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Title: Multiple birth families, religion, and cultural hegemony: patriarchal constructions in reality television.
Creator: Cittadino, Emily M., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Reality television programming chronicling the daily workings of multiple birth families within American culture has gained notoriety in recent years. Such programs, especially Discovery Health and TLC's 17, 18 Kids and Counting and TLC's Jon and Kate Plus Ei8ht, film, edit and broadcast the "everyday" life of these families. This research study focuses attention on hegemonic ideologies surrounding family values, motherhood, gender roles and religious faith, illuminated through textual and...
Show moreReality television programming chronicling the daily workings of multiple birth families within American culture has gained notoriety in recent years. Such programs, especially Discovery Health and TLC's 17, 18 Kids and Counting and TLC's Jon and Kate Plus Ei8ht, film, edit and broadcast the "everyday" life of these families. This research study focuses attention on hegemonic ideologies surrounding family values, motherhood, gender roles and religious faith, illuminated through textual and audience analysis. Working from an interdisciplinary approach combining feminist media and cultural studies, this study finds that hegemonic notions of family values, gender representations, religious faith and conceptions of motherhood are evident to varying degrees in the television texts and accepted by fans who negotiate their meanings online.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2684311
Subject Headings: Mass media and culture, Feminist theory, Popular culture, Women in popular culture, Reality television programs, Social aspects, Television program genres, Sex role in popular culture
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An ideological critique of "BBC Online": The case of the Northern Ireland conflict.
Creator: Amesbury, Rebecca, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: The British Broadcasting Corporation is generally considered a reliable source for international news. Their web site includes a Northern Ireland news page, which provides daily coverage of the province including extensive information on the ongoing peace process. This study examines the online coverage of the Northern Ireland conflict in the year 2000. Through a textual analysis of 21 articles, an ideological critique of the BBC's rhetoric is provided. To reveal the ideological perspective...
Show moreThe British Broadcasting Corporation is generally considered a reliable source for international news. Their web site includes a Northern Ireland news page, which provides daily coverage of the province including extensive information on the ongoing peace process. This study examines the online coverage of the Northern Ireland conflict in the year 2000. Through a textual analysis of 21 articles, an ideological critique of the BBC's rhetoric is provided. To reveal the ideological perspective of the BBC Online, the verbal text used in each article is carefully analyzed, the sources consulted are examined in terms of representation, and the images that accompany the article are studied to determine if the images match the stories or simply cater to browsers. The findings show that despite their promise of impartiality, the BBC presents a view of the Northern Ireland conflict that leans toward a unionist perspective.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12807
Subject Headings: Journalism, Political Science, General, Mass Communications
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Gender, power, interpellation and body image: Creating consumer subjectivities in "Mode Magazine".
Creator: Bolla, Danielle D., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Images of beauty are social constructs that exist in historical contexts and are subject to change. A correlation may be made between social inequality and how images of beauty are used to maintain the status quo. Mode Magazine is an unique fashion magazine that depicts women of different sizes. This thesis examines how "realistically sized" images of women are represented, and whether representation challenges beauty hegemony. It critically examines both visual and non-visual textual...
Show moreImages of beauty are social constructs that exist in historical contexts and are subject to change. A correlation may be made between social inequality and how images of beauty are used to maintain the status quo. Mode Magazine is an unique fashion magazine that depicts women of different sizes. This thesis examines how "realistically sized" images of women are represented, and whether representation challenges beauty hegemony. It critically examines both visual and non-visual textual representations using Hall's encoding/decoding model to discern potential meanings. It evaluates advertisements and articles for how women are interpellated by the text. It concludes by asserting that although counter-hegemonic elements are present, Mode's message is hegemonic. Mode posits that women can be realistically-sized and beautiful as long as they participate in all other aspects of beauty consumption and culture by purchasing the products and fashions showcased in the magazine.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12827
Subject Headings: Anthropology, Cultural, Women's Studies, Mass Communications
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Meryl Streep mystique: a study of gender, aging, Hollywood and a female star.
