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Title
Human in the loop : the role of individual and institutional behavior on predictive algorithms
Creator
Isaac, William
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Over the past decade, algorithmic decision systems (ADS)--applications of statistical or computational techniques designed to assist human-decision making processes--have moved from an obscure domain of statistics and computer science into the mainstream. The rapid decline in the cost of computer processing and ubiquity of digital data storage has created a dramatic rise in the adoption of ADS using applied machine learning algorithms, transforming various sectors of society from digital...
Show moreOver the past decade, algorithmic decision systems (ADS)--applications of statistical or computational techniques designed to assist human-decision making processes--have moved from an obscure domain of statistics and computer science into the mainstream. The rapid decline in the cost of computer processing and ubiquity of digital data storage has created a dramatic rise in the adoption of ADS using applied machine learning algorithms, transforming various sectors of society from digital advertising to political campaigns, risk modeling for the banking sector, healthcare and beyond. Many agencies and practitioners in the public sector turn to ADS as a means to stretch limited public resources amidst growing public demands for equity and accountability. However, recent research from multiple fields has found that social and institutional biases, often reflected by input data used to generate predictions. The potential of perpetuated discrimination via input data is a particular concern in fields such as criminal justice where historical biases against minorities have the potential to exacerbate existing racial inequalities. In a series of three essays, this dissertation seeks to outline how institutional norms often shape algorithmic predictions, examine how ADSs alter the incentive structures for agents using the tools, and ultimately its impact on human decision-making.
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Title
The effects of school choice on student achievement, school practices, and segregation : evidence from Seoul's School Choice Program
Creator
Kim, Young Ran (Graduate of Michigan State University)
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
This study seeks to understand how reforms driven by market principles, such as school choice, competition, and autonomy, affect student achievement, school administrative and curricular practices, and segregation by analyzing a school choice program in Seoul, South Korea (hereafter referred to as Korea). Korea provides a unique opportunity to examine the effects of market-based reforms because of a recent policy transition from strong governmental control to a universal school choice program...
Show moreThis study seeks to understand how reforms driven by market principles, such as school choice, competition, and autonomy, affect student achievement, school administrative and curricular practices, and segregation by analyzing a school choice program in Seoul, South Korea (hereafter referred to as Korea). Korea provides a unique opportunity to examine the effects of market-based reforms because of a recent policy transition from strong governmental control to a universal school choice program. In order to guarantee equal educational opportunities, the government adopted the Equalization Policy in 1974 to equalize many aspects of private and public schooling. Due to a high level of governmental control and limited school choice, market and educational consumers have exerted limited influence over the Korean education system. However, recently, the Seoul Local Education Authority (LEA) adopted a school choice program that significantly increased market influence by allowing school choice and by converting some of its high schools into autonomous schools that have greater flexibility in school curriculum and school operations.This study explores how these attempts have affected Seoul’s student achievement, school practices, and segregation. The effect of school choice on student achievement is identified using a comparative interrupted time series analysis (CITS) and Difference-in-Differences (DD) that rely on comparisons of test-score changes between Seoul and Incheon, a neighboring city that already had a school choice policy in place. Students’ scores in English and Korean on the College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT) from 1994 to 2015 were utilized for these analyses. Study results indicate that the Seoul school choice policy has no significant effects on achievement in English and Korean.In addition, this study analyzes how market-based reforms affect school practices by examining how autonomous private high schools change their administrative and curricular practices when subjected to greater market influences. Specifically, this study uses seven-year panel data on school administration collected by the Korean Ministry of Education to examine the ways that autonomous private high schools changed their practices in expenditures, curriculum, and personnel. In order to isolate practice changes induced by the reform from those induced by other social and economic factors, we utilized a DD design that compares the changes within autonomous private high schools to the contemporaneous variation in traditional private high schools that are arguably less affected by the reform. This study found evidence suggesting that the reform significantly increased autonomous private schools’ per-pupil spending, expenditures for educational activities and after-school programs, and the number of after-school programs. In addition, results suggest that autonomous private schools allocated their instructional time away from social studies and toward Korean and math. Furthermore, this study found that autonomous private schools hired teachers with fewer years of teaching experience. Finally, this study explores how Seoul’ school choice policy affects student segregation by achievement and socioeconomic status across different types of schools and school districts. Results show that the policy significantly increased segregation across different types of schools without reducing segregation across districts.
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Title
Essays in local public finance
Creator
Melnik, Walter Thomas
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
My dissertation studies how political factors, local labor demand shocks, and voting behavior affect state and local public goods provision. Following a brief introduction, I begin with “Legislative Redistricting, Party Politics, and the Spatial Distribution of Transportation Expenditure.” In this essay, I estimate how a state representative's political party affects road construction expenditure in areas that she represents. An extensive literature asks how a legislator's party affiliation...
