This project explores the concept of granting legal personhood to natural environments, with a focus on the Clark Fork River in Missoula, Montana. Granting legal personhood rights to the environment has been used around the world to recognize and protect rivers, mountains, and other environmental entities. However, the U.S. legal systems have been slow to adopt this approach. This research essay examines why the U.S. has been lagging, analyzes foreign legal frameworks that have granted personhood to environmental entities and examines if any could be adapted to grant rights and protections to the Clark Fork River.

The research process involves an extensive literature review of environmental law, case studies of international environmental personhood (such as the Whanganui River in New Zealand), environmental personhood cases in the U.S. (such as the failed Lake Erie Bill of Rights and Colorado River Ecosystem failed personhood lawsuit), and an analysis of the ecological and cultural significance of the Clark Fork River. Additionally, potential legal conflicts, such as property rights and regulatory challenges, are considered to assess the feasibility of implementing river personhood in Montana.

Preliminary findings suggest that a personhood framework could provide stronger legal protections for rivers in Montana, particularly due to Native American cultural connections and current legislation special to Montana (Montana constitution and Held vs the State of Montana). This research is significant because it bridges law, international environmental policy, and Indigenous perspectives to propose innovative legal solutions. As climate change and resource exploitation threaten ecosystems, this work contributes to broader discussions on sustainable environmental governance. By presenting this research at UMCUR, I aim to engage scholars and policymakers in rethinking how the law can evolve to protect vital natural resources like the Clark Fork River.

The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) saw the United States rise to a position of considerable geopolitical power, largely due to Roosevelt himself. His administration’s development of foreign policies shaped the influence of the United States in the Pacific Region and eventually positioned the U.S. as a global power. By focusing on Roosevelt’s dealings with the Empire of Japan, it is clear how Roosevelt shaped the global view of the United States before World War I. Roosevelt’s power as a diplomat is clear in his relationship with Japan, and examining this relationship offers a snapshot of how Roosevelt’s actions influenced the U.S.'s growing role in world affairs. This project will explore the U.S.-Japan relationship to better understand how the U.S. sought to expand its influence after a long period of isolation. Through Roosevelt's foreign policy initiatives, such as the Taft-Katsura Agreement of 1905 and the Root-Takahira Agreement of 1908, the U.S. sought to assert and develop its influence in the Pacific. The central question I seek to answer is how the U.S. relationship with the Empire of Japan provides insight into how the U.S. was seen at the start of the 20th century and how Roosevelt empowered or failed to empower the U.S. as a global influence before the beginning of the First World War. The Empire of Japan and the U.S. ended their respective periods of isolationism to flex their power and assert influence on their regions, placing them in almost direct conflict with each other. I have put together a comprehensive list of secondary sources: books, articles, book reviews, and dissertations to inform the scholarship of my topic. For fall semester of 2024, a big part of the project was focused on a deep reading of the materials and synthesized into a literature review to inform of what other authors believe to be the case and how their arguments inform my own. This semester, I plan to collect primary sources and use this data to draw conclusions in relation to the secondary sources.

Cultural biases within school psychology practices can lead to misdiagnosis and ineffective interventions, which negatively impact a student’s academic success, social-emotional development, and future opportunities. To support student well-being, school psychologists can recognize and address cultural biases by adopting a stance of cultural humility: reflecting on their own biases, engaging in continuous learning, and adapting practices to be more culturally responsive. The aim of this study is to understand school psychologists’ perspectives of their own culturally responsive practices in order to create trainings that address gaps in knowledge and better support their professional development. Through the framework of cultural humility, we analyzed previously collected data that was part of a larger study based on interviews of school psychologists. Results from thematic analysis and structural coding of the interview transcripts revealed the complex relationship between cultural knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, and skills related to cultural humility. Some participants also focused primarily on language differences, emphasizing language as the sole cultural marker while overlooking more nuanced aspects of cultural identity. Overall, participants demonstrated an open, positive attitude when approaching learning about culturally responsive practices; nonetheless, even with a strong desire to address cultural disparities, the framework and structure in which they operate may not provide the depth of knowledge, time, or tools needed to fully implement these practices, leading to efforts that remain surface-level. This study can inform future research on school psychology training related to culturally responsive practices to support K-12 student well-being.

One of the most visible, yet seldom intently regarded depictions of Cold War relations between the Western and Soviet blocs, can be found in the exciting world of the spy film sub-genre. Complementing the complex nature of the various cultural experiences and ideologies spanning this era, the spy films of the Cold War contain the potential to provide viewers with a unique access point for exploring popular depictions and commentaries of such narratives. This analytical research project aims to dissect the thematic resonance of espionage as a valuable concept in understanding the transference of cultural and political ideology between East and West, and explore the interplay between depictions of this dichotomy in films on both sides.

Segmented into investigations of selected key points of convergence between films of the two blocs, my findings are a result of critically engaging with a wide selection of spy films and comparing their approaches to engaging in geopolitical and cultural commentary. Due to its flagship status, as well as its unique ability to consistently chronicle the evolution of such narratives across multiple decades, this project places focus on the James Bond film series as a driving point of reference for Western representation. Conversely, special emphasis is also placed on the comedic films of Soviet filmmaker Leonid Gaidai, to supplement analysis of the role of genre in shaping popular interpretations of media. The interplay between this output of films suggests a reverent awareness, and at points, an active dialogue between the filmmakers, revealing a line of transference that exists on a meta level beyond the stories of espionage on screen.

This study explores the integration of ethical teaching within Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs to address both practical outcomes and ethical concerns related to the adaptation of cultural practices. While MBSR has been widely adopted for stress reduction and mental health improvement, the current body of literature reveals persistent methodological challenges, including inconsistent definitions, a notable lack of longitudinal studies, and ethical concerns regarding cultural appropriation. This proposal examines three approaches: maintaining the integrity of traditional Buddhist ethical values, implementing secular ethical values, and excluding ethics training from MBSR instruction. To contribute to this growing body of research a four-year, longitudinal randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 600 university students is proposed. Participants will be divided into four groups: MBSR with Buddhist ethics (BE), MBSR with secular ethics (SE), MBSR without ethics (NE), and a waitlist control group (WL). The study will measure outcomes related to subjective well-being, ethical decision-making, and stress reduction using validated instruments. A pre-registered hypothesis states that participants in the MBSR groups with ethics components (BE and SE) will experience statistically significant positive outcomes in well-being and ethical decision-making than those in the MBSR-only group (NE) or the waitlist control group (WL). The research aims to provide empirical evidence on the differential effects of ethical frameworks in meditation practice while maintaining cultural sensitivity and methodological rigor. By addressing significant gaps in current research, this study has the potential to inform future adaptations of meditation programs in diverse contexts, balancing secularization with respect for traditional practices.

Throughout the 1940s, millions of Europeans were displaced by the infrastructural destruction of war, government actions and prejudices. While the first half of the decade saw many displaced by the implementation of ethnic polices like Generalplan Ost (General Plan East) in Eastern Europe by Nazi Germany, displacement would continue into the late 1940s as postwar politics created new political and ideological borders. This project will focus on the experiences of ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe under Nazi occupation and in the aftermath of war. It will ask how Nazi policies, the International Refugee Organization’s actions, postwar reconstruction efforts led by the Allies, and relations with non-German populations shaped the experiences of German displaced persons (DPs) in Central and Eastern Europe. By analyzing the treatment of this subsection of Germans by the Nazis between 1940 - 1945, and by the Allied Powers in the decade after World War II, this project will illuminate the impact of Nazi race ideology in the region and the ramifications of both Nazi resettlement projects and Allied-led postwar responses. This project contributes to broader study of displacement and history of migrations in Europe, as it analyses a unique group of Europeans, referred to by the Nazis as Volksdeutsche (German Folk), and highlights their experiences to an audience who are potentially unfamiliar with postwar population displacement.

My project, titled “Montana Alternative Music Archive,” is an attempt to gather the history of Montana’s underground alternative music scene throughout the entire state and across as many decades as possible, so as to address the lack of historical documentation on this artistic movement. My guiding reason for this project is due to a personal interest in the subject that has been difficult to develop due to lack of available material, as well as to honor the innovative spirit of generations of punk rockers who remained committed to their inspirations despite living in a regional culture that doesn’t necessarily prioritize art.

To carry out this project, I'm compiling an archive of zines, concert posters, videos, photographs, social media posts and other relevant ephemera to create a useable database of historical information that can be used by scholars to understand the music of this era.

This project is significant in that it addresses a gap in both Montana’s state history and the history of American art at large. Especially as Montana continues to grow and change, particularly in its cultures, this collection will provide background knowledge on the artists that have inspired generations of Montanans, as well as generations to come.

Controversies over issues of standing in federal civil litigation are hotly contested, as they strike at the heart of separation of powers issues and broader notions of the intent of civil action. Here I identify two competing theories of the purpose of standing and its requirements as such. Restrictive standing, as argued by Professor Ann Woolhandler, seeks to inherently link civil redress with an injury-in-fact requirement for both public and private law claims. Expansive standing, as argued by Professor Cass R. Sunstein, seeks to ground civil redress exclusively within violations of Congressionally designated causes of action. I argue that the current interpretation by the Supreme Court of standing doctrine largely in accordance with a more restrictive view has left environmental litigation in a particularly dangerous place, as the often collective and diffuse injuries that are the subject of such litigation frequently fail to neatly match the requirements crafted by the Court. In this paper I will specifically situate the needs of environmental litigation within this discourse over standing doctrine, asserting that the expansive standing position and its dependence upon Congressionally designated causes of action is best able to accommodate the often multifaceted nature of environmental litigation.

Following the resurgence of right-wing beliefs starting in 2008, individual radicalization is reshaping the foundations of democracies. The QAnon movement, January 6th, and recent elections have shown that the way that individuals connect with each other, the media, and experts to make meaning has changed. The internet and free exchange of information (and misinformation) have altered the channels of individual radicalization and are becoming a new frontier for the development of extremist thought. This new wave of extremism warrants concern, especially as it continues to change the course of the United States. Despite this, little research has examined how social relationships and media consumption influence right wing extremism.

