Bio

Abigail Bean is a senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, studying Political Science, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and French. During her time at Tulane, Abigail has been passionate about working with first-year students as a TIDES Peer Mentor and Honors Teaching Fellow. She is also a member of Phi Sigma Pi and a student employee at Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. Her Honors Thesis explores the intersection of postcolonial feminism and restorative justice, using former female members of ISIS as a case study. Abigail became interested in the politics of the Middle East when she completed research about Palestinian feminism during the summer of 2018 as part of the Mandel-Palagye Program for Middle East Peace in Jerusalem. She also studied abroad in Paris, studying French literature and history. Growing up in Colorado, Abigail was raised with a love of the outdoors, and today she enjoys spending time with her cat, taking care of her collection of indoor plants, and reading as much as possible. After graduation, she plans to stay in New Orleans and work, and eventually obtain a Master of Library Sciences.

Project Abstract

Shamima Begum and Hoda Muthana are among the thousands of Western Muslims who travelled to Syria and Iraq to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and live under the caliphate's rule. Since the collapse of ISIS, these women are living in refugee camps in Syria and have professed regret for their actions and desire to return to their home countries of the United Kingdom and the United States, respectively. Their governments have stripped them of their citizenship, refusing their re-entry and denying them access to due process. This course of action, or inaction, is obviously a major security threat; however, the conundrum of former ISIS women also exposes the inability of the western justice paradigm to provide fair and just due process to women, people of color, religious minorities, and other marginalized groups. Because western judicial-criminal systems are founded on imperialism, racism, and patriarchy, we need a new framework to repatriate and reintegrate former female members of ISIS into their home societies, rather than leaving them stateless. In this thesis, I present the notion of alternative justice, a framework based on restorative justice, postcolonial feminist, TWAIL, and queer readings of terrorism, reconciliation, and peacebuilding as a useful lens through which to view the case of former female members of ISIS from the West. I apply critical analysis of both "traditional" Western justice theories and alternative justice theories to case studies of Hoda Muthana and Shamima Begum, not as a policy proposal but as a theoretical exploration with important implications not only for these women's situations, but also for Western notions of justice, gender, and terrorism more broadly.

Bio

Emma hails from Memphis, Tennessee, but is proud to call New Orleans home. While their passions include art, music, and following the comedic trends of Tiktok, they formally study economics and linguistics with a minor in political science. Emma wears many hats, working as a research aide for Newcomb Institute and the Tulane Economics department and is a substitute teacher at Stuart Hall School. At Newcomb, Emma studies gender in higher education, American political leadership, and women’s history, connecting scholars across Louisiana for events that sustain Newcomb’s mission. Their other research interests include computational linguistics, economic history, and cognitive science. While at Tulane, Emma studied Arabic and practiced these skills abroad through the Mandel Palagye Program for Middle East Studies as well as participated in Feminist Camp in New York through a grant from Newcomb. Emma is still deciding on their next adventure but hopes to continue building their skills as a coordinator and writer.

Project Abstract

This thesis examines the potential for computational linguistic methods to frame the analysis of “big data” in an economic study on access to mental healthcare. I examine three textual factors (sentiment scoring, wordiness, and presence of questions) from the email responses of 750 nationally representative mental health providers to patient requests for therapy appointments that may provide information about ease of access to mental health services across intersections of gender and racial identity. Through this project, I attempt to create simple, adaptable scripts in Python to process and identify textual features from the results of a large experimental audit study. My goal is to explore methods for natural language processing (NLP) research to expand our ability to detect subtle discrimination and generate deeper and more efficient inferences about access to care across large pools of text data.

Chapters 1 and 2 introduce and define key concepts in natural language processing and provide an overview of existing work using similar approaches, Chapter 3 outlines my adaptable methodology and Python scripts, Chapter 4 examines the source data and audit study findings, Chapter 5 explores an in-depth summary of the outputs of my Python scripts, and Chapter 6 builds upon these results to provide example applications of text feature analysis through Stata. Though this method shows significant promise, specialized dictionaries and careful data cleaning are required for more reliable results. This thesis builds upon studies in the fields of economics and linguistics by using sentiment analysis to bring light to subtle discrimination. NLP methods can be generalized more broadly to suit other audit studies with large amounts of text data, meriting further exploration of how linguistic methods can inform studies in the field of economics.

