Talk to Wooster
Summer 2006
Diverse Disciplines
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Story
16)
URBAN STUDIES
Let it happen: Redevelopment and the use of eminent domain
Alison Bongiovanni, Williamsville, N.Y. analyzed theories behind economic development and concluded that eminent domain is a viable and useful tool for communities.Working with James Burnell, professor of economics, Bongiovanni researched four redevelopment projects to determine how they were affected by the use of eminent domain (the state's right to take private property for public use). She found that the community is the most important variable. The relationship between the community, the developer, and the local government highly affects the decision to use eminent domain in redevelopment and the ultimate success of that decision.
17) ENGLISH
Chick Lit and little chicks
Widely read but not as widely critiqued, a new body of literature for young adults is emerging. "Teen Chick Lit" aims to present to teens a fictionalized reality that mimics the teens' own lives, says Briel Naugle, "It's almost reality TV in the form of a novel." Working with adviser Larry Stewart, professor of English, Naugle analyzed several teen Chick Lit books, in a series written by Cecily von Ziegaser, and identified the conventions of the genre. Naugle then used that knowledge to write an original, 140-page teen Chick Lit novel, Never Have I Ever. A Wooster studio art major helped Naugle create a book cover that portrayed the themes of the genre. Naugle's I.S. included the novel and its cover, a research paper chronicling the history of juvenile literature and the emergence of Chick Lit and its sub-genres, and an analysis of her own novel and the genre's archetype.
18) PHILOSOPHY
For the love of wilderness: Conceptual analysis of contemporary wilderness
Laura Barnhart, London, Ohio, used a three-pronged approach to study the concept of wilderness.Working with Henry Kreuzman, associate professor of philosophy, Barnhart first sought to define "wilderness," acknowledging its ancient beginnings, varied applications, and the contemporary interpretation represented in the Wilderness Act of 1964. Next she looked at ways that various definitions presuppose value and how preservationists communicate and use values. Finally, Barnhart considered the modern dilemma: "What is appropriate wilderness management?"
19) STUDIO ART
Nourishment for the soul: Designing and creating handmade, functional pottery
Ashley Merydith, Oak Park, Ill., used white stoneware clay to create wheel-thrown pottery, including teapots, lidded jars, vases, pitchers, and bowls. Merydith was particularly rewarded by creating functional pottery and observing the care that viewers take with the pots. "I am fascinated when pots possess qualities that attract a viewer to pick up the pieces and use them for their intended functions. It is the user's personal touch that is able to reflect an artist's mind, body, and spirit through the use of the form. "Working with Walter Zurko, professor of art, Merydith argued that the user gives a handcrafted ceramic item meaning and value that mass-produced pots do not possess.
20) BIOLOGY
Stress response to prolonged capture in house sparrows
Capture methods for wild birds commonly rely on trap lines, but few studies have investigated the effects of these techniques on subsequent levels of corticosterone (CORT), a stress hormone in the birds. T. J. Porter, Lexington, Mass., worked with Sharon Lynn, assistant professor of biology, to study how the length of time spent in a trap affects this stress hormone in house sparrows. Porter compared the CORT response in sparrows which spent no time in the traps and those trapped for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. He found significantly higher CORT levels in birds subjected to prolonged captivity.
