NCUR Proceedings

NCUR 2021 Proceedings

A Look into American Political Polarization as a Product of Psychological Phenomena Political Science - Time: Wed 3:00pm-4:00pm - Session Number: 1131 Joel Thomas and Robert Johnson, Department of History, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn NY 11210 Joel Thomas

My project seeks to define and clarify the extent/progression of polarization in the American political landscape. A general consensus exists that polarization has increased dramatically in recent years, the acceleration of a trend that has seen division among the American public deepen drastically over the last few decades. After investigating the truth of this claim and understanding the degree of polarization today, I hope to then examine it though the lens of social psychology. Accordingly, I intend to portray the effect that certain psychological phenomena (such as group polarization, motivated reasoning, groupthink...etc) have had in exacerbating this issue, and understand exactly how they contribute to the formation of an environment that fosters increased polarization. Ultimately, I hope that a thorough examination of these contributing psychological phenomena will then yield possible methods to help disrupt this process.

Female Orientalist Artists: The Creation of a Counter Culture in the 19th Century Art History & Visual Arts - Time: Tue 11:00am-12:00pm - Session Number: 438 Susan Gong and Dr. Robert Johnson, Department of Art, City University of New York - Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Susan Gong

In the 19th century, Orientalism— the representation of Asia and Africa in stereotypical ways regarding a colonialist attitude—overtook the arts in Europe and European-derived societies, as explorers documented travel experiences on the Silk Road. My research project argues that female Orientalist artists depicted the “East” in more accurate ways, as they responded to contradictory societal expectations and gender privileges, which countered the imperialist attitudes perpetuated by Orientalism in Europe.

Initially, I plan to use books and research articles to establish a background for Orientalism as a general concept before focusing on artwork. In art, iconic Orientalist painters are men like Ingres and Gerome, who portray opulence and sexuality. However, these depictions were inaccurate and offensive. Many of these painters did not travel outside Europe and they tended to exoticize Asian and African wealth and people in order to please their audience.

My project also uses books, research papers, and artworks to show how and why Orientalist paintings by females were different from but more accurate than paintings by males of the same movement. A woman artist could not depict inappropriate subjects like a man could because society believed that her artwork reflected her moral character. This double standard forced women to paint Asian and African interiors and people in less erotic -- and thus more accurate -- ways. Additionally, women were allowed into harems and could witness culture first-handedly, which also produced more accuracy. These different depictions by women formed a new, counter-orientalist culture. Orientalism, especially in the arts, reflects European superiority but was countered by women artists who refused to perpetuate racist attitudes.

Food Insecurity: Determinants and the Role of Climate Change in Its Progression Global Health - Time: Mon 1:30pm-2:30pm - Session Number: 128 Sahil Chaudhry, Robert Johnson, Honors College, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Sahil Chaudhry The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN has estimated that 25.9% of the world, around 2 billion people, faced moderate to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019, making the issue one of the most pressing to address in the coming years. This project seeks to elucidate the determinants of food insecurity and to examine how climate change will shape the future of food insecurity. Understanding how to ameliorate food insecurity requires determining which factors play a large role in its development. While many NGOs have studied variables that contribute to food insecurity, there are many other possible factors that have not been incorporated into existing models. Some new variables addressed in this study include access to contraceptives, which impacts the ability of families to control the size of families they need to feed, and the presence of democratic leadership. After compiling a variety of well-established and novel variables, multiple OLS regression models will be generated to determine whether these factors are significantly correlated with food insecurity. In addition, climate change is a global issue predicted to cause irreversible changes to the food and water supply across the world. Examining nutrition of crops, migration/political conflict, and biodiversity, this project will address the effects climate change will have on food insecurity in the future as well as which countries will face the most harm from it. This information can be used to determine which areas may need additional aid and attention in the coming years to prevent potential nutritional deficiencies and political conflict.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN has estimated that 25.9% of the world, around 2 billion people, faced moderate to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019, making the issue one of the most pressing to address in the coming years. This project seeks to elucidate the determinants of food insecurity and to examine how climate change will shape the future of food insecurity. Understanding how to ameliorate food insecurity requires determining which factors play a large role in its development. While many NGOs have studied variables that contribute to food insecurity, there are many other possible factors that have not been incorporated into existing models. Some new variables addressed in this study include access to contraceptives, which impacts the ability of families to control the size of families they need to feed, and the presence of democratic leadership. After compiling a variety of well-established and novel variables, multiple OLS regression models will be generated to determine whether these factors are significantly correlated with food insecurity. In addition, climate change is a global issue predicted to cause irreversible changes to the food and water supply across the world. Examining nutrition of crops, migration/political conflict, and biodiversity, this project will address the effects climate change will have on food insecurity in the future as well as which countries will face the most harm from it. This information can be used to determine which areas may need additional aid and attention in the coming years to prevent potential nutritional deficiencies and political conflict.

