Digital Commons Network^™

Are You For Bush Or For Kerry? A Discourse Analytical Study Of The Russian Mass Media Response To The 2004 United States Presidential Elections., Matthew Thomas Calvin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project seeks to combine a Russian Language component with a look at Russian foreign politics by performing a discourse analytical study of the Russian mass media reaction to the November 2004 United States Presidential elections. Discourse analysis is a method by which a language or speech sample is analyzed to discover the greater social and societal meanings and implications hidden within those words. The attempt was made to gain a greater understanding of Russian society and culture through an analysis of answers given to the question “Are you for Bush or for Kerry?”, posed to various members of …

A Learning Process: The Implementation And Effects Of Returnee Policies In Post-War Bosnia-Hercegovina, Danielle Kuczera

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Politicizing Sexuality: An Investigation Of Lgbt Rights And The Ngo Sector In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rachel Kathryn Mercer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research was done as a part of the independent study component of a study abroad program in the Balkans through the School for International Training. During the program, I visited several cities throughout the region, but I chose to be based in Sarajevo for the last month and the time frame of this project. Initially, my independent study project proposal focused on the issue of gender and how people in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) understand it both politically and socially. I wanted to study the relationship between women’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the new NGO that is working on behalf of …

Village Elections: Emergence Of A Democratic Political Culture Or Reinforcement Of A Repressive Regime?, Laura Conniff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

China’s ethnic and geographic diversity makes the task of examining the implementation of national policy nearly impossible. As more than 70% of the population lives outside urban areas, narrowing the field to rural governance does not whittle down the subject matter to any great degree. However, the vastness of the topic is precisely why it is so vital to developing a coherent understanding of the country – knowing how a majority of the Chinese population interacts with local government sheds a great deal of light on the status of political reform in China today.

Many of the problems plaguing Chinese …

Multi-Culturalism In Ireland: Examining The Context Of And Debates Surrounding The Citizenship Referendum, Melanie Todman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I hope to explore Irish reactions to multi-culturalism through the highly controversial citizenship referendum. This referendum, through which the twenty-seventh amendment to the Irish Constitution will be made, is fundamentally changing Ireland’s citizenship policy from one of jus soli and jus sanguinis to one of just jus sanguinis. This change has been made amid current inflows of immigrants, many of whom are racially distinct and come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The framing question for this paper is: Like other European countries, Ireland is making the transition from a racially homogenous society to a more heterogenous …

A Changing Church: Radical Perspectives Of Catholicism From The Margins Of Society In Dublin, Caitlin Connelly

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this study, I have explored Irish Catholicism in Dublin, and the relationship and tension between the margins and the center. In particular, I have examined the ways that people on the margins of the Church and on the margins of society in Dublin are responding to the changes in the Church. By incorporating their experiences and views into our understanding of Catholicism, we can gain a more accurate and multifaceted understanding of “what’s going on” with the Catholic Church in this city, and where its future lies.

Fences In Mongolia: A Study Of Land Reform, Nicholas A. Kroshus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In a feverish ten-hour van ride, my ISP topic and desire to study land privatization developed as I watched the landscape change with each passing kilometer. Sick from food poisoning and riding in the back of van resting on saddles, sleeping bags, and various boxes I realized I wanted to study something involving the economics of Mongolia. Mama Ulziii had recently mentioned the development of land laws and the corruption involving them sparking my flow of thoughts. As I lie in the back being jostled around, hitting my head, I was struck with the idea of discovering how an individual …

Environmental Sustainability And The Traditional Tibetan Home, Katherine Shrader

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Tibetan Buddhism, the srivatsa, or glorious endless knot, reminds one of the truth of reality. Six right-angled, intertwined strands flow endlessly together, each one connected to the other, each one giving form to the next. So flows reality. Looking past the illusion of isolation, the endless knot illustrates the interdependence and mutual cooperation that runs the world.

