Sociology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/15805

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When the bough breaks: Mothers and their children's trauma
(2024-08) Nichols, Lisa Marie 1977-; Bones, Paul; Williams, James; Gullion, Jessica; Bowen, Kendra
Child maltreatment is a serious problem in the United States, and mothers are tasked with the role of protecting their children from harm. Women have strict gender roles in society and performing gender is deeply rooted in women’s identity. Role expectations are perhaps their most prevalent during caregiving responsibilities such as motherhood or caring for children and aging parents. These role expectations include being selfless, quietly strong, and resilient. However, the cost of such expectations can include strain that impacts the physical and mental health of women. What happens when women engage in behaviors that are contrary to their gender role such as being unable to care for others or intentionally harming their own children? How do these gender roles and societal expectations play out within the criminal justice system? This mixed methods dissertation aims to examine gender performativity among women, its intersectionality among mothers from marginalized groups, and whether women experience different consequences within the criminal justice system compared to men. While there are many studies that examine gender performativity, maternal filicide, and offender motivation separately, this three-article dissertation will study the intersection of these phenomena from a postmodern feminist perspective and how they contribute to the understanding of societal reactions to female offenders. This dissertation will contribute to the body of literature on the topics of mothering, gender performativity, social inequalities, and child maltreatment. It will also provide insight and data that can directly impact policy and application for practitioners who engage with female offenders.
Perceived compassion fatigue levels in human service and legal professionals and paraprofessionals working with undocumented Central American immigrants in Texas
(2024-08) Clark, Amy 03/07/1981-; Williams, James; Gullion, Jessica; Sadri, Mahmoud; Coyle, Thomas
Since 2014, undocumented migration from Central America to the United States has remained a highly controversial, politically charged topic in Texas. Despite challenging work conditions, human service and legal professionals and paraprofessionals working in nonprofits and NGOs remained committed to welcoming undocumented Central American migrants in a humanitarian fashion. In previous research, Lusk and Terrazas (2015, 2021) found that these helpers were at heightened risk for compassion fatigue (CF), which includes secondary traumatic stress and burnout (Clark and Williams 2018). Thus, this research explored how these helpers’ perceived levels of compassion fatigue (CF) were influenced by their race and ethnicity, their language ability, their experiences with personal discrimination, their reactions to portrayals of undocumented Central Americans in media coverage, their role as helpers of traumatized clients during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their interactions within the bureaucratic structure of the US asylum system. Quantitative data was collected from 22 participants via a 104-item electronic survey. Purposive, snowball, and convenience sampling were used to collect quantitative data via email and social media, and analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was collected from 10 participants via semi-structured Zoom interviews. Using Pearlin, Menaghan, Lieberman, and Mullan’s (1981) Stress Process Model (SPM), major qualitative themes emerged related to sources, manifestations, and mediators of CF. Per the SPM (Pearlin et al. 1981), sources of CF, which resulted in significant manifestations, included interaction with the structure of the asylum system, working with highly traumatized clients during the pandemic, exposure to negative media portrayals of their clients, and lack of control over their work life balance. Similarly, helpers’ ability to fluently speak the same language as their clients, personal trauma history, and shared experiences with clients were also significant sources and manifestations of CF. While sources of CF could not always be reduced due to work demands, helpers mediated their manifestations of CF through utilizing social support, developing a strong sense of mastery, finding meaning in their work, developing work life balance, utilizing positive coping skills, and focusing on healthy trauma stewardship (Lipsky and Burk 2009).