Show moreMy dissertation studies how political factors, local labor demand shocks, and voting behavior affect state and local public goods provision. Following a brief introduction, I begin with “Legislative Redistricting, Party Politics, and the Spatial Distribution of Transportation Expenditure.” In this essay, I estimate how a state representative's political party affects road construction expenditure in areas that she represents. An extensive literature asks how a legislator's party affiliation affects public expenditure in the area the legislator represents. Unfortunately, almost all studies estimate this effect using party changes through election outcomes, which could be correlated with unobservable determinants of transportation expenditure. To overcome this issue, I identify my estimates using changes in party affiliation engendered by the 2012 state legislative redistricting in Ohio. In many cases, redistricting moved a geographic area into a district whose incumbent representative belonged to the opposing political party. This created variation in partisan alignment unrelated to election outcomes. From 2010-2017 the Republican party controlled the Ohio House of Representatives, the Ohio Senate, and the governorship. Using variation due to redistricting for identification, I find that areas moving from Republican to Democratic districts due to redistricting received $3.5 million (0.19 standard deviations) less annual highway construction funding than areas that remained in Republican districts. This funding decrease derives from a decline in the number of large construction projects in these areas. The estimated effects differ substantially when identified using variation through voting in non-redistricting years, perhaps due to selection issues concerning the type of districts changing parties through election outcomes. In addition, the expenditure change associated with a party change through election outcomes depends on whether the incumbent lost an election or retired, further evincing selection issues associated with this variation.In my next essay, “Municipal Government Reaction to Mass Layoffs in Ohio,” I study how municipal government finances respond to negative local employment shocks. Using data from 595 municipalities in Ohio, I estimate the change in municipal revenue after reported mass layoffs and plant closings, as well as the municipality's response: possible adjustments to tax rates, expenditure, and borrowing. I find that income tax revenue plummets in the year after a mass layoff, driven by a large decline in income tax base. Municipalities do not raise income or property tax rates to compensate for the income tax drop - rather, tax rates decline slightly. Property tax revenue also declines, while revenue from service charges and fees and intergovernmental revenue do not change significantly. Thus, total revenue drops substantially for several years after a mass layoff. In response, municipalities cut expenditure across several categories, including general government, public safety, leisure and community environment, and capital outlay. Cities also draw down their unreserved fund balance substantially, avoiding deeper cuts to expenditure by depleting their accumulated funds.In my last essay, “ Ballot Order and Ballot Roll-off: Evidence from Ohio,” coauthored with Mike Conlin and Paul Thompson, I study how an election item’s position on the ballot affects the probability that voters abstain from voting on that item (“roll-off”), and on the probability that voters choose to vote yes conditional on casting a ballot. Local tax referenda in Ohio rotate ballot position every year based on the level of local jurisdiction that placed the referendum on the ballot, providing a source of exogenous variation to test these propositions. Previous research suggests that voters are less likely to cast a vote for election items lower on the ballot, and more likely to choose the status quo. These findings support the idea of choice fatigue, suggesting that facing more decisions impairs voters’ decision making ability. Unlike previous papers, I am able to control for demographic characteristics (age and party affiliation) of voters who see each referendum. I find that voters tend to cast more yes votes for items lower on the ballot. I also find that older voters are much less likely, and partisan voters much more likely, to abstain from ballot items, showing the importance of controlling for these characteristics when estimating the effect of ballot position on roll-off.
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Title
Iridium catalyzed C-H activation borylations of fluorine bearing arenes and related studies
Creator
Jayasundara, Chathurika Ruwanthi Kumarihami
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
During the last two decades, iridium catalyzed aromatic borylation has emerged as one of the most convenient methodologies for functionalizing arenes and heteroarenes. The regioselectivity of Ir-catalyzed borylations are typically governed by sterics, therefore it complements the regioselectivity found in electrophilic aromatic substitution or directed ortho metalation. This unique regioselectivity and broad functional group tolerance (ester, amide, halogen, etc.) allows for synthesis of...
Show moreDuring the last two decades, iridium catalyzed aromatic borylation has emerged as one of the most convenient methodologies for functionalizing arenes and heteroarenes. The regioselectivity of Ir-catalyzed borylations are typically governed by sterics, therefore it complements the regioselectivity found in electrophilic aromatic substitution or directed ortho metalation. This unique regioselectivity and broad functional group tolerance (ester, amide, halogen, etc.) allows for synthesis of novel synthetic intermediates, many of which were previously either unknown or difficult to make. Since these reactions are mainly driven by sterics, it is possible to install boronic ester group (Bpin) next to small substituents like hydrogen, cyano, or fluorine. This feature is helpful but can also create challenges, specially in cases like borylation of fluoro arenes. These fluoro arenes tend give 1:1 mixture of steric (meta to fluorine) and electronic (ortho to fluorine) products. Therefore, to overcome this problem, we introduced a two-step Ir-catalyzed borylation/Pd-catalyzed dehalogenation sequence that allows one to synthesize fluoroarenes where the boronic ester is ortho to fluorine (electronic). Here, a halogen para to the fluorine is used as a sacrificial blocking group allowing the Ir-catalyzed borylation to favor the electronic product exclusively. Then the chemoselective Pd-catalyzed dehalogenation by KF activated polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) is used to remove the halogen without compromising the Bpin group. Halosubstituted aryl boronates have the potential for orthogonal reactivity in cross-coupling reactions. We began exploring cross-coupling of triorganoindiums with these arylhalides bearing boronic esters in collaboration with Prof. P. Sestelo at University of da Coruña, Spain. We were able to synthesize borylated biaryls by merging Ir-catalyzed C–H borylations with Pd-catalyzed organoindium cross-couplings.As a part of the Dow–MSU-GOALI collaborations, we were able to synthesize a cobalt catalyst for C-H borylations of alkyl arenes and heteroarenes. This catalyst enables selective monoborylation of the benzylic position of alkyl arenes using pinacolborane (HBpin) as the boron source. In 2016, an internship opportunity led to the screening of ligands for C-H borylations at the Dow chemicals company in Midland, MI. From this internship opportunity, we discovered the first ligand controlled synthesis of 1,2-di and 1,2,3-tri borylated arenes. Also, I investigated a recyclable iridium heterogeneous catalyst for borylations during the internship. Finally, a bulky terphenyl incorporated bipyridine ligand is synthesized for selective iridium catalyzed para C–H borylations.
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Title
The regiments : cultural histories of Zulu masculinities and gender formation in South Africa, 1816-2018
Creator
Timbs, Elizabeth H.
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
"This dissertation reconstructs aspects of the history of Zulu martial heritage through the prism of the amabutho (regiments, age-grades) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from the era of Shaka Zulu (ca. 1816) to the present. Based on archival research and oral history interviews, this study argues that despite being outlawed by the British colonial regime in 1879, Zulu chiefs continued to form amabutho, but for different purposes. Regiments became youth structures for commercial labor...
