Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of The East African Slave Trade In Bagamoyo, Jake Salyers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of my study was to learn about the east African Slave trade and its relationship to the town of Bagamoyo. Bagamoyo was an important trading town on the coast of Tanzania during the peak of the Arab run slave and ivory trade. Slavery was only abolished in Tanganyika in 1922, so there are still many monuments and memories remaining in the town concerning the slave trade. I had two main methods of collecting information about the town, interviewing the descendants of slaves and slave owners and researching the history of Bagamoyo. I was able to get three different …

Creating A Culture Of Accountability: The Prosecution Of Gender Crimes In The Icty, Alice Hansen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study investigates if the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) successfully creates a culture of accountability through its prosecution of gender crime. It first frames the concepts of sexual violence in war as well as accountability theoretically, and describes the historical context of the war in the former Yugoslavia. The ideas of ethnic identity, gender roles, and rape as a war crime are placed against a historical and cultural background. Next, it uses twelve Statements of Guilt issued by the ICTY as a means to discuss the definition and creation of a culture of accountability within the …

L’Abandon De L’Excision Au Sénégal D’Ici 2015: Une Analyse De La Collaboration Entre L’Ong Tostan Et Le Ministère De La Famille, Karen Kirk

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The practice of female genital cutting (FGC) in Senegal continues today despite a law banning its practice. This study is a discussion of the collaboration between the NGO Tostan and the Senegalese government (Direction of the Family) as they work toward their goal of complete abandonment of FGC in Senegal by 2015. It examines the different roles of these two entities and how this collaboration will make this goal a reality. Key interviews with representatives from Tostan, the Direction of the Family and a third party provide opinions about this collaboration and whether or not this goal is realistic. La …

Cool Head, Warm Heart: Governance And The Mission Of Microfinance In The Case Of Mc2 Micro-Banks, Cameroon, Claire Ruffing

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The concept of a cool head and a warm heart co-existing is a Buddhist principle which attempts to illustrate compassion and pragmatism as mutually compatible, not mutually exclusive. Without intelligent management, compassion is lost in its ineffectiveness, and without compassion, intelligence is purposeless reason. This equilibrium is exactly the vision of microfinance that drives this paper: an important social and moral idea that is nevertheless affected by the world and environment in which it operates. By examining the governance mechanisms affecting microfinance in Cameroon, namely the Ministry of Finance and the management structure of the firms themselves, an idea emerges …

Yugonostalgia: The Pain Of The Present, Claire Bancroft

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project concerns the concept of nostalgia in the context of Yugoslavia. Through my interviews, observations, and daily interactions, I have sought to present the state of Yugonostalgia in present-day Belgrade. This project looks at Yugonostalgia through three lenses: the past, present, and future. In general, there is positive thinking about the past, a dismal perception of the present, and an optimistic outlook for the future. Despite the fact that many people have these nostalgic stories about the past, Yugonostalgia is still a negative and sometimes offensive term. In this paper, I, the researcher, struggle with my own nostalgia for …

Vietnamese Resistence Mentality, Michael Williams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

By the time tanks of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon to reunify the country in 1975, the United States had spent almost two hundred billion dollars and lost over 58,000 soldiers in Vietnam. From the late 1940’s until the fall of Saigon, the United States had been fervently trying to prevent a communist takeover in Vietnam, spending billions to help France retain her Indochinese colonies, and subsequently billions in aid to the successive governments of the southern Republic of Vietnam. Yet despite the massive spending and military superiority, the United States, …

Dwog Paco: Tackling The Challenges Of Reintegrating Ex-Lra In Kitgum District, Takako Mino

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Broad intentions

The people of northern Uganda face the complex challenge of reintegrating former members of the LRA rebel group back into their communities. One month of field research in Kitgum district was carried out to study the reintegration process of LRA returnees and the roles of various stakeholders such as government, NGOs, traditional leaders, community members, and the returnees themselves in facilitating the process. This paper also analyzes the impact of the Government of Uganda’s Amnesty Act on the return of formerly abducted people.