National and state policies and the prevalence of adult obesity: A 30 year trend analysis in the United States
(2024-08) Samuel, Prauttus Kay 1969-; Yang, Philip Q; Bones, Paul; Sadri, Mahmoud
The concern with increasing obesity stems from the recognition that the population’s well-being is vital to a nation’s well-being by decreasing mortality, morbidity, reducing incidence of chronic diseases, and financial burdens on healthcare systems. Most of the existing literature on the effect of nutritional and taxation policies on obesity uses specific short timeframes or cross-sectional data. To fill the gaps in the literature, this study examines the association of national policies on nutritional guidelines, state taxes on soda, and state expenditures on recreational and park facilities with obesity over 31 years. Two research questions guide this study. First, to what extent did the USDA Food Guides from 1984 to 2014 influence adult obesity? Second, how did state policies on soda, and park and recreational facilities affect state-level adult obesity? Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) Food Guides, the Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, the Bridging the Gap, U.S. Census data, and the Current Population Survey are sources of the data used for the study. Logistic regression was used for the national-level analysis and generalized least squares with random effects regression was employed for the state-level analysis. The results show a clear significant association of the USDA food guides eras (Food Wheel 1984-1991; Pyramid 1992-2003; My Pyramid 2005-2010; My Plate 2010-2014) with national and state level rate of obesity. At both levels, the later the food guide era, the higher the likelihood of obesity or obesity rate. At the state level, there was no significant impact of state retail soda tax and state excise tax, and state expenditures for park and recreation on the state obesity rate. The results have significant implications for the development of food guides, policies on state soda taxes, and decisions on state parks and recreation facilities as venue of physical activities.
Contested identity: The negotiation of disabled lives
(2024-08) King, Emily; Bones, Paul; Williams, James
In this research, I center the voices of adults who identify as disabled to generate new ways of defining and theorizing disability and disabled identity. Existing models of disability – the medical and social models of disability – continue to fail to consider the lived experience of disability. I contend this is because they were developed within ableist norms and need correction. Data were collected from semi-structured qualitative interviews that focused on participants’ development of disabled identity, experiences with passing, disclosure, and discrimination related to their disability/s. Guided by Critical Disabilities Studies, I use Borderlands Theory to explore how disabled people make sense of living with disability in dominant ableist culture. From these findings, I consider how current theorization and models of disability contribute to the stigmatization of disability.
Femmephobia and acceptance of disabled LGBTQ members within the LGBTQ community
(2024-05) Steward, Alya K. 1975-; Williams, James; Sadri, Mahmoud; Beins, Agatha; Bones, Paul
The current study explores the effects of fragmentation and femmephobia on femme femme-identified disabled members of the LGTBQ community. This study utilized Hoskins's critical femme theory along with Goffman's theory of stigma as basic theoretical frameworks. I employed a qualitative method of inquiry and found high levels of fragmentation, femmephobia, and stigma in my research subjects. Further, I found signs of a possible connection between LGTBQ identity and autism. Additionally, I found reports of a lack of accommodations and the late diagnosis of disability.
Meditation and social predictors of tolerance
(2024-05) Clemente, Haven Scott 10/04/1973-; Bones, Paul; Williams, James; Gullion, Jessica
The purpose of these studies was to investigate how meditation and other social factors impact tolerance and diversity. Since there is a relationship between tolerance and diversity, the first study investigated the diversity of meditation practice and what social categories are more likely to predict frequent meditation (DV) using the Pew Religious Landscape data (n=28,025). The study combined two approaches: binary logistic regression (BLR) and descriptive statistics. The BLR revealed that people who are older, more educated, Black, Hispanic, conservative, or have lower income are all more likely to engage in weekly meditation. Nevertheless, the composition of meditators revealed that the most common weekly meditator would be a White woman (40s – 50s), without a college degree, below the median income, who is Christian, politically independent, and conservative. Additionally, descriptive statistics also revealed there are about three to twenty times more White weekly meditators than any other race, depending on the race. The second study (n=14,555) more directly investigated the relationship of meditation and social categories with tolerance, using a custom diversity tolerance scale (DTS), Pew data, and an OLS regression. The literature suggested meditation would have a substantial positive impact on tolerance, independent of social categories, and this study suspected it would not. The findings confirmed meditation was associated with small decreases in tolerance. Other variables related to political ideology/ party, religion, and demographics predicted larger changes in tolerance, with conservative being associated with the largest decrease and Buddhists associated with the largest increase. The findings suggested meditation and mindfulness could be detrimental to diversity and tolerance, made recommendations to mitigate this effect, offered alternatives to changing tolerance, and made suggestions for future research.