Gratitude and Its Effects Psychology - Time: Tue 5:00pm-6:00pm - Session Number: 849 Jared Moore, Jacob Shane, Department of Psychology, CUNY Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn NY 11210 Jared Moore

We seek to better understand what aspects of an individual’s interdependent life are significantly influenced by their level of gratitude. By understanding gratitude better, we might identify ways to improve mental health. While much has been written on gratitude, extraordinarily little of this has been from the perspective of empirical science. But what little research has been done suggests that gratitude has significant effects on an individual's daily functions and values. For example, individuals who reported higher levels of gratitude are more likely to enact prosocial behaviors (Emmons and McCullough, 2004). Thus, they are more willing to help others without the anticipation that they will get a reward in return. Also, it’s quite common for individuals who are shown to be grateful, tend to attract others of the same characteristics (Algoe, Haidt, & Gable, 2008). This in return helps the individual to build stronger and healthier relationships with others because both groups share the same characteristics, this will be further discussed. With the aim of building on this small, but intriguing body of empirical research, we will collect data using a between-group design questionnaire, where one group will unknowingly be placed into a state of gratitude (Independent Variable), while the second group will not be affected in any way. Scales like the Family Obligation scale will be used to analyze further in-depth the effects of gratitude. For example, if the Family Obligation scale is shown to be significantly influenced by an individual's level of gratitude, then it will unlock a completely undiscovered territory of the causations between gratitude and family values. We predict that individuals who are placed in a mindset of displaying gratitude will significantly report higher positive levels of social relationships, communal values, interdependence and so much more compared to individuals who aren’t placed into the same mindset.

How to Make a Woman Psycho: an Analysis of Media Featuring Women with BPD and the Stigma It Creates Film/Photography Studies - Time: Mon 3:00pm-4:00pm - Session Number: 224 Janine Vitiello, Brian Dunphy, Department of Television, Radio, and Emerging Media, CUNY Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Janine Vitiello

For decades, mass media has created a narrative that people suffering from mental disorders are dangerous, unstable, and “psychotic”. This belief is ignorant, disregarding the millions of people who suffer from a mental disorder every day but continue to function in their personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, when it comes to entertainment value, that would not sell on the big screen. Women have been the biggest target since Hollywood realized people love to watch crazy women unravel on-screen while profiting off of these harmful stereotypes. The disorder that is usually blamed for this is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a personality disorder characterized by emotional instability, reckless behavior, and abandonment issues. From Fatal Attraction to Girl, Interrupted, portrayals of BPD have ranged over the years, some being more accurate and others being completely dramatized for the sake of a story.

This thesis will analyze the accuracy of movies and television shows in their portrayal of women who suffer from (BPD), which has become the go-to label for “crazy” women. In each chapter, I will focus on four main areas: stigma, analysis of media, male vs. female portrayals, and cinematic elements. I will be analyzing the psychological reason behind how audiences are affected through media, leading to stigma that has been perpetuated through journalism, movies, and tabloid magazines. After I examine both the positive and negative portrayals, I will explore how gender stereotypes exist within the entertainment industry and how this leads to the stigmatization of women with mental disorders. Then, I will discuss how cinematic elements and screenwriting can contribute to this through visualization such as framing, lighting, and color, as well as, technical aspects such as screenwriting. Lastly, I will explore how screenwriters and directors can accurately portray BPD in women while destigmatizing mental illness, and educating their audiences.

