Understanding Detroit’s Local Food and Urban Agricultural Policy Subsystem Using the Advocacy Coalition Framework

This explanatory qualitative case study applied the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to study Detroit’s local food policy changes from 2000 to 2022. The research question and sub-questions were framed using three ACF hypotheses that addressed advocacy coalitions, collective action, and policy change. My research showed how actors in the policy subsystem worked to promote policy change during the study period. Using this Advocacy Coalition Framework approach, I explored local food policy change in the context of community resilience and system changes. Since 2000, the local food movement in Detroit attempted system changes by experimenting with ways to provide local residents with food access and options not available from the larger food system. This study highlighted Detroit local food advocates’ work to achieve policy change. The local food movement planted gardens and farms throughout the city. The local food movement activities amplified the use of urban agriculture and may have influenced public opinion and allowed for policy change. The local food system changes highlighted in this research represented local level innovative and creative changes that did not impact the larger food system. My research showed how actors in the policy subsystem worked to promote policy change during the study period. This research contributed to the literature in three ways. First, the ACF-framed case study added to local and municipal policy process literature. Second, this research added food policy to the areas researched using the ACF. Lastly, the concept of the advocacy policy interface was conceived of during the candidacy phase of my studies and explored in this case study. This examination of the Detroit Local Food Policy Subsystem provided a starting point for further exploration of Detroit’s local food policy change efforts. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Exploring Subjective Cognitive Decline and Ageism: At-Risk Older Adults\u27 Lived Experience

Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), the self-perceived decline in cognitive abilities, is recognized as a preclinical marker for neurocognitive disorders (Jessen et al., 2014). Understanding the contextual factors informing SCD experience remains a research priority in this domain. At-risk older adults have heritable markers associated with dementia. Chronic exposure to embedded ageism burdens allostatic load (AL) and exacerbates epigenetic risk for cognitive decline (Levy, 2022; McEwen, 2020; Miller et al., 2021). The current qualitative study explored how ageism shapes the lived experience of SCD among at-risk older adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants, all doctoral level clinical practitioners, aged 60 to 79 and analyzed using thematic analysis, guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC). Findings revealed that ageism pervades three ecological domains—intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systemic—­contributing to emotional distress, behavioral restriction, and reduced healthcare engagement. The present study extends the current literature on this topic by identifying ageism as a socio-cultural determinant of perceived cognitive health, shaping the outcome trajectory. The findings underscore the need to address ageism through clinical interventions and systemic reforms. Such strategies to reduce AL burden, through reduction of stigma and promotion of preventive healthcare engagement, may delay or even prevent onset of dementia among at-risk older adults. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and Ohio LINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Seeds in a Pluriverse: Visakha Society for the Protection and Care of Animals Inclusive Praxis Toward Self-Determined Just Socio-Ecological Territories

My dissertation focuses on my thesis question: How might an NGO’s grassroots efforts in urban Visakhapatnam, India, propagate living justly with animals we encounter and severely Othered humans, beyond attitudes of guardianship, mitigating universalized harms to nature and society? In a transdisciplinary approach examining grassroots programs, my phenomenological study breaks down an animal advocate’s assertive practices of—inclusivity and decolonialized lived norms, which persistently transcend cultural antagonisms of caste, ability, gender, sex, class, and form/species—toward creating just pluriversal multispecies communities in Visakhapatnam. Universalized urbanization across the planet has driven irreversible socio-ecological transformation marked by record ecosystem decline. Sustaining the urban via historically patriarchal and colonialized human dominion over other animals and Earth’s natural resources reveals our existential disconnect with nature, including our human nature. My analysis claims phenomenologically realized premises observing real actors materializing grassroots formations of interspecies coexistence—working through nexuses of the political, economic, cultural, and religious systems of harm—in efforts toward creating self-determined, just, multispecies communities in Visakhapatnam. This attempts to bridge this gap in scholarship from within the intensities of Visakhapatnam city in urban India. Undoing normative, essentially androcentric, harm that oppresses many and despoils nature is possible. How to wrest political power and demand change-making to address biodiversity loss, food and water insecurity, and unacceptable inequities for Othered humans and animals in urban geographies has been observed and analyzed. More communities and societies applying these phenomenological realizations can help build momentum, lending to many just worlds in one pluriversal world becoming the norm. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Becoming the Donkey Derby’s ‘Karen’: A Humane Educator’s Autoethnographic Journey Toward Anti-Speciesist Communication

