University Writing & Research Conference Program Fall 2023

University Writing & Research Conference
Thursday, Oct 5th -Saturday, Oct 7th
Online via Zoom and in Ames B101

(Keynote Sessions In-Person and via Zoom)

UPDATE: In-Person Sessions have been moved from Post Hall to Ames B101

Fall 2023 Conference Schedule

The conference comprises 11 panels, with one session per time band. All panel sessions are 50-60 minutes in length. Please arrive on time and plan to stay for the entire session, including the Q&A, which is an important component of the panel discussion.

Keynote Sessions:

Julian Clement Chase Award Ceremony

Thursday, October 5th, 3:30pm 

The GW Museum and the Textile Museum
701 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052
 

Eckles Prize For First Year Research Excellence

Saturday, October 7, 3:00 PM

In-person at Eckles Library and online via this Zoom link.

Three Zoom Sessions will be conducted via this Zoom link

• Thursday, Oct 5th: 7pm & 8:30pm

• Friday, Oct 6th: 8:30am

UPDATE: In-Person Sessions have been moved from Post Hall to Ames B101

In person sessions will be held in B101, Ames, Mount Vernon Campus on Friday, Oct 6th:

• 10am (2)

• 11:30am (4)

• 1pm (2)

~2pm Refreshments Served~

• 2:30pm (2)

• 4pm (2)

• 5:10pm (2)

KEYNOTE: Session 1, The Julian Clement Chase Award Ceremony (Thursday, October 5, 3:30pm)

Hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Clarence Page

GWU Textile Museum 701 21st Street NW, Washington DC 20007

Opening reception 3:30pm

(2023 JCC Ceremony Event Page)

 

2023 Prize Winners:

• Amira Al Amin, “Whatever’s Next?” short story
• Julia H. Russo, "A Legacy of Disenfranchisement: Interrogating the Displacement of the Historical Black Foggy Bottom Community"
• Bailey Moore, “An Expanded Curriculum for Sisters Informing Healing Living and Empowering (SIHLE)”

The Julian Clement Chase Award is named in honor of Sgt. Julian Clement Chase, a native of Washington, DC, who graduated in 2008 from DC's Wilson High School. While serving with the United States Marine Corps, he was killed in action in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. He was set to matriculate as a freshman at GW in Spring 2013. He knew and relished his city. His family has established this prize in his honor to recognize others who explore DC with the intelligence and exuberance that he did.

 

Session 2, Interrogating Identity in the Arts (Thursday 7pm)

Virtual Session, join via Zoom

Moderator: Julie Donovan, Associate Professor of Writing and Humanities in the Women’s Leadership Program

Traditional Roles and Conflict Resolution in Interracial Relationships in the Romantic Comedy
You People (2023)
Maya Nair
Professor: Smith

Using the film You People (2023), directed by Kenya Barris, this research paper delves into the
portrayal of interracial couples in modern romantic comedies. The paper discusses the
controversies surrounding the film's release, as well as important concepts like white neutrality
and the perpetuation of people of color as obstacles to overcome in interracial relationships. By
using race and film theory lenses, this paper connects the harmful roles and responsibilities
placed on interracial couples in films to the attitudes and perspectives of the public towards
dating outside of their own race. With extremely contrasting opinions on the release of You
People, the public is split on the accuracy and meaning behind this satirical comedy.
Furthermore, this paper discusses the aforementioned reviews and how the film may be
impacting how people view interracial relationships and perpetuating harmful roles that you
may be subjected to depending on your race.

The Enigmatic Goddess of Butrint: Unveiling a Symbol of Multicultural Heritage
Andina Pepshi
Professor: Pollack

This essay delves into the multifaceted identity of the sculpture known as the "Goddess of
Butrint." It explores how the sculpture's features and extensive history of restorations and
alterations represent Roman imperialism and cultural erasure of the natives of Butrint during
the rule of the first emperor. The essay highlights the sculpture's historical significance, its
complex discovery amidst political motivations, and its enduring status as a symbol of Albanian
heritage, embodying the fusion of cultures that shaped ancient Butrint and modern Albania.

