Appalachian Baptism: The Asheville Flood Of 1916

The Southern Appalachian flood of 1916 was no act of God. The actions of a few powerful white men added to the severity of the disaster. It ignited broad social discord and challenged the hegemony of Asheville’s elites. The socio-economic priorities of city leaders shifted. Tourism received the full support of Asheville’s government leaders as river-based industries declined. As a result, hundreds of laborers, both black and white, lost their jobs, homes, and places in society. This story is about class, race, and the rise of industrial capitalism in America. It also adds to historiography detailed analysis of the natural disasters that shaped regional societies.In 1916, Asheville boasted a balanced economy supported by industrial pursuits. Yet, by the 1930s, Asheville suffered immensely during the Great Depression because of that period of unwarranted speculation from which the city never recovered. This study discusses the futility of the belief in the boundless potential of the environment, wealth, and social power structures in early twentieth century capitalist societies. Asheville’s leaders responded conservatively to the flood, which led to further marginalization of vulnerable segments of the population and industries

The Vanishing Frontier: Economic and Social Change in Western North Carolina, 1945-1970

This dissertation works to integrate the growth of regional tourism into the existing historiography of economic development in Appalachia and the postwar American South. Regional leaders introduced an economic transition throughout western North Carolina that emphasized the growth of regional tourism. By centering this study on the growth of regional tourism, this research also analyzes regional boosters’ efforts to manufacture and commodify a racialized and classed folk culture within the region for tourist consumption. In the late nineteenth century, journalists and folklorists had emphasized the deviance of mountain life and simultaneously romanticized the area as a land of rugged, white frontiersmen. Regional leaders during the postwar period embraced many of the romanticized aspects of this Appalachian stereotype in tourist promotions. These narratives also served a political purpose, reinforcing the economic changes that regional leaders initiated and strengthening their calls for various political changes they facilitated in the name of economic development

Dimensions of flexibility in apparel production

The purpose of this study was to inductively describe dimensions of flexibility in apparel manufacturing. Using qualitative methods, 38 interviews of apparel production consultants and managers were conducted in a variety of settings throughout the United States and in Honduras. Eighteen apparel production plants were toured. Attendance at two apparel research centers, three apparel production seminars, an apparel research conference, and a major apparel production trade show contributed to the study in the form of knowledge, documents, introductions to informants, and observations of apparel production equipment and techniques. Sales of the referent apparel firms ranged from 2.5 million to over \500 million. All of the informants had experiences with flexibility and had high levels of knowledge about apparel and soft goods production. Through content analysis of data across conceptual categories, a grounded theory of flexibility within apparel firms emerged;Flexibility in apparel production was defined as transitional capacity: the ability to accommodate the variation in quantitative and qualitative demand for apparel products. Apparel producers go through a process of earning transitional capacity that begins with the recognition of demand variation and the need for change. Concomitantly, the identification of adaptive variants, the development of mechanisms to assess risk and determine the value of adaptive variants, and the cultivation of performance measures that support process variation are undertaken;The major barriers to the development of production flexibility were found to be structural, functional, and cognitive. Examples of barriers include bureaucratic inflexibility, incompliance of specialized production processes and equipment, and the mechanistic view of apparel production that has supported the productivity paradigm of the progressive bundle system and its piece-rate incentive assumptions;As producers face profound environmental diversity and demand variation, they have increased their range of products and reduced their cycle times by adaptively using a variety of behavioral techniques: computerized technologies, variation in production processes, professional development of labor, sourcing of materials and products, changing organizational structures, and development of vendor-retailer networks. Producers essentially earn transitional capacity through an intensive process of knowledge acquisition and dramatic changes in the structures, functions, and ways of thinking within their firms

Examining systemic and dispositional factors impacting historically disenfranchised schools across North Carolina