Creator: Allerton, Tracy., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This thesis employs a star study of Meryl Streep, incorporating pertinent feminist, reception and culture-studies theories, to investigate biases within the Hollywood film industry. The actress has enjoyed a resurgence as a leading lady at age 61. Streep's star persona, acting prowess and career arc are examined across three theoretical platforms - production of culture, textual analysis, and audience analysis - or clues as to why she has been singled out among her peers. This thesis posits...
Show moreThis thesis employs a star study of Meryl Streep, incorporating pertinent feminist, reception and culture-studies theories, to investigate biases within the Hollywood film industry. The actress has enjoyed a resurgence as a leading lady at age 61. Streep's star persona, acting prowess and career arc are examined across three theoretical platforms - production of culture, textual analysis, and audience analysis - or clues as to why she has been singled out among her peers. This thesis posits that Streep's unique star image and surge in popularity have helped her break out of hegemonic articulations of gender and aging that privilege youthful beauty, putting female stars at a disadvantage within the capitalistic film industry. Also considered is the cultural significance of Streep's late-life success: Does she represent new openings for older actresses (and concomitantly, an increase in film representations of aging women), or is she merely an anomaly within the entrenched patriarchal system?
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2867329
Subject Headings: Criticism and interpretation, Sex role in motion pictures, Women in motion pictures, Middle age in motion pictures, Women in popular culture
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Absence of intellect? Spike TV and a crisis in masculinity.
Creator: Akers, Wesley R., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This study analyzes the programming, narrative structure and scheduling of Spike TV to reveal how this "first network for men" continues to support hegemonic masculinity through a strategy of gendered narrowcasting. Such representations mediate a crisis in masculinity by glorifying action-oriented males and, therefore, marginalize intellectual representations. The study suggests that such hegemonically masculine representations are contributing to the academic struggles currently plaguing...
Show moreThis study analyzes the programming, narrative structure and scheduling of Spike TV to reveal how this "first network for men" continues to support hegemonic masculinity through a strategy of gendered narrowcasting. Such representations mediate a crisis in masculinity by glorifying action-oriented males and, therefore, marginalize intellectual representations. The study suggests that such hegemonically masculine representations are contributing to the academic struggles currently plaguing young males in our culture.
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Date Issued: 2005
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13286
Subject Headings: American Studies, Mass Communications
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A rhetorical analysis of a feminine style and feminist research in scholarly communication journals.
Creator: Bifano, Diane Theresa, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Nine journal articles were analyzed in order to understand gendered composition and what makes writing an article feminine and what makes it masculine. The journals reviewed were Communication Monographs, Communication Theory, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Human Communication Research, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and Women Studies in Communication. Categories were compiled to include the characteristics of a feminine style in feminist research, and a masculine style in traditional...
Show moreNine journal articles were analyzed in order to understand gendered composition and what makes writing an article feminine and what makes it masculine. The journals reviewed were Communication Monographs, Communication Theory, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Human Communication Research, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and Women Studies in Communication. Categories were compiled to include the characteristics of a feminine style in feminist research, and a masculine style in traditional research. This analysis takes a rhetorical approach in order to address a more gender diverse perspective in research. As a result of many published articles reflecting a theme of a "dominant masculinist paradigm" in the publication process, this study examines some of the reasons why feminist scholarship in communication struggles for acceptance.
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Date Issued: 2000
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12673
Subject Headings: Women's Studies, Speech Communication, Language, Rhetoric and Composition, Mass Communications
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A step toward violence prevention: "Non-Violent Communication" as part of a college curriculum.