No event, no living being has the ability to stand by itself, completely unaffected and unaffecting. All phenomena are intertwined. Every human action, however big or small, impacts the world in some way. The endless knot unveils the truth of reality so …

La Cultura Del Agua En Al-Andalus = The Culture Of Water In Al-Andalus, Natalie Lacy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I jump in the lake, moving through crisp liquid, opening my eyes to the clarity of sunrays dancing on the sandy bottom that expands itself to an indefinite line between shore and water; my hair flows softly behind me as I glide away from the surface of reality, releasing all tension within and absorbing the surrounding purity. I float towards the surface, leaving the silent world beneath, taking a breath: I am renewed. It is this sensation, swimming on the shores of Lake Superior, that inpsired my utter infatuation with water. Having grown up on an island, I have lived …

Indigenous Healing Practices And Their Effect On Tb And Hiv/Tb Patients’ Utilization And Compliance With Anti-Tb Medication, Josephine Thinwa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A sample of 27 Tuberculosis patients attending New Brighton Clinic in small urban community for treatment were surveyed and interviewed on their use of alternative treatments and interpretation of TB. This study specifically focused on TB patients’ use of traditional medicine in treating TB and whether this use had an effect on the patients’ willingness to utilize and adherence to anti-TB treatment from the clinic. Investigations were also done to characterize if an HIV positive status influenced TB patients’ inclination to utilize traditional medicine. Through a focus group discussion with three traditional healers, information was provided on traditional medicine and …

Communalism To Consumerism: Consumer Culture In Samoa, Amelia Neptune

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Communalism is a system of living where the good of a total group is prioritized over individual wealth or wellbeing. Consumerism is a fascination with the act of purchasing and acquiring goods. This paper attempts to find out how consumer culture might clash or coincide with a tradition of communalism within the Pacific island nation of Samoa. It looks at the history of communalism within Samoa, and how communalism has been interpreted in Samoa’s modern society, manifesting in the form of remittances and formal gift exchanges.

With the introduction of a cash economy from the West, the paper looks at …

Just Behind The Mountain: Refugee Children Imagine Tibet, Emma Tobin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the Tibetan diaspora began in 1959, when His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India, many Tibetans have settled and started families in exile. Today, a large percentage of Tibetan refugees have been born in exile, and have therefore never seen their country. Within Tibetan exile communities, however, the importance of Tibetan identity is strongly emphasized and people are still very much invested in the plight of Tibet. As a result, there exist strong ideas about the reality of life in Tibet within the exile community. According Jamyang Norbu, “Though the Shangri-la stereotype is a Western creation, …

Finding The Door In The Mirage: The Politics Of Cultural Change In Mongolia, Evan Buxbaum

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 1996, as the Mongolian delegation entered the Olympic arena in Atlanta, a Russian announcer let his tongue slip and heralded the country as a true independent nation, because nobody depends on them. The comment triggered a scandal which was suppressed under a deluge of meaningless public apologies, yet merely eight years later, the Russian announcer’s insult seems to barely even apply anymore. With Mongolia’s entrance into the international community of interdependents, free from dictatorial control for the first time during the age of globalization, it has plunged into an era of change. The outcome of this transitional period will …

Managing The Commons Through Obligation: Communality In The Sierra Juárez Of Oaxaca, Katie Moyer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As one of the most ethnically, culturally, and biologically diverse states in the Mexican Republic, Oaxaca proved to be a good location to learn about alternative forms of social organization. With 570 municipalities, Oaxaca has 23% of the municipalities in the entirety of Mexico. The vast majority of Oaxaca’s municipalities—480—are politically and socially organized through communality, a traditional form of self-government widely known as usos y costumbres (uses and customs). Within the four weeks allotted for this research project the majority of my time was spent in the Northern Sierra Juárez in the state of Oaxaca.