Session 3, Indigenous Identities, Migration, and Politics (Thursday 8:30pm)

Virtual Session, join via Zoom

Moderator: Barbara Benitez-Curry, Assistant Professor, Media and Public Affairs

How Former President Donald Trump Was Able to Enact a Muslim (Travel) Ban
Shivani Sharma
Professor: Hijazi

On January 27th, 2017 former President Donald Trump signed into action Executive Order
#13769, formally titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United
States,” more colloquially known as the “Muslim (Travel) Ban.” The anti-Muslim, immigrant,
and refugee nature of this order led many Americans to ask themselves how a piece of
legislation that appeared to be so contradictory to American values of equality and acceptance
could have been implemented. This line of questioning can be simplified down to the
examination of how the American political climate that was fostered before Donald Trump
became President enabled him to pass this ban. This research project will explore how the
American political climate of the 21st century allowed for Trump’s rise to power, his enactment
of Executive Order #13769, and its long-lasting negative effects. A specific focus will be granted
to former President Obama’s policies regarding the Muslim-American community, Middle
Eastern immigrants, and Syrian refugees. The devastating effects of the Muslim Ban
reverberate to this day. It is up to current and future administrations to work to ensure that
their successors are never able to sway the American public so greatly that a similar ban
targeting another minority group is ever enacted.

Unsettled Resettlement: A Reflection of the North Korean Defectors’ Readaptation Process
Lily Huang
Professor: Hijazi

My project explores the challenges North Korean defectors face when resettling in South Korea,
including unemployment, social discrimination, and mental health issues. Media portrayal often
reinforces stereotypes, and concerns about national security and public trust hinder their
integration. I emphasize the necessity for long-term support, mental health services, and a
robust social system. Advocating accurate media representation and international involvement,
particularly through the United Nations, is crucial. This research addresses the pressing issues
confronting this vulnerable population, highlighting deficiencies in current resettlement
programs and the need for a more supportive environment in South Korea. The project's
findings and recommendations can guide policymakers, NGOs, and advocates, fostering
understanding and empathy both in South Korean society and globally.

Archaeology within Indigenous Peruvian Communities: The History of the Practice and How to Move Forward
Elizabeth Salamanca
Professor: Quave

Since the inception of archaeological research in Peru, the field of study has gone through
various phases of its relationship with the indigenous communities being researched. The
tumultuous relationship between non-native archaeologists and indigenous peoples has been
persistently strained over the use of invasive practices that have disregarded the wishes of the
native people that reside on their ancestral land. By first looking at the centuries of indigenous
and colonial history in Peru, we build a better context for the past century of archaeological
work in indigenous Peruvian lands. The most recent decades of archaeological study will help

determine the most productive and ethical paths for the discovery of a rich and expansive
history.

Session 4, Countering Misrepresented Expectations (Friday 8:30am)

Virtual Session, join via Zoom

Moderator: Christopher Brick, Professional Lecturer of Honors, Editor and Principle Investigator of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project

Traumatizing Children and for What?: Investigating the educational value of teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Amaya Arnic
Professor: Tomlinson

In 1885 Mark Twain published the infamous novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and
ever since it has been widely regarded as one of the most influential novels to date. It has
subsequently been taught in secondary schools all throughout the country. In the midst of a
racially precarious time, questions have been posed regarding what teaching this novel in a
modern classroom should look like. In this paper I will argue that the white portrayal of
American slavery further perpetuates problematic realities of speaking on culturally traumatic
institutions. This book's value is not demeaned by its use of slurs, rather its lack of utilizing
them to empower people of color. Though the novel was seen as very progressive and inclusive
for the time, modern day context contradicts any empowerment black students may feel as a
result of this novel. The amalgamation of Jim’s dehumanizing as well as Huck’s white superiority
complex makes this novel racist rather than progressive. This book should not be taught in
secondary school classrooms because it demeans students of color while forcing them to
believe in a reality where the value of black people only exists in terms of their treatment of
their white counterparts.

Seeing the Light: Tangled and the Romantic Comedy for Children
Avril Silva
Professor: Smith

In Seeing the Light: Tangled and the Romantic Comedy for Children, Silva explores the parallels
found between the Disney movie Tangled (2010) and the romantic comedy tradition, arguing
that in defining Tangled as a rom-com, the film ultimately warps the perceptions and
expectations of romance toward children to be in line with a heteronormative convention.