Language not only carries oppression as an educative force, but research indicates that language is inherently speciesist and highly pervasive (Ethical Globe, 2021; Guevara Labaca, 2017; Hamlett, 2024; Leach et al., 2023). However, the ontological commitment to speciesism is historically foundational, which makes the total eradication of speciesist communication only viable through an unemerged hypothetical future society (Kahn, 2011). For the possibilities of such a world to come into being, pivotal steps must first be taken to critically engage with the communicated forms of speciesism in order to better understand it and actively resist its reproduction—with the aspiration for this anti-speciesist work to become more institutionalized and culturally relevant. Complemented by critical discourse analysis (CDA) to analyze the nature of language and its power dynamics, this autoethnographic study examines the hidden curricular aspects of speciesist discourse, and the ways in which oppressive ideologies are practically reinforced by it. Data sources collected from personal memory exercises, self-observational audits, and self-reflections on everyday speciesist engagements are analyzed using critical reflexivity through a combined lens of humane education, ecolinguistics, and disability studies. Results highlighted the unique experiences of holding a double consciousness (Du Bois, 1968) as both a former, unconscious participant in speciesist culture, and now as an activist opposing speciesism. This study opens further possibilities to future scholars who wish to take up this work, as well as expands the literature to include a practical exploration into countering speciesist discourse through civic engagement and the educational opportunities afforded by everyday interactions. Additionally, the research bridges the gap between the hidden curriculum of traditional classroom environments and the hidden curriculum of the culture that shapes our learning through everyday experiences and interactions with others, contributing to a more comprehensive framework for challenging speciesism in commonplace discourse. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Distal Effects of Teenage Pregnancy and Childbirth

While pregnancy during adolescence is declining, research on the topic continues, particularly regarding: the reasons teenagers become pregnant and choose parenthood; their experiences as teen parents; and near-term outcomes for themselves and their children. The focus of this dissertation has received little study: how the experience of having been a birthing parent in adolescence continues to affect the personal experiences of individuals in midlife, if it does at all. Eight individuals between the ages of 30 and 43 who gave birth as teens were interviewed, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to identify how they interpreted and made meaning of their experiences. Nine themes emerged from the data regarding teen birthing parents: the necessity to mature early can lead to positive outcomes; parents and their children may carry labels; parents fall out of sync with their age-peers; shame and distress can lead to disconnection, sometimes followed by healing and rebuilding of connections; biological fathers continue to have an impact on the lives of parents through their children; immediate responses by the parents of teens to the pregnancy can have a lasting impact; parents may develop narrowed and pragmatic approaches to achieving their goals; parents may develop exceptionally close bonds with their children; family stressors can contribute to teen pregnancy, and pregnancy can in turn contribute to family stress. Contextual factors and outside stressors, such as adverse childhood events, race, religion, and socioeconomic status, were found to have affected participants’ experiences, both in becoming pregnant and in their lives moving forward. Although teen pregnancy is not a medically defined trauma, participants reported feeling traumatized, and also reported feelings, cognitions, and actions that suggest posttraumatic growth. Therapists may benefit clients who were teen parents, or their children, by providing trauma-informed care and assisting clients in identifying ways in which they were courageous and resourceful. This study suggests that today, both teen parents and their families could benefit from financial and emotional support, especially as laws change dramatically. Teen birthing parents can re-story the negative narratives they receive from the wider culture in a way that is empowering and affirming. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Implications of the Second Chance Act for African American Females and Reentry: A Content Analysis Rooted in Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality

This dissertation examines the content of the Second Chance Act (SCA) to understand its potential impact on the reentry of African American females into society, highlighting the intersectionality of race and gender within the criminal justice system. Despite the SCA’s intentions to facilitate the reintegration of incarcerated individuals, its language and implementation have mainly remained gender-neutral, not addressing the unique challenges faced by African American females. This study employs a qualitative content analysis approach to examine the Second Chance Act, assessing its effectiveness in addressing the social determinants and barriers to reentry that are specific to African American females. According to the scholarly literature, to facilitate successful reentry, reduce recidivism, and promote reintegration, policies and programs must address the unique experiences of African American females. Chapter IV offers the findings from the content analysis. Chapter V considers the findings in relation to the literature review and the SCA and, through careful consideration of the previous chapters, recommends amending the SCA’s policies and programs to specifically address the needs of African American females, thereby improving their post-incarceration outcomes and overall societal reintegration. Dissertation full text has been embargoed until July, 202