Show more"This dissertation reconstructs aspects of the history of Zulu martial heritage through the prism of the amabutho (regiments, age-grades) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from the era of Shaka Zulu (ca. 1816) to the present. Based on archival research and oral history interviews, this study argues that despite being outlawed by the British colonial regime in 1879, Zulu chiefs continued to form amabutho, but for different purposes. Regiments became youth structures for commercial labor recruitment and British military conscription; they enabled indigenous leaders to access martial discourse and metaphors for political mobilization; expressed cultural forms of resistance to state racism; and nurtured the sustenance of Zulu identities in a changing South Africa. Exploring the amabutho's links to the Zulu monarchy also helps to shed light on the evolving role and status of the Zulu Royal House. While both the white-run Natal and Union governments feared the influence that Shaka's successors held among Zulu-speaking Africans, the authorities also relied on Paramount Chief Solomon to recruit black volunteers from Natal and Zululand for World War I. In the apartheid era (1948-1994), the invocation of the Zulu nation's warrior legacy endured. As migrant laborers, Zulu men recreated their martial identities and manifestations of the amabutho became more abstract, emerging in society, culture, and politics in unexpected ways. As the struggle against apartheid intensified, the continued relevance of this martial heritage mobilized Zulu communities, bringing them in conflict with first the African National Congress and later the United Democratic Front. In the post-apartheid period (1994-present), the rhetoric, symbolism, and practices of Zulu regiments continues to resonate and evolve. In the case of "high politics," Zulu political leaders turn to martial metaphors to engender support, while, on the ground, local authorities throughout the province struggle to maintain the traditions that give these metaphors meaning. The historiographical significance of this dissertation is threefold. First, it extends earlier studies to consider Zulu martial masculinity over two centuries. Second, it uncovers how amabutho shaped, and have been shaped by, white anxieties about Zulu men's "violent potential" as well as a need for cheap labor. Third, this dissertation reconsiders the shifting role of chiefs and kings in South Africa since 1800."--Pages ii-iii.
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Title
An exploration of mid- to high-valent transition metal complexes for application to catalysis
Creator
Aldrich, Kelly E.
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
"The valency or oxidation state of a transition metal in a complex plays a large role in determining the reactivity of the complex. With transition metal chemistry, historically accessible chemistry has often focused on metals in a low oxidation state. However, transformations involving transition metals in high oxidation states are of equal importance in providing complex products for use in consumer products. Expanding the applications and understanding of transition metal complexes in high...
Show more"The valency or oxidation state of a transition metal in a complex plays a large role in determining the reactivity of the complex. With transition metal chemistry, historically accessible chemistry has often focused on metals in a low oxidation state. However, transformations involving transition metals in high oxidation states are of equal importance in providing complex products for use in consumer products. Expanding the applications and understanding of transition metal complexes in high oxidation states is the focus of the research presented in this dissertation. Fundamental studies of how ligands interact with high valent metals is presented in chapters 2 and 3, where a chromium(VI) model complex has been used to study bonding interactions between this d0 transition metal and phosphine ligands. Practical application of high valent titanium(IV) catalysts to C--N bond forming reactions is presented in chapters 4--6. Finally, chapters 7 and 8 focus on the changes in the character of M--N double bonds, with M=Fe and Ru, as the metal is forced to higher oxidation states. Collectively, these studies demonstrate different approaches to the same general problems and questions of how chemists can better understand and utilize high valent transitions metals to do catalytically-target desired transformations."--Page ii.
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Title
Impact of Predation Risk on the Behavior and Physiology of Insects in Agricultural Systems
Creator
Ali, Sara
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
ABSTRACTNon-consumptive effects are impacts on prey survival and performance that are related to investment in anti-predator defenses. Without considering direct consumption by predators, non-consumptive effects contribute a large portion of the net effects of predatory insects have on their prey. Because the central tenant of agricultural systems is to produce the highest profitable yield; understanding how we can harness, manipulate, and foster predator non-consumptive effects will be...
Show moreABSTRACTNon-consumptive effects are impacts on prey survival and performance that are related to investment in anti-predator defenses. Without considering direct consumption by predators, non-consumptive effects contribute a large portion of the net effects of predatory insects have on their prey. Because the central tenant of agricultural systems is to produce the highest profitable yield; understanding how we can harness, manipulate, and foster predator non-consumptive effects will be helpful in development of pest management techniques. While non-consumptive effects are now known to occur quite commonly, both the spatial and temporal scale of studies are limited (demonstrated in Chapter 1). It is therefore necessary to expand our work to better understand these interactions in natural systems over longer time periods. Here I examined the potential for non-consumptive effects in an important agricultural predator-prey system between a common herbivore prey (Pieris rapae) and ubiquitous predator (Harmonia axyridis) in both the laboratory (Chapter 2) and field (Chapter 3). Interestingly, even though these species overlap in spatial distribution and phenology, little to no effect of predation risk on prey behavior was found. Further, when examining their interactions in an open-field environment, no significant non-consumptive effects on Pieris rapae were found. However, manipulatively increasing predator cues in the open-field experiment did have significant impacts on a secondary insect pest (Aphidae spp). This work emphasizes the importance of examining community interactions at the field level. In addition, non-consumptive effects resulting from H. axyridis on aphids (Myzus persicae) were found to be strong, resulting from changes in both aphid behavior and physiology (Chapter 4). Overall, these studies demonstrate that predator non-consumptive effects are prey species dependent and that studies in natural settings, over larger spatial and temporal scales, will allow us to better understand these complex interactions.
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Title
Exploring influences on couple therapist violence screening practices : a qualitative study
Creator
Parker, Nicole
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a tremendous social problem with devastating consequences for survivors and loved ones, with effects that often last for generations. IPV not only affects the victim but it hurts society as a whole, and costs billions of dollars to the US economy each. Yet it is a preventable problem. Many couples who experience abuse seek solutions through couple therapy, yet most therapists working with couples do not directly address nor assess for the presence of...
Show moreIntimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a tremendous social problem with devastating consequences for survivors and loved ones, with effects that often last for generations. IPV not only affects the victim but it hurts society as a whole, and costs billions of dollars to the US economy each. Yet it is a preventable problem. Many couples who experience abuse seek solutions through couple therapy, yet most therapists working with couples do not directly address nor assess for the presence of violence, one estimate finding that only 4% of therapists follow guidelines to routinely screen for partner violence. Engaging couples in treatment when violence has not been assessed is dangerous for victimized clients and ethically perilous for the therapist. There is a healthy discourse in the IPV literature about how best to respond to violence in couples seeking treatment, but what is missing from this discussion is a thorough understanding of factors which influence therapists' couple violence screening practices. Guided by two theories, Ecological Theory and Role Theory, this qualitative study explores the many factors that influence clinicians in their screening practices around the topic of violence, and highlights the individual and contextual elements that govern clinical choices by the therapist. Data was gathered from clinicians working in a variety of contexts, and was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings contribute to a growing knowledge of literature that focuses on violence detection efforts within the field of mental health, and may inform educational and training policy.
