Digital Commons Network^™

Peace Through Music: Music And Multiculturalism In Fiji, Felice Carey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The music of Fiji is as diverse as its population, and acts as both a mirror and catalyst to the culture. Indo-Fijians and indigenous Fijians have been the main players in Fiji’s multiculturalism, and are therefore focused upon. This paper explores the ways in which music is used to extol the benefits and cope with the problems of Fiji’s multiculturalism through cross-cultural listening (viewed from a perspective of radio) and fusion music. Fusion between Indo-Fijian and indigenous Fijian music is especially important – although extremely rare, it is in many ways a metaphor for attempts at racial reconciliation in Fiji.. …

Stones, Slabs, And Stelae: The Origins And Symbolism Of Contemporary Oromo Burial Practice And Grave Art, Christopher Grant

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study addresses many of the issues relative to the study of contemporary Oromo society and tradition. While the primary focus is the study of contemporary Oromo burial traditions and grave art, there is also insight into the ways in which Oromo history and cultural tradition have been dispossessed among the Oromo today. There is an attempt to understand Oromo burial practices and grave art within a larger African burial tradition that extends across East Africa and far into ancient and prehistoric times. Traditional Oromo burial practices have been identified and documented at the extent to which they are practiced …

The Art Of Politics: Portraits Of Ethiopian Emperors Throughout History, Anna Barrera

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study seeks to uncover the significance of painted portraits of Ethiopian emperors within the Ethiopian culture. By evaluating artworks throughout Ethiopian history and interviewing the art community and scholars, the author has attempted to draw a relationship between power, religion and art. In doing so, this study reveals how emperors have historically legitimized their power within the context of religious imagery. It follows this pattern until the decline of the monarchy and the rise of realism in the twentieth century. This transition highlights the tension between tradition and modernity as well as the ideological changes which caused them.

Visiting The Past, Reclaiming The Present: The Africanisms Of Capoeira Angola, Juan Esteban Sosa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A key puzzle for contemporary scholars is how capoeira originated but more importantly the way in which it has been transformed. Along these lines, this study focuses on what is most commonly referred to as the mother or the traditional form of capoeira, that is capoeira angola. This research will examine the africanisms of Capoeira Angola and the way in which they have been maintained throughout centuries of its existence. Accordingly, this study places great emphasis on reclaiming the roots and traditions of this art form that has been appropriated and incorporated into Brazilian commercial and mainstream culture. I conducted …

Antipodean Inscapes: Reflection Of The Land As A Young Man, Michael Kantor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The following paper contains a stand-alone piece of creative travel writing. ‘Cloud Juice’ is based on my interpretation of the experiences of the Fall 2006 Australia: Sustainability and the Environment semester. As it is my own personal interpretation it should not be placed in the category of non-fiction. Instead I have tried to write a story that presents the tone of my experience as honestly as possible, rather than simply telling the unbiased facts of the semester. My reason for writing this is to experiment with alternative methods of communicating the growth of an ecological ethic. By focusing on the …

Climbing The Limitless Mountain: Daoism And The Internal Martial Arts, Sophie Kerman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Of the many religions practiced in China, Daoism is the only one which is indigenous to the country - yet it is one of the least written-about and least understood of the world’s major religions (Wang, 1). The term “Daoism” can, in fact, be misleading, because it can be used to refer to two different practices: Daoist philosophy, daojia, and Daoist religion, daojiao. Although the two are often taught and practiced side by side, daojia and daojiao have separate roots. Daoist philosophy is studied and followed by many who know little about daojiao; and Daoist religion includes a multitude of …

Searching For A Path: Evangelicals In Nicaraguan Politics, Jacob Siegel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Evangelicals now comprise approximately 20-25% of the Nicaraguan population, but the Nicaraguan political system has remained dominated by the specter of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, in the 1990s, some evangelical leaders, including ones who had previously been vocal opponents of political involvement, sought new outlets for political participation. I claim that the evangelical political movement has drawn on three justifications: a struggle against political marginalization, a crusade for “traditional moral values,” and a fight for economic betterment.

