Theses/Dissertations - Communication Studies

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2104/4478

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A rhetorical analysis of virtue, religion, and citizenship in classical education texts and their relation to teaching the hero’s journey in the classical classroom.
(2023-12) Stafford, Faith Erin, 1998-; Hahner, Leslie Ann.
This thesis analyzes the rhetoric used in foundational classical education texts to communicate virtue in relation to religion and citizenship and examines the hero’s journey as an alternative model to communicate virtue. Modern Christian classical education is bolstered by a small number of prominent texts that have come to hold such authority that they function as a classical education canon. Close reading and rhetorical analysis show that most of this literature ties virtue with only Christianity and in turn disregards the ancient Greek classical tie of virtue to citizenship and civil duty. This position leaves the non-religious student unincentivized to act virtuously. The template of the hero’s journey, prominent in classical narratives, is proposed as a model that can stand in the gap, exemplifying virtue that is rooted in more than exclusively religion and is thus inclusive of the non-religious modern classical student, incentivizing them to strive after virtue.
A Rogerian case study seeking the future of VR responding to Dr. Sutherland’s ultimate display.
(2019-11-12) Larson, Victor Henry, 1994-; Shafer, Daniel Mark, 1978-
Throughout this thesis I will measure the progress of virtual reality (VR) development. I cover the history of the format starting with pre-film technology all the way through the commercial failure of the Virtual Boy. From here I address the development boom of the 2000s that resulted in the first generation of consumer VR and proceed to analyze the current market offerings from the three biggest companies currently investing in VR. These are analyzed through the theoretical foundations provided by Rogers and Kozmetsky, to establish a baseline from which to compare these different ways of interpreting consumer needs. This is synthesized into a Futures Cone projection that attempts to define what the future course of the industry looks like with the understanding that these observations will undoubtedly change.
Accommodation in email and the influence of organizational culture.
(August 2022) Corntassel, Emily P., 1992-; Schlueter, David W. (David Walter), 1954-
Understanding how organizational members engage with email is essential to facilitating healthy interpersonal relationships and providing insight into the influence of organizational culture on members’ behaviors. Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) recognizes communication as a dynamic process between individuals and explores the intersection of language, identity, and context. Organizational culture defines the context in which organizational members learn to thrive in organizations. This study tested the application of CAT, exploring the impact of context on email behavior among organizational members. Participants identified the culture of the organization to which they belong and responded to randomly assigned email scripts. Six total scripts were used throughout the study, equally containing female and male gender language cues. The mean culture was calculated for each participant and script responses were globally coded. Accommodation to gendered-language cues occurred in two of the four cultures examined, indicating a relationship between culture and accommodation behavior in email among users.
Affective identification with animals in the public sphere in earth, the movie.
(2010-06-23T12:32:18Z) Greenwalt, Dustin A.; Bass, Jeff Davis, 1951-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Following Derrida's Introduction to Dissemination; "I will not feign, according to the code, either premeditation or improvisation. These texts are assembled otherwise, it is not my intention here to present them." Animal films are tied to a system of liberalism and the objectification of nature that has developed through the historical confluence of visuality, anthropomorphism, and a fascination with nature. Sequences in Earth produce collective fantasies of a pristine nature, containing a marked absence of connection between growing environmental destruction, and the modernist forms of consumption that underwrite western society. Further, Earth naturalizes discourses through anthropomorphic images, naturalizing the domination of humans and animals in everyday practice. Challenging critical rhetorics that reaffirm critique at the level of discourse, Earth calls forth an interrogation of the ethical possibilities offered by a greater awareness of the material processes of nature, and their influence on the cultural imagination.
An examination of unsolicited support among veterans.
(2021-08-12) Morris, Eric Robert, 1999-; Rhidenour, Kayla.