This mixed method sequential explanatory study provided analysis of North Carolina (NC) school leaders’ dispositions in eliminating opportunity gaps, outlined in NC’s strategic plan. The study’s quantitative phase used descriptive and correlation analysis of eight Likert subscales around four tenets of transformative leadership (Shields, 2011) and aspects of critical race theory (Bell, 1992; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 2006) to understand systemic inequities and leadership attitudes. The qualitative phase comprised three analyses of education leadership dispositions and systemic factors in NC schools. The first analysis of State Board of Education meeting minutes from 2018–2023 quantified and analyzed utterances of racism and critical race, outlined the sociopolitical context of such utterances, and identified systemic patterns and state leader dispositions. The second analysis of five interviews of K–12 graduates identified persistent and systemic factors influencing NC education 3 decades after Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and within the context of Leandro v. State of NC (1997), where the NC Supreme Court recognized the state constitutional right for every student to access a “sound basic education.” The final qualitative analysis consisted of five interviews of current NC public school system leaders, for personal narratives of the state of NC schools compared to patterns from lived experiences of NC K–12 graduates. The study’s findings suggested NC school and state education leaders experience a racialized dichotomy between willingness for change (equity intentions) and execution of transformative action (practice). Although leaders at the board and school levels recognize the need for inclusivity and equity, a struggle to transcend systemic challenges, especially rooted in racial biases and power dynamics is evident. This study may identify leadership qualities needed for change in NC to address systemic inequities for improving educational access and inform policy to uphold all students’ constitutional right to a sound, basic education

The Image Betrays More than It Reveals: Inter(ior) Views from Women of Color on Identity and Social and Academic Experiences in Higher Education

This dissertation proposes a further conceptualization of intersectional identity as a fundamental topic in education reform research. Overlaying the theoretical lenses of Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, a modified narrative inquiry methodology was used to investigate the self-perceived identities among seven women of color, who are alumnae of an all-girls secondary school, in their current context of higher education. Analysis of data from in-depth, open-ended interviews, a focus group interview, and a fictional writing sample illuminated the role of meaning-making capacity in determining the extent to which contextual influences shape self-perceptions of gender, race, and other emergent identities at their intersection. This study explored the meaning-making capacity of its participants and the implicit frameworks of understanding around intersecting identities, revealing epistemic accounts that can help address the relationship between knowledge, power, and political change. Implications for research, education, and practice are discussed

Quem é a mulher que empreende no Brasil? : perspectivas da psicodinâmica do trabalho feminino

Tese (doutorado ) — Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicologia Clínica e Cultura, 2022.O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de propor uma nova perspectiva sobre a realidade do trabalho do empreendedorismo feminino no Brasil, com contribuições da Psicodinâmica do Trabalho. Considerando que as realidades de homens e mulheres são diferentes histórica, social e profissionalmente, os estudos sobre esse tema podem subsidiar o debate sobre o mercado de trabalho, a economia globalizada, bem como o papel que as mulheres, especialmente, as empreendedoras desempenham nesses contextos econômicos. Inicialmente, foi escrito um histórico do cenário do Empreendedorismo Brasileiro e, também, discorreu-se sobre como a Psicodinâmica do Trabalho pode contribuir com o desenvolvimento deste tema. Então, foi realizada uma revisão de literatura com o objetivo de identificar o perfil metodológico das pesquisas brasileiras sobre a temática do empreendedorismo feminino. Posteriormente, foi realizado um estudo analisando as palavras específicas dos resumos de artigos científicos em periódicos indexados com o tema mulheres no empreendedorismo. A partir de então, foi realizada uma entrevista piloto com onze mulheres empreendedoras do Distrito Federal. Em seguida, a análise foi dividida em três etapas: pré-análise, análise dos dados e discussão dos resultados. Por fim, foi realizado um estudo nacional com mulheres empreendedoras das 5 regiões brasileiras – Norte, Nordeste, Centro-Oeste, Sul, Sudeste, totalizando 25 mulheres entrevistadas. O último estudo mostra a diversidade da amostra, com empreendedoras que atuam em diferentes áreas e também destaca a mesma dificuldade comum denominada eupreneurship, em que o trabalhador teve que adotar múltiplos papéis e tarefas para exercer a atividade. A tese é encerrada com as considerações finais.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) .The present work aims to propose a new perspective about female entrepreneurship work’s reality in Brazil, with contributions of the psychodynamics of work. Considering that the realities of men and women are different historically, socially, and professionally studies about this theme could support the debate about the labor market, along with its global economy, as well as the role that women entrepreneurs play within these economic contexts. It has been written a background historical of Brazilian Entrepreneurship scenario as well as how Psychodynamic of Work could contribute with the discussion and development of this theme. Initially, a literature review was carried out in order to identify the methodological profile of Brazilian research on the theme of female entrepreneurship. Second, a study was conduted analyzing the particular words when researchers are speaking about women in entrepreneurship. Subsequently, a pilot interview was conducted with eleven women entrepreneurs in the Federal District. After that, the analysis was split into three stages: pre-analysis, data analysis and discussion of the results. Finally, a national study was conduted with entrepreneurship women from the 5 Brazilian regions – North, Northeast, Midwest, South, Southeast, totaling 25 women interviewed. The last study shows the diversity of the sample, with entrepreneurs who work in different areas and also highlights the same common difficulty called eupreneurship, in which the worker had to adopt multiple roles and tasks to perform the activity. The thesis is closed with the final considerations.RIASSUNTO : Il presente lavoro ha l'obiettivo di proporre una nuova prospettiva sulla realtà dell'imprenditoria femminile in Brasile, con contributi della Psicodinamica del Lavoro. Considerando che le realtà di uomini e donne sono diverse storicamente, socialmente e professionalmente, studi su questo tema potrebbero supportare il dibattito sul mercato del lavoro, insieme alla sua economia globale, nonché sul ruolo che le donne imprenditrici svolgono all'interno di questi contesti economici. È stato scritto un background storico dello scenario dell'imprenditoria brasiliana e come la psicodinamica del lavoro potrebbe contribuire alla discussione e allo sviluppo di questo tema. Inizialmente, la revisione della letteratura è stata effettuata al fine di identificare il profilo metodologico della ricerca brasiliana sul tema dell'imprenditoria femminile. In secondo luogo, lo studio è stato condotto analizzando le parole particolari quando i ricercatori parlano di donne nell'imprenditorialità. Successivamente, l'intervista pilota è stata condotta con undici imprenditrici del Distretto Federale. Successivamente, l'analisi è stata suddivisa in tre fasi: pre-analisi, analisi dei dati e discussione dei risultati. Infine, è stato condotto uno studio nazionale con donne imprenditrici provenienti dalle 5 regioni brasiliane: Nord, Nordest, Midwest, Sud, Sud-est, per un totale di 25 donne intervistate. L'ultimo studio mostra la diversità del campione, con imprenditori che lavorano in ambiti diversi ed evidenzia anche la stessa difficoltà comune chiamata eupreneurship, in cui il lavoratore doveva assumere più ruoli e compiti per svolgere l'attività. La tesi si chiude con le considerazioni finali

