This research focuses on the reproduction and adaptation of Khmer (Cambodian) classical dance and its role in the maintenance and transmission of culture in the Cambodian community of Long Beach, California. The term “reproduction” is used because this cultural art form has been modified and influenced by a wide range of events in Khmer history, including the period when the Khmer Rouge, a communist group, seized control of Cambodia. The genocide of the Khmer Rouge resulted in the death of nearly two million Cambodians, including 90 percent of Khmer classical dancers. The life threatening atmosphere in Cambodia, as well as the cultural suppression experienced, led to the mass displacement of Cambodians who sought refuge in Long Beach, California. Upon their arrival in Long Beach, Cambodians began to reestablish their cultural practices, including Khmer classical dance, which had been prohibited during the Khmer Rouge period. The purpose of this research is to observe Khmer classical dance and the success of its reproduction and transmission in Long Beach. This research is based on data collected from participant-observation and personal interviews at Khmer Arts Academy (a non-profit dance studio), and observations at the Cambodian Art and Culture Exhibition, held November 2011. After studying Khmer classical dance in Long Beach, I have developed conclusions with regard to the significance and need for dance in the Cambodian community. My data suggests that performing Khmer classical dance at cultural events, celebrations, and festivals allows Cambodians to ensure the transmission and maintenance of their culture, and illustrates their success in sustaining and reclaiming their cultural identity.

It is estimated that an average of 1 in every 110 children in the United States is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This makes Autism currently one of the most prevalent childhood disorders facing the nation. As such, Autism impacts not only the child, but the families, friends and others involved. This research focuses on the siblings of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, often labeled as “typically developing” siblings. One of the longest lasting relationships that an individual with Autism may have is with their sibling(s). Therefore, it is important to understand in more detail the perceptions and experiences of these “typically developing” siblings. This research addresses the question: How do individuals with autistic siblings feel Autism Spectrum Disorder impacts their lives and social relationships? Research methods included interviews with siblings, parents and health care specialist involved with individuals with autism to learn about their personal experiences. In addition,  participant oberservation was accomplished by attending support groups for siblings of individuals with disabilities including, Autism Spectrum Disorder. There is an ample amount of research focusing on the causes and cures of Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, this project atttempts to shift the focus to the social relationships impacted by the disorder. Ultimately, this research explored some of the under researched social implications in an effort to highlight the hidden impacts of Autism. 

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection and some types have been linked to cervical cancer. Approximately twenty million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and an additional six million will become infected next year. In 2006 a vaccine was approved to protect against certain types of HPV. This research seeks to understand the attitudes and beliefs surrounding the decision to be vaccinated. Specifically, the research will examine how perceived risk of infection by HPV has affected the vaccination decisions in the unique cohort of women who were above the recommended vaccination age when it was first released. Through focus groups and anonymous, online questionnaires involving undergraduate women in Seattle, this research examines factors, especially sexual contact, that affect perceived risk. This investigation is repeated with a cohort of undergraduate men of the same age in Seattle in an effort to explore any possible differences in perceptions that seem to be polarized by gender. By uncovering young adult perceptions of HPV vulnerability, this project can provide insight to future public health work related to HPV vaccines and other sexually transmitted infections.

Geoarchaeological analysis of sediments collected during recent excavations of Khao Toh Chong, (KTC), rockshelter in Southwestern Thailand has provided detailed results describing the natural and cultural processes influencing site formation and occupation. This region has a complex history of sea level change during the Holocene but the prehistoric human responses to these changes are not well understood. Palaeoclimate records are sparse because of the lack of typical proxies such as pollen cores. To better understand the human-environment relationship in prehistory, this study characterized the sediment profile and utilized changes in stable carbon isotope ratios of soil organic matter (SOM)  to identify and interpret shifts between ancient C3 and C4 vegetation communities. These two types of plant communities may indicate palaeoclimatic conditions with periods dominated by C3 plants representing cool, wet, and cloudy climates and periods dominated by C4 plants representing hot, dry environments. The stable isotope data are interpreted in context of other geoarchaeological analysis and the material culture recovered from the site. This is the first study of stable carbon isotopes in SOM at an archaeological site in mainland Southeast Asia. These palaeoclimate and archaeological data, in combination with sea level data, give us a more detailed understanding of the human-environment dynamics in this region.

