Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)

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The Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is a paid summer fellowship designed to foster the entrance of talented students from diverse backgrounds within the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts into PhD programs and faculty positions in U.S. colleges and universities. A program of the Institute of African American Research, MURAP seeks to increase the number of individuals holding faculty positions within the academy who are from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups or demonstrate a commitment to diversity. The program serves the related goals of providing scholarly role models for youth and...

The Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is a paid summer fellowship designed to foster the entrance of talented students from diverse backgrounds within the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts into PhD programs and faculty positions in U.S. colleges and universities. A program of the Institute of African American Research, MURAP seeks to increase the number of individuals holding faculty positions within the academy who are from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups or demonstrate a commitment to diversity. The program serves the related goals of providing scholarly role models for youth and structuring campus environments so that they will be more conducive to improved racial and ethnic relations. MURAP aims to achieve its mission by identifying and supporting students of great promise and helping them to become scholars of the highest distinction.

Each summer, the program brings a cohort of 20 undergraduates (rising juniors and seniors) from colleges and universities in the U.S. to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus for an intensive, ten-week research and graduate school professional development experience. Students work with faculty mentors who guide student participants in an original research project. Students also attend writing workshops, take GRE classes and participate in other professional development activities to prepare them for graduate school and academic careers.

Works (10)

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1. The American Opiate Crisis and the Price of Blackness

Title Tesim:
The American Opiate Crisis and the Price of Blackness
Creator:
Coleman, Ayriel
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
Social science research has paid considerable analytical attention to white, blue-collar addicts affected by America’s opioid crisis and the economic and psychological devastation it has caused in rural white communities. We cannot say that a similarly high level of attention is being paid to black opioid users and the effects of this crisis on black communities. My research addresses the paucity of research surrounding the experiences, perceptions, and treatment of black opioid addicts. I argue that institutions of criminal punishment such as police and corrections operate differently based on race and social class as a means of social control and subjugation of black people. My argument is tested using quantitative and qualitative data to explore the variation of opium arrest rates and the untold histories of black addicts. Specifically, the quantitative dimension of my study explores the effects of both sociological factors (such as race, gender, and class) and political factors (such as black political power and racial resentment) on the decision to arrest individuals for opium abuse. The qualitative aspect of my research uses the analysis of journal articles, archival records and other academic material to historicize opium usage in the United States, particularly in black communities. This research is designed to humanize black opioid addicts, detailing their perceptions of opium addiction, drug-related incarceration, and overall perceptions of the justice system. This information is necessary to personalize and recast the black experience with opium as a coping mechanism similar to how white users of the drug are portrayed. All in all, I utilize disciplinary approaches from Political Science and History to create a comprehensive interrogation of the problem of structural racism and to minimize the bite of the anti-black rhetoric that permeates throughout society.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Admin Note:
granted permission to deposit by author (01/02/2024). Paper was previously submitted by MURAP coordinator, but was abstract-only so was not uploaded at that time. -- RJK
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
Type:
http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/dj66-bv07
Language Label:
English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Coleman, Ayriel
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright

2. The Identity of Activism: How Gender and Racial Identity Relate to Activism Among African Americans

Title Tesim:
The Identity of Activism: How Gender and Racial Identity Relate to Activism Among African Americans
Creator:
Ball, Ja'Chelle
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
In response to the murders of several unarmed African American citizens by police officers and the emergence of movements such as #BlackLivesMatter in the past 10 years, there has been a resurgence of activism in the African American community. Research shows that racial identity influences an individual’s motivation for engagement in activism while gender predicts the type of activism that one might engage. The current study examined gender differences in activism and the associations between gender, racial identity, racial discrimination, and activism. The study included 326 college students (142 men and 183 women) who completed a survey that assessed perceived discrimination, racial identity, and black activism. Correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the associative questions, and an independent t-test was used to examine gender differences in activism. The results indicated that private regard and perceived discrimination are positively associated with activism, however, racial centrality and gender did not predict activism. The findings suggest that racial identity and experiences of discrimination are important determinants of activism. Therefore, this research is relevant as awareness of the interrelatedness of social identities is becoming more prevalent to contemporary activist motivation.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/dw8a-sy68
Keyword:
racial identity, gender, political participation, activism, and African American
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Ball, Ja'Chelle
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_7

3. Racial Identity and Well-Being Among African American Girls and Women: A Developmental Perspective

Title Tesim:
Racial Identity and Well-Being Among African American Girls and Women: A Developmental Perspective
Creator:
Coleman, Aleyah
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
Studies have suggested that ethnic/racial identity serves an important role in the lives of African American women, influencing wellbeing. Further, research has suggested that ethnic/racial identity is a developmental process that unfolds across the lifespan. However, few studies with African American women and girls have examined how racial identity may function across developmental stages as well as potential implications for self-beliefs and psychological well-being. The current study addresses three specific questions: (1) Is there variation in ethnic/racial identity across developmental stages?, Range 11-15 years) and 158 African American emerging adult women (M= 21.49, Range 18-29 years). Analyses indicated that, while there was no significant difference in the level of racial centrality, public and private regard varied across developmental stages. In addition, results suggest that racial identity, including how they are related to self-beliefs and wellbeing, may vary across adolescence and emerging adulthood., and (3) Does the association between ethnic/racial identity and well-being vary between African American adolescent girls and emerging adult women? Using a sample of emerging adults and adolescents, this investigation examines the relationships among racial identity, self-beliefs, and well-being. Study participants were 122 African American adolescent girls (M= 12.42, (2) Does the relationship between ethnic/racial identity and self-beliefs (general, SD= 1.07, SD= 3.19, and academic) vary between African American adolescent girls and emerging adult women?
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/wg2e-ys04
Keyword:
well-being, racial identity, and self-beliefs
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Cooper, Shauna and Coleman, Aleyah
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_1