Bio

Kira Goeking is from Mill Valley, California and studies economics, political science, and Spanish. During her time at Tulane, she worked at Reily Student Recreation Center, served as the social media chair for the Tulane for UNICEF organization, and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi. Newcomb Scholars led Kira to her current research assistant position where she researches the intersection of politics, leadership, race and gender in Congress. One of Kira’s favorite college experiences was studying abroad at London School of Economics for a year. In her International Organizations course at LSE, Kira presented on the International Criminal Court, which led her to her thesis topic. Post-grad plans are still up in the air, but she is interested in working in investment banking or pursuing law, and would love to move to a city, such as Boston or New York. Outside of school, Kira enjoys all things health and fitness, from running to weight training to Pilates; cooking dinner and watching the Bachelor with her housemates; and dreaming about moving back to London one day.

Project Abstract

The “peace versus justice” debate is not a new one to the world of international criminal justice, but is one that continues to be discussed with particular reference to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and their dealings in Uganda. Instead of choosing between peace and justice, the question should be: “which type of justice should the ICC pursue to contribute to peace?” The Court must overcome three barriers related to complementarity, distance, and listening to locals, to render the peace versus justice debate futile. The case study in Uganda provides a prime example of where once the Court broadens its approach to justice and peace, it can overcome the three dilemmas. This thesis concludes with specific recommendations the Court and international community should take to adopt a holistic approach to international criminal justice. This thesis will work to change people’s perception of not only the ICC and its current dealings, but what justice and peace truly mean and the future of international criminal justice.

Bio

Maddie Grills is a senior from Tampa, Florida studying Music Composition and Digital Media Practices, with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Beyond Newcomb Scholars, Maddie is Music Director of TULA (Tulane University Ladies Acapella) and is a recipient of the Fulton Arts Grant for performance in Orfeo Music Festival in Italy and the Lucille Trueblood Excellence in Music Award. This year, one of her compositions was selected for performance in the 2021 Music by Women Festival. Her honors thesis is a culmination of 11 years of composition and her education of Tulane, exploring her interest in the relationships between music, narrative, and visual elements through the creation of her own narrative musical score on the subject of processing grief. After her acceptance into the 2021 Atlantic Music Festival, she will spend her summer participating in the festival’s composition program. After graduation, she hopes to one day write music for film and television.

Project Abstract

In this project, I set out to create a film score for an imagined film. First, I created the plot of the story: Three friends (Liv, Asha, and Deni) experience grief in different ways and attempt to seek closure for the death of a friend (Nova), with the help of a benevolent forest entity providing guidance along the way. The process of grieving is presenting through physical manifestations: a journey through a fantastical forest with different elements to represent the ways in which each character processes grief. Using the narrative elements, I generated musical material for 10 distinct plot points, starting with themes for each character to be woven throughout the project. I write the score by hand and orchestrate on Sibelius. To complete the project, I hired performers to play the piece and commission art to accompany each piece.

Bio

Meghan Kearney is a History major with minors in Political Science and Economics. Her area of interest is twentieth century history, historiography, and the ways in which pop culture and politics influence each other. She worked as a research assistant for Dr. Anna Mahoney and was co-author of the chapter “#MeToo in the State House” in the book Politicking While Female, published in 2020 by LSU Press. She also worked as an intern at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans. While at Tulane, Meghan also discovered a love of studio art, taking several ceramics classes and spending a summer in Paris studying photography and art history. Meghan hopes to work at a museum or nonprofit in her hometown of Washington DC and possibly attend graduate school after a few years off.

