Archives
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Scientia et Humanitas: A Journal of Student Research
Vol. 14 (2024) -
Scientia et Humanitas
Vol. 13 (2023) -
Scientia et Humanitas
Vol. 12 (2022) -
Vol. 6 (2016)
If I had to pick one word to describe this sixth volume of Scientia et Humanitas, I would choose dedication, and this word describes not only the character of all of our authors of the nine essays included in this volume, but it also describes the character of our journal’s entire staff. In assembling this volume, our authors and staff members worked tirelessly to create one of the finest volumes of Scientia et Humanitas to date. Our authors were dedicated to producing first-rate work, and they fearlessly presented that work to our peer and faculty reviewers. Likewise, our staff of students, faculty, and administrators diligently read, proofread, and formatted articles throughout the 2015-2016 academic year, and their work has lead to the exceptional journal now in your hands.
Because of this high quality of our authors and staff members this year, we are pleased to announce that we have three winners of the Deans’ Distinguished Essay award, an award bestowed by the Deans of the Honors College to honor the best essays in Scientia et Humanitas. These three essays open our journal. Nicholas Dalbey, a Masters candidate in English, explores how Lawman highlights Arthur’s spiritual characteristics in order to assess both Norman and English forms of ideal kingship. Immediately following Dalbey’s essay is Melody Cook, who examines Joss Whedon’s evolution of the Christ-figure trope in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) and The Cabin in the Woods (2012). Finally, Abul Hasnat Muhammed Salimullah, a PhD candidate in Economics, employs the Granger Causality test to investigate the relationship between interest rates and exchange rates in the companies under the Chicago Board Options and Exchange.
Following our award-winning essays come two historical studies. Savanna R. Teague, a recent recipient of a Masters degree in History and a current PhD student in English, asserts that the aristocracy’s consumption of luxury items played a more active role in the inciting of the French Revolution. Luke Howard Judkins, an undergraduate English and Music major, sees the Parthenon in Nashville as a symbol paralleling ancient Athenian culture, and thus making Nashville the “Athens of the South.”
The social sciences are also represented this year with two articles. John B. Holloway studies the efficacy of herbal and nutraceutical supplements in the treatment of schizophrenia and schizophrenic disorders. Kelsey Bishop explores the media’s portrayal of sex trafficking in the United States, particularly as presented by the New York Times, and it's influence on public awareness of the issue.
Our journal concludes with two articles from English PhD candidates. Jacquelyn C. Hayek analyzes how John Fletcher’s dramatic response to Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew complicates the taming trope through the reversal of gender roles. Finally, Morgan Hanson explores the relationship between philosophy and rhetoric in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, as seen through the Knight’s and the Squire’s use of occupationes.
This undertaking would not have been possible without the dedication of the students and faculty who dedicated so much of their time to ensure that this journal would be thebest yet. This year’s staff includes both undergraduate and graduate MTSU students, and they are as follows: Erica Anderson, Nicholas Dalbey, Rachel Donegan, John Gleason, Jacquelyn C. Hayek, Capron Hedgepath, Kayla McCrary, Emily McElroy, Nausheen Qureshi, Aaron Shapiro, Sara Snoddy, Courtney Wright, and Hillary Yeager. We have also been fortunate to have several faculty members serve as reviewers: Dr. E. Anthon Eff, Dr. Louis Haas, Dr. Philip E. Phillips, Dr. Robert Sieg, and Dr. John R. Vile. Finally, Marsha Powers, coordinator of special projects and publications for the Honors College, tirelessly served our journal as an encourager, finder of resources, and provider of snacks at meetings, and we are so grateful for her commitment and enthusiasm for Scientia et Humanitas.
Finally, I would like to thank personally my associate editor, Dennis Wise. Dennis kept in constant communication with the authors and the reviewers, and he meticulously pored over each article to ensure that the best quality made it into print. Dennis’s joy and devotion to the review process made the production process an enjoyable experience for both the authors and staff members alike.
One of the missions of Scientia et Humanitas is to provide a venue for students to present their research projects to the entire university. As such, these papers are now no longer an isolated conversation between professor and student. Now, these academic inquiries can inspire discussion among various scholars and disciplines. I hope that you enjoy this sixth volume of Scientia et Humanitas and that you continue the conversations begun in here.