4. On and Off Screen: Race in Buddy Cop Films

Title Tesim:
On and Off Screen: Race in Buddy Cop Films
Creator:
Garner, Sidney
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
The buddy cop film is a staple of American cinema. Known for its comradery, action, and comedy, this genre has maintained relevance for over fifty years with constant reboots and franchise continuations. Popular films include Lethal Weapon (1987), Men in Black (1997), and Rush Hour (1998)—all of which have spawned several series of at least three films. Each film stars a pair of interracial buddies and both Lethal Weapon and Men in Black have a white and Black buddy while Rush Hour has a Black and Chinese buddy. Though the interracial buddy cop film offers many opportunities for racial commentary, films in this genre with buddies of the same race or with two characters from differing non-white races provide similar experiences related to racial issues, especially with the formation of racial stereotypes. To contextualize the importance of race in these films, and in the larger context of Hollywood, I provide an overview of Blacks in early film and theater. Specifically, the current study will: 1) examine the histories of Blacks in cinema and racism in Hollywood, 2) introduce buddy films, 3) provide a review of relevant literature, 4) conduct an analysis of seven buddy cop films, and 5) discuss the findings of this study as well as address the implications of buddy cop relationships as they relate to the current events of police brutality that disproportionately impact black males.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/mb22-2r25
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Regester, Charlene and Garner, Sidney
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_10

5. The Race Talk on Reddit: “China Virus” and its Effect on Asian-Americans

Title Tesim:
The Race Talk on Reddit: “China Virus” and its Effect on Asian-Americans
Creator:
Li, Vicki
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
As news of the rapid rise in deaths due to the coronavirus first trickled into the U.S. just after the Lunar New Year, concern mounted with the possible looming threat of a “China virus” or the “Wuhan virus.” The World Health Organization (WHO) soon released updated information about the disease with a new name, coronavirus, which was assigned according to its crown-like shape, and then renamed it COVID-19 in February, as a means to avoid association to any “geographical location, an animal, [or] an individual or group of people” as per WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's explanation in a media briefing (WHO 2020). Despite these efforts to remove a sense of associated threat between the virus and the Chinese people, President Donald Trump’s tweet on March 16, 2020 revived the usage of incriminating language that points blame to the Chinese people while simultaneously striking a border between the “we” of Americans and the Chinese.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of Romance Studies and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/thmk-3f42
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Graham, Lamar and Li, Vicki
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_9

6. Show, Don't Tell: The Politics of Visibility in Media Representations of Invisible Disability

Title Tesim:
Show, Don't Tell: The Politics of Visibility in Media Representations of Invisible Disability
Creator:
D'Souza, Javin
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
Invisible disabilities tend to lack recognition not only within mainstream society, but even from members of disabled communities. There are only a few researchers that have clearly marked their articles for the invisibly disabled, or people who do not presenta physically markable illness on their body (i.e. their disability is not obvious0. The lack of investment into research for this community likely stems from the "literal" invisibility of the community: if people have invisible illnesses or illnesses that are rendered invisible due to disbelief, they may not be able to find others, much less have solidarity with others, that also have invisible illnesses. Therefore, to understand the lack of recognition of this group, we need greater understanding of how invisible disabilities are perceived. To investigate this issue, my research analyzes how the invisibly disabled experience is represented in mediated platforms.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of Women's and Gender Studies and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/yzp2-2004
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Vigil, Ariana and D'Souza, Javin
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_8

7. “They Don’t Know How to Complain”: How American Schools Have Forgotten Immigrant Parents

Title Tesim:
“They Don’t Know How to Complain”: How American Schools Have Forgotten Immigrant Parents
Creator:
Levin, Isabel
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
Existing scholarship underscores the nuanced ways in which public education in the United States perpetuates social inequality. This inequality is further evidenced in the ways immigrant populations access and thrive in educational settings, especially given that the stark increase in Latinx immigration and concerns over the ‘achievement gap’ converge in this demographic. Through an analysis of interviews with school administrators and content analyses of school board documents and online resources, I present a discussion of how North Carolina public schools aim to integrate and address the needs of Latinx families while also considering challenges to these efforts. The data reveal that 1.) efforts to support Latinx families implicitly blame parents for educational inequalities, 2.) school structures disproportionately welcome the voices and privilege the needs of white, middle class families, and 3.) efforts of inclusion often overlook the precarious legal status of many immigrants in the United States. This study urges the reconsideration of educational practices, particularly by embracing counter deficit thinking and deemphasizing white-centric forms of knowledge production in order to engage all families fairly and equitably.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of Communication and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/8dp6-5g85
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Silva, Kumarini and Levin, Isabel
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_6