Implementing Psychology and Philosophy into Modern-Day Marketing Initiatives Business - Time: Tue 3:30pm-4:30pm - Session Number: 709 Meri Halabani, Robert Johnson, Department of Philosophy, City University of New York - Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Meri Halabani A natural connection exists between psychology, marketing, and philosophy. On the psychological end, marketers often study consumer behavior, evaluating what people demand and why they demand it. Philosophical theories can help marketers understand consumer behavior, such as theories recognized by David Hume and other philosophers. Hume’s philosophy expresses how individuals are born with innate passions that are few in numbers, and the later experience individuals have that gives the objects of desire. Armed with this knowledge, marketers can understand how to fulfill individual desires based on individual needs for products, in which businesses can be seen to contribute to individual happiness. This way, empiricism and induction can lead consumers to respond differently to various products that producers give them overtime. By bridging the gap between psychology, marketing, and philosophy, one can adequately conclude how producers and consumers satisfy one another’s needs, how businesses meet the demands of consumers, and thus what would be the best marketing approaches producers should use to connect to consumers.

These practices are not fully articulated as a unified joint process, with the role of the individual components unclear. For example, some might say that philosophy has little to do with the psychological effects of marketing, but without acknowledging the idea that marketing tactics originate from philosophical theories, then there would be no other way to state how ideas originally formed. Many concepts originate from philosophy—the backbone in grasping the meaning behind marketing. Without philosophy, the formation of ideas and connections between producers and consumers would not be understood—and my project tackles this misconception and guides marketers.

A natural connection exists between psychology, marketing, and philosophy. On the psychological end, marketers often study consumer behavior, evaluating what people demand and why they demand it. Philosophical theories can help marketers understand consumer behavior, such as theories recognized by David Hume and other philosophers. Hume’s philosophy expresses how individuals are born with innate passions that are few in numbers, and the later experience individuals have that gives the objects of desire. Armed with this knowledge, marketers can understand how to fulfill individual desires based on individual needs for products, in which businesses can be seen to contribute to individual happiness. This way, empiricism and induction can lead consumers to respond differently to various products that producers give them overtime. By bridging the gap between psychology, marketing, and philosophy, one can adequately conclude how producers and consumers satisfy one another’s needs, how businesses meet the demands of consumers, and thus what would be the best marketing approaches producers should use to connect to consumers.

Investigating the Effects of STEM courses on Students' Learning and Cognitive Functioning Psychology - Time: Wed 12:00pm-1:00pm - Session Number: 945 Alan Mograby, Robert Johnson, Honors College, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11210 Alan Mograby My project will explore the differences in learning and cognitive abilities between pre-health undergraduate students and non-pre-health undergraduate students. In addition to building off existing scholarly literature examining the issue in the context of curricular decisions in STEM departments, I will use data from a survey that I have designed, which will be taken by equal numbers of pre-health and non-pre-health students. Pre-health students include those pursuing a career in healthcare--such as, but not limited to, medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry, and veterinary. These career paths require students to take a number of pre-requisite biomedical courses prior to matriculation in their respective graduate programs. These courses include such offerings as Biology I and II, General/Inorganic Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, General Physics I and II, Calculus, and Statistics. These courses seem to challenge students in a very different manner from non-STEM courses: but do STEM and non-STEM students process the course content in these offerings in the same way? The project's findings will seek to detect any notable differences (if any) in the ways pre-health students learn and think, when compared to non-pre-health students--findings that will have relevance to curricular decisions on whether majors for students intending careers in healthcare can reasonably conclude that their prerequisites also their shift in students’ cognitive/learning processing, in addition to supplying the actual knowledge taught in these courses. As a pre-dental student myself, I have a personal commitment to the topic.

My project will explore the differences in learning and cognitive abilities between pre-health undergraduate students and non-pre-health undergraduate students. In addition to building off existing scholarly literature examining the issue in the context of curricular decisions in STEM departments, I will use data from a survey that I have designed, which will be taken by equal numbers of pre-health and non-pre-health students. Pre-health students include those pursuing a career in healthcare--such as, but not limited to, medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry, and veterinary. These career paths require students to take a number of pre-requisite biomedical courses prior to matriculation in their respective graduate programs. These courses include such offerings as Biology I and II, General/Inorganic Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, General Physics I and II, Calculus, and Statistics. These courses seem to challenge students in a very different manner from non-STEM courses: but do STEM and non-STEM students process the course content in these offerings in the same way? The project's findings will seek to detect any notable differences (if any) in the ways pre-health students learn and think, when compared to non-pre-health students--findings that will have relevance to curricular decisions on whether majors for students intending careers in healthcare can reasonably conclude that their prerequisites also their shift in students’ cognitive/learning processing, in addition to supplying the actual knowledge taught in these courses. As a pre-dental student myself, I have a personal commitment to the topic.