Here, utilizing interviews with 18 Nicaraguan Protestants involved in Christian political or social movements, I trace evangelical political parties though …

Samoanizing My Fa’Apalagi : The Indigenization Of Language In Samoa, Cheryl Nunes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since its arrival in the 1830s, the English language has been an increasing presence in the minds and mouths of native Samoans. It winds its way within the schools, onto the streets, and into the offices of modern Samoa. This constant exposure to English, however, does not necessarily entail a loss of the Samoan language or culture. Quite the contrary, as Samoans have not only embraced the English language, but have furthermore indigenized it to their own advantage. Using education and exposure as tools, Samoans readily weave innovative mixtures of English and Samoan into various aspects of their lives, including …

Sydney’S Public Sculpture, Gabriel Strader-Brown

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study is to observe the involvement that the city of Sydney has with the public arts attraction. Furthermore, the study will hopefully shed light on the importance of public art in Sydney and how it is an important aspect of cultural heritage. In addition to this, the analysis will cover the methods in which its venue is made accessible to the public through financial means and through aesthetic appeal. In order to uncover these objectives, the function and history of Sculpture by the Sea will be studied as well as the policies and or stance that …

Les Catholiques Pratiquants En France, Erin Wilson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En France aujourd’hui, l’Eglise catholique est en train de perdre sa puissance dans la vie quotidienne des Français. Il y a ceux qui pensent que ce phénomène est simplement l’effet de la modernisation et de la sécularisation de la société qui vient de se passer dans la plupart de pays occidentaux. Une fois que le pays est assez avancé et éduqué, les citoyens se tournent moins vers la religion pour expliquer la vie et plus vers la science ou la raison humaine. Il y a d’autres gens qui croient que la laïcité en France est la cause de la perte …

The Art Of Building Peace: How The Visual Arts Aid Peace-Building Initiatives In Cyprus, Daniella Gold

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Often times, artists have the unique ability to see the world with fresh eyes. A specific group of Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot artists have consistently used the visual arts to undermine people’s normal defenses and to help create an atmosphere of peace between members of the two communities. Interactions furthering this atmosphere not only take place between the artists of the two communities who are actively participating in these activities, but also between those individuals who choose to attend these events. Artists, therefore, can use their work to help facilitate peace between warring people. However, for a variety of reasons, artists …

Interpreting Nature In Australia Through Poetry: A Personal Anthology Written Within The Erosion Caldera Of Northern New South, Kyla Allon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My Independent Study Project (ISP) involved traveling within the erosion caldera of northern New South Wales, mainly WWOOFing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) and writing environmental poetry about the places where I lived and worked. I began by researching past Australian environmental poets so that I could have a strong basic understanding before commencing my own writing. I lived in four different locations within the erosion caldera and strove to form a strong sense of place that is reflected in my poetry. Ultimately, I produced an anthology of poems that capture my responses to the natural environments that I experienced. …

Dutty Wine: Ooman Big Up Or Dis?, Nicole Cruz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores the extent to which females are liberated or oppressed in dancehall in Kingston, Jamaica. Using a qualitative approach and feminist perspective, I explore dancehall culture and the ghetto communities on which it centers. Participant observation allowed me to experience the dynamics of the dancehall space. Using in-depth interviews, I assessed my observations with the opinions of dancehall fans and other community members. Ultimately, it becomes clear in this study that though heterosexual females are liberated with their freedom of sexual expression, dancehall is still has a deeply patriarchal structure. Heterosexual males dominate dancehall by oppressing heterosexual females, …

Pedro Almodóvar Y La Representación De La Mujer Española, Eric López

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pepi, a young, beautiful, and thoroughly modern woman, answers her door one morning to discover a police officer. His apartment faces Pepi’s balcony so he has seen her growing drugs illegally and has come to arrest her. In a desperate attempt to escape punishment, Pepi offers the policeman sexual favors with one condition—that he not have sex with her because she is, in fact, a virgin. Neither interested in her virginity nor her rights, the police officer rapes her. And, from this moment forward, Pepi plots her revenge. The opening scene of Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón …

¿Hay Mujeres En Las Minas? En Busca De Oportunidades Económicas Para La Mujer En La Minería Del Cobre Pública Y Privada De Chile, Leah Bell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Copper mining is a key activity of the Chilean economy that traditionally has remained within the masculine domain. This paper, written in the first months of Chile’s first female president’s term, investigates whether women’s political inroads have translated into greater economic opportunity in the mining industry. Through interviews and a questionnaire circulated in two copper mines, one public and one private, the paper evaluates women’s perceptions of their opportunities for professional advancement, their educational opportunities, and how they feel in their work environment. The experiences are then compared between the public and private mining sectors to determine which has best …

Mormonism In Samoa: Cultural Dialogues, Jessica Goman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The following study delves into the contemporary presence of the Mormon Church in Samoa. Several informants were interviewed to uncover the perceptions of both Mormons and non-Mormons alike, as to why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had such success in Samoa and what that means for the people here. More specifically, informants were asked to discuss where they saw the Latter-day Saints coming into conversation with Samoan culture and then how they saw this process happening. The result is a look into how Mormons, both Samoan and American see their presence in Samoa in contrast with …

