Acknowledgments

The journey leading to the publication of this book has been filled with many wholesome encounters and extraordinary people. My deepest gratitude goes to my research participants, who graciously welcomed me into their world and whose courage, resilience, and humility will always remain an inspiration. They have made my career possible and enriched my world in innumerable ways.

I am greatly indebted to my mentor, S. Crawley, for the invaluable guidance and support they have extended to me over the years and for their encouragement as I developed this project. I am also grateful to Rob Benford for his kind and endless support and to Vrushali Patil, whose insightful scholarship has inspired my work. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Marilyn Myerson. Her kindness, generosity, and patience were a saving grace during my first years of graduate studies as an international student.

I would like to thank my editor, Ryan Mulligan, for his words of encouragement and thoughtful feedback and Shaun Vigil for believing in this book. People who leave great marks on our work often remain unnamed. I would like to express my appreciation to the anonymous reviewers of my work whose enthusiastic support and generous feedback guided this project. I would also like to acknowledge the University of South Florida’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship and the University of Tampa’s Research Innovation and Scholarly Excellence Grant for funding and supporting this project at different stages.

I am forever indebted to my parents, Mahnaz Moradi and Mohammad Bahreini. I remain in awe of my mom’s resilience and am always inspired by her strength and love. My dad’s unwavering love and support are gifts I carry close to my heart. Finally, I would like to thank all my loved ones who supported me during the crucial years of writing this book, especially my friend, Manuel, for always believing in me and cheering me on.