Creator: Blake, Susan M., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Structural hierarchies are deeply embedded in institutions such as our educational system. It can be argued that this type of model reinforces an aggressive worldview and fosters an atmosphere of violence. Teaching students to communicate compassionately should promote empathy, discourage verbal aggression and reinforce a more peaceful worldview. To accomplish this, educators need a means of replacing hegemony that assumes hierarchy and aggressive conflict are inevitable. Marshall Rosenberg's...
Show moreStructural hierarchies are deeply embedded in institutions such as our educational system. It can be argued that this type of model reinforces an aggressive worldview and fosters an atmosphere of violence. Teaching students to communicate compassionately should promote empathy, discourage verbal aggression and reinforce a more peaceful worldview. To accomplish this, educators need a means of replacing hegemony that assumes hierarchy and aggressive conflict are inevitable. Marshall Rosenberg's (2001) Nonviolent Communication (NVC) may provide educators with an appropriate tool. Rosenberg's model counters the prevailing hegemony making it an ideal candidate to explore in relation to these issues. This paper examines the impact of adding an NVC workshop to two types of communication courses and whether Rosenberg's model would be a useful addition to a college curriculum.
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Date Issued: 2002
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12877
Subject Headings: Speech Communication, Education, Guidance and Counseling, Sociology, General, Education, Curriculum and Instruction
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Invasion: Applying the Aesthetics of Horror in a Virtual Reality Gaming Environment.
Creator: Jean-Pierre, James, McAfee, Francis, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Many theories exist attempting to explain the allure of horror films to the human psyche. None can fully explain this fascination to the horror genre. However, there are clear visual techniques used routinely in these films to produce fear in audiences. This thesis explores the application of those cinematic techniques used in horror cinema for well over a century into a virtual reality (VR) experience, The Invasion. Using a wide range of examples from classic horror films, The Invasion...
Show moreMany theories exist attempting to explain the allure of horror films to the human psyche. None can fully explain this fascination to the horror genre. However, there are clear visual techniques used routinely in these films to produce fear in audiences. This thesis explores the application of those cinematic techniques used in horror cinema for well over a century into a virtual reality (VR) experience, The Invasion. Using a wide range of examples from classic horror films, The Invasion endeavors to show how the lessons learned from the study of horror cinema’s use of color theory, light, shadow, and sound design, when paired with the virtual reality medium, can provide a richer, more immersive horror vehicle and create new possibilities for fear-based content.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013708
Subject Headings: Virtual reality, Horror films, Gaming
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Celebrity Avatars:A Technical Approach to Creating Digital Avatars for Social Marketing Strategies.
Creator: Molina, Ledis, Eason, Shane, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Avatars are growing in popularity and presented in many computer-mediated communication environments like social media, virtual 3D worlds, and augmented reality applications. With its incredible success in the Asian market, followed by the latest rapid increase in popularity for digital avatars in the Western market, it is necessary to look at the avatars' roots and their newfound use as celebrities. Virtual celebrities or influencers are digital characters consumed in digital mediums, with a...
Show moreAvatars are growing in popularity and presented in many computer-mediated communication environments like social media, virtual 3D worlds, and augmented reality applications. With its incredible success in the Asian market, followed by the latest rapid increase in popularity for digital avatars in the Western market, it is necessary to look at the avatars' roots and their newfound use as celebrities. Virtual celebrities or influencers are digital characters consumed in digital mediums, with a given personality, background story, and the first-person point of view of the world, accessible to different social media platforms. These virtual celebrities are now being used for various entertainment industries, with game companies currently leading the way in building their metaverse by attracting audiences to virtual experiences, fueled by the need to sell live content during the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper traces the complex history of the Hindu avatara to a digital representation. It will explain how it has been affected by the context of literature, virtual gaming worlds, films, and new trends, moving away from a God-centered culture to one centered on humans. This effect is caused by the need for people to create a virtual presence and express themselves in virtual environments. Since its early beginning, avatars have filtered into the mainstream, and different brands have taken advantage by adopting them to represent their values to attract more customers and appear more reliable. This adoption led them to partner up with the entertainment industry creating virtual avatars, virtual concerts, and merchandise all tied in the metaverse.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013841
Subject Headings: Avatars (Virtual reality), Social marketing
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN?: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION EXPERIENCES AND IDENTITIES OF AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Creator: Abidoye, Ronke, Poole, Deandre, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: African international students continue to remain one of the least represented and studied groups of international students. In addition to the acculturative stress typically experienced by international students, African students inherit the marginalization of their racial/ethnic group in the United States. As such, scholars acknowledge the need for continued research into the experiences of African international students. Utilizing the Integrative Theory of Communication and Cross- Cultural...