Project Abstract

‘Tropic Thunder, Da 5 Bloods, and Contemporary Collective Memory of the Vietnam War’ draws upon the theories of collective memory and the use of film as a historical source to analyze two recent blockbuster films about the war. The paper argues that movies about the Vietnam War reflect not the actual historical events, but rather the popular narratives about the war that were prevalent when the film was made. The films are analyzed for what message they convey about the Vietnam War, and whether that message is substantially different than previous movies about the war. Despite surface level differences, Tropic Thunder and Da 5 Bloods still conform to preexisting narratives and tropes that center the experiences of Americans, present American soldiers as victims, deny responsibility for American atrocities, marginalize and objectify women, and exoticize the Vietnamese people.

Bio

Christina McCarthy is a Sociology major and Spanish minor on the pre-medical track from Bogota, New Jersey. In addition to being a Newcomb Scholar, she served as the 2019-2020 Panhellenic President for Greek Life, worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Orthopedics at LSU Health Sciences Center, and interned in the Department of Sociology through NCI’s Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Internship. Through her internship with NCI, Christina discovered her passion for maternal and child health and hopes to become an OBGYN after attending Tulane Medical School through the Creative Scholars Program. Working alongside Dr. Johnson on both her Working and Nursing Study and upcoming book relating to how different states classify parentage under gestational surrogacy and artificial insemination statutes, inspired her to write her thesis on assisted reproductive technologies. Some of Christina’s favorite Tulane experiences include studying abroad in Madrid, trying new local New Orleans coffee shops, and directing Tulane’s second student-produced musical. Christina is excited to be continuing her education at Tulane School of Medicine this fall. She would like to thank Dr. Johnson, her Newcomb Scholars professors, and Scholars cohort for helping her cultivate her personal and academic interests and never failing to provide their support in all her endeavors.

Project Abstract

Since the advent of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), women’s options to conceive children continue to grow exponentially beyond their biological reproductive capabilities. Specifically, the debate surrounding a woman’s decision to freeze her eggs through oocyte cryopreservation, a medical procedure used to preserve a woman’s eggs (also synonymous with egg banking and egg freezing), is moving closer to the forefront of feminist scholars’, sociologists’, and public health experts’ discussions about the future of reproduction. Oocyte cryopreservation enables women to extend their fertility timeline and store young, healthy eggs for future use. Although the existing literature illuminates the perspectives of scholars in the fields of sociology and public health, it fails to provide the opinions, insight, and knowledge of younger populations of women, who are frequently targeted by marketing companies for egg banking. Additionally, the perspectives of OB/GYNs and Reproductive Endocrinologists are essential in determining how physicians counsel patients who are considering ARTs as an alternative option to childbearing.

Using a sociological lens, this thesis will address how: 1) college women view egg freezing; 2) how OBGYNs and REIs view egg freezing; 3) whether the opinions of the three populations of interest differ. Specifically, how do different specialties within women’s health understand, view, and counsel patients on oocyte cryopreservation? How do younger populations of women talk about egg freezing? Do the majority of college women consider egg freezing a viable option to delay childbearing? Drawing upon existing literature and the data collected from in-depth interviews, it will unpack the complex relationship between assisted reproductive technologies and the patriarchal values that still dominate modern medicine. Furthermore, this project will seek to understand medical professionals’ experiences with patients who considered oocyte cryopreservation as a realistic option to delay childbearing. It will analyze whether reproductive endocrinologists and obstetrician-gynecologists hold similar or differing opinions about egg banking and whether senior college women would consider freezing their eggs to prepare for demanding careers in sectors that remain unfriendly to pregnant women and women with small children/or penalize young workers who need maternity leave or who require flexibility to care for small children. In a society where women’s reproductive behaviors are constantly under the control of patriarchal institutions, it is imperative to conduct studies that question how society, rather than women, can provide a conducive environment that allows mothers to simultaneously balance their roles as caregivers and career professionals.

Bio

Sydney Sheffield is a senior studying Public Health and minoring in Chinese. Outside of class, she has been the president of Tulane Water Polo, works as a research assistant on a sexual violence prevention project through the Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health program, works as the Communications Coordinator for the Tulane University Peer Health Educators (TUPHEs), and has volunteered with Children’s Hospital NICU and Saul’s Light. She also enjoys reading, cuddling with friends at bonfires, and talking to her plants. She plans to apply to medical school in the next few years and build a career as an OB-GYN.