New Technologies, Old Injustices: Neuroscience, Criminal Law, and Race Interdisciplinary Studies - Time: Tue 2:00pm-3:00pm - Session Number: 622 Gillian Gagliano and Dr. Robert Johnson, Honors Academy, CUNY Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Gillian Gagliano

Judicial interest in applying neuroscience to criminal law has increased substantially in recent years. My project addresses the legal and ethical problems which could stem from such a practice. I seek to contribute to the broader scholarly discourse by highlighting the ways in which the aforementioned repercussions would be particularly catastrophic for already-vulnerable populations by engendering a possible direct path of authoritarian oppression on the basis of neuroscientific “data.” I begin by defining neurocriminology and examining its history. Second, I address both the ethical and legal concerns which stem from treating criminality as a public health issue that can be remedied via intervention. Finally, I conclude by asserting that the ethical repercussions of applying neuroscience to criminal law would disproportionately harm communities which are already marginalized and over-surveilled along the lines of race. To substantiate my claim that weaponizing brain scanning technology would reinforce preexistent hierarchies that are founded on the basis of race and create brand new hierarchies to produce other kinds of harm simultaneously, I offer data which details the problems that surveillance, mass incarceration, and pseudoscience have reified for the Black community-- problems of which would be exacerbated by reliance on neuroscientific methodologies to preempt crime. I conclude on a hopeful note by stating that applying neuroscience to criminal law could help to change epistemically unreliable and morally problematic status quo assumptions about the link between Blackness and antisocial/violent behavior-- but if and only if the institutional structures that support these rapidly-evolving practices are actively engaging in anti-racist work.

Perceptions of Multicultural Counseling in Communication Sciences & Disorders Physical/Occupational Therapy & Speech Language Pathology - Time: Tue 11:00am-12:00pm - Session Number: 431 Pheobe Law & Professor Akiko Fuse, Department of Communication Arts, Sciences, and Disorders, City University of New York - Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Pheobe Law

In all professional practices, it is essential to be sensitive towards differing cultural backgrounds including race and ethnicity, with differing values and beliefs. It is especially important that healthcare professionals including speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have an adequate understanding of what it takes to counsel clients from various cultural backgrounds. In other words, they need to be competent in multicultural counseling (MC). Future SLPs are given the opportunities to acquire the skills necessary to become culturally competent clinicians during graduate-level instruction and clinical practicum. Despite this, previous research shows that SLPs are not adequately prepared educationally or clinically to treat culturally and linguistically diverse populations. As a first step towards rectifying this lack of preparation, there must be an exploration of students’, supervisors’, and SLP’s perceptions of their knowledge, skills, and competency in providing MC. Since there remains little research about and no theoretical framework for MC in the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD), a systematic review is conducted exploring the available research on MC in speech-language pathology. Additionally, a study will be conducted evaluating the awareness and use of MC in clinical practice among graduate students and clinical supervisors in speech-language pathology, and SLPs in various settings. It is expected that compared to students, supervisors and SLPs have more knowledge of MC and there is a gap between both clinical supervisors’ and SLPs’ skills and competency in providing MC.

Postcolonialism and Otherness in “Othello,” “Frankenstein,” and “Invisible Man” English & Literature - Time: Tue 3:30pm-4:30pm - Session Number: 723 Samantha Merzel, Robert Johnson and Jason Frydman, English Department, City University of New York - Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Samantha Merzel