Show moreAfrican international students continue to remain one of the least represented and studied groups of international students. In addition to the acculturative stress typically experienced by international students, African students inherit the marginalization of their racial/ethnic group in the United States. As such, scholars acknowledge the need for continued research into the experiences of African international students. Utilizing the Integrative Theory of Communication and Cross- Cultural Adaptation and elements of postcolonialism, this thesis explored the experiences of 10 African students in the United States. A qualitative analysis revealed that host receptivity, perceived cultural differences, expectations, and language/accents influenced intercultural communication. The challenges experienced in intercultural interactions allowed for the emergence of an intercultural identity such that the participants existed in a third space as intercultural Africans. This thesis adds to existing research on cross-cultural adaptation and negotiated identity, while also providing practical implications for schools.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013717
Subject Headings: Students, Foreign, International students, African students--Foreign countries, Intercultural communication
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ‘OK,’ IT’S AN AGE THING: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MILLENNIAL AND BOOMER DISCOURSE.
Creator: Regutti, Kailin, Scodari, Christine, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Assigning stereotypical behaviors and traits associated with young people—selfabsorbed, narcissistic, lost, technologically dependent, disrespectful, financially unstable, etc.—to Millennials have become common practice in popular media and colloquial discourse and are not without consequence. Although the contemporary discourses circulating through society appear to be characteristically Millennial, similar discourses have historically appeared in conversations surrounding preceding...
Show moreAssigning stereotypical behaviors and traits associated with young people—selfabsorbed, narcissistic, lost, technologically dependent, disrespectful, financially unstable, etc.—to Millennials have become common practice in popular media and colloquial discourse and are not without consequence. Although the contemporary discourses circulating through society appear to be characteristically Millennial, similar discourses have historically appeared in conversations surrounding preceding generations. This thesis uses five popular culture case studies that capture the zeitgeist of both young Boomers and Millennials to compare discourses and critically examines the overlapping references between age groups and generational categories. This research also aims to bring visibility to the relevance of age getting lost amidst discourses about generations. Using textual analysis via discursive formations, this project reveals the reproduction of dominant power structures among generational discourses and poses implications to those power structures.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013680
Subject Headings: Generations, Generation Y, Baby boom generation, Discourse
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: INSTAGRAM’S LIMINAL SPACES FOR ONLINE IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT: AN INVESTIGATION OF FINSTA ACCOUNT USAGE.
Creator: Amaral, Joshua, Veenstra, Aaron, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines the multifarious presentation of one’s identity on a singular social network site through their usage of both “finsta” and “rinsta” accounts on Instagram. A rinsta is one’s primary and more public Instagram account. A finsta is a highly privatized secondary Instagram account that functions as a liminal space for users’ impression management engagements. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants who identified as having created a finsta account and thematic...
