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.

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.  

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.

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.

Emotion is a human universal but interpretation of facial expressions and the prescribed meaning may differ across cultures. In Faces and Feelings we attempt to examine this cultural variation by testing East Asian and European American participants’ responses to various stories presented with photos of facial expressions. Recent research has indicated that European Americans judge faces primarily using features of the face, whereas East Asian participants judge faces inferring from the person’s social situation. Expanding on this, we predict different factors such as interdependence and dialectical thinking will influence interpretation of facial expressions cross-culturally. Participants are asked to complete a computer-based experiment consisting of essay responses, multiple choice questions and demographic information. We will then perform qualitative analyses on the data collected. We expect our results from this ongoing study to yield similar results to the earlier pilot studies which supported the hypotheses. While people in every culture express their feeling on their faces, there may be differences in what those expressions communicate and in how they reflect what a person is feeling. Knowledge of these differences may help diverse cultures understand and relate to each other in positive and more productive ways.

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.

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.

Today there exists a plethora of nutritional information as Americans are increasingly becoming health-conscious consumers seeking to manage their exposure to disease risk-factors through diet and lifestyle changes. The ever-expanding scope of the media and internet, especially through the increased use of popular health blogs and forums has "democratized" nutritional science--making nutritional information more easily accessible. Yet, despite the growing body of research in nutrition made available to the general public, the history of nutritional advice has been notoriously unstable, inconsistent and inaccurate as science, food industries, and various ideologies contend for validation. For example, from the consumption of saturated fats and carbohydrates to raw cow’s milk (which is supposedly "nature's most nearly perfect food" Americans are left confused when making decisions and establishing “truths” regarding the nutritional health benefits of other foods. Because the science of diet and nutrition are highly contested areas of knowledge, the purpose of this study was to delve into the social, cultural, and political aspects of food to better understand how we make sense of nutritional advice. To that end, this research project acquired and synthesized past and current scientific research literature to explore what it means for foods to be "healthy" how one may navigate the massive array of contending knowledge and different dietary models to obtain information on "healthy food" and additionally, how competing corporate interests, scientific findings or interpretations, and anecdotal evidence of the lay consumer may influence nutritional data made available to the public. So far the general trend shows corporate influence supersedes that of medical and scientific advocates; however, more research is required to determine how health consumers navigate the wealth of information. Recommendations for a potential solution at a policy, educational and, or mass media level will also be discussed in further detail.

In today’s digital world, cultural transmission through popular media, such as music, occurs on a grander scale than ever before, connecting people and ideas across the globe. Dancehall music is deeply embedded in Jamaican culture as a culturally significant source of self-identification, but it has also spread globally. This is a study of the globalization of culture through popular media, including aspects of production, dissemination, consumption and appropriation of Jamaican dancehall music in the United States. Many studies of the commodification of culture describe diminished creative authenticity; however this study will attempt to situate actors in their social context as culture creators. It will address the dynamics of economic production and artistic creation as cultural products and social processes, while exploring the strategies employed to create and disseminate music. By looking at cultural transmission through music as a social process, this study is seeking to address questions of authenticity and hybridity, explore local and global identities, and reveal cultural assumptions stemming from musical interactions as key discursive elements in the limited body of research concerning dancehall music culture.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.