The impact personal religious adherence on emerging America adults' use of illegal drugs
(Dec-23) Ombati, Josiah 1976-; Sadri, Mahmoud; Williams, James; Yang, Philip Q; Bones, Paul
Emerging adulthood is defined as a stage of the life course, characterized by many changes and unique demographic shifts. Among these, one notices a steady rise in use of drugs among certain sections of this population. Despite this situation, little is known about personal religious adherence as a possible mitigating factor. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of personal religious adherence on use of illegal drugs among emerging American adults. Data were analyzed from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The sample consisted of 14,226 emerging adults aged 18-25 representing weighted N=33,732,492 I used four indicators of religiosity (embedded in the following items: “Number of religious services attended past year,” “My personal religious beliefs are important,” “My religious beliefs shape my decisions, “and “It is important that my friends share my religious beliefs'‘) to create a personal religious adherence factor scale. Indicators of religiosity and personal religious adherence factor scale were separately analyzed with regards to past year’s use of hallucinogens and marijuana and the probability of having ever used selected illegal drugs. Results showed that personal religious adherence was inversely and significantly related to the past year use of hallucinogens and marijuana, and the same held true for the probability of having ever used selected drugs. Additionally, all indicators of religiosity were inversely associated with past year use of hallucinogens and marijuana. However, there were mixed results for the impact of indicators of religiosity on the probability of having ever used selected illegal drugs. Although most indicators of religiosity were found to be inversely correlated with use of the rest of the drugs, religious beliefs, and personal decisions to use Heroin, LSD and salvia were positively correlated. These findings should be considered by public health educators and drug prevention specialists when developing and implementing interventions for hallucinogens, marijuana, heroin, LSD, salvia, psilocybin, and ecstasy. Incorporating religiosity in prevention efforts may assist in reducing the use of these drugs.
Online fandom communities and queer identity formation: An autoethnography
(Aug-23) Buchanan, Kaylee 1997-; Bones, Paul; Williams, James; Beins, Agatha
“Online fandom communities'' (OFCs) operate across different social media platforms with the common characteristics of anonymity, internet dialect, and subcultural ideals. Using an autoethnographic approach, this thesis examines the effect of online fandom communities on queer identification. These characteristics can operate as a safe space for queer peers to engage with the art they admire and with people who share their experiences. This has been the experience of the author who, as a queer woman on the cusp of the Millennial and Gen. Z generations, has been engaged with fandom in different forms for over 10 years.
Virtual funerals: A dramaturgical analysis of participants’ experiences
(Aug-23) Toombs, Elizabeth 1993-; Sadri, Mahmoud; Williams, James; Gullion, Jessica; Donal Key
In 2020 virtual funerals became a widely utilized format for conducting funeral services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To better understand the phenomenon of virtual funerals, this study explores the experiences of virtual funeral participants. It analyzes the positive and negative effects of it while elucidating participants’ self-impressions and those of others during the service. The sociological theory of Dramaturgy was applied to the data, and a typology of participants’ experiences was derived. The findings suggest a varying degree of technology-based limitations and opportunities that attend virtual funerals. Perceptions of practicality and authenticity are salient features of the experience.