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Title
Integrating genomic selection and genome editing strategies to accelerate potato breeding
Creator
Enciso Rodriguez, Felix Eugenio
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
"As a staple food, the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plays an important role in human nutrition and it is currently the third most important food crop after rice and wheat. However, the potato crop faces high production losses caused mainly by biotic factors. With the advent of cutting-edge technologies suitable for potatoes, there is an increasing possibility to accelerate genetic progress and variety generation. To contribute to the implementation of genomic strategies to accelerate potato...
Show more"As a staple food, the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plays an important role in human nutrition and it is currently the third most important food crop after rice and wheat. However, the potato crop faces high production losses caused mainly by biotic factors. With the advent of cutting-edge technologies suitable for potatoes, there is an increasing possibility to accelerate genetic progress and variety generation. To contribute to the implementation of genomic strategies to accelerate potato breeding, three different approaches were used. First, whole genome regressions were conducted using additive and dominant allele dosage models for late blight and common scab resistance in tetraploid potatoes. Multiple Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), contribute to late blight resistance, uncovering the introgression history for this trait whereas an unreported locus with a sizable contribution to common scab resistance was detected. Prediction accuracy assessments demonstrated that 90% of the genetic variance could be captured with an additive model, demonstrating the applicability of genomic prediction for tetraploid potato breeding. Second, a genome editing approach was implemented to breakdown the S-RNase -based self incompatibly in diploid potatoes. New S-RNase allelic variants, with flower-restricted expression, were identified in two self-incompatible (SI) diploid potatoes and mapped to chromosome I in a low recombination region. A dual single-guide RNA strategy was used to generate S-RNase knock-out lines producing premature stop codons on each targeted S-RNase allele. Self-compatibility was achieved in T0 knock-outs and stable transmitted to T1 lines. Additionally, Cas-9 free plants were also obtained. Plasticity in the self-compatible response was also observed in wild-type lines, presumably associated with non-stylar and environmental factors. Third, validation of the IPI-O4 -mediated suppression of the RB-based late blight resistance was conducted using in vivo and in vitro approaches. The hypersensitive response (HR) was confirmed when IPI-O1 was co-infiltrated with the RB gene from Solanum bulbocastanum using a heterologous system. However, HR was observed when IPI-O1 and IPI-O4 were infiltrated in transgenic potato lines carrying a synthetic RB gene containing a Coiled-Coil (CC) domain from S. pinnatisectum. Further work should be conducted to confirm this un-reported interaction. Similarly, we could not validate CC-dimerization using yeast-two hybrid assays and therefore more extensive experiments should be conducted to confirm this result. Ultimately, these genomic approaches open a new window to accelerate the generation of new potato varieties. Genomic selection strategies along with targeted mutagenesis will expand the boundaries of both approaches, reducing the potato breeding cycle considerably while maintaining genetic diversity, and providing access to genomic regions with low or null recombination in potatoes."--Pages ii-iii.
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Title
Black female teachers' presence, perseverance, and promise : how educational leaders can combat teacher turnover trends
Creator
Stanley, Darrius A.
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
This dissertation explores the depth of the Black educator turnover problem in today’s public schools. Black educators across the country have experienced higher than average turnover rates, eroding the success of recent minority teacher recruitment efforts. This epidemic has left the field of teaching consistent with the status quo, white and female. More recent research reveals that Black female teachers are leaving the classroom at alarming rates. Research consistently highlights school...
Show moreThis dissertation explores the depth of the Black educator turnover problem in today’s public schools. Black educators across the country have experienced higher than average turnover rates, eroding the success of recent minority teacher recruitment efforts. This epidemic has left the field of teaching consistent with the status quo, white and female. More recent research reveals that Black female teachers are leaving the classroom at alarming rates. Research consistently highlights school leadership as a primary influence for Black teacher turnover. Together, the research and turnover statistics suggest that race and school leadership are primary factors contributing to the increased departure of Black female teachers. However, there is less qualitative understanding of the depth of these impacts on Black female teacher turnover. This study explores three distinct queries. 1. What factors do Black female teachers perceive as most influential to their decisions to stay or leave their schools? 2. What role do Black female teachers suggest race plays in their decisions to stay or leave their schools?3. What role do Black female teachers suggest school leadership plays in their decisions to stay or leave their schools?Fifteen Black female teachers’ voices, experiences and perspectives are centered in this study which leans upon phenomenological and case study methodologies. The primary data collection tools included interviews and documents. The participants represent a diverse sample of Black female teachers that range in teaching experience, contexts, personal background, and grade levels. Elements of Black Feminism in Education and Critical Race Feminism were used to guide analysis and more importantly highlight the unique intersectional identities of the participants. Three major themes emerged from the interviews that have contributed to participants’ career experiences: 1) the impact of racial, cultural and gendered identity; 2) the impact of school leadership; and 3) the impact of organizations. The findings from this study highlight the impact of intersectional identity on Black female teachers’ career journeys. It exposes the sacrifices and commitments they have to teaching that are heavily influenced by their raced, gendered and classed herstories. Further, the findings suggest that school leaders who have the awareness of Black female teachers’ social justice related commitments and the pledge to uplift their voices within schools are better positioned to retain them. This study also finds that when organizations lack the awareness of racial, cultural and gender related issues, Black female teachers become less satisfied in those organizations. At the center of this study is the need for school leaders to develop and sustain more inclusive organizations that consider the personal backgrounds and intersectional identities of Black female teachers, if they wish to retain them in today’s public schools. The results of this study suggest that school leaders must play a more intentional role in retaining Black female teachers. The results suggest that school leaders must willfully support Black female teachers’ social justice agendas and pedagogies on their terms. Also, school leaders must create organizational cultures that are conducive to the unique needs of Black female faculty. Finally, schools and school leaders must listen to the voices of Black female teachers as a mechanism to retain their presence in the classroom and to uplift underserved, specifically Black, students in the curriculum and the school.
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Title
Middlemen : making literature in the age of multimedia conglomerates
Creator
McGrath, Laura B.