Methodology

The research entailed the collection of both quantitative and qualitative information from various stakeholders …

Shifting Focus: Redefining The Goals Of Sea Turtle Consumption And Protection In Bali, Audrey Jensen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Many would say that the environment and human culture consists of an evolutionary process, complete with necessary adaptations to current situations and the availability of resources. However, religion is usually thought to be a constant, an entity that grounds the individual believer in a “truth” that transcends time. Ultimately, the boundary between culture and religion is especially hard to decipher, particularly in the daily rituals of the Balinese. While religious beliefs are often rooted in history, they too transform through inevitable reinterpretation. The following paper describes the tremendous environmental and cultural impact of the controversial turtle trade in Bali, specifically …

India’S Role In Mongolia’S Third Neighbor Policy, Brandon Joseph Miliate

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mongolia’s Third Neighbor policy is receiving much attention from international scholars. This dynamic policy is an effort on the part of the Mongolian nation to balance the influence from its two huge neighbors, the Peoples’ Republic of China and the Russian Federation. While this policy was formulated in the early years of Mongolia’s transition to a market economy and democracy, the whole concept of additional neighbors beyond the physically geographical sense has something of a long history, especially in respects to one nation in particular- India- the countries spiritual neighbor. The ties between the two countries are as dynamic as …

Conflicting Loyalties: Changing Roles And Relations Of Labor Unions In Vietnam, Jan Slezak

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As labor unions in Vietnam become further divided from the political ideologies they arose from, it is important to examine how workers can become accurately represented in a system of changing markets, government and an economic movement towards the free-market system. As the role of the labor union changes and attempts to adapt into contemporary times, this study discusses and analyzes the opinions and actions of Vietnam’s citizens; from the worker’s most affected by the oncoming changes to those who take part it crafting and enforcing legislation on the issue. This study arrives at its answer by combining interviews, social …

Sex Trafficking: Social Constructions And Stereotypes Of Recovery In Viet Nam, Linh Huynh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The research attempts to reveal how labels of victimization of trafficked returnees can actually harm socialization efforts of reintegration. Although men are trafficked for sexual purposes as well, the study will focus only on the acclimization of women in An Giang province, on the border of Cambodia. The paper discusses the stories of three returnees and analyzes their social reintegration through social events such as cooking and through informal conversations. This is turn, is compared to other populations that may be susceptible to trafficking, but have not yet been. All work and research is based on the participant observation form …

Perceptions Of Microfinance In Cameroon: A Case Study Of Unics, Yaoundé, Ian Long

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The subject of this project is the common perceptions that exist towards microfinance in Cameroon within the community of those who work with or are influenced in some way by microfinance institutions. Furthermore, the project focuses on the ways in which these perceptions affect the institutions, the actions of the institutions amidst and in response to these perceptions, and to what extent these actions have a positive effect on the community and the firms themselves. I also examine to a certain degree the relationship between the two main goals of category two and category three microfinance firms: specifically, the fulfillment …

An Assessment Of How Land Use And Productivity Has Changed In Villages Surrounding Mazumbai In The West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania: Specifically The Original Tea Plot Allocations Received By Members Of The Sagara Group In 1991, Abby Jensen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tea is a valuable cash crop that is being influenced not only by individual farmers, but also local organizations, NGOs and even government information and regulations to encourage tea production in Tanzania. Small-scale tea farmers, like the Sagara Group, are a small, but important part of the tea industry. The Sagara Group, former workers united under the Mazumbai Tea Estate, was formed in 1964. The Group consists of 103 members that received a share of tea in 1991 when co-management of the estate was not efficient anymore. The group members (36 original members and 63 members that represent deceased original …

Renewable Energy As A Means To Community Development: A Case Study Of Solar Power With Avani In Kumaon, Uttarakhand, Sarah Connette

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For the woman who must spend four hours walking to the forest, cutting wood, carrying it back on her head and lighting a fire in her home, energy poverty is a harsh reality of everyday life. As of 2000, more than 500 million Indians did not have access to electricity, which accounts for 35% of the world’s population living without this facilityi. Energy poverty is defined as the inability to afford access to a sustainable energy supplyii. The concept of energy poverty as a focus of sustainable development is given more importance by the correlation between electricity consumption and GDP …

Democracy And The Tribal System In Jordan: Tribalism As A Vehicle For Social Change, Jennifer Rowland

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper discusses the current state of the electoral system in Jordan, its relation to and impact on the tribal aspect of society, and vice-versa. The prominence of tribalism in the electoral process has brought tribalism to the forefront of discussions on both the political system and social development in Jordan. There have been many accusations from intellectuals of a “return to tribalism” in the past couple of decades as politics in Jordan have become increasingly “tribalized.” Through a discussion of the different political and social mechanisms in Jordan, I conclude that the tribal sentiment in Jordan is not to …

A Preliminary Linguistic Analysis Of Plant Names In Ikpaná (Logba), An Endangered Ghana Togo Mountain Language, Lydia Jewl Green

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Methodology: I spent 12 days living in three of the towns in the Logba traditional area (Alakpeti, Klikpo, and Tota) during which time I elicited approximately three hours of footage spread over four miniDV tapes of native speakers of Ikpaná describing the names and uses of the plants in the surrounding area in the Ikpaná language.

