Lunatics and Idiots: Treatment of the Mentally Ill and Mentally Disabled Population in the Rio Grande Valley, 1860-1962

This thesis analyzes the conditions the mentally ill and mentally disabled population in the Rio Grande Valley faced during the era of the asylum in the United States, from 1860 until 1962. The treatment options for the citizens of the Rio Grande Valley are compared with the treatment of the mentally ill in the nation as a whole, as well as in the state of Texas. The Rio Grande Valley has been geographically distant from large population centers, and the state of Texas neglected to place any state-funded health care centers in the region until the 1960\u27s. The Rio Grande Valley is culturally distinct from much of the United States because of its proximity to the border with Mexico. The intermarriage of cultures and faiths at the border allowed for the practice of curanderismo (faith healing) to thrive in the region. Evidence points to the fact that ethnic Mexicans in the region felt excluded from professional medical treatment, and preferred spiritual treatment for mental illness, which they believed was a spiritual condition

Jargons and Pidgins and Creoles, Oh My!

Linguistics, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is “the science of studying language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and historical linguistics” (OED.com). Within this field, the study of pidgin and creole languages is the source of much controversy and disagreement. Due to their divergence from typical linguistic features and development patterns, pidgins and creoles have long been ignored by the linguistics community. Considered by many to be “inferior, haphazard, broken” versions of “older, more established languages,” these so-called “bastard tongues” were written off as unworthy of study (Todd 1). Only recently have these forms of language garnered interest from linguistic scholars known as Creolists. However, compared to their more respected and recognized counterparts, the study of pidgins and creoles remains incomplete. Modern Creolists are able to agree neither on the accepted definitions for the terms pidgin and creole nor on the status of a number of languages claiming to be either of the aforementioned terms (Muysken and Smith 3). While usually studied together, the terms pidgin and creole are used to distinguish between two very different and unique forms of speech and language (“The Origins of Pidgin” 1)

An Investigation into the Decline in the Use of Fresh Potatoes and the Increased Demand for Processed Potato Products in the Foodservice Sector in the Leinster Area

The aim of this article is to examine the decline in use of fresh potatoes and the increased demand for processed potato products in the foodservice sector in Leinster. The study focused on the consumption and use of potatoes by chefs, restauranteurs, hoteliers, and managers in the foodservice sector. This was achieved by a survey questionnaire of one hundred and ten establishments of which sixty-five responded. The research also involved examination of background information and past literature, investigating when the decline of the potato occurred and the cause of that decline, and comparing data from the retail sector to the foodservice sector. The survey results indicate that the foodservice sector has increased its sales of fresh potatoes and this seems to be driven by consumer demand. Consumption of fresh potatoes is stable and in fact growing. The survey also indicates that there is little demand for processed potato products in the foodservice sector

The Bard and The Word: the influence of the Bible on the writings of William Shakespeare

Widely hailed as the single greatest writer and poet of the English language, William Shakespeare is not only revered for the sheer quantity and wide-ranging genres of his writing, but also the exceptional written quality, well-executed thematic diversity, and ability to explore the timelessness of the human experience. With the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible occurring in 2011 and the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death following in 2016, scholarship on Shakespeare’s use of biblical material underwent a significant resurgence. The focus of much of this scholarship has been on simply identifying the numerous references rather than on attempting to determine why Shakespeare chose to include these specific references and, more importantly, what larger purpose they serve within the plays. As the plays written between 1600 and 1606 are widely recognized by critics as Shakespeare’s most biblical, they are ideal for studying his motivations and the different effects his biblical borrowings have on both his original and modern audiences. By examining Othello (1602) and Measure for Measure (1603), it becomes clear that Shakespeare intentionally employed biblical elements in his plays to add deeper levels of meaning and implications for audience members, thus making a thorough knowledge of biblical material essential to fully enjoying the richness of Shakespeare’s dramatic works. As modern audiences have grown increasingly biblically illiterate, the moral and emotional significances of the biblical elements Shakespeare employs are often overlooked or misinterpreted, causing contemporary audiences to be unable to fully grasp the additional levels of meaning these passages add to his plays. Only when these plays are viewed with careful attention being paid to the biblical elements can the full weight of Shakespeare’s intended message be felt

Uncertainty aversion in Australian regulation of agricultural gene technology

There is potential for over-provision of environmental harms and under-provision of environmental benefits associated with GM crops. As a result, strong public regulation is needed to ensure that full social values are considered. However, one reason for opposition to GM crops is a lack of public trust in regulatory institutions and science, and the limited opportunities afforded to public-participation and nonscientific concerns. We aim to demonstrate the trade-off between social cost and managing the risks of gene flow arising from environmental release of GM canola in Australia, using the framework of a probabilistic risk assessment and safety-rule decision mechanism.safety-rule, uncertainty, biotechnology regulation, canola, Crop Production/Industries, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Risk and Uncertainty,

Student and Instructor Experiences with Types of Teaching and Learning in a Computer Course

Research has shown that active classroom engagement increases the learning performance of students in higher education (Cross, 2000; Reese, 2013). This study sought to examine the experiences of students and instructor in a computer applications course in which the pedagogy was changed to encourage additional interaction among students and between students and the instructor. The goal of the study was to generate useful, practical knowledge (Reason & Bradbury, 2001) to help the instructor better understand her pedagogy with the intention of improving both her teaching practice and student learning outcomes, as well as to contribute to related literature in adult education, collaborative learning, and research on effective pedagogies in higher education. Peters and Armstrong’s (1998) typology of teaching and learning served as the framework for introduction of two additional types of pedagogies (discussion groups and collaborative learning) into a course traditionally taught utilizing predominately only one type of pedagogy (lecture). Students were interviewed immediately after the course ended and asked to describe their experiences in the course. Results showed that what stood out for students were the positive learning atmosphere, time spent getting to know one another, increased interactions among students and between students and the instructor, attention to process, and awareness of applications of course-related knowledge and skills to work environments. Instructor notes and observations were used as additional data sources to capture her experiences. She reported that she grew as an instructor and a person by forging ahead into new territory, despite anxieties, and practiced new teaching and learning types with her students. Because of the experience, she reported being more confident and a better instructor and facilitator of her own and others’ learning. Results led to the incorporation of discussion groups and collaborative learning into the instructor’s course in spreadsheet applications. Implications for future research were identified, including the need to replicate this study in similar content areas in other higher education settings