To examine these issues, I utilize cross-sectional, nationally representative data gathered through the National Opinion Research Center’s Amerispeak panel (Forscher & Kteily, 2017; N=1,283). Participants responded to questions related to their behaviors and their views on politics and the media. Using regression analyses, I examine how interpersonal relationships and trust in various media outlets shape Alt-Right views.

The purpose of this study is to examine how political competition in state governments influences the independence of state supreme courts. This study adapts existing theories from comparative judicial research of democratic countries to the U.S. subnational context. Through a comparative study of 50 U.S. states, I test whether political dynamics in subnational entities align with existing transnational theories of political competition and judicial independence. Political competition in states is measured by the partisan composition of state legislatures, competitiveness of state elections, and partisan control of state branches of government. Judicial independence is measured using court-curbing legislation as a proxy, examining the number of bills proposed by the legislature which would limit the power and autonomy of state supreme courts.

I hypothesize that increasing political competition and partisan division reduces the legislative bodies ability to act cohesively, decreasing the likelihood of unified legislative threats against the judiciary when the court's rulings are viewed as reducing the power of the legislature. As a result, state supreme courts would experience fewer threats of legislative restrictions and greater judicial independence in states with higher levels of political competition. My findings will contribute further to understanding the complex interplay between legislative authority and judicial independence, specifically adding to the understanding of how political competition influences legislative efforts to assert itself over the judicial branch. This has broader implications for understanding the nature of political competition, separation of powers, and the rule of law in the United States.

Many who visit UM’s PEAS Farm know about the greenhouses, pumpkin patch, and flower fields that grow around the property, but there is another garden that has been growing for the last three seasons: The Four Sisters Garden. Although many students visit the farm each year, the Four Sisters Garden is a spot that tends to be skipped over on tours. This traditional Garden grows squash, beans, corn, and sunflowers, and is grown in the arrangement of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) peoples from North Dakota. Through conversations with the caretakers of the Four Sisters Garden, I found out that the seeds planted in the garden are all commercialized seeds. Understanding seed sovereignty is a major piece of steps towards tribal food sovereignty. For the MHA, gardens are a place where many traditional skills were developed and applied to everyday life. For example, in Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden, Buffalo Bird Woman describes skills in agriculture, architecture, construction, storage, crafts, and cooking. The Four Sisters Garden provides access to these culturally relevant foods and practices. The purpose of this project, Seed Sisters, is to share the history and importance of the Four Sisters Garden with the community. The culmination of my project will create a zine that lives at the farm and online for the public to read when they visit. This zine will be a digestible, creative, and informative resource that can be used to share about the Four Sisters Garden.

From recalling crimes to passing exams, memory is a critical cognitive function for effectively navigating everyday life. Often, we expect that we will remember what is emotionally significant to us, especially when those feelings are negative. However, past research has indicated that may not be the case. The goal of this study, which I helped conduct alongside my professor and fellow research assistants, was to investigate the relationship between memory accuracy and confidence in one’s own memory for emotionally negative words (such as "grief") as compared to neutral words (such as "graph"). We recruited 65 UM psychology students through SONA, who were instructed to study 64-word pairs. The pairs consisted of negative-negative; negative-neutral; neutral-negative; and neutral-neutral words (16 pairs for each). During the study phase, participants were also asked to provide their confidence rating (0 to 100% sure to recall) to indicate how likely they would be able to remember each word pair. Then, their memory was tested by being asked to provide the second word of a pair given the first word for each of the 64 pairs. We found the confidence rating was highest for negative-negative word pairs and lowest for neutral-neutral word pairs. However, memory accuracy was highest for neutral-neutral word pairs, whereas negative-negative word pairs landed third in accuracy. These results indicate that confidence may not be accurate in predicting actual memory performance, particularly when people rely too much on the emotionality of items to be remembered.

This project aims to research the benefits of a sustainable community orchard in Missoula, with a focus on promoting nutritional equity, enhancing local food security, fostering environmental stewardship, and strengthening community engagement. Building on the proven success of Garden City Harvest’s community garden program, I will demonstrate how community orchards can further strengthen the local food system. Through a focused research approach, I will identify and implement best practices for the development and management of community orchards, with a particular emphasis on strategies that promote nutritional equity and environmental sustainability.

My research will include thorough reviews of case studies, academic literature, and reports on community orchards, along with direct feedback from residents to accurately assess community interests and needs. Site visits to successful urban orchards will provide valuable insights into practical implementation, while surveys and interviews will gauge community support for the initiative. I will also explore the economic and environmental impacts of urban agriculture and actively seek partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government entities.

The key goals of this project are to design a viable orchard layout, develop a self-sustaining orchard model, and foster long-term community ownership through involvement and outreach. The data collected will inform a strategic, actionable plan for the potential implementation of a community orchard in Missoula, ensuring it meets the diverse needs of the community while contributing to the city’s broader goals of food security and environmental resilience. I am committed to sharing my findings with local stakeholders to guide future decisions and collaborations.