8. The Cuban Revolution: A Philosophic Analysis of Thomistic Just Cause

Title Tesim:
The Cuban Revolution: A Philosophic Analysis of Thomistic Just Cause
Creator:
Vergara, Ezekiel
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
In 1952, Fulgencio Batista overthrew Cuban President Carlos Prío Socarrás in a coup d’état, which violated the “constitutional process enshrined in [the Constitution of] 1940.” Although Batista declared that the presence of a political opposition was necessary for fair rule following the coup d’état, his regime was characterized by illegal arrests, censorship, and assassinations of political opponents. Economic inequalities, maintained by governmental policies, also furthered the notion among Cubans that the Batista regime was illegitimate. Such inequalities between the wealthy habaneros and the rural peasantry were manifested in the disparities between these groups in employment and literacy rates and access to healthcare. These factors have prompted historians Ramón Bonachea and Marta San Martin to remark that Batista’s golpe instituted an “illegitimate [political] order.”
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of History and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/xybk-d850
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
La Serna, Miguel and Vergara, Ezekiel
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_5

9. Does Size Really Matter? Explaining the Determinants of Nonprofit Organizations’ Success in Obtaining Federal Grants

Title Tesim:
Does Size Really Matter? Explaining the Determinants of Nonprofit Organizations’ Success in Obtaining Federal Grants
Creator:
Melles, Eden
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
Nonprofit organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have worked for decades to provide services to traditionally underserved communities domestically and abroad. These organizations offer specialized care to recipients in various sectors to provide services beyond the government's ability. These organizations vary in size, area of focus, populations served, approach to service, and funding sources. In recent decades, the presence of NGOs in international development efforts has grown largely and taken up a wide range of development roles such as disaster relief, human rights work, peace mediation, economic development, etc. (Lewis and Opoku-Mensha 2006). The services of these organizations are largely marked by their presence in certain communities and the relationships and trust they are able to cultivate since they do not operate as a part of the government. This study seeks to empirically analyze the organizational characteristics of faith based and secular organizations based domestically that engage in international development work, and assessing the determinants of success in receiving a government grant. This paper presents data gathered from a national survey of nonprofits that partake in international development work in various sectors. The organizations in this survey vary in size, mission, focus, religious affiliation, and region of work. The analysis seeks to use key organizational traits as a way to determine which organizations will have higher success in receiving grants from the goverment.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of Political Science and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/pnp9-5751
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Unah, Isaac and Melles, Eden
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_4

10. Gay is (Not) Okay?: Queer Identities at an All-Women's Historically Black College

Title Tesim:
Gay is (Not) Okay?: Queer Identities at an All-Women's Historically Black College
Creator:
Swann, Alix
Date of publication:
2020
Abstract Tesim:
The homophobic climates of many Historically Black Colleges and Universities force students to hide their queer identities. This phenomenon is especially apparent at Spelman College, an all-women's historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia. While a narrative exists in the media that all student identities are accepted at all-women's institutions, as well as all Black students accepted at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), in reality, students at these institutions choose to accept only some identities while excluding others. Unfortunately, the queer community encompasses many of these "unacceptable" identities to the student body. As a result, some queer students at HBCUs feel it is necessary to hide their identities to ensure their own safety, rather than risk being targeted and possibly facing backlash due to their sexual preferences. The present study intends to challenge the narrative of the heterosexual, cisgender norms of Spelman College. I will challenge the narrative by detailing the intricacies of the identity regulation that occurs for queer people. The identity regulation occurs after their introduction to the heteronormative culture, a culture that adheres to dominant heterosexual norms, existing at Spelman. This includes an introduction to "down-low" culture created by queer students who pretend to be straight in public. The identity regulation, I argue, is partly due to the trauma queer students experience as a result of the respectability politics imposed on students. I have designed a pilot study to investigate the creation of queer identities within Spelman’s intolerant ecosystem. My research interest is rather personal and stems from my own experiences of being queer at an all-women's historically Black college in the south. Before I got to Spelman, I thought I would be entering an inclusive environment, however when I arrived and observed the culture, it was a much different story. My experiences include being berated by aggressions such as "f*** gay people," receiving questions about why I choose to be attracted to women, and withholding disclosing my sexuality to my freshman year roommate for fear of rejection. Thus, my life has been more difficult than I imagined before attending Spelman. I am interested in finding out why homophobia still exists in a space originally designed to center all Black women and combat intolerance. Finally, I will offer solutions to the college to support queer students by investigating how the identities of queer individuals are formed and regulated at an all-women's HBCU.
Resource type:
Research Paper
Affiliation Label Tesim:
Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies and Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP)
Conference Name:
Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17615/8kpc-v724
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:
Regester, Charlene and Swann, Alix
Rights Statement Label:
In Copyright
Source:
murap_2020_2