Why Men Join the Incel Community: A Thematic Analysis

Incels have gained mainstream attention in recent years because of increasing sexism and hatred that have manifested as violent acts committed towards women in the real world. This has led to growing research and discussion on social and political culture. The goal of this study is to understand why men join the incel community, to find ways to mitigate the need for men to join such communities. A theoretical thematic analysis was conducted using a survey to gain a deeper understanding of why men choose to join the incel community. A decolonial feminist interpretive framework was used to analyze the collected data in this study. Themes of Hierarchical Perspectives Guiding Individual Beliefs, Dysconsciousness Privilege, Ambivalent Sexist Attitudes, and Belongingness emerged from the analysis of the responses provided by participants. The sub-theme under Hierarchical Perspectives Guiding Individual Beliefs was Desire for Hegemonic Masculinity. Two sub-themes emerged under the theme of Dysconsciousness Privilege, called Experiences of Victimization and Externalization of Blame. Implications for clinical psychology, research, and public policy are discussed at the end

For Black College Students Who Considered Dropping Out When Grit Wasn’t Enough: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Influence of Family Messaging on Collegiate Outcomes

Black college student outcomes are well researched areas in education literature. This dissertation sought to explore the influence of academic and ethnic racial socialization on experiences of shame and guilt and examine the association of those relationships on Black college student retention and persistence. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to investigate the socialization experiences of 272 Black college students in the US. Conditional process model analyses revealed that academic socialization is associated with experiences of guilt and shame—guilt predicted improved retention outcomes, while shame predicted lower retention outcomes. The analysis also revealed that while ethnic racial socialization moderated the relationship between academic socialization and shame/guilt, it did not moderate the relationship between academic socialization and retention or persistence. The major themes that emerged from the interviews included “Diamonds Are Made Under Pressure—Sociocultural Messages That Led to Experiences of Shame and Guilt,” “Birth Order and Gender Roles,” “I Almost Dropped Out—Experiences that Endangered Their Persistence,” “Me, me, me . . . messages about identity,” and “Support, In and Outside of Family.” Combined, these findings highlight the interplay of socialization processes in Black families, the effect of those socialization processes on experiences of shame and guilt in Black families, and the result of those relationships on college persistence and retention for Black students. Recommendations for future research with Black students and families were made and implications for campus-based practitioners and clinicians were suggested. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

A Program Evaluation of Restorative Storytelling as Professional Development for Waldorf Teachers

Storytelling, when using the National Storytelling Network’s definition, “the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination,” can be found in most classrooms around the world. If we agree with Walter Fisher and see stories as content with “coherence” and “fidelity” (Fisher, 1987), then much of the communication in classrooms could be considered a form of storytelling. A real question then becomes apparent: why aren’t teachers given extensive training and tools to strengthen their storytelling skills? Restorative Storytelling, a practice I developed out of my years as an elementary school teacher and decades as a professional storyteller, was designed for educators who wish to use storytelling as a teaching tool, as a classroom management tool, and as a tool for supporting communication in the classroom. This evaluation of the Restorative Storytelling program lives at the crossroads of three key theoretical frameworks: the Narrative Paradigm, dialogic practice, and Systems Leadership. Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm is used to seek a common definition of storytelling, and in particular Restorative Storytelling. Dialogic practices like Open Dialogue and Sustaining Dialogue offer a comprehensive and elegant protocol for deep, collaborative communication. Systems Leadership is an evolving framework for how a program like Restorative Storytelling and its evaluation can collectively thrive for all stakeholders. I used an explanatory sequential design which led with quantitative analysis of data collected from three separate surveys, the results of which were corroborated or explained by a series of stakeholder interviews using Participatory Action Research and thematic analysis. The results found that the program was indeed relevant and effective for the participants, while uncovering emergent indications for ways to improve the program and its continued evaluation. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Post-migration Living Distress and Suicidal Behavior in Refugee Populations Resettled in Vermont

The study of refugee psychology and suicidal distress is a comparatively nascent field when compared with the body of research concerning non-refugee populations. Over the past fifty years, however, the post-migration refugee experience has been the subject of growing clinical interest. In particular, the construct of post-migration living distress (PMLD) has been identified as a salient factor contributing to psychological distress in refugee populations. This dissertation explores the relationship between PMLD and suicidality in a sample of refugees resettled in a New England city. Guided by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS), this dissertation considers how elements of the post-migration experience may correlate with increased psychological distress. Implications for clinical assessment and intervention are considered, as well as areas for future research. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)