Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …