College of Letters & Science
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The College of Letters and Science, the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social sciences.
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Item Domestic Entrapment and Supernatural Protection: Mapping the Ambiguous Relationship Between Female Subject and Domestic Space in Shirley Jackson's "House Novels"(Montana State Univeristy, 2022-05-13) Moosbrugger, Meghan MacKenzieShirley Jackson’s three “house novels” offer new ways of understanding the tensions between women and their domestic spaces in the post-World War II American society. Studying The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and The Sundial through the lenses of Gothic literature and spatial theory gives literary critics and scholars valuable insights into Jackson’s representation of women and how they interact with and form relationships to their public and private spheres. This paper will apply Robert Tally’s mapping concept to consider each of the houses represented within Jackson’s novels as a map portraying the ambiguous relationship between female subject and domestic space.Item A turbulent upriver flow: steamboat narratives of nature, technology, and humans in Montana Territory(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2019) Kelly, Evan Graham; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mark FiegeFor a 25 year period in the second half of the 19th century, steamboat travel was a critically important transportation technology which influenced the material, social, and cultural existence of people and landscapes in the Montana region. Building on methodological approaches developed in New Western History and Environmental History, this study argues that steamboats in Montana played a significant role in shaping cultural, demographic, and environmental changes in the area. Steamboats and their crews shaped the dynamic exchange of cultures, materials, and energy between people, landscapes, and technologies. This project stresses that the changes in human-environment relationships in the region influenced people in different ways depending on their race, class, gender, and ethnicity. This thesis argues that steamboats and their crews tapped-into and altered existing systems of material and energy exchange, reshaping energy regimes and augmenting environmental realities in the region. At the same time, steamboats influenced human actions and perceptions of the world around them. The layout of this project begins with an introduction chapter articulating methodological approaches and frameworks used in this analysis. The second chapter provides background on the changing natural and human geographies of the region, while the third chapter provides a history of steamboat technology as well as an overview of the labor, materials, and auxiliary technologies required to operate steamboats. Chapters four through seven present four chronologically organized case-studies and these narratives are used as lenses through which the broader implications of steamboat transportation in the region are examined. The final chapter briefly examines the steamboat Montana and the decline of steamboat travel in the early 1880s before offering a summary and conclusion of findings.Item An investigation of coliform contamination in private well water on the Crow Reservation(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2019) Three Irons, Emery UP; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Scott Powell; Margaret Eggers (co-chair)The Crow reservation has a rural population that depends on home well water for domestic use. Many of the home wells do not have a suitable well cap, allowing a potential pathway of bacterial contamination of groundwater. Fecal coliform is associated with acute health problems, such as gastrointestinal illness, diarrhea, and cramps. Therefore, total coliform contamination of well water is an important health concern among Crow home well users. This research examines patterns in total coliform contamination among home well samples with respect to a suite of well and local aquifer characteristics thought to influence vulnerability to contamination, including well protection factors. Well and aquifer characteristics considered in this research include: the geologic production formation, local land cover, and distance to the nearest river. Well protection factors include: cap type, cap condition, depth of completion and time since completion (or age). One hundred water quality samples were collected from home wells along the Little Big Horn River in 2017, and available data on the character of those wells and aquifers were collected for comparison with the patterns in fecal coliform contamination among the samples. Presence/absence of coliform contamination was assessed using the Colilert IDEXX Quanti-Tray 2000 method. Spatial variations in the characteristics of wells and aquifers were characterized through a combination of well logs, the National Land Cover Dataset, and the National Hydrography Dataset. Logistic regression was used to identify potential relationships between probability of coliform contamination and characteristics of associated wells and aquifers. Logistic regression models suggested two notable and statistically significant (? = 0.05 level) relationships: (1) wells completed in alluvium and farther from the river had a higher probability of total coliform contamination, and (2) wells with old style caps had a higher probability of total coliform contamination. The government of the Crow tribe can decide how to use the results for mitigation efforts and awareness for homeowners with contaminated wells. Also, the Crow Water Quality Project should archive and consider these results for future research, planning, development, and management.Item Inflammatory effects of food available through the food distribution program on Indian reservations (FDPIR; commodities)(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2018) Smith, Melanie Sue; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mary P. Miles; Mary P. Miles, Elizabeth Rink and Suzanne Held were co-authors of the article, 'Inflammatory effects of food available through the food distribution program on Indian reservations (FDPIR; commodities)' which is contained within this thesis.American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) populations experience some of the greatest health disparities and the lowest life expectancy in the United States compared to all other races and ethnicities. The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) is a primary food supplement program that serves AI/AN communities in the United States. Recent studies have reported that FDPIR monthly food packages do not meet Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This study measured the effects of two FDPIR diets on inflammation, appetite, and energy intake to better understand potential health outcomes of each FDPIR diet. A within-subjects, randomized, crossover design was used to compare two dietary conditions: 1) FDPIR diet that met Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA); and 2) a typical FDPIR diet. Participants were AI/AN and non-AI/AN men and women (n=13), 18-55 years of age, with a waist circumference of > 94 cm for men and > 80 cm for women. Salivary interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were collected at six separate time points over 24 hours to determine inflammatory response for each condition. Self-reported visual analogue scale (VAS) appetite questionnaires were used to gauge the effect of each condition on specific appetite sensations (hunger, fullness, satiety, desire to eat, and prospective consumption). Daily energy intake was calculated by weighing food in grams before and after each test day. There were no significant differences in inflammatory response and appetite sensations between the two dietary conditions found by RMANOVA (p<0.05). Participants ate 14% more (p<0.01) kilocalories on a typical FDPIR diet compared to FDPIR diet that met DGA. Higher energy intakes during a typical FDPIR diet compared to a FDPIR diet that meets DGA may increase risk for obesity and nutrition-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic inflammatory conditions. This project was approved by Montana State University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and is supported by National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health award number P20GM103474.Item Postglacial vegetation and fire history of the southern Mission Valley, Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Alt, Mio Hazel; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cathy WhitlockEcosystems shaped by mixed - severity fire regimes cover a large area of the Northern Rocky Mountains, yet relatively little is known about the historical variability and drivers of these ecosystems. The low - and mid - elevations of the Mission Range, Montana, are dominated by mixed conifer forests, and the area has been occupied by humans for at least 10,000 years, making it an ideal location for investigating how climate and humans may have affected vegetation and fire regimes during the late - glacial period through the Holocene. Pollen and charcoal records from lake sediment cores from a small closed - basin lake (Twin Lake) were used to reconstruct the vegetation and fire history of the southern Mission Valley, Montana, and compared to other sites in the region. During the late - glacial period, data show an abundance of Pinus (P. albicaulis or monticola) Artemisia, and Poaceae pollen prior to 13,000 cal yr BP, suggesting the site was dominated by an open landscape with shrubs and grass, cold relatively dry conditions, and minimal fire activity. Increased percentages of Pinus (P. Ponderosa or contorta), Picea, and Abies pollen at 13,000 cal yr BP mark the onset of a closed conifer forest, relatively cool and wet conditions and an increase in fire activity accompanying an increase in biomass. Large increases in Pseudotsuga/Larix and Artemisia pollen between 10,000 - 6000 cal yr BP suggest warmer and drier climatic conditions developed during this interval, consistent with other records from the northwestern U.S. Charcoal influx show this interval of warm and dry conditions led to low severity fires followed by high severity fires as forests of P. contorta or P. ponderosa became more dense between 7000 and 5000 cal yr BP. The mixed - conifer forests that dominate the site today began to develop ca. 6000 cal yr BP when fire frequency and severity became highly variable. Surprisingly, fire activity from ca. 5000 cal yr BP to present remained relatively high despite a cooling and wetting trend in the region. This departure of fire activity from climatic controls suggests other local factors influenced fire activity, and may suggest a greater role of human influence during the late Holocene.Item The erosion of the racial frontier: settler colonialism and the history of black Montana, 1880-1930(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2018) Wood, Anthony William; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mark FiegeFrom 1880-1910, Montana was home to one of the most vibrant and diverse African American communities in the Rocky Mountain West. By the onset of World War II, however, the black population had fallen by over fifty percent, and Montana was well on its way to being the least black state in the US by the twenty-first century. In The Erosion of the Racial Frontier, I argue that scholars of African American studies and the American West must consider the sedimented afterlife of US settler colonialism if those fields are to articulate a distinctly western narrative of African American history. My approach draws on colonial and settler colonial theories to examine the history of African Americans in Montana from 1880-1930. As a non-indigenous, non-white, community of color--or what Lorenzo Veracini would call 'subaltern exogenous others'--black westerners fall into an uncertain space in settler colonial theory. As an ongoing structure, settler colonialism continues after the violent appropriation of Indigenous lands appears to culminate. The thesis of The Erosion of the Racial Frontier is two-fold: The logic of settlement together with the logic of anti-blackness created distinctly western categories of racial exclusion that is evident in the archive of black Montana. This western, colonial racism acted as an erosive force across the state, targeting the stability and place identity of western black communities. Moreover, the society that developed in tandem with colonial erosion necessarily continues to live with the sedimented afterlife of settler colonialism. As such, the history of Black Montana can be understood as individual and collective experiences of thousands of black Montanans struggling against and subverting the settler colonial project in western North America.Item The current state of Diné bizaad(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2016) Pearson, Fox Chancellor; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Matthew HermanDiné Bizaad, also known as the Navajo language, is the most common Native American language in the United States. In his research for this thesis, Fox Chancellor Pearson seeks to ascertain for himself the current state of Diné Bizaad. Pearson combines his own observations, living and working both on and bordering the Navajo Nation, with input gathered during interviews with Diné people from diverse walks-of-life. Pearson concludes that Diné Bizaad is still alive and well among Diné elders, but it is in rapid decline among the younger generation.Item Traditional knowledge