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Publication An Iron Age in the Philippines?: A Critical Examination(1988) Eusebio Zamora Dizon; Pigott, Vincent C.Based on the limited evidence of iron artifacts and the associated pottery, it has been argued that a ’’Philippine Iron Age” began sometime between ca. 500 - 200 B.C. This study employing current archaeological and anthropological methods and metallurgical techniques analyzes the evidence for iron in the Philippines. It addresses whether the term "Iron Age” is viable in the Philippine context. The appearance of iron in certain areas of the Old World is surveyed to provide information on how iron technology developed and was adopted elsewhere. The presence of an Iron Age can imply a complex social organization which assumes a political machinery and economic institutions that deal with the control, distribution and redistribution of resources. Technology is also a system that operates within this complex whole, providing the science and technical knowledge to manipulate resources for the society. Philippine ethnographic and ethnohistorical records document that iron was supplied by Chinese traders in exchange for forest products, gold, salt, beads, etc. and that local blacksmiths processed iron for agricultural and household implements. Surpluses were traded to other groups, promoting the continuous diffusion of iron. Ten iron samples from the Philippine National Museum and 75 samples from the Guthe-Michigan collection were examined metallographically. Microhardness testing was done for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Descriptive and exploratory statistics were used to construct a generalized typology. The Guthe collection showed treatment variability in morphology, metallurgical treatment and function, projecting a pattern of regional variation among artifact types. The metallography suggested an improvement in iron technology over time. There are no indications of mass or standardized production of iron implements, suggesting local production on a small scale. This study concludes that there is no real Iron Age in the Philippines but that there were iron-using societies in certain areas beginning ca. 370 B.C. Finally, the study of iron technology constitutes a mechanism by which an improved understanding of the socio-cultural complexity of pre- and proto-historic cultures in the Philippines and Southeast Asia might be achieved.Publication Swazi Indigenous Medicine: Beliefs, Practices, and Epistemes(2024) Aiyana Nosizwe Mate; Moore, KatherineSwazi Indigenous medicine has long played a vital role in the culture and care practices of the Kingdom of Eswatini, and has evolved under the influence of processes such as colonialism, globalization, and the expansion of biomedicine. This thesis explores Swazi perspectives on the embodiment and knowledge-making practices of Swazi traditional healing. It draws from ethnographic interviews and participant observation, conducted across Eswatini and virtually. Building upon African relational research paradigms and postcolonial frameworks, the study findings reflect a vast ontological diversity in healing practices, encompassing healing that is embodied both physically and metaphysically. Similarly, Swazi medical epistemologies are diverse and encompass both human and more-than-human knowledge bases, including dreams, ancestors, and visions. The lived experiences of Swazi people illustrate the dynamic ways in which Indigenous healing practices synergize with and diverge from biomedical healthcare, and suggest possibilities for the integration and transformations of Indigenous medicine in changing contemporary contexts. Swazi Indigenous medicine is identified as experiencing colonial epistemic violence: aware of these harms, many study interlocutors work directly to combat epistemic and ontological erasure.Publication Family Character Strengths Curriculum: A Positive Psychology Intervention To Set Well-Being Habits In(2024-08-09) Kezya Castellano; Gillham, JanePositive psychology's foundation goal was to teach well-being skills to young people so they could enjoy a flourishing life. Successful advances have been made to reach children in academic settings but have neglected the natural teaching role of families. This paper emphasizes the importance of practicing and nurturing well-being through the practice of character strengths, rather than simply seeking or achieving it. It emphasizes the importance of increasing diverse opportunities to practice character strengths and set tendencies and habits early on in life. This paper proposes a practical and simplified solution for families: creating a curriculum rich in evidence-inspired strengths-based positive psychology interventions for every member to perform individually and collectively throughout the child’s development.Publication Flourishing Online: Social Media for Well-Being(2024) Joshua W. Howard; Ungar, LyleFrom works like Jonathan Haidt's (2024) The Anxious Generation to anecdotal (and often unsolicited) commentary, the discourse around social media is predominantly negative. While we cannot ignore the significant research correlating aspects of social media over-usage with adverse mental health outcomes, examining the positive implications social media can offer is equally imperative. Consider your positive experiences online, such as reconnecting with a childhood friend or learning a new hobby. Social media platforms, from Quora to TikTok, have had a positive impact on all of us. As it continues to become the primary way the world connects, it behooves us to examine how we can maximize its potential for greater well-being. This paper and teaching tool employ Seligman's (2011) PERMA model as an applicable framework to explore how individuals can leverage social media to foster well-being online. Furthermore, it will investigate how the PERMA elements of positive emotions and engagement result from the actions of positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment, which will inevitably lead to social media well-being (SMWB). By examining the positive potential of social media through the lens of PERMA, this paper and four-part curriculum seek to shift the narrative surrounding social media's impact on well-being. Keywords: positive psychology, social media, PERMA, well-being, social media well-beingPublication Positive Dance Workshop: Enhancing Emotional Well-being for Midlifers Through Contemporary Dance(2024-05-19) Praveen Powun Anbazhagan; Taylor, LauraThis paper explores the potential of a contemporary dance-based workshop to enhance midlifers' emotional well-being. It challenges the traditional view of midlife as a time of crisis, and instead, highlights it as a period of potential growth and development. The paper introduces essential concepts from positive psychology and somaesthetics, emphasizing the mind-body connection and the role of self-awareness in emotional regulation and resilience. Furthermore, emotional well-being is defined and discussed, emphasizing the importance of authentic self-expression. The paper also presents contemporary dance as a promising medium for enhancing emotional well-being. It concludes by proposing a twelve-week workshop design customized to tackle the specific challenges and enhance the opportunities of midlife. While acknowledging limitations and the need for further research, this paper argues that contemporary dance offers a unique, holistic, embodied approach to enhancing emotional well-being in midlife and calls for empirical testing of the proposed workshop model, along with further exploration of the intersection between dance, positive psychology, and emotional well-being.