Arts - Buffalo State College

90
Humanities
The Role of Magic and Superstition In the
Byzantine Empire
Jonathan Rutter, HON 400: All College Honors Colloquium
Faculty Mentors: Professor Martin Ederer, History and Social
Studies Education and Professor Andrea Guiati, Director, All
College Honors Program
In studying a particular period of history and the society
that drove it, a sufficient understanding of that society’s belief
in the supernatural is extremely important to understanding the
period in general. These sorts of beliefs formed an interpretive
framework through which the people of the time viewed their world,
consequently helping to influence their actions. While such a belief
system has many facets, one of the most interesting, and one that is
only recently becoming a proper scholarly pursuit, is the study of the
belief in magic and superstition. This research project will explore
the relatively neglected area of magic and superstitious beliefs
in the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman, Empire, specifically during
the empire’s middle period, of the Macedonian and Komnenian
dynasties (c. 9th-12th centuries), the apex of the empire’s political
and military strength. Primary sources such as contemporary
chronicles, ecclesiastical writing and sermons, personal writing,
secular legislation, ecclesiastical legislation through church councils,
saints’ lives, and material evidence such as amulets and rings will be
considered in synthesizing these beliefs and practices, in an attempt
to understand how they helped to shape and influence Byzantine
society as a whole during this period.
Presentation Type and Session: Oral – Humanities II
Sex Work and Self Worth: Is Sex Work
Compatible With Integrity, Dignity, and
Love?
Sarah Caputi, PHI 401W: Respect Seminar and HON 400: All
College Honors Colloquium
Faculty Mentors: Professor John Draeger, Philosophy and Professor
Andrea Guiati, Director, All College Honors Program
Sex is a commonly shared desire in society; often it is even
considered a need. As such, why is it that women working to provide
sexual services are often considered less respectable than those who
provide more socially “acceptable” services? Is there something
unique about prostitution that causes us to think differently about
women engaged in sex work? Is this social conception justified?
Most discussions on this topic address the harm of sex work and
the objectification involved. But drawing from the work of Darwall,
McFall, and Nussbaum, this paper will explore the relevance of
integrity, dignity and love to sex and will evaluate whether sex work
is at all compatible with these elements.
Presentation Type and Session: Oral – Humanities II
Should the U.S. Ban Advertising To
Children?
Andrea Curley, COM 450: Communication and Society
Faculty Mentor: Professor Michael Niman, Communication
We have the option of filtering television with parental controls,
however, is that enough to protect our children? European nations
have already put various advertising bans into effect to curtail
advertising directed at children. Critics in the United States suggest
that we should do the same. Such an advertising ban could
determine what can or cannot be advertised to children. The
advertising ban would prohibit, for example, airing advertisements
that promote junk food and toys. One question to address in
legislating the ban would be determining how young is “too young”
to view such ads. My research shows that young children are not
educated on how advertising works, and therefore they do not fully
understand the impact of advertising in their decision-making.
Presentation Type and Session: Oral – Humanities I
Should We Respect Female Sex Workers?
Alexis Molzen, PHI 401: Respect Seminar
Faculty Mentor: Professor John Draeger, Philosophy
From the viewpoint of a middle-class American, sex work is not
deemed to be a respectable job or career. Words such as “degrading”,
“demoralizing”, and “undignified” are often used to describe not
only the field of work, but also the individual: the prostitute, stripper
and porn star. This project will make the case that these women are
rational project-pursuing-moral agents. As such, we are obliged
to respect them no matter what they choose to pursue. The work
of Thomas Hill and Martha Nussbaum will support the view that
we should respect these women as individuals and moral agents.
To showcase the similarities and differences between all three
areas of sex work, I will present each of them with a corresponding
philosophical argument.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster IV
Starving For Perfection: U.S. and Beyond
Erin Albert, COM 450: Communication and Society
Faculty Mentor: Professor Michael Niman, Communication
In my research, I want to find out why eating disorders among
women have spread drastically throughout different cultures. My
work documents how eating disorders have become the norm
starting predominantly in the United States and spreading to
young girls in different cultures. American media is saturated with
images of dangerously thin models and actresses. These images
now dominate much of the globalized media culture stimulating
dangerous eating disordered behaviors in other countries. Various
studies discuss this phenomenon that spreads globally along with
other cultural changes. Dieting and poor body image makes women
anxious about their own existence. Their self-identity is made
and remade against this backdrop of cultural change as there is a