Findings: I analyzed some of the linguistic properties of the plant names as they relate to the endangered language status of the language.

Conclusion: Ikpaná is being pressured by Ewe and by globalization. This can be demonstrated through an analysis of the plant names, …

Intervención Gubernamental En Barrios Pobres: El Caso De Quiero Mi Barrio En La Población Modelo Comuna De San Ramón Providencia De Santiago, Sara Kushner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The research contained in this essay pertains to the implementation of Quiero mi Barrio, a pilot program funded by the Chilean government, within a poor neighborhood. Specifically, this text accounts for the achievements, challenges and limitations of this program in Modelo, a neighborhood in the popular community of San Ramón. This analysis is based in political theory that pertains to the significance of civic participation in political processes. In the following pages, context based on the development of a new public space is provided so that this analysis may be carried out. Through this qualitative analysis it is possible to …

The Elusiveness Of Light: The Difficulty With Harnessing The Omnipresent Solar Energy In Africa, Hai-Vu Phan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The world is currently facing an energy crisis. Our dependency on oil and natural gas has led to many global problems, such as OPEC’s oil hikes which have disrupted economies everywhere and caused oil dependent countries to suffer. Our huge consumption of oil has also led to the global warming catastrophe that we currently must combat. The world must find a new energy source soon, or more environmental, political, social, and economic problems will occur. Solar energy’s potential has been recognized for many decades, and its abundant and limitless supply makes it the perfect new form of energy. Solar energy …

“We Didn’T Choose To Live In A Transition Society:” The Youth Of Milošević’S Serbia Ten Years Later, Jessica Tsunami Acosta

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The 1990’s were an extremely dark time in modern Serbian history, mired by wars, sanctions, dictatorship, and struggle. Those who came of age in that time find their entire lives to be defined by their country’s transition process. Because of this experience, these individuals are in a unique position to make connections between past conflicts and present challenges in Serbia. In particular, through understanding their narratives of this recent past and their perceptions of Serbia’s current progress in its transition phase, one can glean a better picture of this generation and what it holds for Serbia’s future. In allowing these …

“Edutainment”: The Role Of Mass Media In The Development Of An Effective Hiv/Aids Youth Awareness Campaign In Viet Nam, Carmin Smoot

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the first reported case of HIV in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in the year 1990, more than 300,000 people have contracted the disease. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has made considerable progress since that time in disseminating information on HIV/AIDS to the public, utilizing various forms of media. Yet in the rudimentary stages of this national effort, a “social evils” campaign was launched by the government; an emphasis was placed on informing the public as to why individuals contract HIV/AIDS, and which negative individual behaviors, or “social evils,” influence the proliferation of the disease. As more of the …

Forever Home: Funeral, Burial And The Life After This Life In Hue, Vietnam, Molly Bennett

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Hue, Vietnam is home to some of the most elaborate funeral and burial practices in the country. These practices ground and reinforce a plethora of beliefs and customs surrounding ancestor veneration and the communion of spirits. This paper will explore the effects of modernization, increased household incomes, and lack of burial space due to urban growth on the process and corresponding spirituality of the funeral and burial. A series of structured and semi-structured personal interviews with interested citizens and religious leaders alike comprise the majority of the data. Ultimately, this paper will show that while traditional funerals and burials are …

The Legend Of The Almas: A Comparative And Critical Analysis, Nathan Wenzel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The legend of the almas, the wildman of Mongolia, has a long history. The stories are primarily found in the western aimags of Mongolia. This paper investigates the presence of the almas as legend outside of its traditional western home. The almas has been thoroughly documented as a western phenomenon, but this paper seeks to discover how much of a presence it has in the wider culture, especially in central and eastern Mongolia where few, if any almas legends ever take place. This paper also explores what the almas means to different people. The stories about the almas can be …

Integrating Identities: Negotiating The Religious Lives Of Homosexual Christians In The Netherlands, Scott Mitchell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores how homosexual Christians experience their religious life, as well as the various methods used to negotiate any difficulties or conflicts between these two identities. Data for this study consists of in-depth interviews with homosexual Dutch adults who participate in worship services at a Catholic congregation in North Holland which ministers specifically to the homosexual community. Findings reveal that respondents describe their religious life as taking place on three different levels: the denominational, the individual, and the community level. These descriptions were characterized by an overall rejection of official denominational doctrine concerning homosexuality, an isolation of religious practice …