Replacing identity: Evangelical Christianity's role in identity creation and restoration
(Aug-23) Cohoon, Wesley Don 1978-; Gullion, Jessica; Sahlin, Claire L.; Williams, James; Sadri, Mahmoud
People understand themselves by the roles that they play in society. These roles are developed by both the individual and the confirmation of their communities. Due to this interconnectedness, identities, biographies, and histories are constantly changing. The problem is understanding the difference between successful identity reconfiguration and the community’s role in confirming identity. This three-article dissertation explores how identities are impacted after experiencing a damaging experience by examining Evangelical Christianity’s role in identity creation and restoration. The articles specifically deal with the role stigma has on identity. The findings indicate that a primary function of Evangelical Christianity is redeeming “spoiled” identities. The articles utilize autoethnography and phenomenology to capture first-person accounts and experiences of stigma management and identity transformation. The articles find that Evangelical Christianity is one way that allows people to engage in identity repair and reconstruction.
Confidence divide: An examination of the rural communities attitudes concerning education
(Dec-22) Grant-Panting, Alexis; Sadri, Mahmoud; Williams, James
The US education institutions faced political attacks on almost every aspect of their systems from K-12 to the university. Most notably regarding curriculum, school choice, after higher education, and openness to various viewpoints (Laloggia 2019). Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the actual dimensions of inequality in America, particularly as it relates to rural communities and the ways in which they struggle with high unemployment, financial and resource access, constraints impacting low-income families, and the challenges of education. The education institutions play a vital role in community development and success. However, despite the challenges that rural communities face few scholars have examined rural communities’ attitudes regarding these institutions. This highlights the pressing need to examine American attitudes in this regard. Utilizing data from the GSS 1972-2020 this quantitative study investigates the differences in rural and urban communities’ confidence in U.S education institutions, and other factors that may contribute to their confidence levels.
Motherhood: Examining the social well-being and social support of mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic
(May-23) Holmes, Sonya Kay 1984-; Bones, Paul; Gullion, Jessica S; Kelly-Ricks, Nila
Mothers have had an immense responsibility for the protection of children for centuries and this responsibility has grown with the occurrence of catastrophic world events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and health pandemics such as Covid-19. Covid-19 (C-19P) is a fatal virus that has infected more than 101 million individuals and has resulted in the death of more than 2.18 million people as of 2021 (Koutsakos et al., 2021). The complications of the virus have proven to be deadly. When not deadly, individuals are still at risk of adverse effects of the virus, both directly and indirectly. Mothers having to manage through a health crisis, such as C-19P, has revealed some of the negative effects related to motherhood, which includes concerns about their health and well-being. Research reveals the C-19P virus posing not only threats to one’s physical health, but also one’s mental health (including fear of death or becoming ill), loosing family members because of the illness, loosing livelihood including employment and income, and being socially excluded from family and friends (Ghebreyesus 2020). The long standing physical and mental consequences present increasing concerns to this public health crisis. The uncertainties of the virus have resulted in elevated mental and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression, substance use, trauma, and stress (Czeisler et al., 2020).
The wages of fear: How gender, ideology, and symbolic threat influenced the voting behaviors of white southern women in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections
(Dec-22) Hinton, Stanley Joe 1960-; Williams, James; Bones, Paul; Sadri, Mahmoud
ABSTRACT STANLEY J. HINTON THE WAGES OF FEAR: HOW RACE, IDEOLOGY, AND SYMBOLIC THREAT INFLUENCED THE VOTING BEHAVIORS OF WHITE SOUTHERN WOMEN IN THE 2016 AND 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS DECEMBER 2022 The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether gender, ideology, and symbolic threat predict the voting behaviors of white southern women; whether these decisions influence political affiliation of partners/spouses/family; and whether threat is weaponized to influence voting behaviors. This study uses three sources of data: the 2016 ANES Time Series Study, the 2020 Time Series study, and a third source consisting of systematic analysis by CPOST in 2021 of those who stormed the U. S. Capitol on 6 January, included to further explore the role of symbolic threat. Multinomial logistic regression is used to model the relationship between the independent variables and the nominal dependent variable. Using models for politics, religiosity, demographics, threat, and all measures combined, the research reveals that white Southern women are responsible for the selection of political candidates for their families and symbolic threat controls the selection of political candidates by targeting family values.