Project Abstract

For the purposes of this study, perinatal loss is defined as the loss of a fetus at or after 20 weeks of gestation or the loss of an infant within 28 days of life. The rate of perinatal loss in Louisiana is significantly higher than the national average, yet New Orleans hospital policies, protocols, and structures regarding perinatal bereavement care remain unstandardized. The current study uses semi-structured interviews to investigate the perspectives of parents who have experienced perinatal loss (N=3) as well as those of healthcare providers who have cared for such families (N=10). The provider interviews were analyzed for themes using NVivo 12, while the parent interviews were constructed into narratives using a phenomenological approach. In the interviews, providers discussed micro-level interventions—including care strategies like sensitive language and comforting gestures that seem to help—as well as macro-level interventions—such as staff trainings, availability of bereavement rooms, and COVID-19 policies. Providers also shared their personal support needs following the provision of bereavement care. The parent narratives corroborate providers’ recommendations for improving perinatal bereavement care in New Orleans hospitals. While attention to and efforts toward providing sensitive perinatal bereavement care have increased in recent years, differences in protocol across New Orleans hospitals persist. The current study aims to provide a framework of possible changes to be made to hospital protocol and policies surrounding perinatal bereavement care based on perspectives from the parents and providers who have lived it.

Bio

Renée Trepagnier is a senior scholar receiving her dual degree in Classical Studies (BA) and Anthropology (BS) with a GIS Certification. She is from New Roads, Louisiana. Renée desires to receive her PhD in Aegean archeology in England and has focused her undergraduate education on researching the Bronze Age Minoan civilization of Crete. She has received grants for her research, presented at Classical Studies conferences, and conducted ceramic field analysis on Crete. She is currently writing her undergraduate honors thesis on gender identity in mortuary landscapes of Pre- and Protopalatial Crete (3000-2000 BCE). Renée has interned at the Newcomb Art Museum and the West Baton Rouge Museum. She is also an active pro-life advocate on campus with Tulane University Right to Life Club (TURTL).

Project Abstract

During the Pre- and Protopalatial period (3000-1700 BCE) of Bronze Age (Minoan) Crete, the people from Minoan Crete practiced a variety of funerary and mortuary practices, from interment to disarticulation, and revisitation of the deceased in tholos tombs, house tombs, caves/rock shelters, and cist-graves. This variety of burial practices showcased their beliefs about death, namely that death was a transitory process with multiple stages of burial. The physical manipulations of funerary architecture and the modification of the deceased’s body manifested Minoan beliefs about the changeable nature of an individual’s personhood in death. Personhood refers to the composite of multiple dimensions of identity and social relationships, and includes intersections of gender, age, race, kinship, and class. Gender identity is a critical component of personhood and the focus of this thesis. Using the feminist theories set by Judith Butler, Sandra Harding, and Marie Louise Stig Sørensen, I will use feminism as an analytical lens to evaluate how personhood and gender identity were context-dependent performances within Cretan mortuary landscapes, spaces where the living interacted with the deceased. Through an analysis of the mortuary assemblages and funerary architecture of 22 archaeological sites, I argue that personhood and gender identity were mutable and fluid in death for the communities of Minoan Crete.

Bio

LaKia is a senior studying Neuroscience with a minor in Africana Studies. She is an aspiring abortion provider and works in the Reproductive Justice movement as the Digital Organizer for SisterSong: The National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective and as the Communications Coordinator for the Reproductive Justice Action Collective. Post-graduation LaKia plans to continue organizing for Reproductive Justice before attending medical school.

Project Abstract

This project analyzes the podcast Black Feminist Rants using the method of auto-ethnography. BFR is a new podcast that focuses on Black feminism, reproductive justice, and activism. It currently has 23 episodes across 3 seasons. As the host of the podcast, I bring my own personal experiences and goals into the content of BFR. I discuss my advocacy experience including advocating for contraceptive equity, working with various non-profit organizations, and maneuvering through life in predominantly white spaces. I also interview guest speakers about their experiences. By analyzing BFR and audience responses to it, I show that podcasts can by used as an extension of activism and a source of political education to foster political involvement.