Pelvic morphology varies between quadrupedal and bipedal primates due to locomotor behavior.  Flat, posteriorly oriented ilial blades and narrow bi-acetabular distances characterize terrerstrial quadrupeds, while bipeds have curved blades with wider acetabular distance.  While both groups exhibit an orthograde body plan, an ancestal characteristic for arboreality, humans as bipeds have modified this for a terrestrial environment.  Due to the constraints of parturition, human females have been shown to have wider bi-acetabular distances than males, but whether or not their interspinous distance or bi-iliac breadth is different remains to be determined.  The main objective of this study was to evaluate bi-iliac, interspinous, and bi-acetabular breadth in human males and females, using macaques, as the quadrupedal comparison group. Using Osirix imaging software, these pelvic dimensions were measured from the radiographs of 10 human males and females, and 11 adult macaques.  Since macaques only show sexual size dimorphism in the pelvis, we did not distinguish between sexes.  From the average dimensions, three ratios were calculated (bi-iliac breadth/interspinous distance (BI/IS), bi-iliac breadth/bi-acetabular distance (BI/BA), interspinous distance/bi-acetabular distance (IS/BA)). Sex and species differences were examined statistically using Stata (StataCorp, College Station, Texas).  As expected, the ratios in macaques were significantly different than humans (all p’s < 0.001). While human bi-iliac breadth and interspinous distance was greater than bi-acetabular distance (all p’s < 0.001), macaques showed nearly identical proportions in the three measurements.  These findings reflect different locomotor patterns morphologically shown by the transition between vertically oriented iliac blades to more anteriorly wrapped iliac blades.  Between males and females, females differed from men in bi-iliac/interspinous ratio (p = 0.038).  Unexpectedly, the sexes did not differ in the other two ratios.  Like macaques, humans did not show evident sexual dimorphism in relative pelvic proportions.  

Homo floresiensis exhibits lower limb morphology that is different from that of H. sapiens, leading some to conclude that gait would be different between the two species. For instance, the ratio of foot to fibular length in H. floresiensis is smaller than the ratio in modern humans, even after differences in body size are accounted. This increased foot length in H. floresiensis is thought to lead to a reduction in energy efficiency. In this study we artificially lengthened the foot of 8 women aged 18-30 years so that their ratio of foot to fibular length was similar to that of H. floresiensis. This was accomplished by creating a foot extension device (FED). Participants walked unshod on a treadmill at five self-selected and randomized velocities. Each velocity was maintained for five minutes, with a four-minute rest period between velocities while the volumetric rate of oxygen consumption (VO2) was assessed with a SensorMedics Vmax29 metabolic cart. We then increased the foot length with the FED and the participants walk at three self-selected velocities. The cost of transport (CoT) curve for each participant was calculated from their normal and FED walking trials. Walking with the FED did not change CoT (p > 0.05). From this result, we conclude that lengthening the foot to the proportion seen in H. floresiensis does not change walking energetics.

People always say ‘never talk about religion at a party,’ this is true even for college students. But if you’re a female in college, talking about religion is not only taboo, it’s unheard of. After being brought up by parents with two different ideologies, Christianity and Islam, I set out with this research project to better understand what role religion plays for my other female peers. Analyzing predominantly what their chosen theology means to their identity, how they advocate for their faith, how their ideology intersects with dating and what they perceive to be the biggest misconception about them for being religiously affiliated. I chose women who were students at UW from a variety of majors who identified with either Christian or Islamic based faiths, since this is where the majority of my previous research and experience has been. My primary methods were through long-form interviews, ethnographic observations and interacting with them on a daily basis as they moved their lives and their faith. Hearing about the challenges these women overcome on a daily basis just for identifying with a particular religion has solidified my hypothesis that ideology plays a pivotal role in their undergraduate career. Based on my research thus far, it has proven that it affects them in regards to their academics, involvement on campus and their interactions with their peers on campus. Further research will yield more information about the depth that these affects have taken. Overall, the outcomes have also been both surprising and inspirational to see how these women embrace, advocate and represent their faith. This work aims to open up and spark some dialogue about what religion means to college students and how societal framework does not always accurately represent these identities.

According to the World Health Organization, every year about 3.3 million babies are stillborn and more than 4 million die within 28 days of birth. Yet the death of a baby remains a very difficult subject in contemporary American society and bereavement interventions in perinatal medicine are still quite limited. This research will expand our understanding of the role photography plays in assisting parents with the process of mourning neonatal, perinatal, and infant death. By examining the perspectives of healthcare professionals, photographers, and parents in regard to the practice of bereavement photography, the research will investigate the ways in which photographs are used and transmitted, in both the private realm of bereaved families and the public domain of cyberspace. This study aims to understand how photography is used in the process of memory making and consequently, how the act of creating memories enables emotional healing. Finally, it will explore how bereavement photography exists at the junction of two shifts simultaneously occurring in cultural practices and social attitudes: the renegotiation of the boundaries between public and private, and the development of newer, characteristically modern, expressions of grief. This work has the potential to raise awareness about this developing mourning practice and increase the efficacy of bereavement interventions in neonatal and perinatal care, with the ultimate goal of providing a more widely available framework for helping parents cope with this hitherto often unspoken of, and invisible, loss.

Homo floresiensis diverges from the traditional morphological form associated with bipedalism: the size of their foot is long compared to the length of their femur. Here we examine the effect of lengthening the foot of modern humans to proportions like that seen in H. floresiensis on gait parameters. We hypothesize that the swing leg will need to be raised to allow the longer foot to clear the ground.  A sample of 8 women aged 18-30 years was used. A ratio of 0.87 (foot length / fibula length) was calculated using estimated measurements of the type specimen of H. floresiensis (LB1). A foot extension device (FED) was created to extend the feet of each participant. Each participant walked for a total of 10 trials at slow, preferred and fast velocities both with and without the FED. An 8-camera Qualisys system was used to measure the 3D trajectories of 3 markers placed of standard anatomical landmarks. The trajectory of the patella marker was analyzed to determine if there was a significant change in the height that the leg was raised while wearing the FED compared to without. Participants raised their right leg an average of 121 mm without the FED and 125 mm with, a nonsignificant difference (p = 0.446).  These results indicate that there is no significant change in the kinematics while walking with an extended foot, although a larger sample might reveal more subtle changes. Future work will include the analysis of more anatomical markers and larger sample sizes.