Morgan Hanson
Editor in Chief -
Vol. 5 (2015)
An undertaking on the order of a peer- and faculty-reviewed journal always results from a team effort. Scientia et Humanitas, the academic journal of student research at Middle Tennessee State University, is no exception. A team of student authors, peer reviewers, copyeditors, and administrators collaborated to produce the volume you hold in your hands. We are proud of this collective effort not only because it represents some of the finest scholarship MTSU students have produced in academic year 2014-2015. This edition of Scientia only came together because each person contributed her/his diligent work toward a combined periodical that we can be especially pleased to present to the faculty and student body of this institution.
Our student writers have achieved an important distinction as published authors in a journal that follows the same rigorous process as other more notable journals in the various disciplines: calls for papers, submissions, peer review, revision, faculty review, copyediting, awards, layout, and eventual publication. This year, our staff tried hard to include academic fields heretofore underrepresented in the journal, hence the variety of articles, ranging from Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy to Carl Jung to Tay-Sachs disease. Each of the individual author’s names accompanies her/his essay. We salute these scholars for their outstanding writing.
Two essays have merited special mention as winners of the Dean’s Distinguished Essay designation. Joseph Meyer’s excellent essay “Ethnic Conflict in the Former Soviet Union: Ethnic Demography and Its Influence on Conflict Behavior” is excerpted from a longer piece he wrote as an undergraduate student. His level of sophisticated analysis shows tremendous scholarly acumen. I am honored to present my light-hearted piece “‘Oh, Terrible, Windy Words’: Witty Wordplay in Jonson’s Poetaster,” in which I attempt to add “linguist” to the many distinctions earned by English playwright Ben Jonson.
The team who deserves the most credit for this journal is our staff. Their work soliciting submissions, reading essays, responding with cogent comments, and poring over sentences for grammatical accuracy is nothing short of exemplary. This year’s Scientia staff includes the following hard-working individuals: Arlo Hall, Katherine Estes, Aaron Shapiro, Dennis Wise, Margaret Johnson, Rachel Donegan, Jacquelyn Hayek, Joseph Mosqueda, Chelsea Harmon, Courtney Wright, and Nausheen Qureshi.
A team of administrative staff leads this journal. Dr. Philip E. Phillips, associate dean of the Honors College and professor of English, gives estimable oversight to Scientia, ably assisted by Marsha Powers, coordinator of special projects and publications for the Honors College. The faculty reviewers for this volume include Dr. Vile, Dr. Phillips, Dr. Sieg, Dr. Gebert, and Dr. Shi. We wish to thank them for their meticulous reading of these submissions.
Finally, I would like to thank personally our managing editor, Morgan Hanson. She has kept this journal on schedule, communicating with authors and reviewers consistently throughout the process. As well, she is responsible for designing the look of the journal’s pages. She is a spirited, enthusiastic colleague and friend.
I have thoroughly enjoyed serving on the Scientia staff for the past two years. As I look back on my time in graduate school at Middle Tennessee State University, many fond memories are attached to this journal. With the present team in place, the future of Scientia et Humanitas looks very promising.
Warm regards,
Clint Bryan
Editor in chief -
Vol. 4 (2014)
In the fourth volume of Scientia et Humanitas, I am excited to report a number of editorial changes that continue to add to our journal’s prestige. The continually increasing volume of submissions from both undergraduate and graduate students across campus prompted our adoption of a faculty review board. I would like to thank Dr. David Urban, Dr. David Foote, Dr. Jane Marcellus, Dr. Janis Brickey, Dr. John Vile, Dr. Amy Sayward, Dr. Philip Phillips, Dr. Kaylene Gebert, and Dr. Robert Sieg for volunteering to serve on our board and ensure the accuracy of our students’ published research.
Two award-winning essays open this volume. Dennis Wise, a PhD candidate in English and winner of the Deans’ Distinguished Essay Award, studies Spenser’s A View of the State of Ireland through a Machiavellian lens to establish Spenser’s acceptance of Machiavellian political philosophy. Following Wise’s article, Ellen Goertzen also receives the Dean’s award for her study of the impact of deworming treatments on intestinal parasite load in equines from Middle Tennessee, a paper she wrote while an undergraduate animal science major at MTSU. Sarah Gray-Panesi’s examination of Milton’s influence on Ann Radcliffe’s Gothic Fiction follows Wise’s and Goertzen’s essays, and received honorable mention for the 2013-14 William R. Wolfe Graduate Writing Award.
