This master’s thesis reports on the experiences and understandings about coercion into human trafficking of activists working in the field. Trafficking exists as a wholly exploitative process which impacts both the psychological state of being of victims as well as their overall lived, day-to-day experience. A qualitative interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was utilized for this research to gain understanding of the experiences of activists working in the field of trafficking. Given IPA as the method of inquiry, emphasis was placed on achieving an understanding of the lived experiences of the participants. Using a semi-structured interview guide, six different activists in the field of human trafficking were interviewed to gain an understanding of the coercive methods of traffickers, the socio-political realities surrounding trafficking as well as an individualized understanding of what trafficking is like for the victims. The interviews were transcribed and coded for themes and subthemes according to the stipulations of IPA. Three themes emerged from this analysis on trafficking. The first theme addressed basic needs. Participants speak to how traffickers' primary method of recruitment centers around the supplication of basic needs otherwise not provided for. In the second theme, activists reported on the socio-political realities involving trafficking and how that impacts victim identification and recruitment into the life of trafficking. In the third theme, activists reported on the psychological consequences of trafficking during recruitment, being in traffic and once they get out of the life of trafficking and into rehabilitation.

It is common for Evangelical Christian churches to encourage young adult congregants to volunteer within their organization. However, when a volunteer applies for a position, and they do not receive it, they risk experiencing emotional hurt. There is a gap in the literature regarding responses of church attenders who have experienced rejection within the Evangelical church, specifically from a volunteer leadership position. In light of this, the present research conducted a qualitative study to identify how relationships between church staff and aspiring volunteers influence acquiring a leadership position and how young adults respond when they have been hurt by perceived rejection messages regarding volunteer leadership requests. This study gathered data through in-depth, one-on-one interviews of young adults, pastors, and church consultants. Pastors and church consultants provided context for young adults’ responses to rejection from volunteering. Analysis of raw data followed Braun and Clarke’s reflexive Thematic Analysis to identify patterns and themes seen throughout the data set. The depth of a relationship between a pastor and an aspiring volunteer is the primary evaluative process for pastors to acquire responsible leaders. However, aspiring volunteers who do not maintain a deep relationship with the pastor perceived behaviors demonstrating favoritism and were inclined to experience emotional hurt caused by feelings of exclusion and feelings of being morally or socially less than others. Young adult aspiring volunteers responded to perceived rejection through negative self-talk, avoidance, and continued participation in the ministry. Over time, young adults learned to understand and accept what had happened. Ultimately, the research found that the common leadership approach of developing leaders based on personal relationships between church staff and aspiring volunteers increases young adults’ hurt when they are not accepted into a leadership position.

In this study, the posts and interactions on a social media site for sexuality and/or gender questioning adolescents were analyzed in order to explore how online spaces contribute to identity development and exploration for this community. Fifty posts, pulled from two Reddit threads, were assessed to determine how questioning adolescents were discussing and questioning their sexual and/or gender identity. The replies of the postee to comments from others were also analyzed to further explore responses to and engagement with other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Using a thematic analysis, it was determined that questioning youth were using Reddit as a means of getting advice, help, explanation, and clarification about their identities and labels they could self-identify as. It was also determined that identities were positively impacted and informed through engagement with others through the exchange of supportive comments and advice. This data suggests that social media can provide positive and supportive safe spaces for identity development and a sense of shared community. However, the significance of the anonymity provided by social media sites is an important part of this provision. It is recommended that further research be done within this framework in order to assess how identity exploration occurs on multiple social media platforms, with an emphasis on the earlier aspects of identity formation given that the focus to date has been primarily on the specific process of coming out.

In this thesis, I am examining the decision making process of how we choose our romantic partners. I use the term “settling” and in this thesis that term refers to the idea of accepting less than what you want in romantic relationships; it is the action of becoming comfortable/content and not searching for what one might know is better for oneself. Although this specific topic has not been explicitly studied under this term, there are underlining concepts that relate to “settling.” These concepts fall under the broader study of relational maintenance and relational satisfaction that is found in interpersonal communication literature. Canary and Stafford (1992) conceptualize these terms as the communication approach one utilizes to preserve the desired relationships (1992). Additionally, relationship maintenance impacts the relationship satisfaction of a person in a relationship due to what efforts are invested in the relationship. Researchers have suggested that relationship satisfaction is a defining factor of a partner’s decision to remain or terminate the relationship (Jang, S. A., et al., 2002; Dainton, 2003). This literature review will examine relationship maintenance and satisfaction and how it may relate to people settling for their partners, and the likelihood of people to maintaining their relationship. Additionally, attachment styles can be a contributing factor in why people may settle in their romantic relationships.

This qualitative project was done as a way to learn more about the personal experiences of Asian American participants surrounding education and how it has impacted their identities, and questions how and if the model minority stereotype has impacted the Asian American student particiapnts. 14 participants were interviewed one-on-one to see if there were any patterns in values that their parents had pushed, and revealed that cultural expectations influence the participants’s educational choices, leading to self-regulation in regards to education. Because the shared trait of these participants are being current Asian American students in university at the time of their interviews, experiences range with how acculturated their parents are, the ethnic background of their families, and prior expectations with education.

In this hybrid undergraduate honors thesis and creative project, I investigate the role of our inherent interconnection with others as humans, our inheritance of history and tradition through our way of having to be brought up as humans, and how we might all expand our world view and even reimagine possibilities for our own lives through conversation and community. My research is founded by work in W.E.B. DuBois’s The Souls of Black Folk, Martin Heidegger’s Being and Time, and Jens Zimmerman’s Hermeneutics: A Very Short Introduction. Additionally, this project includes reflection on my inspiration and founding of the student organization, Girls’ Talk, in 2019. Presented also are qualitative research findings derived from a facilitated dialogue session and relevant survey responses by session participants recruited from the student organization. In all, as was my hope in creating Girls’ Talk, I hope that this project offers readers a glimpse into the meaningful conversations and potentially transformative connections that can be nurtured in spaces where individuals are encouraged and inspired to share their experiences, learn from others, and consider ways of being that differ from their own.

This research explores how to best communicate positive body images to women. This project was intended to improve a blog I created my freshmen year in college called You're Not A Potato where I used original illustrations to tell a narrative about body image issues. The thesis begins with an historical overview of body image issues and finds that women have been dealing with high levels of body dissatisfaction since the Victorian era. The thesis then recaps the role of traditional media as well as contemporary social media and the role they play in imposing rigid beauty ideals on women's bodies. After an analysis of social media culture, it becomes evident women still communicate about their bodies in a negative manner, not only towards themselves, but towards others. To address this issue, I define the Body Positive movement and explore how public figures are using social media to implement Body Positivity. To conclude this project, I utilize my new-found knowledge in body positive communication by impacting my university campus community. I started a "You're Not a Potato" Campaign for Body Pride week with the help of the ASU Wellness Team and designed and facilitated several engaging programs that reflected the values of the Body Positive movement to our students. Through this research, I discovered how our appearance-based culture has stolen self-confidence from young women today, but by the end of this project, I explain how we can attempt to rebuild our culture by effectively communicating self-love and body acceptance in our online and physical communities.