systems and tribal water governance on Fort Peck Indian Reservation, MT(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2017) Zoanni, Dionne Kae; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jamie McEvoy; Jamie McEvoy, Julia Haggerty and Elizabeth Rink were co-authors of the article, 'All the answers are in our culture': integrating traditional knowledge systems into tribal water governance on Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana' submitted to the journal 'Geoforum' which is contained within this thesis.The Fort Peck Indian Reservation is located in northeast Montana and is home to the Assiniboine (Nakona) and Sioux (Dakota) Tribes. Conventional oil and gas development and the disposal of produced water has led to the contamination of 15-37 billion gallons of groundwater within the aquifer that had historically been the only source of drinking water for reservation community members. Although the tribes are aware of the contamination plume, exploiting newly accessible shale resources has become a viable option as the tribes continue to try to alleviate the high unemployment and poverty rates of tribal members. Even so, tribal members and authorities also understand the importance of ecological health in fostering a healthy community. A strong movement of cultural resurgence has been in motion, with tribal members looking to traditional stories and lessons in order to guide the future of the community and create community cohesion. Traditional knowledge systems (TKS) have been heralded throughout contemporary Indigenous governance literature as an important dynamic resource for indigenous communities that deal with difficult decisions involving resource management. Using a TKS framework and interviews with tribal members, this research seeks to answer the following questions: 1) What are the TKS that surrounds water and its use for the Nakona and Dakota tribes? 2) What are some of the opportunities and barriers that exist for the successful incorporation of TKS into tribal water governance structures at Fort Peck? Challenges to validity, process, and relevance due to political histories and power imbalances, as well as diverse intertribal knowledge systems, may impede the successful integration of Indigenous knowledge in collaborative water governance initiatives with outside interests. The internal knowledge sharing process has the potential to enhance cultural revitalization efforts on the reservation -- which represent an organic solution that takes place from within the community itself. In addition, TKS-based tribal policies may uphold the expression of tribal self-determination, i.e. the 'governance-value' of traditional knowledge systems.Item Secondary social studies teachers' perspectives on primary source planning(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2016) Johnson, Spencer Theadore; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Christine Rogers StantonHow are 21st Century teachers incorporating primary sources into their history lessons, and what challenges do they face in doing so? The social studies classroom is changing from pedagogy driven by textbook memorization to one that embraces a more authentic understanding of how history works. This change is accelerating due to new technologies and available primary sources on the Internet. This qualitative study questioned professionals in the field and resulted in four themes: Criteria for Effective Sources, Points of Access for Appropriate Source Material, Challenges Encountered in Finding Appropriate Sources, and Planning Lessons Using Sources. 'Criteria for Effective Sources' centers on what makes primary sources useful in the classroom. The 'Points of Access for Appropriate Source Material' theme describes how accessible primary sources are. The 'Challenges Encountered in Finding Appropriate Sources' theme describes why planning is time consuming. Finally, the 'Planning Lessons Using Sources' theme describes how teachers use sources in their lesson planning process. In essence, primary sources are available, but teachers need time to find and modify those sources to fit their instruction. Better website designs that look at efficiently presenting material on websites, as well as more focused professional development concerning the implementation of sources, could solve some of the challenges social studies teachers face.Item Cultural plant biodiversity in relict wallow-like depressions on the Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming, & tribal bison restoration and policy(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2016) Baldes, Jason Eric; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rick L. LawrenceBison and Native people have co-existed on the North American landscape for millennia. As a keystone species, bison support many other organisms including plants, animals, insects and birds. Their unique dust-bathing behavior create wallow-like depressions (WLDs), altering the landscape at the local level, and are believed to increase water accumulation and support different plant species in the surrounding area. Native Americans traditionally accessed forb plants as foods tools and medicines, which are believed to increase in wallows, and in the wallow like depressions (WLDs) studied in this project. The area chosen for this study is on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR) in Wyoming, home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The northern boundary of the WRIR has been identified as an ideal location for bison restoration. As bison reintroduction might impact plant biodiversity, this study gathered baseline data of cultural plant frequency inside vs. outside 65 WLD locations. Thirty-three plants were associated with WLDs, 11 plants contained sufficient data for comparison, and five plant species had a statistically significant difference in frequency using a paired t-test. Three cultural plants were shown to have greater frequency inside WLDs vs. non-WLDs. This baseline data will potentially be used to monitor changes to the landscape after bison are restored to the WRIR. Multiple tribes are maneuvering the political arena to acquire bison and the process is complex. Federal, tribal, state, and local agencies all vie for a say in management of genetically pure bison of Yellowstone National Park. Tribes are restoring bison and forming coalitions and international treaties to share and restore herds on tribal lands. The Fort Peck Tribes of Montana are re-acquiring land to allocate to their cultural herd of Yellowstone bison and lead the way in becoming a new tribally operated quarantine facility for excess Yellowstone bison. Tribal bison policy and acquisition is an exercise in tribal self-determination and will be a way for tribes to implement programs for cultural and ecological restoration in the coming years.