Black Obstetric Providers' Perspectives on the Maternal Mortality Crisis and their Approach to the Patient-Provider Relationship: A Qualitative Exploration

The present study explores the perspectives of Black obstetric providers on the maternal mortality crisis and its influence on patient-provider relationships. Grounded in Black feminist theory and analyzed with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the present findings revealed that maternal mortality is a multifactorial crisis deeply rooted in systemic failures, institutional barriers, and interpersonal lapses in care. Participants consistently highlighted racism as a defining element of the crisis, describing it as a reality of disproportionate deaths of Black women within a healthcare system equipped with advanced resources. Additionally, the providers detailed the emotional toll of the maternal mortality crisis, expressing hypervigilance, fear, and exhaustion. The participants also identified the importance of fostering the patient-provider connection through culturally responsive communication, shared identity, and empathy. The findings suggest that existing institutional efforts are effective, but insufficient. Participants advocated for enhanced practices in education, training, diversified medical staff, and increased investment in primary and preventative care. These recommendations emphasize the need for systemic reform to address maternal mortality disparities. This scholarship amplifies the voices of Black obstetric providers, offering crucial insights into the maternal mortality crisis and informing equitable healthcare practices

Writing Home and Empire from the Margins: Longing and Belonging in Du Fu’s (712-770) Poetry

This dissertation explores the active, constructive role of poetry in times of crisis, focusing on Du Fu’s 杜甫 (712-770) works composed during his prolonged exile following the An Lushan Rebellion (755–763), a crucial turning point in Chinese history. I argue that Du Fu’s literary experimentation—both reflective of and instrumental in shaping broader cultural transformations—was driven by his negotiation of evolving concepts of home and reimagined visions of the empire from the margins. By examining poetry’s intersections with other spheres of material and social life—such as geography, transportation, and the circulation of information—I demonstrate how Du Fu’s fragmented, contingent experience on the empire’s peripheries, shaped by unfamiliar landscapes, compromised infrastructure, and disrupted communication, became a resource for generating new forms of anchoring. This process, I argue, ultimately contributed to reshaping the poetic medium itself. While the issue of empire has long stood at the center of Du Fu’s critical reception—often portraying him as a public-minded poet with unwavering commitment to the state—recent scholarship has sought to complicate this image by highlighting his interest in private life. This dissertation aims to contribute to this ongoing conversation by rethinking Du Fu’s engagement with the empire—not as an abstract concept, but as something concretely embedded in material, cultural, and infrastructural formations. It also foregrounds belonging and the layered notion of home as critical lenses through which to examine Du Fu’s negotiation of the relationships between self, family, and state, as well as various forms of spatial affiliation amid societal collapse. At the same time, this dissertation seeks to highlight the coexistence of diverse assumptions and ideals that inform literary practice. In the case of Du Fu, his post-rebellion poetry reveals both a receptivity to being shaped by a shifting world and a deep investment in the constructive and performative power of poetry—a vision of the art as a means of imposing order that transcends lived reality. Ultimately, this study invites broader reflection on how literary and cultural transformations often unfold through the convergence of divergent—and at times competing—forces, rather than through a linear or unified progression

Nonlinear Stability of sub-extremal Reissner-Norström Blackhole Spacetimes --- Hyperbolic Estimates for Nonlinear Positive-Spin Regge-Wheeler system

We initiate the study of the nonlinear stability of sub-extremal Reissner-Norström spacetimes within the Klainerman-Szfetel framework, extending methods developed for the Schwarzschild case {27} and the linear stability of Reissner-Norstrom {12, 13}. We aim to establish nonlinear stability without imposing additional symmetry assumptions, instead relying on a finite co-dimension constraint on perturbations, as introduced in {6} for the Schwarzschild case. In this thesis, we focus on deriving the essential hyperbolic estimates for the nonlinear problem. A significant challenge arises from the interaction between gravitational and electromagnetic perturbations, which are governed by the nonlinear positive-spin Regge-Wheeler system. To address this, we establish the energy, Morawetz, redshift, and ^-type estimates, in the spirit of Dafermos and Rodnianski’s linear analysis, while carefully managing the additional complexities introduced by the coupling and the intricate nonlinearities. As a result, we obtain decay estimates of the main variables under reasonable assumptions, providing the foundational hyperbolic estimates necessary to address the full nonlinear stability problem in sub-extremal Reissner-Norstrom spacetimes in the future