The humanities continue to be well represented in this year’s issue. In addition to Wise’s and Gray-Panesi’s projects, Sarah Rivas, a late stage English Master’s degree candidate, explores the character of Marmee in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women to unearth messages concerning womanhood and femininity in Alcott’s novel. Luke Judkins, an undergraduate English and Pyschology major, studies the psychological implications of regret in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Rounding out the Humanities for this issue, English PhD candidate Cori Mathis compares Baz Luhrman’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to discover how Luhrman explores gender concerns addressed in Shakespeare’s original play.
The sciences are represented by two projects in this issue in addition to Goertzen’s study. Holly Plemons, a Master’s candidate in Education, offers a literature review of sources examining the link between cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease. Joseph Cooper, who recently received his Master’s degree in Aviation Administration, examines the development of faith-based missionary aviation and its ability to increase the range and effectiveness of missionary efforts in remote locations.
As my second (and final) year with the journal draws to a close, I would like to thank all of those members of MTSU’s faculty and staff who have helped us succeed by promoting our journal to their students. The level of scholarship presented for our consideration continues to impress, and I am forever grateful to my editorial team for their hard work and dedication. Many thanks are due to my fellow editors, reviewers, proofreaders, and advisors, and especially to the University Honors College for sponsoring this publication. To the students of MTSU, thank you for your contributions, and I hope you enjoy the fourth issue of Scientia et Humanitas.
Sarah Gray-Panesi,
Editor in Chief -
Vol. 3 (2013)
In the third volume of Scientia et Humanitas, I am excited to report a boom in author submissions. As we receive more and more papers from a more diverse group of students, the journal is increasingly able to represent the university and its contributions to various areas of research more faithfully. This edition of Scientia et Humanitas offers a diverse array of topics and several award-winning articles as well.
Four award winning essays open this volume. Clint Bryan, a PhD candidate in English and winner of the 2012-13 William R. Wolfe Graduate Writing Award, and recipient of the Deans’ Distinguished Essay Award, applies elements of social literacy theory to Tobias Smollett’s Humphry Clinker to examine Smollett’s commentary on eighteenth-century society. Following Bryan’s piece, Katie Stringer, also receives the Dean’s Distinguished Essay Award for her examination of the history of the relationship between museums, sideshows, and people with disabilities and will graduate with a PhD in public history in this year’s Spring commencement. Representing the natural sciences, Anna Love, who earned her B.A. in English (2010) and is now seeking a B.S. in science (chemistry/pre-medical), in collaboration with Dr. Ngee Sing Chong of the chemistry department is awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Essay Award for her analysis of the products of the gas phase reaction between chlorine dioxide and malodorous compounds produced during putrefaction. Kayla McNabb’s essay examining the relationship between Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Philosophy of Composition” and Process Theory won second place among the college of liberal arts graduate students at this year’s Scholars’ Week poster session. McNabb is currently pursuing an M.A. in English.
The Humanities are represented more strongly in this year’s issue than in any previous with seven articles. In addition to Bryan’s, Stringer’s and McNabb’s projects, Jonathan Bradley, a late stage English PhD candidate, offers an existential reading of Southern women’s writing. Sarah Gray-Panesi, another English PhD candidate, examines Anne Rice’s Southern Gothic to illustrate the writer’s connections with the Southern literary tradition. Two more English PhD candidates, Margaret Johnson and Fadia Mereani, round out the Humanities. Johnson examines the possibilities of Milton’s Satan as allegory in Paradise Lost while Mereani considers Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry as an influence on that of Wallace Stevens.
The Social Sciences are represented by six projects in this issue. Jamie Sutton, a graduate in philosophy (2012), offers a brief explanation of Islamic limitations on violence and how extremists sometimes circumvent them. Philip Routon, a PhD candidate in economics, examines “fly-by-night” firms and the methods they use to decide whether to follow or ignore certain governmental regulations. In one of two collaborative efforts in this year’s issue, Rachael Smith, an undergraduate in anthropology and art history, and Crystal VanDalsem, an undergraduate in anthropology and philosophy analyze the accumulation of tobacco waste around Peck Hall following MTSU’s smoking ban. Pursuing a Master’s in social work, Hyeryon Kim evaluates Asian American parents’ perceptions of their children’s educational experience. Rita Jones, an undergraduate in communication studies, evaluates the communication experiences of international students on American college campuses, while Michael DeHoff, an undergraduate in organizational communication, provides an examination of the interpersonal relations in the People’s Republic of China.