Show moreThis thesis examines the multifarious presentation of one’s identity on a singular social network site through their usage of both “finsta” and “rinsta” accounts on Instagram. A rinsta is one’s primary and more public Instagram account. A finsta is a highly privatized secondary Instagram account that functions as a liminal space for users’ impression management engagements. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants who identified as having created a finsta account and thematic analysis was subsequently employed to understand how they conceptualized their motivations and behaviors within their constructed networks. It was found that users were motivated to create and maintain a finsta by a desire for privacy, social inclusion, and the freedom to generate content that would be considered socially unacceptable on rinsta. This socially unacceptable content was often humorous or emotionally expressive. Finstas are also characterized by in-depth communal interactions in comparison with the more superficial interactions on rinsta.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013702
Subject Headings: Finsta, Instagram (Online social network), Privacy
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: FROM INK TO SCREEN: GENDER AND RACE IN AGENT CARTER, JESSICA JONES, AND WYNONNA EARP.
Creator: DiBlasi, Samantha, Scodari, Christine, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Throughout history, women in comics have played subordinate or lesser roles compared to males and were stereotyped. Today, representations have improved in comic-based tv shows. This thesis is answering three research questions: How does one define a “strong female character” within the comic-based and comic-styled genres, specifically in the TV shows Jessica Jones, Agent Carter, and Wynonna Earp? How does race/gender intersectionality affect the ways in which the non-white characters express...
Show moreThroughout history, women in comics have played subordinate or lesser roles compared to males and were stereotyped. Today, representations have improved in comic-based tv shows. This thesis is answering three research questions: How does one define a “strong female character” within the comic-based and comic-styled genres, specifically in the TV shows Jessica Jones, Agent Carter, and Wynonna Earp? How does race/gender intersectionality affect the ways in which the non-white characters express masculinity or femininity compared to the white characters? How do the videos made by fans of the three tv series define a “strong female character?” This study applies textual and participatory cultures analyses. It is interdisciplinary and uses theories from different areas. This research finds that Agent Carter, Jessica Jones, and Wynonna Earp simultaneously reinforce and challenge stereotypes such as emphasized femininity, hegemonic masculinity and the “Black Buck.” Future research might examine white stereotypes with the white heroines.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013676
Subject Headings: Comics, Gender, Race
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Soul Bubba: President Clinton's use of the rhetoric of inclusion to ensure the loyalty of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Creator: Bernard-Bastien, Sandra Elizabeth, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: Clinton's success in engendering loyalty in the African-American, despite his failure to deliver socio-economic and political benefits, presents us with an apparent paradox. The contention is that the answer to this paradox could be found in the rhetorical style and strategies habitually employed by Clinton when speaking to African-Americans. What Clinton said to black America is important, but how he said it, is even more so. Through a critical examination of his eight speeches to the...
Show moreClinton's success in engendering loyalty in the African-American, despite his failure to deliver socio-economic and political benefits, presents us with an apparent paradox. The contention is that the answer to this paradox could be found in the rhetorical style and strategies habitually employed by Clinton when speaking to African-Americans. What Clinton said to black America is important, but how he said it, is even more so. Through a critical examination of his eight speeches to the Congressional Black Caucus' Annual Dinner, using rhetorical theory, this research examines how Clinton said what he said. In utilizing the critical approach that examines stylistic techniques, it analyzes his rhetorical strategies within the framework of what I term a "rhetoric of inclusion." This concept embraces six rhetorical strategies that enhance identification and authority. Scanned through the prism of these strategies, the research shows that Clinton's rhetoric provided him with a distinct voice that was very effective in ensuring the loyalty of the Congressional Black Caucus.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12786
Subject Headings: Biography, Black Studies, Political Science, General, Language, Rhetoric and Composition
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE RHETORICAL RISE OF THE “MITO” AND “TROPICAL TRUMP”: HOW BOLSONARO USED A TRUMP PERSONA AND US IMAGERY IN HIS RHETORICAL APPEALS.
Creator: Markwith, Greice Figueiredo, Williams, David Cratis, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: In the elections of 2018, Brazilians chose Jair Messias Bolsonaro, the first Far-Right candidate, to be the future President of Brazil. In a 28-year political trajectory, he changed political parties eight times. The constant change demonstrates his ability to use rhetorical devices and adapt to new appeals. The researcher of this work outlined Bolsonaro’s rhetorical rise, tested his rhetorical personae, “mito” and “Tropical Trump” based on the work of Ware in Linkugel (1982). No other...