Session 5, Rekindling Social Solidarity (Friday 10am)

Post Hall, Academic Building

Moderator: Emily Blumenthal, Data Services Librarian, Libraries and Academic Innovations

Itaewon Crowd Crush - Risk Communication Analysis From Ignorance to Risk and Death: Halloween Tragedy in Itaewon
Sungbin "Benny" Hwang
Professor: Sauer

The 2022 Halloween Weekend in Itaewon was a long-awaited event for many citizens.
However, the night of celebration quickly turned into a tragedy due to unexpected massive
crowds that appeared on the Itaewon streets, causing scenes to spiral out of control. People
kept entering the roads, and there were no particular exits for them to exit as the Itaewon
street exits were mainly narrow. Most importantly, too many people were packed closely
together to use such narrow exits. When people realized the streets were overcrowded and out
of control, they called law enforcement for help.

The situation demanded immediate policing to restore safety and order. Unfortunately, the
Itaewon crowd was devastated by the police's ignorance and frivolity. The police should have
responded urgently to the crowd's pleas for help, but communication within the local law
enforcement across the Seoul City Government failed and was a mess. For South Korea's Law
Enforcement, this is not the first time the police have failed its citizens.

The Itaewon crowd crush is a reminder of the importance of risk communication and crowd
control. The Seoul Government could have prevented the tragic deaths by having a risk
communication system and being prepared for crowd control.

Partisan Gerrymandering: Why Does It Persist, and What Can Be Done About It?
Sean Zeman
Professor: Wolfe

This project provides a thorough analysis of partisan gerrymandering in the modern era, which
includes tying it to other relevant political issues in today's society. It begins with a discussion of
hyperpolarization, specifically what it is, and how it has affected Americans' political psyche.
The discussion will explain how hyperpolarization has recharacterized political opponents as
dangerous, and imperative to keep out of office by any means necessary. The next section will
discuss how this hyperpolarization has affected the judiciary, creating both real and perceived
challenges to its legitimacy. It will focus first on real efforts to use the courts to achieve partisan
ends, looking at a concept called the "Independent State Legislature Theory." It will then shift
to perceived challenges to legitimacy, focusing on two specific cases: the Wisconsin and North
Carolina Supreme Courts, which both just flipped ideologically and what that means for the
future of gerrymandering in those states. The third section of this project considers the
effectiveness of independent redistricting commissions in combatting partisan gerrymandering,
but then also discuss the ultimately detrimental impacts that partisans can have on them.
Finally, the last section of this project will discuss an “attitude adjustment” that Americans must
adopt in order to fully prevent partisan gerrymandering in the long-term. It will focus on the
idea of rekindling social solidarity, how that can be done, and the benefits that will be incurred
as a result of doing this.

Session 6, Imaginative Futures: New Artistic Social Contexts (Friday 11:30am)

Post Hall, Academic Building

Moderator: Elvira Maria Restrepo, Associate Professor of International Studies, University Honors Program and Elliot School of International Affairs

Trash and Treasure: Using Archeology to Turn Painful Pasts into Imaginative Futures
Benjamin Wolf-Wagner
Professor: Quave

For our final project, our group (with Kayla Blake, Daniyel Coy, and Savannah Hagen-Ohbi)
combined our research paper projects to present how to use archaeology to analyze and
explain complex modern equity problems. We combined archaeological studies of sunken ships,
the carceral system, plantation and enslavement, and community engagement. This project
compiled a comprehensive set of infographics intended for high school level students to
deepen their understanding of the power of archaeology and contemporary equity challenges.

 

2023 Eckles Prize for First Year Research Excellence:

“Our Artistic Patrimony?”: Rembrandt’s Mill and the Construction of National Identity in Britain
Chris Carpenter
Professor: Pollack

My project uses the long history of Rembrandt's most famous landscape—The Mill—to explore
broader questions about the evolving interpretation and significance of great art. From its
origins in the seventeenth century Dutch Republic, the work's many lives as a picturesque
landscape, a brooding Romantic masterpiece, a British national treasure, and the object of a
particularly controversial 1911 sale illustrate the ways in which a painting can take on new
meanings in a new artistic and social context. In particular, the paper explores how The Mill's
history in Britain, where it influenced local painters and acquired a legendary reputation before
it was finally sold to an American collector, allowed this Dutch painting to become, by the early
twentieth century, a symbol of British nationalism.

