Talk to Wooster
Summer 2006
Diverse Disciplines
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Story
11)
HISTORY
Lord, make me not poor: The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act and its influence on British society
Laura Moore, Pittsford, N.Y., examined how the 1834 Poor Law influenced British society. Rather than simply growing out of the reform that marked the beginning of Victorian society, this law represented a 200-year accumulation of social, political, and economic pressures. Working with Hayden Schilling, professor of history, Moore documented the myriad ways in which the Poor Law influenced 19th century England and shaped the development of Victorian social concerns, the role of women in government, and the modern welfare state.
12) CLASSICAL STUDIES
Religion & the state in Augustan Rome and contemporary America
Courter Shimeall, Worthington, Ohio, studied the relationship between religion and government in Augustan Rome and modern America.Working with Edith Foster, visiting assistant professor of classical studies, Shimeall contrasted the late republican texts of Cicero and Lucretius with the early imperial-period writings of Augustus, Virgil, and Horace, to reveal how religion affected Roman society. He used the writings of Locke, Hobbes, and James Madison to explain the roots of America's political ideals and analyze the role of religion in politics in these two eras.
13) COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS
Maximizing customer equity by taking advantage of customer network effects: A theoretical study with simulations of markets using Java and Repast
Jeremy DeGroot, Batavia, Ill., explored the relationship between commercial firms' high profits and the degree to which their customers participate in social networks. DeGroot theorized that conversations between potential customers about products that they might one day purchase influence their buying behavior.How can firms best market to different social networks? DeGroot used existing theories of customer values and introduced techniques from computer science and mathematics to develop a theoretical model that could evaluate relevant networks. A double major who worked with Dale Brown, professor of mathematical and computer science, and James Hornsten, assistant professor of economics, DeGroot tested the model and developed ways that businesses can maximize profitability by marketing to social networks.
14) SOCIOLOGY
Does everyone really love Oprah? An assessment of attitudes on Oprah Winfrey from College females
Monica Ellis, Columbus, Ohio, examined College of Wooster female students and their attitudes toward Oprah Winfrey and her television show. Ellis began with the hypothesis that those respondents who feel that Oprah's race is important do not like her or "The Oprah Winfrey Show" as much as respondents who don't care that Oprah is black. Working with Jason Shelton, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, Ellis surveyed 69 Wooster females to determine their attitudes toward Oprah, personal feelings about their own race/ethnicity, beliefs about opportunity and discrimination in America, and socio-demographic information. Results showed that respondents who thought that Oprah's race was not important liked her show more than respondents who felt that Oprah's race was important. A noted non-factor in determining attitudes toward Oprah was the respondents' own race.
15) GERMAN
Poesie als Heimat: Adel Karasholi und Roza Domacyna schreiben sich zu Hause (Poetry as a homeland: Adel Karasholi and Roza Domsacyna write themselves home)
Ashley Lackovich, Hopewell, Pa., combined two passions for her I.S.—the German language and creative writing. While she was studying in Berlin, she was captivated by an emerging genre of German literature, works by authors whose native language is not German.Working with Beth Muellner, assistant professor of German, Lackovich researched the works of a Syrian and a Slavic poet, who both live in Germany and write in German. She traced the ways that the two writers came to terms with their multifaceted identity and life in Germany through their poetry.To further explore the genre, Lackovich herself composed poetry in German. As a Serbian American who grew up juggling two languages and cultures, she used the German language to gain insight into her own heritage.