Ethnic And Gender Identity In Hip-Hop Among Three Female Emcees In The Netherlands, Shoshana Walter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This field study project examines how female rappers in the Netherlands transgress notions of what it means to be Dutch and what it means be female. Based on interviews with three female rappers, as well as academics and participants in the hip hop scene, the author explores the significance of self identification within the current political and social context of the Netherlands. Beginning with a history of hip hop, an analysis of globalization and the Dutch hip hop scene, and a review of relevant current events, a firm foundation is established on which issues of identity, ethnicity, and gender in …

Sex-Education And Preventative And Contraceptive Services: Educação-Sexual E Serviços Contraceptivos E Preventativos, Elizabeth M. Ortiz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Maternal morbidity is one of the leading causes of death amongst women in Latina America. Lack of access to Reproductive Health services has incited a continental epidemic amongst adolescent women - and should be considered a public health crisis. Yet, there is little being done by the governing male bodies to secure access and the Right to Reproductive Health services. This is not only a means of re-enforcing gendered inequalities- but also class, and racial disparities. Reproductive Health in Brazil and Northeastern Brazil in particular, serves as an allegory for socio-economic, gender, ethnic, and racial inequality in the region. The …

Contemporary Art In Samoa: The Role Of Personal Expression, Christina Cioffari

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Contemporary art is a means of creating and recreating the self, a means of self reflection and defining ones identity. Conceptual art that expresses personal ideas and emotions plays a small role in the arts of Samoa, however it does exist in the minds and galleries of a few individuals. The intention of this study is to examine the role that personal expression plays in Samoan society and the artwork created here. The attitudes and approaches to contemporary art was explored, in addition to the underlying causes of those perceptions.

The foundation of this paper evolved out of statements from …

Chinese Landscape Painting, Maria Gambarov

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Interpreting Their Blood: The Contradictions Of Approaches To Menstruation Through Religious Education, Ritual And Culture In Rabat, Morocco, Nitzan Ziv

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Menstruation is often perceived by individuals of different cultural and religious backgrounds as dirty or impure, and therefore has become a demeaning feature of womanhood. The dialectical concepts of purity and impurity are integral parts of Islamic religion, thought and practice as they draw lines between those things sacred and those profane. Women’s religious education, in particular, is critical in establishing positive reinforcement for their perceptions of their physical selves and their role in society. However, education in this manner cannot be limited to schools and religious institutions; family and culture are integral parts of a women’s education about subjects …

Arte En Las Calles, Graffiti En Granada: Un Movimiento En Cambio, Alyson Virginia Visser

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

¿Qué significa arte? Esta es la pregunta más popular en todas las clases básicas de historia del arte del mundo. ¿Cómo podemos definir el fenómeno de arte? Hay miles de argumentos de lo que puede ser arte, de lo que deberían enseñar en los museos de bellas artes. A lo largo de historia, ha habido artistas de todas las formas cambiando las “reglas” de lo que es aceptado como arte en la sociedad. Ahora mismo, en el siglo XXI, la mayoría de la sociedad puede comprender el arte como una expresión con un mensaje del artista, hecho sobre algún material …

Nieuwe Moslima’S: Gender Discourse, Identity, And Conversion In The Netherlands, Jenna Henderson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My research looks at the discourses on gender in Islam and in Dutch culture as developed by female converts to Islam in the Netherlands. The goal of this research is to view the issue of conversion to Islam from the perspective of Dutch Muslim women, and to include them within the field of feminist research. In five informal interviews conducted with female converts, four Dutch and one Welsh, I discussed gender issues in Islam and in the Netherlands. I approached the data from two perspectives: Foucauldian postmodern theory and realist feminist theory on identity. I found that female converts critique …

Mujeres De Frente: Conciencia, Amistad Y Voz En La Cárcel De Mujeres El Inca, Rachel Nordberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pasé el mes de este proyecto de estudio independiente en Quito, la ciudad capital del Ecuador. Hablaba y participaba con el grupo Mujeres de frente, externas e internas en la cárcel de mujeres de Quito, un colectivo de mujeres dentro y fuera de la cárcel de mujeres que está en el barrio quiteño el Inca. En este ensayo, estudio desde las perspectivas de las Mujeres de frente, el ambiente sociopolítico del Ecuador y la resultante caracterización y criminalización de las internas, además de la pobreza y cómo se relaciona a las experiencias de criminalización. Comento en las distintas concepciones qué …