Non-voting in U.S. presidential elections reflecting on pluralism and elitism
(2000-08) Capeheart, Loretta; Williams, Joyce; Sadri, Mahmoud; Williams, Jim
The purpose of this quantitative research was to analyze the relationship between non-voting in U.S. presidential elections and political cynicism, political knowledge, and perceived political self-efficacy. Further, social-class variables were analyzed to allow for an understanding of any intervening or explanatory relationships involving income, education, and occupation. Data analyzed in this study come from the National Election Studies and encompasses presidential election years between and including 1964 and 1996. The relationship between non-voting and the characteristics listed above were expected to support either the pluralist or elitist theories of democracy. The major findings of this study support both theories depending on the measure used. The elitist perspective is supported with regard to political knowledge and perceived political self-efficacy while the pluralist perspective is supported with regard to political cynicism. Results related to the social-class measures were mixed.
Pornography use and satisfaction with romantic partnerships
(2022-12-01T06:00:00.000Z) Pius, Shally; Williams, James
This thesis was designed to examine the relationship between sex, frequency of pornography use, and satisfaction with romantic partnerships. Two hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis 1 states that controlling for other factors, male respondents who report higher levels of pornography use will report lower levels of relationship satisfaction than male respondents who report lower levels of pornography use. Hypothesis 2 states that controlling for other factors, female respondents who report higher levels of pornography use will report lower levels of partnership satisfaction than female respondents who report lower levels of pornography use. Females and males who reported viewing pornography were slightly less satisfied with their partnerships than those who use it less or who do not view porn at all. African American and Hispanic participants reported less partnership satisfaction than Caucasian and Asian participants. Implications are discussed.
Bangladeshi immigrants' adaptation in the United States
(2022-12-01T06:00:00.000Z) Akhter, Morsheda; Yang, Philip Q; Williams, James; Sadri, Mahmoud
This quantitative study explores Bangladeshi immigrants' adaptation in the United States. Bangladeshi immigrants are one of the fastest-growing minority ethnic groups in the United States. Despite their tremendous growth, little is known about them, and no systematic study of their adaptation to American life has been published. This dissertation fills this void in the literature by thoroughly examining the cultural, socioeconomic, structural, and political adaptation of Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States. This study addresses two research questions: How well do Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States adapt culturally, socioeconomically, structurally, and politically into American life? What are the major determinants of the structural, cultural, socioeconomic, and political adaptation of Bangladeshi immigrants? To answer the research questions, this study is guided by several theoretical frameworks and proposes a set of hypotheses for testing. The data for this study come from the 2001-2019 American Community Surveys and the 2000-2021 Current Population Surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Major methods of analysis include chi-square test, ANOVA, ordinary least squares regression, and logistic regression. The findings reveal that overall Bangladeshi immigrants appear to have adapted well culturally, socioeconomically, structurally, and politically in the United States, but they have only partially assimilated and partly retained their ethnic cultures, especially their native tongue. Their average income is relatively low despite their relatively high educational attainment. Their adaptation experience is not linear but is bumpy and non-uniform. The results of regression analyses show that many demographic, familial, assimilational, and socioeconomic factors contribute significantly to the cultural and socioeconomic adaptation of Bangladeshi immigrants. On the other hand, many predictors of structural and political adaptation do not attain statistical significance at the 0.05 level because of the small sample sizes and call for further testing. This is the first comprehensive research on the adaptation experience of Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States. This research contributes to the literature by examining concurrently the patterns and determinants of Bangladeshi immigrants’ cultural, socioeconomic, structural, and political adaptation. It also assesses the applicability of competing theoretical approaches to Bangladeshi immigrants’ adaptation. The findings will also have practical and policy implications.