I first visited the …

Los Santos Católicos Y Su Repercusión En La Sociedad = Catholic Saints And The Repercussion On Society, Virginia Dyson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My study of the saints of the Catholic Church and their affect on society in Granada was spurred first and foremost by my own personal faith and interest in the topic. Spain is a country filled with religious iconography, and I became interested in the idea of popular devotion when I noticed that there were religious symbols everywhere. In addition, religious themes are celebrated in a very public, state supported manner. The mixture of society, religion, and government is incredible for a nation that claims to be non-confessional. Simultaneously, I discovered through various conversations that the level of devotion to …

Bih In Black And White: Photo-Diary Of My Adventure Learning How Ngo’S Anti-Trafficking Prevention Programs Work In Small Communities In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Rebecca Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

From the very beginning of my immersion in the Balkans, the issue of Trafficking of Human Beings has found a nook in my mind of righteousness, and ever since, the interest of learning how this crime is being prevented has festered. In the one-month period of time I had for my research, I spent 5 days in Modriča, 8 days in Ključ, 5 days in Mostar, 7 days in Sarajevo, and 2 days in Dubrovnik. The goal of my travels was to see first hand the actual and physical actions that NGO’s in small towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter …

The Return Of The Sick Man Of Europe: A Study Of The Political, Economical And Cultural Grounds For/Against The Entrance Of Turkey To The European Union As Viewed By Turkish Immigrants And Germans Living In Berlin, Ursula A. Arno

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On 17 December 2004, the European Council will decide whether to enter into membership negotiation with Turkey. In the following sections the political, economical and cultural reasons for and against Turkey’s accession will be examined. The views of both Germans and Turks living in Berlin will be discussed. Following this synopsis, it will be argued that the underlying grounds for not welcoming Turkey into the EU are cultural. Consequently, the study of the Turkey-EU debate will be indicative of the issues that the EU as a supranational organization has.

Canto Al Huaso, Canto Al Pueblo: La Música Y El Discurso Político De La Identidad Chilena Durante Los Años Sesenta Y La Unidad Popular, Greg Walz-Chojnacki

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La fuerte polarización de la política chilena durante los años sesenta y la Unidad Popular tiene un reflejo en las representaciones de la identidad nacional a través de la música. Usando la letra de canciones y entrevistas con músicologos y músicos, este ensayo examina el discurso politico presente en la música de este período. Primero, se describe la representación de una identidad nacional tradicional a través de la música de Los Huasos Quincheros. Luego, se analiza la formación de una identidad alternative en dos etapas: el desarrollo de una vision del país que reacciona a la imagen patronal y exclusive …

Living With The Truth: The Films Of Věra Chytilová, Ethan White

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite a career spanning five decades and numerous different sociopolitical atmospheres, Věra Chytilová’s films present a remarkably consistent outlook on contemporary life. This paper traces the defining characteristics of Chytilová’s work: her strong moralistic criticisms of contemporary society, her motif of paradise, which establishes a potent symbolic basis for said moral criticisms, and her relentless pursuit of new forms and desire to experiment with film language. This final point is also inextricably linked to her moral stance, as the bulk of her work was produced under the authority of a Communist regime that frowned severely upon work of an avant-garde …

Art And Democracy In Environmental Decision Making, Audrey Stewart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Global doctrines on sustainable development emphasize public participation as a tenet of environmentally responsible development. Given the Czech government’s tepid stance towards implementing sustainability measures, much impetus for realizing them will have to come from other facets of Czech society, including the public. In spite of the nearly populist feel of a mounting environmental movement in the late 1980s, after the Velvet Revolution the Czech public remained relatively disengaged from environmental involvement. Traditional decision-making venues within the Czech Republic now actively exclude the public from participating, while other pressures stemming from history and present also diminish the public impetus for …

The Depoliticization Of Czech Female Art, Roya Amirsoleymani

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Contemporary Czech art is heavily influenced by a history of Communism, the 1989 transition to capitalism, and the impact had on visual culture by the political and economic changes after the Velvet Revolution. Czech female art, defined as art made by women that is informed by themes of female identity, image, the body, sexuality, feminism, sexual identity, and gender theory, responds to how female identity has been affected by these social changes. This essay argues that Czech female art is depoliticized by its artists, through either neglect or resistance to political connotations and ramifications, but that it is simultaneously engaged …