Ustna interpretacja tekstów literackich jako metoda nauczania literatury : z teorii i praktyki nauczania literatury amerykańskiej na filologii angielskiej

This dissertation involves the oral interpretation of literary texts as a method of teaching literature. It offers historical information about the development of the method and its application in education. In addition, it describes the main approaches to oral interpretation in the light of American literary criticism. This method has been applied in teaching American literature at the State Higher Vocational School of Professional Studies (Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa) in Nowy Sącz. Included are sample analyses of a poem, a short story, and a play, and the criteria of choice of literary texts. The dissertation aims to contribute to the discussion of creative methods meant to make literature alive for both teachers and students

A Museum of Bottled Sentiments: the ‘beautiful pain syndrome’ in twenty-first century Black South African theatre making

Includes bibliographical references.This study is about contemporary black theatre makers and theatre making in the 'now moment'; this moment of recovery and gradual transition after the fall of apartheid in South Africa. The 'now moment', for these theatre makers, is characterized by a deliberate journey inward, in a struggle towards self-determination. The 'now moment' is the impulse prompting the 'beautiful pain syndrome', and through performances of uncomfortable attachments and rites of passage, generates and dwells in the syndrome. Uncomfortable attachments are unsettlement and anxiety wrought by the difficulty of the 'now moment'. These manifest in the work of Black South African-based contemporary theatre makers, Mandla Mbothwe, Awelani Moyo, Mamela Nyamza and Asanda Phewa, within the duality of the 'beautiful pain syndrome'. The 'beautiful pain syndrome' is a cultural dis-ease revealed by the individual theatre makers through the aesthetic interpretation, or beautiful consideration of inherently painful material – a condition or predicament that best contains and yet attempts to unpack this shifting impulse of the 'now' moment. The works around which this study revolves, namely Mbothwe's Ingcwaba lendoda lise cankwe ndlela (the grave of the man is next to the road) (2009), Moyo's Huroyi Hwang – De/Re Composition (2007), Nyamza's Hatched (2009) and Phewa's A Face Like Mine (2008) are rites of passage works, representing a passage or transition from one phase of life to another, which occurs on multiple levels. Through guiding thinking tools, which include intuition, my own positioning, observation and comparative and cultural performance analysis, the four selected works are described, probed and, interrogated; with their purposes and poetics investigated and articulated in different ways. The study does not complete the assignment of unpacking the four works but continues to wonder and worry at them, while investigating a particular aesthetic of dis-ease through the artistic assemblage of symbolic categories. These rites of passage works reflect or echo the transitions in the country's shifting identity, along with the identities of the individuals who inhabit it