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
In the 1980s and 90s, the publishing industry in the United States was transformed by a series of mergers and acquisitions, as long-standing houses were subsumed into international multimedia conglomerates to form what we now know as The Big Five—Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon and Schuster. Though conglomeration revolutionized the processes of literary production, scholars have paid little mind to these corporate practices. This dissertation...
Show moreIn the 1980s and 90s, the publishing industry in the United States was transformed by a series of mergers and acquisitions, as long-standing houses were subsumed into international multimedia conglomerates to form what we now know as The Big Five—Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon and Schuster. Though conglomeration revolutionized the processes of literary production, scholars have paid little mind to these corporate practices. This dissertation investigates the ways that literature is made today by focusing on the overlooked professionals shaping the field of contemporary literary production: Agents, Editors, Authors, and Distributors. Too often dismissed as mere bureaucratic functionaries, these middlemen are in fact powerful nodes between artist and corporation, and they force us to rethink the category of literary production as a form of corporate creativity. Exploring the influence of middlemen on contemporary literary forms, I blend computational methods, ethnography, literary history, and close reading to model a new method for analyzing the field of literary production. I reveal how these professionals operate as administrators of literary prestige and “corporate taste” today, shaping the form and content of contemporary fiction while providing access to mainstream publication and cultural consecration. I argue that contemporary fiction allegorizes the logic of the marketplace, even while critiquing the neoliberal corporatization of literary production.
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Title
Carbohydrate-silica nanoparticles for sirna delivery : synthesis, characterization, and gene delivery
Creator
Chesniak, Olivia Mariel
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
RNA interference (RNAi) has long been pursued for its therapeutic potential. Sequence-specific knockdown of gene expression requires that small interfering RNA (siRNA) gain access to cellular cytoplasm, presenting difficulties for both the transport of nucleic acids to cells and their voyage across cellular membranes. Numerous materials are under development as siRNA delivery vehicles to address this need. The carbohydrate dextran has been incorporated into amine-functionalized sil- ica...
Show moreRNA interference (RNAi) has long been pursued for its therapeutic potential. Sequence-specific knockdown of gene expression requires that small interfering RNA (siRNA) gain access to cellular cytoplasm, presenting difficulties for both the transport of nucleic acids to cells and their voyage across cellular membranes. Numerous materials are under development as siRNA delivery vehicles to address this need. The carbohydrate dextran has been incorporated into amine-functionalized sil- ica nanoparticles (Dex-SiO2-NPs), enhancing their biocompatibility and success as siRNA delivery vehicles. Inspired by the work of Stober and others, reagent concentrations in the synthesis of Dex- SiO2-NPs have been adjusted to tune nanoparticle diameter. The size, shape, and morphology of Dex-SiO2-NPs have been characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). These methods have revealed that Dex-SiO2-NPs decrease in silicon density toward their centers, when compared with SiO2-NPs. Thermal and porosity analysis were used to profile Dex-SiO2-NPs both containing dextran and after its removal by calcination. Having measured an increase in mesopores and decrease in micropores with calcination, it has been concluded that dextran serves as a porogen in Dex-SiO2-NP synthesis. Not only does dextran imbue these materials with unique morphology, it also enhances their function as delivery vehicles. Dex-SiO2-NPs improve enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) supression compared to silica nanoparticles synthesized in the absence of dextran in human lung and kidney cells in vitro.
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Title
Functional control of soluble rhodopsin mimics using high resolution structure-based design and evaluation
Creator
Ghanbarpour, Alireza
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Visualizing the microenvironments of protein/small molecule interactions is the missing link in evaluating the structure-function relationship in many "redesigned" protein systems requiring small molecule binding. The primary goal of this thesis is to manage protein/small molecule interactions to achieve new functions through rational protein engineering in a protein scaffold, which is "evolutionarily naive." The snapshots of each engineering step are collected using high resolution protein...
Show moreVisualizing the microenvironments of protein/small molecule interactions is the missing link in evaluating the structure-function relationship in many "redesigned" protein systems requiring small molecule binding. The primary goal of this thesis is to manage protein/small molecule interactions to achieve new functions through rational protein engineering in a protein scaffold, which is "evolutionarily naive." The snapshots of each engineering step are collected using high resolution protein crystallography, opening doors to the design strategies of future measures. Finally, the mechanism of the system is elucidated by connecting structural information and biochemical assays. The protein scaffolds used in our study are hCRBPII and CRABPII, belonging to the iLBP protein family. By reengineering their binding pockets, we generated a rhodopsin mimic ligating with small molecules with aldehyde functionalities through protonated Schiff base formation. In Chapter I, we employ the aforementioned strategy to create a new model system based on reengineered CRABPII, mimicking the critical steps of microbial rhodopsin isomerization in a single crystal. Using atomic resolution crystal structures, different mechanisms of retinal/protein interactions with light are demonstrated. Specially, a new photoswitchable protein is identified that does not require chromophore isomerization or a conformational change. In Chapter II, the effect of ligand binding on the conformational states of the domain-swapped dimer of hCRBPII is investigated. A new protein conformational switch is created through a designed disulfide bond that can be activated and adopt new conformations in response to retinal/fatty acid binding and/or reduction potential of the environment. A novel allosterically regulated zinc-binding site is engineered, whose binding affinity can be tuned by the conformational states of our protein. Additionally, using merocyanine, a synthetic fluorophore, a new "swap back" domain-swapped dimer is identified in hCRBPII at atomic resolution, leading to the largest conformational change in the protein. This demonstrates the power of our system to adopt new conformations with different small molecules. Through systematic mutational studies and high resolution crystal structures, the role of the hinge loop region in imposing new conformations/functions in the iLBP family is explored. In Chapter III, the discovery of the domain-swapped trimer as an unprecedented fold for the iLBP family is mentioned. Through a designed disulfide bond and metal- binding site, we are able to favor trimer formation. The mechanism of each step is examined using crystal structures and binding and stability assays. Finally, in Chapter IV, the mechanism of a new class of fluorescent protein tags using the hCRBPII rhodopsin mimic bound with synthetic fluorophores is inspected. By exploiting high resolution crystallography, the microenvironments of protein/ligand interactions is visualized in different fluorescent protein tags applications.