Know Your Enemy: Tibetan Perceptions Of And Approaches To Chinese Studies In Exile, Katherine Mechling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Achieving peaceful dialogue between Chinese and Tibetans is the crux of the Tibetan community in exile’s strategy to regain its homeland. Yet despite the recognized importance of cross-cultural communication the Tibetans, ideologically unwilling to separate “China the Oppressor” from “China the Neighbor” or even, potentially, “China the Co-Collaborator,” have largely avoided studying their adversary. Although increased literacy in Chinese language, knowledge of Chinese history and understanding of Chinese culture would enable the Tibetans to engage with China more effectively and productively, few initiatives exist in exile that facilitate the spread of such information. Receiving only a basic overview of Chinese …

Marriage In Conflict: Formerly Abducted Women’S Struggles With Marriage Upon Return, Julie Bailey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With the end of the twenty-year war in Northern Uganda, the area has begun the long process of rehabilitating, rebuilding, and reintegrating. For women who have now returned from abduction and forced marriage, reintegration has proven difficult, specifically in regards to these women’s desires to marry upon return. The experiences of these formerly abducted women in the bush as well as the conflict-induced changes to traditional marriage often limits their ability to remarry and thus prevents them from fully regaining their place in Acholi society. Ultimately, this study sought to examine these difficulties by looking at the societal norms for …

Street Culture Of Mombasa: Are The Survivors Really Surviving?, Danny Low

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Street children of Mombasa, Kenya were ethnographically studied in order to determine the effects of Swahili culture and structural violence on the children’s culture and place within greater society. It was discovered that Mombasa magnetizes street children as a result of the generosity of Swahili culture. Drug use was inextricably linked to street culture, yet children nonetheless held strong dreams of education. Since street children were also discovered to be significantly stratified, future policy and programming must account for these divisions to appropriately address the education and health problems facing Mombasa street children.

Co-Development In Mali: A Case Study Of A Development Phenomenon Exploited By Immigration Policy, Diane Galatowitsch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This case study establishes a historical basis for migration from Kayes, contextualizes co-development in immigration and development literature, and provides insight into how organizations implementing migrant financed projects in Mali define and perceive the concept of co-development. In my research, I pulled together scholarly articles, organizational documents, reports, and conducted semi-structured personal interviews that were scattered across the fields of history, migration, and development and pulled together an analysis of co-development in Mali. Challenging the concept of co-development as an effective immigration policy and a development strategy, this paper reflects the concept’s true benefits to Malian society. Finally, the conclusion …

Guide Accreditation In The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area: A Study Of The Practices, Attitudes, And Concerns Of Small Tourism Operators, Nora Vogel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study assessed the attitudes, practices, and needs of tour operators in the Wet Tropics World Heritage area with respect to the recruitment and training of tour guides. The results will be used to help determine the need and demand for an official Wet Tropics guide accreditation system, as well as the form that system should take. The study also served to add more contacts to the Wet Tropics Management Authority’s growing network of tour operators, tour groups, and research scientists. Tour operators’ guide training practices varied with their business type and resources; many of the smallest operators provided a …

A Multidimensional International Examination Of The Impact Of Gmos: A Biological, Economic, International Trade, Intellectual Property, And Geopolitical View, Kevin E. Soubly

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper includes working papers, UN official documents, corporate internal memos, scientific studies, international agreements, and interviews conducted with prominent persons or experts in the fields of biotechnology, the environment, trade, economics, sustainable development, intellectual property law, and international policy. Interviews were conducted in both English and French, and printed sources appeared in both languages as well.

The thesis of this paper strives to consider the various components of genetically modified organisms in their development, use, and ownership on a global scale, examining the biological and scientific backgrounds of them, the multi-national corporations who claim to own them, and the …

Train Hard, Win Easy: Running On The Periphery In Rural Kenya: The Last Shall Be First, Jordan Apfeld

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Past years have proven Kenyans dominant in the sport of athletics. Today, runners from the Rift Valley win more major middle- and long-distance running events than those from any other nation in the world. Although athletics is not the most lucrative of sports, modern marketing has resulted in creating a sport with various financial incentives. These include prize money, sponsorships, and the opportunity for a new life. However, runners from rural agricultural backgrounds find it very difficult to translate their athletic talent into dollars at the finish line. This study examines the economic prospects for young male runners from Kapsabet …