Mcdonald’S And Samoan Youth: A Case Study Of Globalization, Anna Schechter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The topics of change, development and globalization are extremely pertinent to modern-day Samoa. The past ten years have lead to a vast increase in the inter-connectedness of Samoa to the world economically, socially, and culturally. This paper uses McDonald’s as a representation of the globalization occurring in Samoa in order to better understand the real impacts of these abstract terms. Samoan youth act as a medium in which to explore this topic. They are often the most attune to the impacts of globalization and perhaps even act as a catalyst for change. Thus this paper explores, specifically, the relationship between …

Spirituality In Limbo: An Observation And Analysis Of Mongolia’S Modern Religious Climate, Dustin Saldarriaga

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper is essentially a history of religion in Mongolia with the purpose of illuminating the present state of religion at a socially, culturally, and politically unique point in Mongolia’s history. It has only been fourteen years since Mongolia experienced a political transition from totalitarianism to democracy, and the country now finds itself in a kind of “Limbo” with respect to not only the political state of the nation, but also the spiritual state of its individuals. The result is a religious climate filled with uncertainty and speculation, but also with passion and love. I attempt to explore this current …

Cervical Cancer Screening In Rural South Africa: An Analysis Of The Awareness, Attitudes, And Practices Of Women Served By The Masincedane Clinic, Jordan Schneider

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The aim of this study was to conduct a brief investigation into the awareness, attitudes and practices regarding cervical cancer among women living in Keiskammahoek, a rural area in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The objectives of this study were to:

• Determine if screening is available within a localized rural community and the methods that are being used.

• Determine if women are coming in for screening, the demographics of these women, and the circumstances that bring them into PHC clinics.

• Investigate the level of knowledge and education about cervical cancer and prevention among women within the …

Descriptive And Comparative Study Of The Nutritional Knowledge And Behavior Of Mothers Of Young Children Who Have Received Targeted Nutritional Education And Those Who Have Not As A Method To Ascertain The Effectiveness Of The Little Tree Nutritional And Educational Centre In Combating Malnutrition In The Pienaarsig Township Of Nieu Bethesda, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Amelia Peterson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Ich Rede, Wie Ich Mich Wohl Fühle: Language And Ethnic/Cultural Identity Among German-Born Young Adults Of Turkish Descent In Berlin, Emily R. Jenkins

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My study consisted of ethnographic interviews with young adults ages 19-28, who were born and raised in Germany to parents emigrated from Turkey. My main research question was, “What role does language play in the subjects’ conception of ethnic/cultural identity?” Specifically, I focused on the role of language in how subjects identify with or distinguish themselves from: (1) the ethnic/cultural majority in their country of residence, i.e. Germans; (2) the ethnic/cultural majority in their parents’ country of origin, i.e. Turks in Turkey; and (3) others of similar immigration background, i.e. other German-born people of Turkish descent. Originally I only intended …

Self-Esteem Of The Female Adolescent: As Promoted Through The Life Skills Class, Kelsey Sullivan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Mental Healthcare In A Rural Community, Thuy Nguyen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study intends to observe and document the picture of mental health in a rural setting specifically, the Keiskamahoek area. Also, the project aims to evaluate the changes, if any exist, that resulted from recent attempts to integrate mental healthcare into the primary healthcare setting and bring psychiatric patients back to the community environment for treatment.

The Maidens Of The Maiden City, Lauren Herman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Citizenship In The Republic Of Ireland: In The Context Of The European Union And The Citizenship Referendum, Cora Bruemmer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In a world of increased globalization, the importance of citizenship may seem less and less important. However, I would assert that political belonging is becoming ever more important and is undergoing radical changes. The European Union (EU) is rapidly changing people’s understanding of citizenship. Rather than calling themselves Irish, people may soon be calling themselves European instead. Borders between countries are weakening and movement between them is increasing. Today a citizen of Latvia can live and work in Ireland as long as he or she so chooses. These changes in citizenship may actually have great implications for citizenship policy in …