derogatory misnomer of "gypsy," are an ethnic group plagued by (mis)representation in popular culture. Roma representations in cinema, literature, journalism, and other forms of popular culture have perpetuated a long history of Roma exclusion. This thesis aims to identify not only the many manifestations of Roma (mis)representation, but also apply anthropological theory as a means of analyzing the ramifications of such (mis)representations on the...
Show moreThe Roma people, often referred to by the derogatory misnomer of "gypsy," are an ethnic group plagued by (mis)representation in popular culture. Roma representations in cinema, literature, journalism, and other forms of popular culture have perpetuated a long history of Roma exclusion. This thesis aims to identify not only the many manifestations of Roma (mis)representation, but also apply anthropological theory as a means of analyzing the ramifications of such (mis)representations on the Roma people. This paper concludes with suggestions for an anthropologically informed methodology of representation, and hopes to challenge long standing stereotypes and misinformation about the Romani culture.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352886
Subject Headings: Romanies, Social life and customs, Romanies, Social life and customs, Romanies, Public opinion, Stereotypes (Social psychology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Paleopathology of human remains from the Plaza San Marcos, Quito, Ecuador.
Creator: Graves, Ronda R., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: Skeletal remains provide an exceptional opportunity to document the biological adaptations that a population undergoes in response to environmental, political and economic changes (Perry, 2007). For over 35 years, bioarchaeological analyses have documented such changes indigenous Ecuadorians. In 2007, Victoria Dominguez excavated remains at the Plaza San Marcos in Quito, Ecuador. I analyzed these remains, documented evidence of pathologic conditions and trauma, and compared this native...
Show moreSkeletal remains provide an exceptional opportunity to document the biological adaptations that a population undergoes in response to environmental, political and economic changes (Perry, 2007). For over 35 years, bioarchaeological analyses have documented such changes indigenous Ecuadorians. In 2007, Victoria Dominguez excavated remains at the Plaza San Marcos in Quito, Ecuador. I analyzed these remains, documented evidence of pathologic conditions and trauma, and compared this native population to other indigenous populations and to European cohorts. My analyses revealed increased violence and pathologic conditions in the Plaza San Marcos population when compared to populations occupying Quito prior to colonization and during Spanish control. Indigenous remains also exhibited more pathologic conditions and trauma than European remains. Historic accounts of life in Quito describe increased violence and hardships for natives following emancipation from Spain. My analyses did not reveal increased interpersonal violence, but did demonstrate evidence of increased general pathologies following independence.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/216408
Subject Headings: Indians of South America, Antiquities, Indians of South America, Anthropometry, Human remains (Archaeology), Paleopathology, Antiquities
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Paranthropus face: examining a developmental model.
Creator: Burdelsky, Brittany A., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The Paranthropus head is characterized by features traditionally thought to be related to heavy chewing. McCollum [Science 284 (1999) : 301-305] proposed that palatal thickening is a response to developmental integration between the mandibular ramus, oral and nasal functional matrices, and the vomer, which inserts onto the premaxilla in Paranthropus and causes the palate to thicken instead of rotate during vertical expansion. I tested whether palate thickness increases as a byproduct of...
Show moreThe Paranthropus head is characterized by features traditionally thought to be related to heavy chewing. McCollum [Science 284 (1999) : 301-305] proposed that palatal thickening is a response to developmental integration between the mandibular ramus, oral and nasal functional matrices, and the vomer, which inserts onto the premaxilla in Paranthropus and causes the palate to thicken instead of rotate during vertical expansion. I tested whether palate thickness increases as a byproduct of differential increases in the sizes of the oral and nasal functional matrices compared to growth in the mandibular ramus. To do so, I collected 3D volume and landmark data from computed tomography (CT) scans of extant (Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus) and extinct taxa (Australopithecus and Paranthropus), and tested counterpart relationships for bones in the cranium using scaling analyses. Results suggest that developmental constraints related to growth counterpart relationships in the skulll are unlikely to affect palate thickness in the genus Paranthropus.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358331
Subject Headings: Physical anthropology, Fossil hominids, Craniology, Human evolution, Evolutionary genetics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Long-term post-Katrina volunteerism: the ethics of an imported solidarity.
Creator: D'Aloia, Susan., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The trauma and devastation that resulted from Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005, produced a wide spread public perception of government neglect and ineptitude. Subsequently, a period of nationwide shame and concern for those most affected by the disaster elicited a wave of financial generosity from all social sectors. Yet, by late 2005 the media declared that the majority of Americans had become desensitized to the tragedy and its consequences, coining this shift in public...
Show moreThe trauma and devastation that resulted from Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005, produced a wide spread public perception of government neglect and ineptitude. Subsequently, a period of nationwide shame and concern for those most affected by the disaster elicited a wave of financial generosity from all social sectors. Yet, by late 2005 the media declared that the majority of Americans had become desensitized to the tragedy and its consequences, coining this shift in public perception as "Katrina fatigue." Thousands of volunteers contradicted this phenomenon, however, by performing service in the devastated city of New Orleans. Long-term volunteers defied "Katrina fatigue" by redirecting the trajectory of their lives so they could provide service. Conventionally accepted volunteer theory predicts that volunteers provide service and that their labor operates in conjunction with institutionally supported mechanisms of security and services., However, for the volunteer subjects in this study, Katrina and its immediate aftermath shattered the trust in such institutions. These volunteers did not assume that their service operated in conjunction with state sponsored agencies or corporations. Rather, they viewed their own acts of service as the means of promoting the recovery. This qualitative case study examines the deliberated choices and actions performed by long-term volunteers between the years 2005 and 2009. The primary subjects in this investigation include 15 volunteers who performed long-term and/or repeat delegations of service within organized networks. Volunteer subjects believed that if they did not perform the services they did, these services might not get done. Volunteers internalized contours of the larger political economy and their own perceived role within them. Performing service functioned partially to counteract this internalization and simultaneously redirect their lives., Second Line, a New Orleans street tradition of neighborhood processions, reveals more of what drives the long-term volunteer's desire. The root practice of Second Line processions embodies a form of cognitive liberation for the disenfranchised as the processions interrupt normal arrangements of order and power in the city, albeit temporarily. Volunteers desire to connect with poor and working class Black people in this capacity, and their attempts to do so played out in contexts that sometimes disrupted institutional or corporate power, constituting a demand for change on behalf of Katrina victims.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360619
Subject Headings: Hurricane Katrina, 2005, Social aspects, DIsaster relief, Emergency management, Social capital
Format: Document (PDF)

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