Identifying the sources of sediments that make up an archaeological site can be useful for understanding changes in site formation processes. Changes in site formation processes can relate to climate change and changes in the human use of the site. We analysed sediments from Klipfonteinrand, a Middle Stone Age site in western South Africa and sediments from seven potential source locations in the surrounding landscape. We used an acid digest procedure to extract elements from the sediments and identified and quantified 34 elements in the sediment extract using ICP-AES. Our results revealed elemental profiles of major geologic units in the landscape and changes in the source of sediments in the archaeological deposit. We explore the implications of these changes for our understanding of palaeoclimate, human history and human-environment relations at this site.

According to the 2011 Citizens’ Report Card on Washington State Education, 18 out of 100 Washington State kindergarteners continue with their education and eventually graduate from college. Within those numbers, there exists an achievement gap that divides along racial, ethnic, geographic and socio-economic fault lines. Despite decades of raised awareness on the issue and despite enormous efforts and billions of dollars in investments towards proposed “solutions”, this gap is actually widening in Washington State. Privileging an Applied Anthropological perspective, this research will investigate some of the roles that Community Based Organizations (CBO) play in addressing this pressing issue. With the intent to provide deliverable recommendation to the CBO for improvements and tangible steps towards holistic solutions, this project will examine ways in which the South Seattle Neighborhood is addressing the education deficit outside of the classroom. This project will employ Participant Action Research methods (such as peer-led focus groups, participant observation, photo-voice, and discourse analysis) within a a non-profit organization in the Jackson neighborhood that offers college planning advising and financial aid assistance. As a participant in their Mentor2College year long program, I will experience the program first hand as a mentor and will be able to lay that experience into the macro picture in an effort to provide recommendations to help the CBO provide more effective, culturally competent and more relevant services with quantifiable outcomes. 

The Svoboda Diaries project seeks to translate and digitize a nineteeth century travel diary written in Arabic by a nineteen-year-old European named Alexander Svoboda. The Newbook project is the second phase of the Svoboda Diaries Project. The first phase of this project focused on the development, transcription, and translation of the travel journal. Alexander Svoboda kept a thorough record of his journey including a trip with his family across the desert to Damascus, from there by train and boat to Cairo, then finally to Brindisi and Paris. Phase one of the project resulted in an XML mark-up text in both Arabic and English automatically rendered in HTML for web display together with notes and supporting materials such as maps, PDF's, rare books, and a Wikipedia associated with the site, referred to as a Svobodapedia, which organizes our rare materials into a easily accessible database. Presently our group is collecting and organizing images and genealogical material, to identify family members within the diary and lead to a better understanding of the Svoboda family and others who traveled with Alexander. Many factors have been undertaken on our road to publication, including correcting and regularizing the XML tagging and formatting to result in an errorless XML mark-up language. Finally, collaborating on a Newbook website, where text, supporting material, and a print-on-demand version of the text will be available to the public. The Newbook project is a collaborative effort, including research faculty, PhD students, and undergraduate researchers, the result of this this union has led to a more comprehensive approach to creating a visually interactive publication.

I am interested in the affect deforestation and globalization has on indigenous cultures, like that of the Wehea Dayak in Borneo, Indonesia. The deforestation that is a result of palm oil plantation production creates significant challenges for the indigenous community adjacent to the plantations, such as the Wehea Dayak. The Wehea Dayak experience cultural degradation, forced migration and monthly flooding linked to deforestation.  My research will explore the ripple effects of deforestation. Through participant observation and interviewing, I will research links between environmental degradation, poverty, and illness. By having lived there previously, I have a strong, trusting report with the community. This research is imperative for the global community because indigenous communities possess deep ecological knowledge as a result of centuries of living in a specific area. I want to participate in this research because it exemplifies applied work and by helping record and provide cultural documentation the community can then advocate for themselves. The Wehea Dayak voiced their wanting for help in preserving their unique culture and lifestyle, and by applying the research I have obtained through the means of helping a targeted community is an imperative goal of anthropological work.

At a time in the United States when religious participation by youth has decreased (in a recent Pew Forum report, those born in 1981 or later hold the lowest church attendance) there is a rapidly growing church with roots in Washington: Mars Hill. Practicing a unique brand of evangelism, Mars Hill employs a variety of methods, some of them technological, to attract increasing numbers both in their campuses and online. In order to explore what these methods were, I began attending services and researching the current state of religious participation in American Protestants. I then approached my conception of Mars Hill through the works of various philosophers, including Paul Tillich and Emmanuel Levinas. The third aspect of my work is a journal-based account of my experience throughout this project. My project will reflect the above methods in three main sections: The Numbers, The Theory, and The Experience. I plan to present what it is about the reality of Mars Hill that is fulfilling and attractive for today’s religious population. The reality Mars Hill creates uses novel modes of delivery for its message, which has a high-production value and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and an Iphone app, among a larger web presence. In addition, Mars Hill offers an experience of community that substantiates strict doctrine on a weekly basis and provides unique accountability for members. This doctrine argues against a conception of Christianity as a “religion”, which moves Mars Hill into a space of new orthodoxy where meaning is born from contradiction in the potentialities embedded in language. My telling of my experience there will demonstrate the difficulty I experienced regarding the dichotomy between participant and observer roles, resulting in a difficult ultimate decision. To uncover the difference in Mars Hill, I started with numbers, continued with theory, and end in experience.