Social support is a topic that garners widespread research and extensive study among communication scholars. There are numerous positive benefits associated with solicited social support. On the other hand, opportunities exist to further explore the potential hazards of unsolicited social support. To date, research that focuses on unsolicited social support within the veteran community—particularly those with psychological diagnosis such as PTSD, depression, or anxiety—has received less scholarly attention than research which examines the benefits of social support for this community. In this thesis, a multimethodological approach deploys a blend of quantitative and qualitative research to illuminate what occurs when unsolicited support is received by veterans. This research provides scholarly insights by extending the existing knowledge related to unsolicited social support, as well as practical guidance for families, friends, and veteran support organizations.
Animal metaphor : animality in discourses of nuclear war and species extinction.
(2020-04-27) Rooney, David Aaron, 1995-; Gerber, Matthew G.
This thesis analyzes the role animals play as objects of human discourse—in particular, their use as metaphor. This thesis examines two distinct animal metaphors. First, I examine the use of animal metaphor in nuclear war rhetoric to concretize a sense of catastrophe following the collapse of Mutually Assured Destruction. Second, I examine the use of animal metaphor in the cinematic context to persuade audiences to act more rapidly and aggressively on climate change. In both contexts, animal metaphors operate to animate a sense of human vulnerability such that it becomes desirable to separate oneself from a perceived animal openness to violence and catastrophe. This animating process simultaneously racializes the figure of the animal that troubles the presumed boundary between human and animal. Throughout this thesis I will complicate this often-assumed distinction between human and animal, revealing those categories to be co-constitutively and metaphorically related.
Articulating a decolonial materialist rhetoric.
(2019-04-24) Michael, Robert Joshua, 1995-; Gerber, Matthew G.
This thesis is preoccupied with challenging the way current rhetoricians approach criticism of Native discourse, that which is produced within and by Native communities. Beginning with Ronald Greene’s “A Materialist Rhetoric,” this thesis injects Native intellectual scholarship into the field of rhetoric, forming what I call a decolonial materialist rhetoric. A decolonial materialist rhetoric issues two unique challenges to the field of rhetoric. The first posits a new style of criticism that demonstrates why one should no longer be satisfied with scholarship that simply names Native communities as historical objects. The second challenge of a decolonial materialist rhetoric is directed at the rhetorician, challenging their disembodied approach to criticism. Throughout this project I will challenge previous scholars’ views of Native discourse, provide counter narratives of Native mythology, and charge rhetoricians with a new purpose as academics.
Awareness or complicity? : documentaries’ depiction of communities marginalized by Christian Nationalism.
(May 2023) Kolson, Erica, 1998-; Varda, Scott Joseph.
The rise of streaming services has made documentaries more accessible than ever before. With this comes the common misconception that the genre is based on truth instead of an interpretation thereof. Due to this broad misconception, it’s important to analyze how the public comes to understand the depicted demographics, particularly those that are not commonly understood and are tied to controversial movements. This thesis engages with three documentaries as case studies, each of which tells the story of an evangelical ministry that targets a marginalized community. Filmmakers construct the narratives of these documentaries in a manner that will entertain audiences, yet neglect to incorporate commentary that brings awareness to how the ministries contribute to the overall power structure of the Christian Nationalist platform and ideology. Attention is drawn to the harms that this practice does to marginalized communities.
Barack Obama and the rhetoric of American exceptionalism : race, economy, security, and the exceptional rhetorical apparatus of sovereign power.
(2012-08-08) McVey, J. Alexander.; Hahner, Leslie Ann.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
This thesis examines President Barack Obama’s use of the rhetoric of American exceptionalism to establish authority for the exercise of sovereign power. I perform a close reading of three speeches to examine how Obama uses American exceptionalism to garner authority on issues of race, the economy, and national security. Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech demonstrates how Obama deploys the rhetoric of American exceptionalism to limit the rhetorical force of racial anger. The 2011 State of the Union illustrates how Obama rhetorically manipulates time to defend neoliberal economics through the rhetoric of American exceptionalism. Obama’s “Our Security, Our Values” speech shows how Obama uses the rhetoric of the rule of law to establish American exceptionalism as a durable rhetorical framework for ongoing actions in the war on terror. Together, these speeches demonstrate the importance of understanding how American exceptionalism functions in Obama’s rhetoric as a foundation for sovereign power.