America's Campus: Spiritual Psychology in History and in The Present

America’s college campuses have contributed directly to two contemporary international trends: secularization and the “spiritual rather than religious” movement. In history and in the present, one channel through which spirituality and religion has been forged in America is through its tenuous relationship with conscious-altering substances, including alcohol: its consumption and its regulation. This relationship has historically been the ‘battleground’ for the ‘fight’ that has precipitated evolution in the practices and sociology of religion and spirituality. The current project explores pertinent history and practice of religion and spirituality on the campus of America, its colleges and universities. This research and its dissemination is directed towards individual and institutional policy-makers and decision-makers, who, equipped with this knowledge, can impact the human experience for the better: one decision, one policy or one person at a time, ideally at an accelerated rate — towards the purpose and ongoing realization of a more happy and healthy world

Baton Rouge Mental Health Resource Mapping: Strategies for investing in long-term resilience | Community Profile, Contextual Analysis, and Findings and Recommendations

The resilience of a community to the disruption of a disaster depends substantially on its systems of support, among them inherent pre-disaster processes in management and governance, as well as resource availability and local context. In general, these systems of support may include resources provided by formal governmental agencies, intergovernmental entities, non-profit or non-governmental organizations, and grassroots efforts such as mutual aid working groups or other community-led activities. After a disaster in a domestic setting, a community often receives mental health and psychosocial support resources, which may include individual therapy, group discussions, or morale-focused services to help address basic needs such as shelter, food, and safety. These are provided by local and regional actors but may be supplemented with a surge of external response actors who help fill a short-term need. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in addition to serving as a major relocation region for Hurricane Katrina survivors, has experienced its own repeated exposure to hurricanes, major floods, and toxic environmental contaminants. The genesis of this research study, sparked by an observation by a local philanthropic organization, is rooted in the assumption that continued investment in “reactive” mental health services will not lead to lasting and sustainable improvements in community-wide mental health and resilience. In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of mental health services in East Baton Rouge Parish, an assets-based service map has been designed to identify key community strengths that may be built upon. Synthesizing a robust mapping of mental health service assets requires developing an awareness of organizations and key stakeholders, as well as an understanding of the capabilities and capacities of their respective services. To accomplish this goal, the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia University's Columbia Climate School implemented a multifaceted asset- and resource-mapping project that leveraged publicly available information, administered an organizational assessment, and conducted key informant interviews with mental health and psychosocial support practitioners to collectively provide a rich understanding of the existing resources and capacities in the Baton Rouge area, with children identified as a special area of focus within the broader system(s) and stakeholders. The report is structured into three parts. Part 1 is a Community Profile which provides basic demographics, economic drivers, health indicators, and other useful background information. Part 2 is a Contextual Analysis of a deep review of this social and historical context as they pertain to mental health and resilience of this region. Part 3 presents study findings from a series of key informant interviews and ultimately a series of informed recommendations for long-term investments for community-wide mental health and well-being

The Effects of Adaptive Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement on the Strategic Planning Process: A Single Case Study

As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve, the findings from this dissertation underscore the necessity for institutions to adopt strategic planning processes that are reflective of their diverse communities and allow for leadership to be adaptable to changing circumstances. The emphasis on adaptive leadership and stakeholder engagement as crucial components of successful strategic planning highlights the importance of flexibility, inclusivity, and effective communication in navigating the complexities of higher education. The challenges identified in this study, including difficulties in communicating the strategic plan, balancing stakeholder demands with institutional priorities, and avoiding planning fatigue by maintaining momentum and engagement, are critical areas that require attention. Addressing these challenges through best practices such as creating inclusive processes, ensuring clear communication, promoting adaptability, and managing stakeholder expectations can enhance the effectiveness of strategic planning efforts. Future research in this area presents an opportunity to expand our understanding of strategic planning in higher education. By exploring strategic planning across different types of institutions, incorporating quantitative methods, conducting comparative studies, and focusing on the implementation phase, scholars can build upon the findings of this study. Such research can contribute to the development of strategic planning processes that are more effective, inclusive, and capable of adapting to the evolving needs of higher education institutions. In conclusion, this dissertation contributes to the body of knowledge on strategic planning processes in higher education by highlighting the significance of adaptive leadership and stakeholder engagement. By embracing these elements, higher education institutions may be more able to develop strategic plans that both meet their goals and foster a sense of ownership and commitment among their stakeholders. As higher education institutions continue to face challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing world, the insights from this study can serve as a guide for developing strategic plans that are resilient, inclusive, and forward-looking