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Title
The effects of socioemotional learning and mindfulness strategies on the self-regulation of preschool students
Creator
Chen, Angela (Graduate of Michigan State University)
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
ABSTRACTTHE EFFECTS OF SOCIOEMOTIONAL LEARNING AND MINDFULNESS STRATEGIES ON THE SELF-REGULATION OF PRESCHOOL STUDENTSBy Angela ChenBy the time children enter kindergarten, parents and teachers expect that young children are able to demonstrate self-regulation, to control their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in support of optimal learning and socioemotional functioning at school. Although the literature has suggested that instruction and practice in socioemotional learning (SEL) and in...
Show moreABSTRACTTHE EFFECTS OF SOCIOEMOTIONAL LEARNING AND MINDFULNESS STRATEGIES ON THE SELF-REGULATION OF PRESCHOOL STUDENTSBy Angela ChenBy the time children enter kindergarten, parents and teachers expect that young children are able to demonstrate self-regulation, to control their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in support of optimal learning and socioemotional functioning at school. Although the literature has suggested that instruction and practice in socioemotional learning (SEL) and in mindfulness can each separately benefit young children’s self-regulation, research has not examined the effectiveness of the combination of these approaches. Using a multiple probe across behaviors single-case design, the current study investigated the effects of class-wide implementation of an evidence-based SEL program and the added value of mindfulness practices on 6 preschool students who demonstrated behavioral concerns and low self-regulation. Formative and summative assessments measured mindfulness, executive function, effortful control, and general levels of self-regulation and socioemotional functioning in each participant. Results suggested that SEL-Mindfulness integration did not lead to clear benefits in self-regulation and mindfulness across preschool students, although children who expressed treatment acceptability tended to receive increased ratings in these areas. Implications for school psychological practice and future research are discussed.
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Title
Making Chicanx foodways : rhetoric, Mexican cooking, and cultural continuation
Creator
Ramos, Santos Felipe
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Making Chicanx Foodways: Rhetoric, Mexican Cooking & Cultural Continuation is an oral history-based research project that engages with Chicanx rhetorics by examining the foodways of Mexican communities in Michigan. Central to this project is its development of community-making as a methodology for how cooking practices in particular are used to perform cultural continuation. Through a series of cooking and discussion sessions with community members, the study delineates how food is used to...
Show moreMaking Chicanx Foodways: Rhetoric, Mexican Cooking & Cultural Continuation is an oral history-based research project that engages with Chicanx rhetorics by examining the foodways of Mexican communities in Michigan. Central to this project is its development of community-making as a methodology for how cooking practices in particular are used to perform cultural continuation. Through a series of cooking and discussion sessions with community members, the study delineates how food is used to sustain connections between Chicanxs and their home communities, as well as to create new cultural networks amidst the experiences Chicanxs have with migration. By drawing from traditional and contemporary approaches to Mexican cooking, this research also uses community-making to reframe scholarly conversations about pedagogy, technology, and community-based research in Writing & Rhetoric around the practice of relationality, a way of viewing oneself in relationship with the world.
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Title
Histiocytic sarcoma : generation and utilization of patient derived cell lines and xenograft models to understand tumorigenesis and identify novel treatment approaches
Creator
Takada, Marilia
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Canine histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a proliferative malignancy of dendritic and macrophage lineages with rapid progression, and limited response to available treatment protocols. As the disease pathogenesis has been unclear, oncologists rely on a small repertoire of nonspecific strategies for therapeutic interventions. To fill this gap of knowledge, we established clinically relevant tools and model systems of histiocytic sarcoma, and utilized these to ask fundamental questions aimed at...
Show moreCanine histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a proliferative malignancy of dendritic and macrophage lineages with rapid progression, and limited response to available treatment protocols. As the disease pathogenesis has been unclear, oncologists rely on a small repertoire of nonspecific strategies for therapeutic interventions. To fill this gap of knowledge, we established clinically relevant tools and model systems of histiocytic sarcoma, and utilized these to ask fundamental questions aimed at identifying novel targets for more effective treatment approaches. We successfully established and fully characterized three HS cell lines derived from neoplasms of dogs from predisposed breeds. These cell lines were utilized for drug screening, including a high throughput screening platform, where potential drug candidates were selected from a pool of about 2,000 compounds. Among the selected drugs, we identified two small molecule inhibitors to be highly effective in vitro at nanomolar concentrations: dasatinib, a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, including members of SRC family kinase, and trametinib, an inhibitor of MEK, from the MAPK signaling pathway. To evaluate the drug efficacy in vivo, we developed an orthotopic xenograft mouse model harboring intrasplenic HS neoplasms. Immunodeficient mice transplanted with canine HS cells into their spleen showed a consistent tumor growth, and presence of metastasis to multiple organs (i.e. liver, pancreas and omentum), recapitulating an aggressive metastatic form of HS, the one in most need for better treatment options. Studies with orthotopic intrasplenic HS xenograft mice treated with either dasatinib or trametinib were conducted with promising results. Both drugs effectively inhibited tumor growth, and most importantly, significantly increased survival time of treated mice. Additionally, oncogenic gain-of-function mutations in PTPN11 gene were identified in the HS cell lines. PTPN11 gene encodes SHP-2, a protein tyrosine phosphatase, engaged in enhancement of signaling downstream of growth factor, cytokine and extracellular receptors, including MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. One HS cell line, the BD cell line, carries the PTPN11 E76K mutation; while three cell lines (OD, PJ and DH82) carry the PTPN11 G503V mutation. Moreover, a KRAS Q61H gain-of-function mutation was also found in OD cell line. We found that somatic PTPN11 mutations are common in canine HS, particularly in BMDs, the breed with highest incidence of HS. A study on a large sample of dogs, PTPN11 mutations were present in 43% of HS from BMDs, and were not identified in any of the lymphoma samples, the second most common neoplasm in this breed.We have established important model systems of canine HS through which we were able to identify promising drug candidates for treatment and key signaling pathways that are involved in oncogenesis. Our HS cell lines carry oncogenic drivers that are commonly present in canine HS, and in some human cases of human HS. Our xenograft model has proved to be a good surrogate system for drug efficacy, and lead to the confirmation of two small molecules, dasatinib and trametinib, as warranting further evaluation in clinical trials in dogs with HS, which can also serve as key proof of concept trials for human HS.