Bill Clinton's 1994 European tour : expanding the democratic order in the post-Cold War world.
(2012-08-08) Luppes, Amanda M.; Medhurst, Martin J.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton made four trips to Europe. In January, he advocated for the expansion of NATO through the Partnership for Peace plan and signed the first nuclear disarmament agreement with former Soviet states. In June, he attended the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Normandy invasion and spoke of the enduring values of the World War II generation. In July, he visited the capitols of three important former Soviet states and spoke about the imperative of reform. Finally, in December, he attended the CSCE summit and gave a capstone speech about democratic expansion. Each trip had a unique set of goals and circumstances, but all served to bolster Clinton’s foreign policy goal of democratic expansion. Clinton’s speeches demonstrate the unique facets of his beliefs about foreign policy and the role of the United States in the post-Cold War world.
The building of the X-men transmedia franchise and how expansive storytelling is affecting Hollywood.
(2014-06-11) Wucher, Joshua.; Kendrick, James, 1974-; Communication.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication.
This thesis investigates the effects of transmedia storytelling on Hollywood franchises through a case study of the four X-Men films and the comic book series The Uncanny X-Men. This thesis shows how the adaptive process that transforms the character of Magneto from morally ambiguous comic book anti-hero to a more streamlined movie supervillain is illustrative of the two-edged approach of transmedia theory. It elucidates why transmedia franchises are economically and artistically advantageous, while concurrently having the potential to dilute narrative and thematic complexity. This analysis concludes that transmedia narratives can enrich popular culture, but also risk falling into the traps of formulaic storytelling, which could detrimentally affect artistic production.
The cinematography of "Closet memories."
(2013-09-16) Oei, Robert, 1982-; Hansen, Christopher J.; Communication.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication.
The cinematography of a film heavily influences the audience’s mood and their perception of tension. The way a director of photography uses lights and the camera can enhance or destroy the moments of a film a director has built. Keeping this knowledge in mind, the cinematography of Closet Memories uses film noir lighting, a mixture of handheld and smooth camera work, and other techniques to maintain the emotional content of the film’s scenes.
The cinematography of In Paradise.
(2014-06-11) Youngblood, Aaron Michael.; Hansen, Christopher J.; Communication.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication.
A film's cinematography should interpret and render the various elements of the story in visual terms and add levels of meaning that enhance the action and dialogue. Lighting, framing and camera movement should be used to illustrate the mood, tone and themes of the film. The cinematography of In Paradise utilizes low-key lighting to set the dark mood and tone of the story, as well as diverse composition and a combination of smooth and handheld camera movement techniques to reflect the emotion and energy of the story.
Clinical practice in EEG-based neuromodulation : intersections with speech-language pathology.
(2019-11-21) Fliegelman, Nicole Elaine, 1995-; Fillmore, Paul.
Acquired brain injury affects millions of Americans each year. Though many individuals recover some or all of their original function, many others suffer from long-term impairments. Among the most prevalent effects of brain injury are impairments in cognitive and language function, which can have large effects on an individual’s ability to communicate. One promising candidate for therapy in this area is EEG neurofeedback, which aims to train an individual’s electrical brain activity, inducing corresponding improvements in cognitive-linguistic function. While this method is used in successfully treating many populations the field suffers from a deficit in published research documenting these successes, and a corresponding lack of standard protocols. Thus, the aim of this thesis project is two-fold: 1) To summarize the existing research literature on neurofeedback in treating cognitive-linguistic disorders, and 2) To collect survey data from neurofeedback practitioners on the “state-of-the field” in terms of current clinical practice in this area.
Closeness in the same-sex friendships of men in long-distance and geographically close platonic relationships.