Session 7, Beyond the Diagnosis: Advocacy and Inclusion (Friday 1pm)

Post Hall, Academic Building

Moderator: Subrata Kundu, Professor of Statistics

Driving Inclusion and Changing Lives: A Disability Advocate's Experience and the Value of Work
Isabela Marques
Professor: Krishnan

This project aims to explore, through ethnographic research, the role of social dynamics in the
experiences of a disability advocate who has a physical disability that affects his movements
and mobility. For this project, I interviewed Paul, a family friend who is a Brazilian white male in
his 40s and lives with a disability that compromises his spine and leg movements. Through
Paul’s story, this project will focus on the inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor
market.

The research shows how his disability intersects with other aspects of his identity, such as his
sense of self-worth and independence. It also shows how employment has a positive impact on
his life and how his purpose is advocating for the employment of people with disabilities. The
project will use a qualitative approach to examine the relationship between these factors of his
identity. My findings provide the narrative of Paul’s identity based on his own experiences and
showcase a broad scope of the realities and challenges of employment for people with
disabilities.

Being Seen Beyond the Diagnosis: An Argument for a Dimensional Approach to Personality Disorders
Ian Stambaugh
Professor: Zink

Currently, personality disorders are diagnosed using a categorical model, which clusters a
certain number of symptoms to a specific diagnosis. If the patient meets requirements for five
of those symptoms, then they are given that diagnosis. While this simplifies the diagnostic
process, it does not capture the nuance and complexity present within personality disorders;
not only is our understanding of these mental conditions still very limited, but the difference in
presentation between person is vast, which does not translate well to a categorical model of
diagnosis. I argue that a dimensional model should instead be used, as it would allow for a
much more personalized diagnosis that might better capture the actuality of one’s affliction. I
use the Five Factor Model (FFM) as my dimensional framework and compare it to the current
categorical model used in the DSM-V, and discuss the benefits and limitations of each, in
addition to the potential viability of a shift towards a dimensional model.

~Refreshments served outside Ames B101 at 2pm~

 

Session 8, Climate Injustice: Disparities in the Global Response (Friday 2:30pm)

Post Hall, Academic Building

Moderator: Laci Weeden, Assistant Dean for Family Engagement and Mount Vernon Campus, Division for Student Affairs 

Framing COP27: Framing Analysis of Articles Published by Leading National Newspapers of the Permanent Members of the Security Council
Olivia Benedict
Professor: Svoboda

This study examined how the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference was framed in
the newspapers of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the
United Kingdom, the United States, China, Russia, and France. Using framing analysis, I studied
reporting of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in two newspapers per
country during the first and last two days of the conference. These two newspapers were
selected with regard to each country’s political ideologies. With the six generic framing
categories – conflict, human interest, economic impact, morality, responsibility, and
nationalization – I categorized and analyzed the subjects of these news articles to better
understand how each country’s media responded to the conference. Results showed that most
countries’ news output framed the conference using conflict frames and responsibility frames
far more frequently than the other four. Further, the results showed that there was a
noticeable difference between right and left-leaning newspapers, except China and Russia’s
government-run news sources, which were overwhelmingly biased. This study provided insight
into individual countries’ media biases through framing and is relevant when comparing the
relative biases of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council
concerning climate change.

Pigouvian Pollution Poverty: An Analysis of Climate Injustice and Carbon Taxation
Danielle Davenport
Professor: Janzen

Climate taxation is a heavily debated public policy mechanism to correct excessive carbon
emissions. This paper explores the impact of instituting a per-unit tax on carbon emissions to
bridge the disparity between the Marginal Social Cost and Marginal Private Cost on income
distribution in an economy. In this, I conduct a meta-analysis of models of taxation in the U.S.
and abroad to test the strength of the relationship and variations in the elasticity of demand for
carbon-intensive goods. It also includes a discussion on the public policy implications of the
data, such as the substitutability effect of public transportation, its influence on demand
classification, and its impact on income polarization levels; potential redistributive policies
policymakers can pursue to offset the impact of the tax and climate injustice at large.

