Zamrock: Negotiating Masculine Urban Identity in Zambia and Music Success in a Postcolonial World

This thesis analyzes, through predominately an ethnomusicologist approach and methodology, the lyricism, instrumentation, performance, and album art of the movement of Zamrock in Zambia from 1970 to the mid-1980s. I explore the agency and construction of urban youth masculinity by Zamrock artists in the context of Zambia’s colonial history of the Copperbelt, into its decades after independence. First, I look at the socio-political and economic context of colonized and independent Zambia, and how out of these conditions Zambian rock music was fused and forged. I break down the negotiations and desires of Zamrock artists in their identity construction via their music, and how their music grapples with postcolonial dichotomies of pure Zambian nationality and the ‘traditional,’ and modernity (encompassing westernization, and rapid urbanization and industrialization). I argue that Zamrock was a masculine practice and project of liberation which articulated the agency and experience of masculine youth in this period across urban Zambia. In further, I analyze the re-emergence of Zamrock in the United States post-2010, and its dispersal and discovery amongst vinyl collectors in the west. I additionally argue that late globalization via the internet has fulfilled a certain set of desires of Zamrock artists’; however, I also critique music streaming platforms and their fine line of perpetuating colonial power structures in music

Medical Trauma in Pediatric and Adult Patients with Crohn\u27s and Ulcerative Colitis

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a term that is used to classify Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. It is abundantly clear from past literature that hospitalizations and surgery can lead to PTSD (Taft et al., 2019). However, past research has not examined the impact that smaller procedures, such as infusions, can have on an individual’s mental health. Patients at Connecticut Children’s Infusion Center were recruited during their infusion appointments. After obtaining consent, patients completed questionnaires measuring their felt stigma and concealment, PTSD, and depression and anxiety symptoms. The research team completed medical chart reviews to identify the types of medications participants were taking and the amount of blood draws and infusions they have had in the past year. Our hypotheses were (1) repeated micro-medical procedures will be positively associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in individuals with Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, and (2) repeated micro-medical procedures will be positively associated with symptoms of medical trauma in individuals with Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis. Hypothesis one was not supported. However, there was a positive correlation between number of medication types and PTSD symptoms in pediatric patients and adult patients, which is consistent with hypothesis two. Specifically, pediatric patients who were taking rectally-administered medication had higher PTSD scores than patients who were not. Surprisingly, we did not find associations between PTSD scores and patients’ number of blood draws and infusions or between micro-medical procedures and anxiety and depression

Windows of the World: Postmodern Urbanism in Los Angeles and Shenzhen

This work draws upon the ideas of Edward Soja and other spatial theorists to compare the postmodern urban development of Los Angeles and Shenzhen, China. Both cities have undergone rapid growth and become major urban metropolises, offering potential paradigmatic forms for contemporary urban studies. The thesis is based on the ideas of the LA School of Urbanism, of which Soja was a part, and reviews the school’s collective case for Los Angeles as a paradigmatic city for the postmodern age. This work then compares this account of Los Angeles with Shenzhen, a city that has risen from nothing to one of the most prominent cities in China in the last 50 years. I find that both cities exhibit similarly postmodern traits, with Shenzhen appearing as a manifestation of the other side of the globalization spurred by cities like Los Angeles. I conclude with a discussion of the continuing utility of Soja’s work and the postmodern label for contemporary urban development

From Maiden to Malevolence: Marriage, Motherhood and the Descension to Evil

In the realm of folklore and storytelling, fairy tales have long captivated audiences with their enchanting tales and timeless themes. Originating from oral tradition and having been passed down from generation to generation, these short stories have evolved into a cornerstone of literature and culture, helping nurture the imaginations of children and adults alike. However, fairy tales have never been mere bedtime stories. They have become a very effective means of exerting power over women and maintaining gender inequality, for beneath the surface of these seemingly innocent narratives lie carefully crafted and deeply rooted misconceptions about both sex and gender, which have been imprinted on readers from the time they were young and often persist into adulthood. In particular, the portrayal of women and their roles within these narratives as either good or evil further reinforces this binary gender system, limiting the agency and autonomy of female characters, and villainizing all women who fail to conform to such a system. Accordingly, this dissertation will attempt to unravel the complex layers of female characterizations in some of the most famous and enduring fairy tales, and examine the subtler forms of social manipulation that they employ. Through a thorough investigation of the classic tale Snow White and a close read of several of its different iterations from Paul Sébillot’s “Les Bas enchantés” to the Grimm Brothers’ “Schneewitchen”, I hope to better understand the relationship between Snow White and the “Evil” Queen and how this figure has evolved over time from biological mother to stepmother as part of a larger movement to protect the sanctity of motherhood and vilify the childless woman. In addition, I hope to shed light on the ways in which these fairy tales contribute to a mercantile reward system that views marriage as the pinnacle of a woman’s achievement, and the broader ways in which such a system helps to encourage discord and further destroy the bonds between women. By delving into the underlying issues of competition between female characters and the reward system that is centered around marriage as the most important moment of a women’s life, I aim to challenge the traditional narrative that is set forth by these tales and instead suggest that marriage marks the transition of women from young and well-mannered heroines to the old and wicked antagonists that they fear

What is the Deal with Federal Student Loans?