(2011-05-12T15:51:45Z) Tornes, Michael.; Morman, Mark T.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
The present study sought to find how men negotiate closeness in their same-sex long-distance friendships. Findings from Fehr (2004) were used to guide the hypotheses. Men were believed to prefer the use of shared activity to build closeness even though they regard self-disclosure as the primary pathway to closeness in their same-sex friendships. Self-disclosure, closeness, satisfaction, and commitment were each measured in regards to men's best geographically close or long-distance friendship. The relationship of gender orientation and homophobia to these variables was also tested. The results showed that men were more satisfied with their geographically close friendships than men in their long-distance friendships. Feminine gender orientation was found to be positively related to self-disclosure, closeness, and commitment. Homophobia was found to be negatively correlated with self-disclosure.
College women’s perceptions of role in the workforce and the wage gap.
(2015-07-30) Martinez, Emilly K.; McNamee, Lacy G.
The purpose of this study is to look into the career choices women make that lead to the wage gap by exploring how traditionally college-aged women make sense of their role in the workforce, how identity influences opinions of the wage gap, and how mutedness impacts the wage gap. Data was collected through interviews with women 18-24 years old enrolled in four-year universities or graduate schools in the southern region of the U.S. Using sensemaking theory as an ontological lens, this study qualitatively investigated the gender- and career-related messages these women received, their perceptions of their role in the workforce, and their opinions about the wage gap. This study extends literature on organizational socialization and career choice by exploring the intersections of socialization, mutedness, and the wage gap. This study also provides insight on how to lessen the gap and provides additional insight into the intergenerational reproduction of role identity.
Communication expectations between younger superiors and older subordinates.
(2013-09-16) Trimble, Ashley L.; McNamee, Lacy G.; Communication.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication.
One of the most important workplace relationships is that of superiors and subordinates. However, it is not clear if this relationship becomes more complex if traditional age roles are reversed and a younger superior manages an older subordinate. This study has been designed to explore the extent to which age complicates the communication dynamic between superiors and subordinates in regards to expectations of appropriate communication, and power and respect. Through the use of qualitative research, interviews were conducted and analyzed. The results revealed the important communication dynamics that exist between older subordinates and younger superiors. Themes such as adequate experience, reciprocal respect, training and development and collaborative communication were interpreted from the data and can be used to further explore scholarly concepts such as LMX and assist in practical senses.
Communio a meditation on the theological transformation of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Harlem.
(2019-04-30) Oliveira, Christian Alexander, 1995-; Hansen, Christopher J.
The following is a thesis outlining the creative influences, research, methodology, and resulting production of a short documentary entitled Communio about Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theological transformation in Harlem.
Contemporary high-level political rhetoric surrounding climate change — how Gore, Bush, and Obama approach the issue.
(2012-08-08) Vint, Kyle J.; Gerber, Matthew G.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Climate change has become a hot button issue spanning the fields of economics, politics, religion, race, ethics, and identity. This thesis provides a rhetorical criticism analyzing how three high-level politicians, namely Al Gore, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, navigate the intense contours of climate change discussions and articulate their own rhetorical understanding of the phenomena. Presidents and major political figures influence and shape the evolution of climate change rhetoric within American politics. One of the ways high-level politicians shape understandings of climate change is by articulating different rhetorical frames of climate change. This thesis analyzes how political leaders employ different frames in the face of political, economic, and rhetorical constraints. This thesis argues that the ways Gore, Bush, and Obama framed climate change, its consequences, and its solutions, hold important implications for the discussions and policy formulations surrounding climate change.
Coping with COVID-19 : employee use of virtual communities.
(2021-05-01) Lanier, Rebecca Jane, 1997-; Ford, Jessica Lynn.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of employee participation in virtual communities while coping with organizational change. The current coronavirus pandemic offers a unique and unprecedented context through which we can examine employee coping behavior. Toward this end, the current study applies Brashers’ Uncertainty Management Theory and Hawthornthwaite’s Media Multiplexity Theory to examine how organizational changes initiated by COVID-19 impacted workers’ uncertainty, coping, and workplace technology use. Results from the survey data (N= 160) provide insight into the ways employees from various industries used their virtual platforms to accomplish work-based tasks and remain connected to co-workers through such drastic changes.

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