Religion in deed: Alcoholics Anonymous as a functional equivalent of religion
(2022-08-01T05:00:00.000Z) Pierce, Phillip; Sadri, Mahmoud; Williams, James; Hoye, Timothy
The principles of humility, honesty, and service undergird the Alcoholics Anonymous organization. They are among the reasons for considering it a functional equivalent of religion. This is the sense in which the author has experienced AA over the course of 38 years as well. This dissertation examines the assertion that AA is the functional equivalent of a religion. Besides my own experience, I have collected data from written documents, books, research papers and stories other members have shared. I have used an interpretive-analytical autoethnographic method to describe and explain the AA phenomenon. I argue that Alcoholics Anonymous is a functional equivalent of religion without ideational dogma or assurances of eternal salvation. The only promise offered is the ability to accept life on life’s terms, granted on a daily basis and contingent upon a spiritual condition obtained through a connection with a ‘higher power’ of the individual’s understanding. The AA alcoholic has a Janus face: first: complete acceptance of responsibility for one’s reality (accept everything, expect nothing) and, second: full surrender to a higher power to change one’s reality. The principles of Alcoholics Anonymous are similar to many other religions. Nevertheless, I demonstrate the sense in which AA ‘inverts’ the constellation of elements that are operative in other religions. Alcoholics Anonymous is actually not about alcohol. AA is about a method of producing a spiritual awakening very similar to religions; but it is for those who have not been successful with traditional methods. Religious scholars and scholars researching alcoholic addiction should take this into account.
A study of the structure and process of Social Welfare organization in Denton County
(1948-08) Larkins, Eileen
Persistence: Black women’s experiences eating plant-based within African American soul food culture
(6/21/2022) Ellison, Vanessa Rebecca; Gullion, Jessica
This study focuses on the relationship between food culture and race. Specifically, I consider the intersectionality of Black food culture, veganism, and Black women. Veganism, defined as the practice abstaining from the consumption of animal flesh and byproducts, is oftentimes thought of as an elite, white, upper middle-class lifestyle (Greenbaum 2016). I examined cultural expectations for Black women to prepare and partake in cultural food traditions, which are meat-centric (Evans-Winters 2019), and the treatment of Black women that have opted for a plant-based lifestyle. The guiding question for this research is: What is the experience of Black women vegans within their food culture? This question is based on cultural epistemology, stratification, and the historical/traditional popularization of food culture (Collins 2000; Bower 2007; Harper 2010). I use the philosophical orientations of Black Feminist Thought, womanism, and intersectionality to explore the answers (Crenshaw 1989; Collins 2000; Evans-Winters 2019).
Three the hard way: An intersectional approach to understanding narratives of African American women entrepreneurs using Butler's Theory of Performativity
(4/12/2022) McNeill, Robert; Gullion, Jessica
African American woman entrepreneurs are the fastest growing business start-up demographic in the country. They represent 45% of all women minority-owned enterprises (Walker’s Legacy 2016). Many African American women entrepreneurs feel that entrepreneurship can help them achieve holistic success and retain agency that they would not experience in the workplace (Mirchandani 1999). However, much of the literature on African American woman entrepreneurs focuses on discrimination issues. Existing research on African American women entrepreneurs is based on their race, gender, geographical location of their business, and industry sector. Many of the methodologies underlying this research on African American women entrepreneurs are informed by a culture of masculinity and white supremacy (Bruni, Gherardi, and Poggio 2004). In scholarly works, African American woman entrepreneurs are placed in a deficit compared to their white male counterparts. These tendencies cause these entrepreneurs to be steeped in a double otherness, as both women and African Americans. This dissertation uses the discursive anchoring of Butler’s (1990) performativity theory to provide a fresh lens with which to analyze the journey of African American women entrepreneurs. It employs Butler’s theory in conjunction with an intersectional approach to understanding the narratives of 20 African American women entrepreneurs. This study demonstrates how race, class, and gender interact to affect the success of these African American women entrepreneurs.

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