My project explores the relationship between Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello, the Creature from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the narrator from Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Since these characters arise from three different authors and three different time periods, similarities might not be initially apparent. However, when looking more closely, themes of postcolonial discourse—such as Otherness, power, and exploitation—appear in all three texts. My project delves deeper into how Othello, Frankenstein, and Invisible Man converse with postcolonial issues through the three mentioned characters. Since Otherness is a vital topic in both postcolonialism and the three texts, I will explain how postcolonialism significantly contributed to the acceptance of the idea of the “Other” in society. I will use the history between postcolonialism and Otherness to introduce my claim that all three characters are Othered. Additionally, I will analyze how the Otherness each character faces leads to either violence or exploitation. For example, in Shakespeare’s and Shelley’s text, both characters turn to violence because of their alienation from society. Lastly, I will look at how each character attempts to learn the language of the superior to fit into and be accepted by society. I will use direct evidence from each of the texts, along with peer-reviewed articles that engage with similar themes my paper explores. My project explores the relationship between Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello, the Creature from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the narrator from Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Since these characters arise from three different authors and three different time periods, similarities might not be initially apparent. However, when looking more closely, themes of postcolonial discourse—such as Otherness, power, and exploitation—appear in all three texts. My project delves deeper into how Othello, Frankenstein, and Invisible Man converse with postcolonial issues through the three mentioned characters. Since Otherness is a vital topic in both postcolonialism and the three texts, I will explain how postcolonialism significantly contributed to the acceptance of the idea of the “Other” in society. I will use the history between postcolonialism and Otherness to introduce my claim that all three characters are Othered. Additionally, I will analyze how the Otherness each character faces leads to either violence or exploitation. For example, in Shakespeare’s and Shelley’s text, both characters turn to violence because of their alienation from society. Lastly, I will look at how each character attempts to learn the language of the superior to fit into and be accepted by society. I will use direct evidence from each of the texts, along with peer-reviewed articles that engage with similar themes my paper explores.

Reconstructing Neanderthal behavior and their ability to adapt to their environment Anthropology & Archeology - Time: Tue 11:00am-12:00pm - Session Number: 400 Elizabeth Poplavska, Robert Johnson, Department of Anthropology, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Elizabeth Poplavska

My research question focuses on Neanderthals, who were a species of hominins that went extinct around 40,000 years ago. I am exploring the question of what does the archaeological and paleontological record show about Neanderthal behavior, intelligence, and their ability to adapt to their environment. By examining and analyzing primary source literature, I claim that the archaeological and paleontological record shows Neanderthals were adapting to their environments through tool use and technologies from which behavior, social structure, and subsistence can be inferred. The inferred practices and material items we can recover show direct evidence that Neanderthals displayed aspects of adaptive progression throughout different European localities that had different environmental climates. By looking into Neanderthal's lifestyle, we can not only examine factors for the explanation of their extinction but also how they were similar and different from other known hominins, which includes modern humans. They should not be seen as ``primitive cavemen” but as a species that we keep finding more archaeological evidence for that shows their capabilities. This research question is important to consider because it relates back to the broader topic of the way that we think about how humans behave, socialize and advance in the world, and by learning more about Neanderthals, we can say that the complexity of behavior was not only unique to modern-day humans. Conducting this research on Neanderthals could help contextualize characteristics of modern humans which will allow us to better understand what kinds of abilities to adapt to our environments are unique to us as a species.

The Parallel and Opposing Qualities Between Social Organizations that are labeled as Gangs and Cults Sociology - Time: Wed 12:00pm-1:00pm - Session Number: 949 Mame-Yaa Boateng, Robert Johnson, Department of History, City University of New York - Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Mame-Yaa Boateng

In this paper I will highlight the different reasons why some people join social organizations that are categorized as gangs and cults. The need to belong drives some people to search for lasting relationships especially in community centered groups such as religious organizations and location-based gangs (Pillow et al., 2014). Other factors such as low self-esteem, peer/familial pressure, curiosity, and socioeconomic backgrounds play a role in the reasons why people consider joining gangs and cults (Alleyne & Wood, (2010). My paper will further investigate the attributes that gangs, and cults promote to attain group membership.

Despite being categorized as two different types of social organizations, I believe that there are underlining comparisons between gang culture and cult culture. Watching interview-based videos conducted by Jubilee regarding the experiences that gang, and former cult members faced helped me realize that there are similarities between the two groups. For example, one interviewee, Jay Nasty, expressed that his decision to join his gang set was ultimately due to his family’s background (Jubilee, 2019). Being a Crip was never a decision for Jay Nasty, it was just his family’s way of life that he continued to live by. I saw the same sentiment expressed by another interviewee, Calvin, who is a former Mormon fundamentalist. Like Jay Nasty, Calvin also followed in his family’s footsteps until he grew to find his own voice. Seeing these similarities amongst members from two distinctly separate organization led me to hypothesis that there are paralleling qualities that cult and gang culture possess. I will focus on the experiences that respective members from each organization face. In addition, I will compare how gangs and cults are viewed by the media while highlighting the hierarchy of each of these organization along with the different factors they use to attract new members.

