Post-Conversion Experiences of African-American Male Sunni Muslims: Community Integration and Masculinity in Twenty-First Century Philadelphia

African American males form the largest category of converts to Sunni Islam in the US. This study aimed at understanding the ways in which the conversion process impacted social connections, both preexisting connections and creation and fostering of new ones post-conversion. This study sought to capture this understanding from the perspective of the converts themselves, in their own voices. Specifically, this study explored the ways in which conversion to Sunni Islam among African American men living in Philadelphia impacted their relationships with family members, friends, neighborhood members, those in the broader African American community, and in places of employment. This study was exploratory in nature and consisted of a total of 26 in-depth interviews. The primary data consisted of 21 interviews conducted with converts. An additional 5 interviews, conducted with key informants, formed a second data source and served to contextualize the findings that emerged from the primary data source. Efforts were made to interview participants representing a diversity of ages, lengths of time converted, and denominational affiliations. Several key findings emerged from this data. In light of the processual nature of religious conversion, the degree of religious intensification was found to be associated with the degree to which converts had traversed the boundary of their faith. Denominational affiliation was found to be important for understanding post-conversion experiences as adherents from different theological perspectives oriented their day-to-day lives in notable ways in respect to different criteria. The primary line of demarcation was found to be between fundamentalist and more moderate groups. Finally, it was found that prolonged exposure to Muslims in the city has led to nonpersonalized-acceptance, the acceptance of Muslims in the physical space of Philadelphia; this has served to curtail excessively negative reactions towards Muslims by non-Muslims in the various domains of community life, yet it appears that this acceptance has been limited to the physical realm and that true acceptance and integration are relatively speaking, lacking. The acceptance and integration to date however is suggestive of a process by which marginalized organizations with rigid boundaries began to diffuse into their broader communities and gain full acceptance

On the Stephen Macedo and John Finnis Exchange: Natural Law, Liberalism, and Homosexuality: A Critical Assessment

This essay is an exploration of the debate between John Finnis and Stephen Macedo on the value of homosexuality. In “Is Natural Law Theory Compatible with Limited Government?” Finnis, a natural law theorist, rejects value-neutralist arguments, stating that the political community can and should make value judgments about its members’ life-choices and that such normative evaluations are compatible with liberalism. Particularly, Finnis argues that homosexuality is in its essence always harmful and degrading, thus unable to participate in the basic human goods it imitates. Furthermore, he argues that the political community in liberal democratic societies is justified in discouraging homosexual conduct as a viable way of life. Macedo, while also rejecting pure value-neutralist liberalism, carefully considers but rejects Finnis’s argument, which rests on an unrealistic description of value and ends of human sexual activity

Corrosion-protective coatings from electrically conducting polymers

In a joint effort between NASA Kennedy and LANL, electrically conductive polymer coatings were developed as corrosion protective coatings for metal surfaces. At NASA Kennedy, the launch environment consist of marine, severe solar, and intermittent high acid and/or elevated temperature conditions. Electrically conductive polymer coatings were developed which impart corrosion resistance to mild steel when exposed to saline and acidic environments. Such coatings also seem to promote corrosion resistance in areas of mild steel where scratches exist in the protective coating. Such coatings appear promising for many commercial applications

A Phenomenological Investigation of African American Male Veterans’ Experience of Social Connection

This research project examines the experience of African American male veterans’ social connections with other veterans. Social connection has been found to be a key factor in promoting positive health outcomes and overall well-being. In addition, social connection involves not only a sense of being connected to others but can also include feelings of exclusion. Given the increasing health disparities of between African American and White men, and of our nation’s veteran population, greater attention to factors that promote well-being are essential. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of social connection of African American male veterans from the post-9/11 era. The study included in-depth interviews with four African American male veterans. In keeping with hermeneutic phenomenology, the study sought to explore the experience and meaning of African American male social connections, both during their time when enlisted in the military, and subsequently as veterans. While other studies have looked at social connection among family units, this study addressed social connections between veterans. To date no research has examined post-9/11 African American or Black men’s experience of social connection. Through the analysis six themes were identified: Racial Tension and Support, Striving against a Racialized Black Body, Hopeful Future through Possible Change, Security in Social Connection, Masculinity, and Power dynamics in the military and as veterans

Differential Effects of Understory and Overstory Gaps on Tree Regeneration

Gaps in the forest canopy can increase the diversity of tree regeneration. Understory shrubs also compete with tree seedlings for limited resources and may depress tree recruitment. We compared effects of shrub removal and canopy windthrow gaps on seedling recruitment and understory resource levels. Shrub removal, with the canopy left intact, was associated with increased levels of understory light and soil moisture and coincided with increased species richness and diversity of tree regeneration compared to both control plots and canopy gaps. Canopy windthrow gaps, however, resulted in a more than 500 fold increase in soil nitrate concentrations, and seedling growth rates that were twice as high as that observed with shrub removal. Our results suggest that gaps in the understory shrub layer and the overstory canopy may have complementary effects on resource availability with corresponding benefits to seedling establishment and growth