In his novels on India, Rushdie finds it necessary to employ the mythical mode which accommodates the deeply religious as well as the secular side of the nation. Especially in Midnight's Children and The Moor's Last Sigh, the Hindu gods dance through his pages, taking on the myt…
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This thesis is an interpretation of the evolution of Wittgenstein's view of language. I distinguish three main phases in this evolution according to what Wittgenstein considers to be the basis of the distinction between correct and incorrect uses of language, between sense and n…
This dissertation explores the relationships between John 6 and Exodus. Although many interpreters have noted connections between these texts, the predominant reading has been to emphasize the way in which Jesus replaces or supersedes the former things. For example, most have id…
This thesis uses the photographic portrait as an example of contemporary art practice to examine developments in aesthetic sensibility and constructions of meaning with particular address to ineffable qualities in both the subject and in the photograph. It examines the contribut…
By inviting educators from diverse backgrounds to participate in creative conversations, I had hoped to reflect on experiences that had helped construct our theories of environmental education, and inform practice. I sought consistency across the espoused ethics of co-participan…
This study is the first to examine the potential moderating effects of positive and negative religious coping, trait forgiveness, and meaning in military duties on the identified link between combat exposure and subsequent symptoms of generalized psychological distress and postt…
This study examines the relationship between sound and meaning in medieval Arabic linguistic theory, with particular attention given to the work of Ibn Jinni. The historical background of discussions of the relationship between sound and meaning in the Arabic linguistic traditio…
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the only regions throughout the world that saw an increase in new HIV infections from 2001 to 2009. Although UNAIDS estimates that 460,000 individuals are currently living with HIV in MENA, the exact number of women living with H…
Thousands of Iraq combat veterans are currently returning home from the war. A significant percentage of these soldiers are presenting with mental-health problems, foremost of which is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a debilitating condition which has psychological and ps…
The emergence of modern warfare has contributed to greater numbers of service members being exposed to morally ambiguous decisions and actions (e.g., harming civilians and non-combatants). The moral and spiritual implications of serving in combat have gained increasing attention…
Metaphors raise several problems for semantic theory and the philosophy of language. How, for example, is metaphorical language distinguished from literal language? Do metaphors have a linguistic or semantic meaning beyond the literal meaning of the words? Are metaphors either t…
This community psychology project consisted of two virtual storytelling groups gathered to examine the impact of storytelling during a global pandemic. It used the public narrative methodology of Marshall Ganz placed within the context of community mental health. Each storytelli…
The study reported here originated in my therapeutic work with children at risk and my search for a therapeutic approach which would help them develop the inner strength to cope with their difficulties. The concept of ‘meaning in life' as a source of strength has been extensivel…
Identity-based conflict is a complex and pervasive form of contemporary war. These conflicts are macro-social and involve two or more groups that are organized around aspects of religious, ethnic or political identity. This dissertation focuses on the role of “conflict narrative…
This study is an attempt to trace the evolution of the medieval phoenix icon and its attendant symbolism (e.g., numbers, meanders, chevrons, olive branches) and meaning (e.g., resurrection, inconquerable spirit, self-regeneration, androgyny). The study follows these attendant sy…
As more and more millennials disaffiliate from fundamental religions, a sense of confusion and loss, feelings of isolation, and even a lingering sense of betrayal seem to follow. The process of disaffiliation is an under researched area within the psychology of religion. The pre…
Humans are biased toward teleological explanations of natural phenomena. The promiscuous teleology account posits that this proclivity is rooted in the detection of supernatural agency behind the design of the natural world. This idea is supported by numerous positive correlatio…
Many religious/spiritual (R/S) individuals receive meaning from R/S and utilize R/S to help them cope with stressful life events. However, natural disasters can disrupt the R/S meaning-making process (e.g., positive R/S coping strategies) because natural disasters can elicit cog…
The research outlined in this project addresses happiness. Happiness has long been studied by individuals from a multitude of disciplines. These individuals have included philosophers, scientists, politicians, psychologists, religious leaders, and artists among many others. The …