Pieces of a Park: Connecting Art, Cultural Heritage, and People at Mount Rainier National Park

The role of art in and about national parks is omnipresent, yet it remains a niche research area. This thesis seeks to further and nuance this area of research by placing the discourse within the purview of historic preservation. The primary argument of the thesis is that art helps socially construct the cultural heritage of national parks and ascribes values to them. These values then allow the public to connect, mentally and emotionally, to national parks, and, in that way, art advocates for their historic preservation. The three primary research questions are: (1) How does art influence the social construction of national parks as cultural heritage? (2) What values are ascribed to national parks through art? (3) How does art affect advocacy and contribute to historic preservation decisions? To allow for in-depth research, one national park is primarily focused on. Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state serves as the case study and was selected based on its influence, representativeness, and lack of prevalence in current historic preservation scholarship. After theoretical background and a historical analysis, the works of three different kinds of artists at Mount Rainier are examined. The writings of John Muir, the photographs of Asahel Curtis, and the sketches of Dee Molenaar, all provide insight to how art socially constructs the cultural heritage of Mount Rainier National Park, ascribes values, and, in turn, advocates for its historic preservation

smile! you’re on camera: stories of placemaking, surveillance, and carcerality from the Bronx bodega

This project explores processes of placemaking, surveillance, and political participation through stories from Bronx bodegas and through the frameworks of carceral geography, extrastatecraft, and actor-network theory. It attempts to understand the expansion of surveillance regimes into bodega spaces, not by observing moving objects, but by looking at the relationships of information flows, decision-making processes, and actor participation. By embedding the analysis in the narratives of local bodegueros, community members, and public representatives, this project contributes to critical technology and surveillance studies by complicating the literature with the lived experiences, epistemologies, and infrastructures of feeling in and around bodegas in the Bronx. In finding that surveillance as extrastatecraft is expanding into the immigrant spaces of bodegas without meaningful community engagement, this project concludes with a call to plan for abolition with intentional realignment of community organizations, bodega associations, and city institutions that center forms of collective care and protection as articulated by the communities they intend to serve

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Connecting Place and Purpose: Land Grant Institutions, Cooperative Extension, and Urban-Rural Linkages

Founded under the Morrill Act in the late nineteenth century, land-grant universities and their affiliated Cooperative Extension programs have historically concentrated their research, community engagement, and economic development efforts on rural communities and challenges. In recent years, however, calls to expand their presence and impact in urban and metropolitan areas—framed as essential for maintaining relevance amidst rapid urbanization—have gained significant momentum. How might these universities harness their longstanding tradition of serving the “non-university public” through Cooperative Extension to meet this mandate? And further, how can physical campus planning and Cooperative Extension programming coalesce to strengthen urban-rural connectivity in and around land-grant campuses? Drawing on case studies of four major land-grant universities—Rutgers University–New Brunswick, The Ohio State University–Columbus, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities—this Capstone investigates how planners, Extension professionals, and city planners interpret and operationalize the land-grant mission in metropolitan contexts. Through semi-structured interviews that accompany this case study analysis, the research reveals disconnects between Cooperative Extension and campus development strategies, as well as underutilized opportunities to foster reciprocal relationships between urban and rural communities. Findings suggest that while many land-grant universities recognize the need to adapt to changing demographics and geographies, institutional silos, resource constraints, and governance fragmentation hinder integrated approaches. The project argues for a more intentional alignment of spatial planning and public service mandates—ones that are forward-looking while also reckoning with the land-grant system’s deeply colonial origins—to enhance its relevance, equity, and impact in the twenty-first century