Session 9, Political Discourse on Gender and Sexuality (Friday 4pm)

Post Hall, Academic Building

Moderator: Elizabeth A. Kuntz, Eckles Librarian, Libraries and Academic Innovation

"'I Can’t Believe They Wanna See Me Lose That Bad:' The Sexualization of Black Women in Hip-Hop/Rap"
Kiana Roman
Professor: Howell

“'I Can’t Believe They Wanna See Me Lose That Bad:'; The Sexualization of Black Women in Hip-
Hop/Rap"; studies how Black rappers who identify as women are subjected to more backlash
and harassment when they express their sexuality in their music compared to their male
counterparts. Looking specifically into how Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Lil' Kim and how
they have expressed sexual liberation through their lyricism. Whereas rappers such as Kanye
West have gotten away with racist and sexist remarks towards women, in several songs that
have been glorified for years. Diving into cancel culture and how it negatively affects women of
color, especially in the fight for women's rights and body autonomy, this project examines
systematic misogyny within the music industry. The war on women begins and ends with
women of color, and in the music industry, it is extremely prominent with how Black women
are treated in the hip-hop/rap industry.

Islam and Homosexuality: Jurisprudence, Theology, and the Historical Basis for Constructivism
Hunter DeCristo
Professor: Abbas

The basis for political discourse surrounding Islam’s inherent opposition to homosexuality is
predicated on the idea that “homosexuality” is a fixed and self-evident category within its
history. This world view is known as essentialism and generally considers homophobia to be in
line with the “traditional” interpretation of Islam. However, the sentiment that Islam has
always disapproved of homosexuality is contingent on the existence of “homosexuality” as a
pathology in the premodern Middle East. The contrasting view, which this study is in favor of, is
Foucauldian constructivism. My research argues that European influence on the Ottoman
Empire had a profound impact on the construction and subsequent criminalization of
“homosexuality,” thus creating a paradigm that did not previously exist in Islam. Given this
shift, there appears to be a historical precedent for adopting a constructivist approach when
examining the complex relationship between Islam and homosexuality, which also serves as a
basis for sexually progressive interpretations of Islamic theology.

Session 10, Structural Hindrances: Overcoming Obstacles to Women's Oppression (Friday 5:10pm)

Post Hall, Academic Building

Moderator: Patricia P. Chu, Professor of English, Director, Asian American Studies Minor

Bridging the Gap: Ensuring Equity for Pakistani Women in the United Kingdom
Stacey Preston
Professor: Abbas

The United Kingdom experienced an influx of Pakistani migrants due to the partition in 1947.
Migrant families faced numerous challenges when it came to assimilating into British society,
primarily due to the stark differences in culture and environments, with a significant number of
families originating from the rural regions of Pakistan. The term ‘assimilation’ is questionable
because adopting one culture does not guarantee acceptance and may negate your own. In
some cases, the Pakistani diaspora’s cultural practices do not allow women to gain the proper
skills to be successful and independent. Although, not all of these problematic practices are a
result of the diaspora. Structural hindrances within British society are also contributing to the
current situation of Pakistani women. All factors previously stated hinder Pakistani women’s
ability to achieve socio-economic parity in the United Kingdom.

The Paranormal as a Protector, Conduit, and Extension of Women’s Lives in a Patriarchal Society
Faith Liberatore
Professor: Krishnan

This article describes results of an expansive research project seeking to identify the
paranormal-human relationship, specifically in how it extends and complements narratives of
abuse. Centering on the gendered relationship between the haunt-er and the haunted, I admire
how both benevolent and malevolent spirits turn the unheard stories of violence against
women into a nagging piece of history (a haunting) that speaks of intergenerational violence
and trauma. To investigate this relationship, I engaged with numerous resources particular to
the horror genre, such as movies like The Shining, Things Heard and Seen, and Paranormal
Activity–which portray a hidden story of sexism and abuse. From that analysis, I launch into
resources involving testimonies of battered women in Malaysia and Vietnam who use the
paranormal as a means to describe their victimization. Finally, I tie all this research in with
stories of intergenerational trauma and the greater understanding of female oppression as an
always lingering, nagging presence. From this research, one can see how the paranormal
expands the untold story of domestic abuse in a multidimensional sense–first by relating abuse
to evil, and secondly by expanding the power of victims even after death. These results
articulate a more comprehensive view of male-female oppression as an omnipresent haunting
that affects both victim, abuser, and successor.

KEYNOTE: Session 11, Eckles Prize for First Year Research Excellence (Saturday 3pm)

Eckles Library -and- via Zoom

Come celebrate the winners of the 2023 Eckles Prize for First Year Research Excellence!
The three prize winners will present their projects and answer your questions about their topic,
the process of conducting and writing up their research, and the process of applying for the
Eckles Prize. Celebrate the prize winners and learn how you can turn your homework into a
prize winning project.

Inspiration and refreshments will be provided.