The Partition of India and Pakistan: A Multi-Directional Genocide Political Science - Time: Wed 3:00pm-4:00pm - Session Number: 1131 Rahul Chaudhry, Robert Johnson, Honors College, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Rahul Chaudhry

Should the partition of India and Pakistan be considered a genocide? Among the many notable events and conflicts that defined the twentieth century, the Indian Partition is a significant, albeit less discussed, occurrence in the epistemologically dominating western sphere. This ethno-religious conflict continues to plague the mindsets of both Indians and Pakistanis, many of whom claim innocence on behalf of themselves or their ancestors in the atrocities of the partition, while casting blame on their neighboring country for the conflict that continues to ensue. My project argues that the partition of India should be considered a multi-directional, mutual genocide by Indian and Pakistani political authorities and citizens against one another and by the British colonizers against both populations. In order to provide a comprehensive understanding of this issue, the project will analyze the case studies of Amritsar, India and Lahore, Pakistan, using the micro, meso, and macro levels of genocide analysis elaborated on by Evgeny Finkel and Scott Straus. The UN Genocide Convention, however flawed, will be utilized as a basis from which to establish the mens rea and actus reus of this conflict. In this way, even under the current, flawed framework, the partition of India can be effectively portrayed as a genocide, and the colonizing powers of the U.N. can be held morally accountable for not acknowledging and dealing with its ongoing, destructive aftermath.

The Role of the Courts in Enabling Islamophobia: an Examination of the Annihilation of Due Process Rights for Muslims post 9-11 Under the Guise of National Security Law & Legal Studies - Time: Mon 3:00pm-4:00pm - Session Number: 231 Salma Mohamed, Professor Robert Johnson, Department of History, and Professor Jeanne Theoharis, Department of Political Science, City University of New York - Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 Salma Mohamed

My project examines how the courts have adopted and enabled Islamophobia in post 9-11 terrorism prosecutions under the guise of national security. While at first glance the prominence and severity of the terrorism threat after 9-11 may seem to necessitate dispensing with particular constitutional rights, even those that are construed fundamental to any functioning democracy, closer examination reveals that the U.S. government has overstated this threat and disproportionately targeted vulnerable Muslims—even at times manufacturing a threat. By extending the Critical Legal Studies framework to the War on Terror, I complete a more in-depth analysis of how the courts have functioned to facilitate Islamophobic government misconduct at almost every stage of the criminal justice process, thus effectively criminalizing Islam under the pretext of public safety. I challenge the traditional perception of the courts as well as the broader scholarly and legal discourse that treats the federal courts as antithetical to other legal methods used against Muslims, such as military tribunals or Guantanamo detentions. While the tools are certainly not identical, the law operates similarly against Muslims as it has with other marginalized communities; the legal system operates off of contradictions to allow law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges sweeping authority as well as takes on and strengthens public fears by not only codifying them but also providing a justification for discrimination that gives the illusion of necessity and justice. The law obscures its intent and conduct and legitimizes inequalities through abstractions and other forms of denial, making inequalities appear non-existent or out of its control and that the individual or group is to blame. Essentially, through the cases of Muslim defendants in counterterrorism prosecutions, I demonstrate how these design features in the legal system have operated during the War on Terror to comprehensively and systematically deny basic rights to Muslims.

Understanding Burnout Among Undergraduate College Students Sociology - Time: Tue 2:00pm-3:00pm - Session Number: 633 Elizabeth Jose, Professor Carolina Bank Munoz, Sociology Department, Brooklyn College 2900 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11210 Elizabeth Jose

Transitioning from high school to college can be challenging as undergraduate college students face difficulty balancing school, work, and social life. Students begin to experience stress and exhaustion as the number of exams increases, aspirations heighten, and financial pressures increase (El Ansari & Stock, 2010). Prolonged exposure to stress and fatigue can lead to burnout, which can have adverse effects on academic performance and physical and mental health. My research investigates the impact of burnout and its influence on undergraduate college students. I am mainly focusing on the similarities and differences in effects among different genders and if attending a private or public college plays a role in burnout. Gaining a greater understanding of the impact burnout has on undergraduate college students would allow us to explore potential ways to reduce burnout effects on students. There has been little research focusing on undergraduate college students. Therefore, this research study would contribute findings that could be useful for future work and understand the different variables that play a role in burnout among undergraduate students. To gather data for this study, I surveyed undergraduate college students to assess their feelings of stress and exhaustion using adapted models of the Student Stress Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey. I expect to find results consistent with previous research that concluded a strong relationship between gender, ethnicity, year in college, and burnout. The relationships between these variables can be detrimental in understanding how these factors can play a role in undergraduate students' college experiences. Exploring the different variables and understanding their role in burnout can allow us to gain a greater understanding of the susceptibilities undergraduate college students face and how these propensities can potentially be avoided or reduced.