 In 1943 Hanford, Washington became home to the first full scale nuclear production complex and is now the most contaminated nuclear Superfund site. How have the lived experiences, local knowledge, health indicators and perceptions of risk in disparately-impacted communities shaped the complex processes of planning and decision-making of the clean-up at Hanford? Community Based Action Research can provide critical insight into the socio-cultural dimensions of the Hanford site needed to understand the complex processes that shape clean-up efforts, and how those decisions affect the lives of primary stakeholders. This methodology can also be utilized to critically examine how those decisions impact the experiences and health of the larger community. Archival research, participant observation and interviewing have been utilized to identify stakeholder groups and create accessible collaborative descriptive accounts of the Hanford site. This research will add to our collective understanding of the importance and use of cultural resources found on the Federal reservation, the contemporary economic importance of the super fund site, as well as how Hanford has and continues to affect a diverse array of stakeholders. This research has the potential to contribute to understandings of environmental justice policies as well as increase involvement of marginalized stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of collaborative, sustainable solutions to mitigate threats to population health and safety.

I am committed in examining the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) salaries for players in comparison to their position played on the court. I believe there is an unequal distribution of wealth in the NBA when differentiating between a point guard, shooting guard, center, power forward and small forward. Theses five positions add up to complete a team, which represent the offense and defense. It can be seen that positions on the court are associated with physical attributes acquired by players, for instance, their size. It is widely known that the position of centers are typically the tallest players in the game, which can have an influence on one's salary. I believe there is a strong positive correlation between the two. A website by the name, Draft Express, contains the statistics for each NBA team including player’s height, salary, position and years played. I have analyzed the data from this website to demonstrate the potential for skewed earnings. I applied research methods like social mapping, data and media analysis, as well as participant observations. These techniques contribute in probing player’s positions along side their earned salaries. The time period for this research will focus on figures from previous years, specifically the players on the NBA’s team roasters between the years of 2010 – 2012. Conducting this research will allow me to sort out the quantitative ranks of salary with the qualitative outcome it plays on teammate relationships and sports culture.

I concentrated on Haiti and how they have used sports to cope with the earthquake in 2010. They used sports as a way for mental and physical rebuilding. Sports allow leaders to emerge and provide positive influences to children and show the importance of media and power. By Haiti making sports teams that are constructed of people rising above their injuries, they are showing the world they can move forward. If media only shows the devastating events of the earthquake and not how people have overcome it, they are neglecting the whole truth. The methods I used are photovoice, data analysis and interviews. This research matters because if sports can be used to increase morale after a traumatic event then they should be incorporated into schools. By examining the impact of sports in rebuilding, I have observed how determined people can rise above the devastating events and continue life. This shows how sports can be used to direct and encourage people, especially in lower socio-economic status.

I am interested in examining concepts of masculinity in male football fans as influenced by advertising. This is especially important to investigate as advertising is based on establishing a need in a consumer base, often through implications or assertions of worthlessness or incompleteness, and offers a product as a means of making the consumer whole while football in general is considered a masculine sport. I will use the methods I noted as effective in an article by Jabari Mahiri entitled; African American males and learning: what discourse in sports offers schooling (Mahiri1994), such as interviewing and participant observation. I will also conduct my research and observations of fans by observing directly the interactions of said persons and the language they use and the equipment they maintain such as sports clothing and footwear. Special interest will be taken in regards to brand loyalty and affiliation of equipment used by fans as this equipment is advertised aggressively at them and makes reference to masculinity. This research is significant because it showcases influence on fans of football by advertising and examines its effect on what it is to be masculine.

My Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship has allowed me to examine ways in which Pacific Islander’s identify themselves by breaking stereotypes through sports and education. I want to know why society has stigmatized every Pacific Islander male to be associated with football, and how this ultimately affects how young Pacific Islanders identify themselves. This connects to current research [Billings 2007] by addressing the inequalities and discourse among minority athletes. I will be using the methods of participant observation, photovoice, and interviewing to analyze my question. I will mainly be working with the camp participants of a non-profit organization: The Taro Roots Foundation, which is an organization that targets Pacific Islander youth (ages 10-14) and emphasize the importance of higher education through cultural, academic, and health workshops as well as training in skills through football. Along with this group I will also be interviewing and observing some of the Pacific Islander football players at the University of Washington and compare and contrast outcomes. This research is important because it contributes information about the Pacific Islander community that is unspoken of and receives little no attention. The media has stigmatized the Pacific Islander community and created stereotypes that are very much prevalent in society today. My research and organizations such as Taro Roots are ways in which we are able to break these stereotypes and shed light on the true Pacific Islander culture. Our Pacific Islander youth are more than just athletes; they are scholars in the making.