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Title
[Delta]2079-tetrahydrocannabinol-mediated suppression of the Interferon-alpha (IFNalpha) response by plasmacytoid dendritic cells and IFNalpha-mediated activation of T cells in healthy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected human subjects
Creator
Henriquez, Joseph Edgar
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid congener in Cannabis sativa and is a well characterized modulator of immune activation. In murine models, treatment with THC can exacerbate viral and bacterial infection, in part, by suppression of the inflammatory cytokine response. One of the key classes of cytokines suppressed by THC is type I interferons (IFN), a group of cytokines consisting of IFNα and IFNβ. The primary source of IFNα during acute antiviral immune...
Show moreΔ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid congener in Cannabis sativa and is a well characterized modulator of immune activation. In murine models, treatment with THC can exacerbate viral and bacterial infection, in part, by suppression of the inflammatory cytokine response. One of the key classes of cytokines suppressed by THC is type I interferons (IFN), a group of cytokines consisting of IFNα and IFNβ. The primary source of IFNα during acute antiviral immune responses is the Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell (pDC), which can secrete 1000-fold more IFNα than other circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Paradoxically, patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a chronic viral infection that causes immunodeficiency via infection and depletion of CD4+ T cells, have fewer circulating pDC with a reduced capacity to secrete IFNα. Furthermore, circulating pDC number has been correlated with CD4+ T cell number and treatment with IFNα can reduce HIV-mediated CD4+ T cell depletion. Conversely, hyperactivation of pDC is associated with T cell exhaustion and is implicated in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Interestingly, many HIV patients utilize medicinal cannabinoids to combat the effects of chronic HIV infection. The focus of this project was to determine if IFNα-mediated stimulation of T-cells can be suppressed by THC by testing the following hypothesis: THC will suppress TLR-9-dependent activation of pDC, subsequent efficacy of pDC-mediated T cell activation, and CD8+ T cell-mediated activation of astrocytes. These studies revealed that CpG-ODN-induced IFNα secretion and expression of CD83, a costimulatory molecule, by pDC is suppressed by THC in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, key intracellular signaling events required for inflammatory cytokine secretion by pDC were suppressed by treatment with THC and CBR2-specific agonists in pDC from healthy donors. Additionally, pDC from HIV+ donors were more sensitive to THC-mediated suppression than pDC from healthy donors. Treatment with THC also inhibited IFNα-mediated activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from healthy and HIV+ donors. Specifically, treatment with THC diminished IFNα-induced IL-7R expression, cognate signaling, and subsequent proliferation. Interestingly, and in contrast to the results in pDC, T cells from HIV+ donors were less sensitive to the suppressive effects of THC. Finally, stimulation by CD3/CD28/IFNα induced the secretion of IFNγ and TNFα by CD8+ T cells from healthy donors. Further, IFNγ and TNFα induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines by U251 astrocytes. Coculture of CD8+ T cells with U251 astrocytes and direct stimulation of U251 astrocytes with recombinant TNFα and IFNγ revealed that treatment with THC reduced both the activation and secretion of cytokines from CD8+ T cells and the subsequent cytokine-mediated stimulation of the U251 astrocytes. Collectively, these studies have provided evidence for the use of cannabinoids in ablating the type of neuroimmune interactions which can lead to HAND by demonstrating that THC can suppress the activation of pDC, and subsequent activation of T cells and astrocytes.
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Title
Teacher’s Management of Classroom Interactions with English Language Learners : A Case Study of A Mainstream Teacher’s Practices and Beliefs
Creator
Teng, Yanjiang
Date
2018
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
In the past few decades, public schools in the United States have witnessed a fast-growing student population of English language learners (ELLs), who come from homes where a language other than English is dominant. The dual task of content and the English language learning has brought ELLs huge academic challenges, such as one-size-fit-all expectations, high-stakes tests, and unsatisfactory academic support, among many others. In addition, ELLs are often mainstreamed into content area...
Show moreIn the past few decades, public schools in the United States have witnessed a fast-growing student population of English language learners (ELLs), who come from homes where a language other than English is dominant. The dual task of content and the English language learning has brought ELLs huge academic challenges, such as one-size-fit-all expectations, high-stakes tests, and unsatisfactory academic support, among many others. In addition, ELLs are often mainstreamed into content area classes where teachers are underprepared to accommodate their learning needs. Thus, how mainstream teachers deal with ELLs for their content and English language learning merits further study. Educational scholars have paid increasing attention to the construct of teacher belief about teaching and learning. So far, studies on teachers’ beliefs suggest that the complex relationship between teacher beliefs and practice are not always static but rather emergent and likely to be moderated by contextual factors (e.g. Negueruela-Azarola, 2011). As Priestley, Biesta, and Robinson (2015) argued, examination of the issue should recognize the immediate situated context and focus on the beliefs-in-action to probe why the teacher makes decisions in that particular moment and for what purposes. Learning, from a sociocultural perspective, is achieved through the interactions between the teacher and students, as well as among the students themselves. In the classroom, teachers usually dominate the flow of the discourse and their beliefs on teaching and learning, to some extent, can shape the way of such teacher-student interaction and students’ learning. Classroom interaction is highly contextualized, spontaneous, and out of expectations. How the teacher manages this interactive practice and provides mediated support toward ELLs for both their content and language learning warrants further attention. This study draws upon a sociocultural perspective on learning, and a perspective that teachers’ decision-making is fluid, situated and context dependent. The present study examines how a mainstream teacher in a U.S. urban school manages her interaction with ELLs to scaffold their English and content learning and how these practices reflect her beliefs-in-action. This case study, using data generated from stimulated recall interviews, classroom videos, and observation notes, reports this teacher’s discursive practices with ELLs, along with her ongoing decision-making or her beliefs-in-action in this interactive process. The findings revealed that in this highly structured and teacher-dominated class, the interactive practice between the teacher and ELLs were limited. The teacher’s feedback on ELLs’ responses was not based on their learning needs but was impacted by some other contextual factors. The teacher’s strategies to scaffold ELLs’ learning were not as effective as she might expect: some are supportive of their learning, while others could impede their learning. Overall, the teacher’s challenges and dilemmas that arise from her interactive practice with ELLs were largely due to her lack of formal training in second language teaching. This study sheds light on the complexity of mainstream teachers’ beliefs and practices about ELLs. Furthermore, it advances our thinking on teachers’ practices and beliefs by bridging the link between teacher beliefs and classroom interaction in an interactive, moment-by-moment manner through the fine-grained analysis. In addition, it offers implications on better supporting and preparing mainstream teachers working with ELLs in a culturally and linguistically diverse environment.