Vaping. A New, but Not Surprising, Epidemic Nursing & Public Health - Time: Tue 11:00am-12:00pm - Session Number: 448 George Angelakakis and Dr. Christian S. Warren, Department of History, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 George Angelakakis

The public health debate that surrounded cigarettes in the 20th century has reemerged with the introduction of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and most notably electronic cigarettes. A comparison of the ongoing vaping epidemic with the history of the menthol cigarette in the urban African American community reveals that the marketing practice of targeting specific groups of smokers has not stopped. Specifically, this paper demonstrates that the tobacco industry has continued its strategy of targeting the youth demographic (ages 12-17) to sell its products. The recently uncovered marketing strategy by Juul Labs (#Vaporized) is eerily similar to those carried out in the past by Brown & Williamson (Kool Mixx campaign) and R.J. Reynolds (Newport Pleasure campaign). Likewise, I show how the arguments made by the Tobacco Industry in defense of menthol cigarettes have been recycled to fight against proposed increases in ENDS regulation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today. Constant throughout the regulatory history of menthol cigarettes and ENDS – or lack thereof – is the use of lobbyists and third-party organizations (such as, small business owners, Black civil rights groups, police and grass-roots organizations) to influence legislative, public health, and retail policy. In addition to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s lawsuit in 2020, which exposed Juul Labs' marketing strategy, this project makes use of internal tobacco industry documents disclosed following the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. In order to prevent another generation from being targeted by tobacco and electronic-cigarette companies, I compare the past marketing practices of the tobacco industry with the current practices of ENDS companies, as well as explore the opposition and debates surrounding increased regulation.

Video Game Music: A Study of the Most Immersive Musical Experience of Our Time Music - Time: Tue 3:30pm-4:30pm - Session Number: 739 John Africano, Alexandra Lewis, Conservatory of Music, City University of New York- Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 John Africano

Video game music is often dismissed in technical music discussions, deemed immature and unimportant; but in fact, music in video games has grown to the point of independence as its own genre. Combined with the immersive elements video games already bring to the consumer, video game music creates a unique auditory experience for each player. I explore the impact music has on video games, demonstrating the powerful combination the two create, and ultimately prove that the video game player is both the audience and the composer of their respective playthrough. While musicologists often dismiss video game music, there is much to be said about it. Music has been a part of media since the 1500s, where music would often accompany theatre and stories before later developing into opera and other large-scale productions. Video game music, the first of which dating back to the 1950s, uses music in the same way to amplify the audience’s experience. However, video games take that a step further by allowing the player to make decisions that alter the sounds the game produces, creating an even more immersive feeling. The past seventy years has yielded a great evolution for video game music, and we are now often treated to full-scale orchestras to reinforce video game soundtracks, not just a series of electronic “beeps” and “boops.” In order to convey my point, I discuss briefly the history of music in media, the connotations that certain instruments have in said media, the history of video game music, how video game music is created and utilized, and the effects it has on the player’s experience.

Public health crises generally require collaboration on part of leaders in both politics and science. This condition has given rise to medical advancements in the past several centuries, which have improved the general quality of life for people all over the world. Such progress might not have been possible if not for this synergistic relationship, which at times can become severely inequitable. In an increasingly polarized society, where it seems as if almost any issue becomes politicized, even a national health crisis is not above politics. Unfortunately, the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic has thus far demonstrated that public health is not completely immune to political agendas. Whether this phenomenon emerged with the advent of an information-driven society or has more in common with past pandemics, it is vital to understand the dualistic nature of public health and how that plays a role in decisions being made today. My project will delve into responses by political and media institutions as well as the public perception of previous health crises such as the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, and the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919, to determine how impactful communication media can be with respect to health crisis awareness and better understand the factors contributing to public health decisions where society as a whole is involved, how those decisions are communicated, and how those policies are either accepted or rejected by the population.