This research examines the way Indigenous cultures and identities are represented at Tillicum Village, a Seattle-area tourist attraction. Recent changes in ownership and management at the site have proved controversial among the Indigenous populations represented, who perceive the focus as shifting away from cultural authenticity and toward economic profit. This project explores the issues of a corporation's responsibility in accurately and fairly representing the cultures it profits from. The concepts of staged authenticity and heterotopia are essential to the theoretical framework of this issue, as is placing Tillicum Village in the context of colonial tourism. Data are being collected using traditional ethnographic methods and historical research, and analyzed through critical theory. This research ultimately hopes to illuminate way in which Tillicum Village can better address the grievances of, and collaborate with, the Indigenous communities it portrays.

I am examining the issue of overfocus on the body of athletes in sports and how the media perpetuates societal norms of hyper masculinity and hyper femininity in the culture of sports. This topic connects to a number of current research. I am utilizing research by Hardin and Whiteside from their article “Homophobia and Heterosexism in Women’s Sports Coverage”, which discusses how homophobia in sports has reinforced the images of hyper masculinity and hyper femininity that is constantly being circulated by the media as the norm. I am also utilizing research by Wenner, specifically issues raised in his article “Gendered Sports Dirt”, which discusses themes of masculinity, femininity and specifically the annihilation of women in media versus commercials that highlight women with the idea that “sex sells”. To analyze this issue, I use the methods of photovoice, interviews, and analysis of social media like twitter profiles of athletes and brands they endorse. This research is important because it challenges the societal norms and the gender stereotypes that the media constantly creates and perpetuates in the culture of sports. It is essential to question these norms that the media is propagating since whereas some of the male athletes are constantly being portrayed as these strong, buff and physically built individuals, some of the women athletes on the other hand, regardless of their achievements, are being portrayed as sex symbols. The impact this representation has on the society has detrimental effects as it continues to push gender inequality as the social norm. 

Spreading equity in the public education system for the deaf community is essential as it decreases educational disparities. Recent studies have shown many African American deaf students share similar experiences in different communities as such they feel segregated from individuals from hearing culture (Clark, 2010). This is significant as many deaf students expressed concerns about communicating with hearing culture since ASL is not a common language found in our mainstream society. By using the participant observation method and from compiling surveys that acknowledges the services the deaf community would like to see in an education setting, we hope provide insight into a service that can be successful to the deaf community in a hearing academic environment. In other words, the goal of our project is to find ways students with such disabilities can receive the support necessary to be successful in the classroom. This can be achieved by creating a translating system into a laptop that inputs sounds projected from source, and then translates the speech sounds into ASL. We hope that it would increase interaction between hearing and Deaf culture as well as increase one of the many opportunities deaf individuals can use to communicate. It will also help them become academically successful within public schools that do not cater to the needs of deaf students. We hope that our idea would increase empathy for the deaf community as well as inspire ideas to spread equity to all minority groups in an academic environment.

I am interested in exploring the culture of gymnastics and the linkages between the social norms and the pressure for female gymnasts to have a certain body image. I will be looking at the insider and outsider perspectives of the gymnastics culture. Do insiders and outsiders of the gymnastics culture see the social problems and the emphasis on the body of a gymnast differently? This connects to the current research by Melford S. Weiss who did a research project and wrote an article called Culture, Context and Content Analysis: An Exploration of Elite Women Gymnasts in the High School World. There has also been research done by Trent A. Petrie and Eva M. Krentz, who both wrote articles about eating disorders in gymnastics. I will use the methods of interviews, positionality, and participant observation to analyze my question. This research matters to society because the culture of gymnastics is largely hidden to outsiders, but it is a culture that teaches these young women how to face adversity. Sometimes the gymnastics culture gets pushed under the rug because people do not understand it, but if more people could learn about it maybe more people would understand why gymnasts have such a struggle with social norms and body image. 

I examined the use of prosthetics in mainstream sports with an emphasis on track and field. I researched the development of prosthetics over time and how the view of them has changed in our society. There was a time when a disabled athlete competing alongside an able-bodied athlete was seen as purely inspirational. However, now athletes using prosthetics are getting penalized. Aimee Mullins was the first amputee to compete in Division I track. She broke barriers for disabled athletes in the mid-1990s, and now with astonishment those barriers are being restored (Angel 2008). This connects to current research that was done by Ian Brittain in “Perceptions of Disability and their Impact Upon Involvement in Sport for People with Disabilities at all Levels”. I will used the methods of photovoice and media analysis to analyze my question. I believe that this is a timely topic in not only the world of sports, but in an anthropological view of our culture as a whole. More and more young men are returning from war with missing limbs, and their use of prosthetics is viewed differently from the usage of disabled athletes. This research matters because of the increasing controversy surrounding the idea of an unfair advantage. Oscar Pistorius is a South African sprinter who is a double amputee. He uses a type of prosthetic called Cheetah-Flex-Foot Legs, and because of these prosthetics the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has been banned him from competing in the Olympics. With the advance of technology rising, prosthetic limbs are being engineered more efficiently than they were in the past. This technology should not be a set back that restores the barriers disabled athletes have overcome.