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Title
Ecology and diversity of the lichen symbiosis : following established patterns, or an exception to the rule?
Creator
Scharnagl, Klara
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
Few phenomena of biodiversity have perplexed researchers as much as the latitudinal diversity gradient. Though many taxa have been shown to follow this pattern of high species richness in the tropics and lower species richness towards the poles, no consensus has yet been reached regarding the drivers of this global pattern. Symbiosis, a long term and physically intimate interaction between two organisms, is a prevalent biotic interaction across the tree of life, yet few studies of the...
Show moreFew phenomena of biodiversity have perplexed researchers as much as the latitudinal diversity gradient. Though many taxa have been shown to follow this pattern of high species richness in the tropics and lower species richness towards the poles, no consensus has yet been reached regarding the drivers of this global pattern. Symbiosis, a long term and physically intimate interaction between two organisms, is a prevalent biotic interaction across the tree of life, yet few studies of the latitudinal diversity gradient have looked at symbiotic organisms. One example of symbiosis is the lichen symbiosis, an association between a filamentous fungal partner and a photosynthetic partner of green algae or cyanobacteria. Little is known about the latitudinal diversity gradient of lichens, yet their terrestrial ubiquity and symbiotic nature could provide insight into the drivers of this global pattern. To assess whether lichenized fungi follow a latitudinal diversity gradient, I compiled a dataset from three repositories for digitized herbarium specimen data: the Consortium for North American Lichen Herbaria, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and the Institutos Nacionais de Ciencia e Tecnologia. The fully compiled and quality-controlled dataset contained over 900,000 datapoints representing over 8,000 species. The raw species richness data revealed a peak in richness north of the equator outside of the tropics, however, this pattern mirrored the number of collections per latitudinal band. To correct for sampling effort biases in the digitized herbarium data, I rarefied species richness. I further corrected the rarefied species richness for land area, given the wide range of land area per latitudinal band in the Americas. This rarefied and land-area-corrected species richness data supports a latitudinal diversity gradient of lichenized fungi in the Americas. In a comparison to lichen checklist data at the country or state level, I revealed that tropical regions are underrepresented in the digitized herbarium data.To test the influence of sampling effort bias on the patterns revealed by the digitized herbarium data, I designed a field sampling approach directly targeted at the question of whether epiphytic lichens follow a latitudinal diversity gradient. This approach can help remove bias present in digitized herbarium data because they result from the compilation of many studies, each of which had its own taxonomic, regional, or ecological focus. To do so, I sampled from nine lowland forest sites across a 70-degree span of latitude in the Americas. At each site, I randomly chose ten plots, and sampled from ten trees within each plot for a total of nine hundred trees sampled. At each tree, I randomly chose a cardinal direction and placed a 20x40cm grid on the tree, collecting all lichens that fell within that grid. Thus, each site had the same amount of area surveyed for epiphytic lichen diversity. Lichens were identified to species in the lab. Data from systematic field sampling corroborate the latitudinal diversity gradient of (epiphytic) lichens. In a mixed effects model including tree and climate data, I found that this pattern is largely explained by host tree (substrate) diversity.With increasing land use change and impacts from climate change across the globe, it is increasingly important for us to set a baseline of patterns of diversity at large scales, as I did in my first two chapters, to then assess how these impacts are affecting the diversity of symbiotic organisms at different scales. For my third chapter, I applied my knowledge of lichen diversity to assess the impacts of three tropical forest restoration treatments on epiphytic lichens. The natural regeneration treatment had a small cohort of lichen species likely specialized to the high light and dry environment. The plantation and nucleation treatments had a mix of light and shade tolerant species and experienced higher competition from epiphytic bryophytes. The overall highest diversity of epiphytic lichens was found in the nucleation treatment, supporting this as the combination of the most cost-effective strategy that restores the greatest amount of tropical biodiversity.
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Title
Contemporary liberalism and the nation
Creator
Fram, Daniel
Date
2019
Collection
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description
What is the status and legitimacy of the nation within the horizon of liberalism today? Surveying three representative, contrasting, recent works in contemporary political philosophy, I argue that the nation loses its status and legitimacy from every side. John Rawls's allegedly status-quo preserving theory in The Law of Peoples (Rawls 1999) defends only the shell of sovereignty and in fact points toward cosmopolitan aspirations. Cosmopolitan liberals, and conservative nationalists, therefore...
Show moreWhat is the status and legitimacy of the nation within the horizon of liberalism today? Surveying three representative, contrasting, recent works in contemporary political philosophy, I argue that the nation loses its status and legitimacy from every side. John Rawls's allegedly status-quo preserving theory in The Law of Peoples (Rawls 1999) defends only the shell of sovereignty and in fact points toward cosmopolitan aspirations. Cosmopolitan liberals, and conservative nationalists, therefore, claim with reason that liberalism is not capable of conferring status and legitimacy on the nation's "arbitrary" restrictions of individual autonomy (Nussbaum and Cohen 1996, MacIntyre 2003). But, in doing so, cosmopolitan liberalism creates a grave problem, for liberalism depends upon citizens to uphold freedom and upon limits to freedom to make freedoms meaningful. One would think to turn toward so-called liberal nationalist theories of liberalism, like David Miller's On Nationality (Miller 1995). But these, in turn, defend the nation only by depleting it of any content and rendering the very concept of the nation hollow. Neither of these two possible corrections of liberalism solves its problems with particularity and social unity; each only exacerbates them. My work as a whole therefore shows that contemporary liberalism tends to undermine the nation, on which it nevertheless relies. I demonstrate each part of the argument in separate chapters: two on Rawls's liberalism, one on Nussbaum's cosmopolitanism, and two on David Miller's liberal nationalism. These three perspectives represent a fairly complete spectrum of contemporary liberal thinking about the status of the nation.
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