Student loan debt is in the trillions. So why aren\u27t Americans more mad about that? This thesis explores the how the submerged nature of student loan policy shapes the politics around it. Suzanne Mettler suggest that federal student loan policy is part of the submerged state where Americans do not see the role of government within the student loan program. However, I argue that this is not that reason. I argue and show through an original survey that the role of federal student loan servicers is actually what is hidden about federal student loan policy. And that revealing the role of federal student loan servicers to survey respondents has actually resulted in their changing perspective on student loan policy in general and the role of federal student loan servicers

Mapping Asian and Asian-American Community Formations in Hartford Through Culturally-Related Businesses

Hartford has been recognized as a global city through its diverse ethnic population and cultural formations consisting of Native American, Black, Latinx, Puerto Rican, and Afro-Caribbean communities. Yet, scholars have not yet fully explored Asian and Asian-American community formations in Hartford and how these communities have contributed to Hartford’s global interconnectedness. Through my senior thesis research, I aim to address this gap by highlighting the importance of Asian community formations through Asian-owned business and food practices in the Hartford region. In this context, my research asks: How are Asian diasporic and Asian-American community formations visible in Hartford through culturally-related businesses and socioeconomic practices? What transnational linkages are made in Asian-owned businesses surrounding food and food culture? How do these businesses contribute to the visibility of smaller Asian populations in Hartford as a global city and Connecticut? In this project, I analyze three Southeast Asian diasporas: Vietnamese, Filipino, and Thai. For the methodology of my research, I first reviewed the data pertaining to Asian immigration and Asian-owned food businesses in the U.S. and Connecticut to establish the context of my research. I then engaged in archival research from The Hartford Courant to explore how Vietnamese, Filipino, and Thai communities have been reported on by the local media. Finally, I conducted nine semi-structured interviews with Asian food business owners between December 2023 and February 2024. By combining these three methodologies, I weave a storytelling narrative throughout this project with personal histories from the individuals, families, and businesses from Vietnamese, Filipino, and Thai backgrounds to share in the intimate stories of culture, displacement, immigration, and identity. Asian-owned food businesses in Hartford can offer insights into the histories of Asian immigration, entrepreneurship, familial aspirations, and transnational diasporic crossings that are not easily visible in the historical documentation of Asian diasporic communities

Evaluating How Rhetoric Around Real Estate Relates to Urban Schooling

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore people’s language regarding neighborhoods and schools by analyzing comments in the New York Times real estate posting’s comment section. This study used framing theory to understand the close analysis of these comments. The use of close analysis, looking at how the comments were framed based on alignment or non-alignment with urban poverty theory and systemic racism theory, allowed commenters’ underlying ideologies to emerge. As such, this research examined participants’ language to see if it reflects critical awareness (or not) and/or a deeper historical knowledge of residential segregation. Specifically, this study seeks to link the rhetoric around urban areas to the rhetoric around urban schooling through its findings. The current study uncovers the stereotypes that commenters tend to rely on when describing perceived non-affluent areas and connect this finding around real estate to previous studies which have found similar stereotypes used in describing urban schools

Die Unfassbare Sprache

The Lineage of Language: The Minds of Hamann, Benjamin, and Heidegger Language, an essential part of human existence, is in its ubiquity almost impossible to define. This aspect of life, nearly absurd to confine into a simple definition, is crucial to the human understanding of being itself. The question of the origin of language began in the late 18th century with the German-language philosopher, Johann Georg Hamann, who criticized the Enlightenment for its reliance on reason alone. The notion that human existence, and therefore language can be grasped into a mere rational approach was similarly rejected by language philosopher Walter Benjamin. The philosophical lineage of the understanding of language continues with philosopher Martin Heidegger who, in his work, recognized the ambiguities and role of language within human existence. In my thesis, I will look to the work of three important German language philosophers, whose work on language attempts to understand it not as a simple “tool,” but as the possibility of being itself. Within the writing of J.G. Hamann, Aesthetica in Nuce: A Rhapsody in Cabbalistic Prose, and Julia G. Assaiante’s work, Body Language: Corporeality, Subjectivity, and Language in Johann Georg Hamann, I will review Hamann’s understanding of language as a translation from a divine language of creation to human language. The view of language as a divine translation paves the path for Walter Benjamin. In his work, The Task of the Translator, On Language as Such and on the Language of Man, and Lament and Pure Language: Scholem, Benjamin and Kant, Benjamin’s understanding of a divine, or rather ‘pure’ language is delineated. Martin Heidegger throughout his work, Language, Poetry, Thought, depicts language as a mode through which beings are revealed to the world. Language, therefore, similarly to the insights of Hamann and Benjamin, cannot be restricted to a rational understanding. Through the complex lineage of language which was traced by the three German language philosophers, Hamann, Benjamin, and Heidegger, one will understand language, in its true essence, as ambiguously entangled within being itself