Show moreIn the elections of 2018, Brazilians chose Jair Messias Bolsonaro, the first Far-Right candidate, to be the future President of Brazil. In a 28-year political trajectory, he changed political parties eight times. The constant change demonstrates his ability to use rhetorical devices and adapt to new appeals. The researcher of this work outlined Bolsonaro’s rhetorical rise, tested his rhetorical personae, “mito” and “Tropical Trump” based on the work of Ware in Linkugel (1982). No other foreign candidate mirrored Trump as much as he did. Bolsonaro also used US imagery in videos, borrowing images and terminologies found in the US culture. By analyzing his rhetorical strategies, the researcher identified Bolsonaro’s representative anecdote in his appeals that led to his rhetorical motivation as outlined by Burke’s dramatism.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013944
Subject Headings: Bolsonaro, Jair, 1955-, Rhetoric--Political aspects--Brazil
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: SETTLER COLONIALISM ON THE DISCURSIVE FRONTIER: AN ANALYSIS OF INDIGENOUS CLIMATE JUSTICE LEADERS AND THE CARCERAL SETTLER-STATE.
Creator: Kibsey, Talia E., Miller, Andrea, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines Indigenous environmental justice discourse within the context of the U.S. carceral settler-state to advance a conceptual framework I name discursive frontierism. I use rhetorical analysis informed by critical and cultural theory to help make visual—and visible—the ways in which colonial frontierism operates in discursive spaces. I analyze the language of the carceral settler-state, including embodiment and affect as communicative language, as well as the language of...
Show moreThis thesis examines Indigenous environmental justice discourse within the context of the U.S. carceral settler-state to advance a conceptual framework I name discursive frontierism. I use rhetorical analysis informed by critical and cultural theory to help make visual—and visible—the ways in which colonial frontierism operates in discursive spaces. I analyze the language of the carceral settler-state, including embodiment and affect as communicative language, as well as the language of Indigenous and Indigenous-led resistance. In the first half of the thesis, I argue that the language of the settler-state discursively constitutes Indigenous peoples as criminals and colonial subjects in order to justify their removal. The second half of this analysis finds the language of Indigenous land and water protectors to model and declare “survivance”—an active and continuing “sense of presence over absence” that both renounces dominance and victimry, and preserves traditional knowledge systems and ancestral connections (Vizenor 2018). I conclude that discursive iterations of Indigenous survivance meaningfully thwart the U.S. state’s efforts to advance occupation of discursive territory and further settle the discursive frontier.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013961
Subject Headings: Settler colonialism, Rhetoric
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Riddles of the Gods: A Virtual Reality Escape Room.
Creator: Bharathi, Shwetha SN, Eason, Shane, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Mythological stories are more than stories. They are important because they give context to our world, our literature, and our own beliefs and carry forward cultural values and tales over generations. So many efforts have been made to pass mythological stories from generation to generation through various forms including traditional storytelling, songs, and films. This thesis explores if learning mythology can be more immediate and fun by instructing it through an immersive, interactive game...
Show moreMythological stories are more than stories. They are important because they give context to our world, our literature, and our own beliefs and carry forward cultural values and tales over generations. So many efforts have been made to pass mythological stories from generation to generation through various forms including traditional storytelling, songs, and films. This thesis explores if learning mythology can be more immediate and fun by instructing it through an immersive, interactive game known as an Escape Room. Riddles of the Gods is an Egyptian theme-based Escape Room that uses the medium of Virtual Reality. It creates an interactive, educative, and entertaining experience for participants. It also provides an opportunity to contribute towards keeping traditional and cultural values alive, in a more expressive form using the latest technologies such as Virtual Reality which are relatable to the current and future generations.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014100
Subject Headings: Escape room games, Virtual reality, Mythology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: “A Woman’s Place”: Myth, Body, and Nation in Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
Creator: García, Madeline Elizabeth, Sim, Gerald, Miller, Andrea, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: This thesis investigates the role of myth in Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Through an analysis of concepts such as the body and nation, I investigate the mythical underpinnings of gender, race, social reproduction, and capitalism in Gilead as well as the veritable history of oppression and imperialism in the United States that informs the Gileadean imaginary. I interrogate myth’s utility in creating nations and worlds, real or imagined, and the mechanisms of myth that make this possible. Using...