In my first year with the journal, I have been repeatedly impressed not only with the level of scholarship presented by students at MTSU for publication but also with the amount of work my editorial team has put into making sure the journal continues to be a worthy vessel for MTSU students’ work. Many thanks are due to my fellow editors, reviewers, proofreaders, and advisors, and especially to the Honors College for sponsoring this publication. To the students of MTSU, thank you for your contributions, and I hope you enjoy the third issue of Scientia et Humanitas.
Sarah Gray-Panesi, Editor in Chief
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Vol. 2 (2012)
In this, its second print edition, Scientia et Humanitas continues to provide an opportunity for exceptional students at Middle Tennessee State University to showcase their research across a wide range of disciplines. Scientia continues to grow and change.
We continue our efforts to improve and expand our application and editing process while maximizing our efforts to attract the best research throughout all of MTSU’s disciplines.
Much like the University itself, with its commitment to promoting diversity and opportunity, this current volume of Scientia covers an eclectic range of topics and disciplines:
Social sciences are represented by no less than four projects. Linda Purkey, a graduate in Elementary and Special Education, takes a current look at how fears that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations may
be connected to autism have increased infant mortality rates. Amber Hulsey, a recent graduate in aerospace, surveys the slow adoption of Safety Management Systems within Tennessee Airports. Brian Criswell,
a recent sociology graduate, looks at educating people about sociological concepts of social inequality and stratification using progressive Hip Hop. Anna Yacovone, a recent Global Studies graduate who will be doing a Fulbright Fellowship in Laos next year, examines the positive uses of interfaith dialogues to mitigate conflicts in southern Thailand.
The humanities have three projects in this year’s volume. Mike Smith, a senior English major with prior degrees in business administration and
accounting and information systems, evaluates scenes from Augustine’s life depicted in his Confessions, which he analyzes allegorically in order better to understand Augustine’s faith. Matthew Hibdon, who recently
earned his history degree, investigates MTSU’s commitment to supporting National History Day competitions for high school students
since the 1970s. Finally, Lindsay Gates, another recent history graduate, looks at the controversy over the construction of the Narmada River and the conflicts that it engendered between India’s government and a
grassroots movement to save the Narmada.
Within the natural sciences, Richard Bautista, an undergraduate in MTSU’s forensic science program within biology, surveys the high degree of variability within each method of postmortem intervals (PMI)
used to estimate time since death.
Being part of the Scientia staff has been a rewarding experience both because it has allowed me to help create this publication and because it has exposed me to some of the finest undergraduate research that students are pursuing at MTSU. I would like
to thank my fellow editors, staff members and advisors, as well as the Honor’s College and its contributors, for providing the resources and opportunity for this journal to exist.Most especially, thank you to those students who submitted their hard work to our journal. Without these hard-working and talented submitters, Scientia et Humanitas would be just
an empty cover.
Jacob H. Verhoeff
Managing Editor -
Vol. 1 (2011)
As Middle Tennessee State University celebrates its first 100 years, it is truly an exciting time to be here as a student. From humble beginnings, MTSU has grown into one of the largest and most important academic institutions in the state and region.
Because of this, we are excited to publish the inaugural issue of Scientia et Humanitas: A Journal of Student Research. It serves to highlight some of the wide spectrum of demanding research and scholarship being conducted by students here.
As managing editor, I have seen the journal grow over the last year from little more than a name and a good idea into the publication you see here. This would not have been possible without the hard work and persistence of the entire staff. Not only have they done exceptional jobs as editors and reviewers, often on very short notice, but they have been tireless advocates and spokespeople for our publication. In short, their hard work has enabled us to make Scientia et Humanitas a reality, and it would not be so without each one of them. Thank you for your dedication, for your patience, and for your belief in me and in the journal itself. A special thanks to Production Editor Lindsay Gates; the task, quite frankly, seemed impossible, and would have been, if not for the many hours of hard work you put in.
I would also like to thank Dean Vile for his support, his guidance, and for taking a leap of faith that we could bring this publication to fruition. And last but most certainly not least, Marsha Powers, whose relentless patience, optimism, and unshakeable belief in Scientia et Humanitas are at the foundation of its success. I could not have learned to do this job without you.
And so, in the centennial year of Middle Tennessee State University, we present Scientia et Humanitas: A Journal of Student Research. It is my hope that, in the university's next century, the journal will grow to become a showcase of MTSU academics, of the diversity and scholarship of students here, and an ambassador of the university itself.
Matthew Bennett Managing Editor