We are interested in exploring the discourse of race in basketball. This connects to theories by Branch who discussed the commodification of male athletes of color, ideas by Goss who demonstrates that representations in the media of athletes ofcolor are often presented as hyper masculine and criminal. We specifically looked at Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBA.com, Seattle Times and other popular sports magazines and seen how basketball players are portrayed. We’ve also research video games and analyzed interviews to explore our research project. This research makes an important contribution because it exposes how the bodies of male athletes of color are used for entertainment value, and how this limits the talents and abilities of these athletes.

Through social media, images, and news stories, professional and collegiate athletes are shown to the public. This serves as a much larger platform for the younger generation to be heavily influenced positively and negatively. Unfortunately, the identities of male athletes of color in the major sports of football, basketball and track and field have been challenged through stereotypes that have developed over time by forms of media and social constructions. Observing and analyzing men of color within the world of collegiate athletics exposes the concerning stereotypes that belittle the talent and skill that these athletes possess. Features that will be focused on are masculinity, cultural representation and identity within the sports of football, basketball and track and field. Masculinity will be analyzed through the ways in which male athletes envision themselves through an outside perspective and the manner in which they present themselves during competition as well as off the field, court or track. Cultural representation, which may relate to masculinity, will be analyzed by how the athletes regard themselves both during competition and their social lives according to their specific ethnic background. In order to research the issue of identity, both cultural representation and masculinity will be considered through a series of interviews which will ask the athlete recognizes their identity and its relationship with his sport. Other features such as photo voice and social mapping within their respective sports will be thoroughly analyzed to determine how the stereotypes of the aforementioned three components are clearly present in magazine advertisements, websites and local newspapers. Since collegiate athletics is increasingly becoming popular in America, high school events such as recruiting, sports websites and national signing day will also be taken into consideration in order to fully grasp the concept of stereotypes amongst male athletes of color in collegiate sports.

This study will analyze whether body composition norms within the sport of running are reproducing unhealthy eating habits that may lead to eating disorders, specifically among females. Current research shows that being skinnier does not directly correlate with running faster. It is common for female runners to reduce food intake to unhealthily low levels in an attempt to adhere to female perceptions of thinness. The method of photovoice will be used to display images of obsessive thinness within the sport. Negative norms are reproduced repetitively in running-related media without any significant opposition, the most common dealing with obsessive thinness and compulsive eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Analysis of the Nike Cross Nationals videogame, social media such as Twitter, and advertising within the sport of track and field will be used to determine why these norms are reproduced when it is detrimental to the current and future health of the athletes. In addition, I will draw on my positionality as a female collegiate runner to develop a greater understanding of the social pressure related to body weight. Research will analyze how advancements in technology and social media exacerbate the prevalence of unhealthy body weights in the sport of running. Contribution to this area of research is vital because it has the power to reach a community lost in the obsession of thinness and reestablish norms for healthier lifestyles among runners, both competitive and recreational.

I feel that agenda setting and social identity theories are important elements to consider when studying assumptions and impressions created by consumer media, especially when looking at the effect on youth populations. In my current class we are looking at many critical analysis’s regarding imagery surrounding sports and athletes. I am interested in identifying topics being expressed in community/individual sports related art that are not expressed in mainstream sports media. I would like to address, specifically, effects of media representations on children. I have used the photovoice, social mapping and participant observation methods to study forms of art from both parties and assessed effects on the general public and myself. I will also use discourse analysis, focus groups and interviewing techniques in the coming weeks. Significant data that I have collected includes: identification of art forms that use sports to express issues, including graffiti, athlete art, corporate ads, pecha kucha sessions, Olympic art, photovioce projects, individual art and community art projects. I have identified fabricated realities and over articulated topics by media representations such as: norms regarding sexuality, criminality and leadership. I have also identified experienced realities by community members and individuals such as: disempowerment, empowerment, rejection of fabricated norms, and oppression. This research will contribute to the identification of issues inherent to youth populations that are exposed to large quantities of sports media. With my work I aim to reinforce efforts by communities and individuals to raise awareness for affected parties. Successful completion of this work will raise awareness about existing negative mainstream media, norms forming issues and provide positive substitutes for the youth population.

I am interested in examining how masculinity is portrayed in a male dominant sport such as hockey and how females position themselves in this sport, specifically focusing on female players, fans and females in hockey media. This connects to current research by Marie Hardin about cultural norms and hype masculinity, as well as Christine Baker’s case study about women’s basketball and Bill Buford’s work regarding hyper masculinity and soccer. As hyper masculinity is a large part of Hockey, it is important to acknowledge and accept women hockey players on the N.C.A.A level. According to Klein in the New York Times he states, “(t)he concussion rate in N.C.A.A. women’s ice hockey is 2.72 per 1,000 player hours. For men’s ice hockey it’s 1.47 per 1,000. Even for N.C.A.A. football, the rate is 2.34 per 1,000 which is lower than it is for the women on the ice.” By examining these statistics as well as many others such as the number of women’s hockey teams in the US and the number of professional women hockey players, I will be able to conclude how females place themselves in the hockey world. I will use the methods of photovoice, twitter, videogames, media and movies to further analyze my question. This research matters since gender equality should be present in every sport especially in the twenty-first century. In a continuously changing society women should have a strong influence on the masculine sport Hockey and not only break the social norms and barriers that exist but also break the geographical and regional opinions on the sport.