Show moreThis thesis investigates the role of myth in Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Through an analysis of concepts such as the body and nation, I investigate the mythical underpinnings of gender, race, social reproduction, and capitalism in Gilead as well as the veritable history of oppression and imperialism in the United States that informs the Gileadean imaginary. I interrogate myth’s utility in creating nations and worlds, real or imagined, and the mechanisms of myth that make this possible. Using the works of authors such as Roland Barthes, Kalindi Vora, Achille Mbembe, and others, I read The Handmaid’s Tale series as a text that reveals how truth can be distorted by myth but can be demythologized to belie intention, historically contextualize, and inspire resistance. Written in the midst and wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, this thesis is also a meditation on auto-ethnographic and textual resistance.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014111
Subject Headings: Women's studies, Gender Studies
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: CONTEMPORARY ARCHEOLOGICAL VISUALIZATION: ANCIENT PALIKÉ IN THE DIGITAL AGE.
Creator: Babcock, Catherine J., Bargsten, Joey, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Exploring the intersection of archeological and artistic visualization and the impact of digital technologies on these disciplines, the author details an endeavor to communicate the essence of the sanctuary of Paliké in Catania, Sicily through digital reconstruction and animation. Emulating the creative process of the famous panoramic artist Yadegar Assisi, and drawing upon first-hand observation and research of the archeological site Rocchicella di Mineo, the author recounts the artistic...
Show moreExploring the intersection of archeological and artistic visualization and the impact of digital technologies on these disciplines, the author details an endeavor to communicate the essence of the sanctuary of Paliké in Catania, Sicily through digital reconstruction and animation. Emulating the creative process of the famous panoramic artist Yadegar Assisi, and drawing upon first-hand observation and research of the archeological site Rocchicella di Mineo, the author recounts the artistic journey of creating impactful archeological visualizations which, although driven by rapidly evolving technology, can remain relevant. This manuscript chronicles the process and describes the production methods used to convey the essence of the ancient city of Paliké both accurately and expressively.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014169
Subject Headings: Archaeology, Visualization
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE LOOSE-LINE AESTHETIC: VISUAL STYLES AND CONTEMPORARY FUSION.
Creator: Henry, Alex, Bargsten, Joey, Florida Atlantic University, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: Loose-line is a visual style where dramatic lines are created with quick, swift strokes, often randomly overlapping each other. Loose-lines can be used to depict a subject and emphasize its actions. They capture the viewer's attention and provide them with an understanding of the narrative depicted through its implication or suggestion of action. In this thesis I will examine, the loose-line technique and its components. I will show how loose-line has been used as a foundational technique for...
Show moreLoose-line is a visual style where dramatic lines are created with quick, swift strokes, often randomly overlapping each other. Loose-lines can be used to depict a subject and emphasize its actions. They capture the viewer's attention and provide them with an understanding of the narrative depicted through its implication or suggestion of action. In this thesis I will examine, the loose-line technique and its components. I will show how loose-line has been used as a foundational technique for pre-visualizing painting, sculpture, and architecture throughout art history, and especially with regard to its role in the development of cinema and animation. And finally, I will apply the loose-line technique to contemporary visual compositions and reveal how merging rough sketches with 3D renders contributes to an innovative aesthetic style.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014180
Subject Headings: Aesthetics, Art
Format: Document (PDF)

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