Ana Illic-Hein, "Themes of Othering in Croatian and Serbian History Textbooks in the 1950's"
Advisor: Daniel Ritchel
Abstract: Former Yugoslavia dissolved in the 1990s in brutal civil wars and ethnic violence. This was not the first instance of ethnic violence in former Yugoslavia. Similar events happened during the Second World War. This research thesis examines how Croats and Serbs in the 1950s, living in the post-Second World War Socialist Yugoslavia, promoted stereotypes and engaged in "othering" the other ethnic group in Republic-sanctioned history textbooks.
Chris Ragen, "Atomic City: Las Vegas and the Downwinders"
Advisor: Andrew Nolan
Abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between Las Vegas, Nevada, and neighboring rural communities throughout the era of atmospheric nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site. Las Vegas experienced prodigious growth throughout the 1950s, partially engendered by the glut of government spending and increased tourism drawn by the spectacle of atomic testing. This growth came at the expense of the downwind communities to the east of Las Vegas, and while the city experienced an atomic boom in tourism and growth, their neighbors experienced a radioactive bust that left them suffering from a multitude of medical conditions. This work looks at the rise of Las Vegas and the tragedy of the Downwinders through the eyes of the people who experienced these two intertwined but seemingly divergent worlds tied together by a common thread--atmospheric nuclear testing.
Bria Warren, "'Swift and Certain Vengeance:' Lynching Rhetoric in Maryland Newspapers: 1854-1900"
Advisor: Anne Rubin
Abstract: This thesis explores lynching rhetoric in nineteenth-century Maryland newspapers. Looking at this transformation of journalistic rhetoric over a period where race relations gradually worsened in America unveils the ever-changing nature of the media. As the lynching phenomenon spread, Maryland newspapers discussed the topic more heavily. While white newspapers grew more gruesome in overage, black newspapers called upon those same methods to redefine the narrative of lynching in America. Through the lens of journalism, this thesis strives to dispel the notion that Maryland was more neutral than Southern states during the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Gilded Age eras. It further highlights the importance of rhetorical method and black journalism, while reshaping the narrative of lynching in Maryland.