In 2011, over 18% of all international adoptions to the United States were from Ethiopia; an increase of over 1,000% in the past decade. Ethiopian adoptees have also shown to have better health outcomes and less behavioral issues than adoptees from other regions of the world. Even though Ethiopian adoption to the United States has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon, virtually no research has been done to explore the complex and unique processes of trans-racial family building, attachment, and identity formation experienced by Ethiopian adoptees and their families. While adoptees are integrated into new social and cultural settings, adoptive parents are forced to navigate their family through a new social and cultural space within a heavily racialized society, and facilitate these complex processes for their children and themselves. Why has Ethiopian adoption become such a recent popular trend? How do adoptive parents of Ethiopian adoptees navigate the critical experiences of family building/attachment and identity making/re-making? What strategies and resources do they use or create to facilitate these processes? In order to explore these questions, this project has been developed to investigate and analyze the lived experience of Ethiopian adoption by Euro-American parents to identify and understand these complex and poorly understood processes. Six case studies have been generated through semi-structured interviews, narrating the adoption process from the perspective of adoptive parents living in the Seattle area who retrospectively examined the experiences they faced and continue to face as Euro-Americans adopting from Ethiopia. Key informants, such as a pediatric physician specializing in adoptive medicine, have been consulted to provide further input and direction in analysis and theory development. Data is qualitative and the analysis interpretive with a goal of understanding these complex, unique, and challenging processes of identity making/re-making, cultural reconciliation, trans-racial family building, parent-child attachment, and other critical fundamental transitions.

In Wing Luke Asian Museum located in Chinatown Seattle, the Archive collection owns more than two hundred personal letters and five photos of one Chinese American family in Seattle. Some of these letters are from China; others come from other family members in the United States and Canada. A letter from home is a priceless treasure. The recipients of these letters are Huang Shuozhang and Huang Jiren (father and son), who ran a company in Seattle Chinatown, named London Company importing food and materials from China to America during that time. We as volunteers are working on these letters this quarter, translating them into English and using PastPerfect (a museum collection management software) to catalog them. While translating these letters, we have found many sophisticated relationships within this big family, including family members and associated business partners around the United States and Canada. These letters reflect not only the hardship of Chinese Americans at that time, but also a heartfelt story. We intend to collect more primary resources from Wing Luke Asian Museum and Special Collection of the UW library to uncover the story. Meanwhile we will also do some research on the Internet, e.g. we will look for Information of the census and maps of the Seattle Chinatown in that period of time to support our opinions. However, the story of this family as early Chinese American pioneers struggling for their true identities and success in United States should not be forgotten in history.

Living in Southwest China for 15 months, I spent much of my time in lesbian designated establishments and spoke with hundreds of queer women about their lives. Homosexuality has been legal in Mainland China since 1997 and was removed from the list of mental illnesses in 2001, but same-sex unions are not legal and the public often remains ignorant or ambivalent when it comes to same-sex relationships. For most young adults regardless of sexuality, the pressure to marry and have children persists, yet adoption is only available to married heterosexual couples. At the same time, there are hubs in China with relative freedom where being openly gay or lesbian is not stigmatized. It is not uncommon for younger individuals to come out to friends, and not unheard of to be out to at least some family members. Still, I heard stories of heartbreak after either one or both women made the decision to give up on their relationship and suppress their sexuality, often at a great cost. Certainly not all lesbians in China follow this course however, and some are finding unique ways of navigating through or around traditional expectations. Given this general backdrop, my research documents how individual lesbians have responded to these pressures without denying their sexuality. The results demonstrate how different women have employed various degrees of agency in pursuit of options that are unavailable through Chinese social structures and institutions. Rather than attempting to portray lesbians overall, my focus remains on the small handful of women I spoke with in depth in order to convey the complexity of their circumstances. Their perspectives are not commonly known in China or abroad. By sharing their stories, I hope to expand the range of personal narratives to include the diversity of experiences I encountered among lesbians within Southwest China.

Conversation analysis has shown that certain linguistic factors (avoidance of pronouns, increased negative words, e.g.) are affected by the act of deception. Studies have proven that the act of deception increases cognitive load and results in behavioral and linguistic indicators. Little research has been done on the potential cognitive strain that could result from speaking in a second language and none has been done to explore the effect that deception and second language production would have when done simultaneously. Second language discourse has also been proven to increase cognitive load. Therefore we expect that the added cognitive strain resulting from the use of a second language while participating in an act of deception will further exaggerate the well known linguistic indicators of deception. We believe our findings will show that the increased cognitive effort caused by a speaker using a second language while participating in deception will exaggerate the linguistic factors affected by deception, making it easier to identify in discourse analysis.

 REDD+ stands for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, plus enhancement of carbon stock and preservation of ecosystem services. The REDD+ program in Indonesia is designed to reduce emissions by aligning development and market incentives with environmental protection. REDD+ is one of the strategies that the Indonesian government is implementing to meet its CO₂ reduction targets presented by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Indonesia’s strategy for REDD+ is an ambitious attempt to involve many stakeholders in reducing CO₂ emissions from deforestation. Indonesia is currently working to implement REDD+ in accordance with the internationally recognized 3E criteria of effectiveness, efficiency and equity. This report, based on extensive interviews with stakeholders at all levels of REDD+ implementation, describes the current state of REDD+ implementation in Indonesia and makes policy recommendations for how the international community can best support Indonesia’s efforts to reduce its emissions from deforestation.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether cortisol levels and heart rate correlate with different types of music. Previous studies have shown that music can raise or lower the “stress” hormone, cortisol. This project examines how (1) the tempo of music and (2) the lyrics in music might modify cortisol levels. The first study focuses on the tempo of music by using music without words. I hypothesize that faster tempos will raise cortisol levels while slower music will lower them. The second study focuses on the lyrics of music examining whether cortisol levels will vary depending on the message and meaning of the lyrics. To test these hypotheses, 60-70 participants will be split into two groups. The first group will include 30 individuals listening to slow for 20 minutes and then after an hour break listening to fast music. The second group will include 30 individuals listening to music with happy lyrics a and then after an hour break listening to music with angry lyrics. Participants will collect saliva specimens before, during, and after listening to music. . There are many studies and theories as to why music is so important for humans yet the biological connection to music is not simple or well understood. This study examining how cortisol and heart rate react to music can not only help identify biologically, physiologically based stress reduction protocols but may provide insight into why music is so important for humans.

The Banda Islands in Indonesia have been important cultural and trade centers for centuries. With their unique native nutmeg production, they have attracted merchants from around the world including Islamic spice traders and Dutch and British merchant companies. The site of BN1 located on Banda Neira Island may contain an important archaeological record of early contact with Islam. Following the thinking that behavioral and dietary changes soon follow religious conversions, this study looks to the presence and use of pigs as a proxy for Islamic versus Animistic religious orientation. I examine the density of pig skeletal remains through time by using tradeware ceramics as chronological markers. Additionally, I investigate the site formation processes with geochemical methods and search for chemical evidence of pig presence in the form of fecal lipid biomarkers. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of total lipid extracts from the BN1 archaeological sediments can determine with greater resolution and accuracy the presence or absence of pigs at the site based on known sterol lipid ratios derived from decomposed feces. This suite of archaeological and geochemical data will provide an insightful picture of local-level impacts of Islam in the Banda Islands.

 The deep-divide between urban residents and rural migrants living in Shanghai has grown increasingly apparent over the last two decades. This so called "dual society" in which rural migrants do not have the same privileges as locals in Chinese cities, is a result of  the social disadvantages of the rural people in comparison to urban residents, government policies surrounding migration, and of a broader discourse of modernity in Chinese society that encourages discrimination against the rural population.  This study seeks to understand how migrants with different backgrounds and varying experiences have developed strategies for upward mobility (social mobility strategies). The term "social mobility strategies" refers to the various ways that rural migrants attempt to elevate their social status through employment and skill training. This study will examine how these strategies have been shaped by the educational and financial disadvantages, administrative and social barriers and difficult living and working situations that migrants face. My research was conducted over a period of fifteen months in Shanghai, China. During this time, I conducted extended semi-structured and structured interviews with ten migrant workers.This study will describe in detail the migration narratives of four migrants and will analyze their social mobility strategies in the context of their migration process. It will explore each individual's personal background and experiences in relation to their mobility strategies. I also conducted  participant observation in rural Anhui province to understand the rural background of migrants. In Shanghai,  I attended a hair-styling academy and spent time in a hair salon, to examine how migrants acquire and utilize technical skills. While each story of migration and mobility strategies have common themes with one another, this study shows the personal specificities of each individual's narrative. It then relates these stories to broader issues surrounding migration in China.  

This project is aimed to examine the ways gender stereotypes are reinforced in sports. Particularly I wanted to investigate the impact this has on transgendered, intersex or otherwise gender nonconforming student athletes. This connects to current research published in the National Transgender Discrimination Study, examples of homophobia in women’s college basketball, the impact of genetic testing on athletes competing in the Olympic Games, the publication of the NCAA Inclusion of Transgender Student-Athletes, and the recent critical analysis of transgender legislation politics by Spade. For this I implemented the following methods: Literature review, focused analysis of data collected by Grant et al., social media analysis of internet blogs and websites, photo voice, critical discourse analysis and review of documentary films. These different approaches were intended to help me in the investigation of my research question by approaching the subject from multiple angles. With my research I hope to constructively contribute to the ongoing dispute of lingering discrimination based upon sexual orientation, gender politics and human rights in the United States and around the globe. Furthermore I aim to show how the struggle for acceptance of gender nonconforming students is still complicated by barriers raised on the grounds of biases and unfounded stereotypes. This project therefore shows how, despite the claims of policies aimed to end discrimination on the basis of race, creed, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or ability, not all students are treated equally. Finally it also connects to my undergraduate honors research project where I examine the transgender experience and quality of life in connection to gender reassignment surgery in the United States and Germany.