Digital Commons Network^™

L’Association "Alliances Et Cultures Nord" : Son Rôle En France Et Mon Rôle Avec Elle, Carolyn Raithel

France: Language, Community and Social Change

Alliances et Cultures est une association dans le quartier Nord en Toulouse. Elle sert du centre social et elle offre beaucoup de programmes différents pour tous les âges et leurs besoins. J’y ai travaillé avec un programme spécifique qui s’appelle « Contrat local d’accompagnement à la scolarité », ou « CLAS » en acronyme. C’est un programme national dont il y en a aux plusieurs centres sociaux en France. Ce programme a le slogan « pour apprendre autrement ! » et il donne une opportunité qui est rare en France aux enfants de recevoir l’aide individuelle à la scolarité au …

Bas D’Immeubles, Emma Benjamin

France: Language, Community and Social Change

Bas D’immeubles est une association loi 1901 à but non lucratif, qui fait des activités et de l’intégration pour les familles de Reynerie. Aux banlieues de Toulouse, France, l’association est située en bas d’un HLM, un Habitation à Louer Modéré. Ces grands bâtiments qui aujourd’hui constituent les banlieues comme Reynerie et Bellefontaine, comprennent pour la plupart des immigrés de l’Afrique du Nord. Les associations comme Bas D’immeubles étaient mise en place pour intégrer les gens du quartier ; les adultes de la première génération, et leurs enfants de la deuxième ou troisième génération qui sont nés en France. Pendant mon …

Illusion Or Ununderstood Reality: Spiritual Or Psychic Healing And Protection In Southern Madagascar, Henri Lucien Sandifer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Far from the hospital room and its doctor, the medicine and philosophies of Lakazy and its Ombiasa pertain to a domain largely untouched by western logic and science. Their practices appear to be effective and unique enough to have survived the advent of compelling new theological and scientific belief systems and the vastly different perspectives on community health and stability which these systems have brought to Madagascar. The prime examples of these new arrivals are Christianity and modern medicine, respectively. Within and without their sacred space, the mission of the true Ombiasa is to support their community and for this …

Le Cap Centre, Lauren Rowse

France: Language, Community and Social Change

Le CAP Centre est une épicerie sociale qui donne l’aide financière pour l’alimentation. Elle permet aux personnes qui ont des difficultés passagères au niveau financier de faire des économies pour réaliser leur « projet de vie ». Projet de vie est un terme utilisé pour décrire un soutien qui permet aux gens d’économiser pour qu’ils puissent faire des choses normales et habituelles de la vie quotidienne. « Normales et habituelles » : à définir dans le contexte culturel français C’est aussi l’idée que tout le monde devrait avoir l’opportunité de participer dans une vie sociale car beaucoup des bénéficiaires des …

Where No Man Has Gone Before: A Critical Roadmap For The Use Of Drones In Targeted Killing, Valerie Heinmets

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the ongoing War on Terror, the Obama Administration has relied heavily on a new form of military technology: the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, more popularly known as the drone. While the program has remained largely a covert operation, gradually more information about its effects, especially concerning civilian casualties, has begun to come to light. As a result of allegations over their allegedly indiscriminate use in Yemen and Pakistan, countries the U.S. is not at war with, a few questions arise. When do drones stop becoming a military precision tool for taking out Al-Qaeda senior command and move into a field …

El Estigma De La Depresión Y Cómo Está Influenciado Por La Percepción De La Enfermedad En Santiago, Chile, Elena Michaels

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the past century, as a greater understanding has been developed regarding the brain and mental health disorders, a stigma surrounding the field of mental health has emerged. The goal of this study was to analyze how the public perception of depression relates to the stigma surrounding mental illness and define the relationship between the two. This investigation took place at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago.

In Chile, one of the consequences of the stigma regarding mental health disorders is usage of the mental health services offered. Not uncommonly, a medic would give a mental health evaluation …

La Situación De Las Cataratas En La Ciudad De Buenos Aires: Un Estudio De Caso En El Hospital Ramos Mejía / The Situation Of Cataracts In The City Of Buenos Aires: A Case Study In Ramos Mejía Hospital, Katie Elizabeth Kessler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: When a person has cataracts his or her lens becomes clouded by proteins, causing diminished vision. Though cataracts cause poor vision or in more serious cases blindness, what is special about cataracts is that they are treatable. Surgery replaces the clouded lens with a new artificial lens called an intraocular lens. In Argentina in 2006 only 10% of cataract surgeries were realized in the public sector, and the Ministry of Health of the Nation decided to develop a program called Program Eye Health and the Prevention of Blindness to fight these and other inequities in the realm of visual …

Una Examinación Del Potencial Estratégico De Argentina Y Brasil En El Mercado Petrolero Mundial: Consideraciones Idiosincráticas Entre El Estado Y Empresas Petroleras Nacionales / An Examination Of The Strategic Potential Of Argentina And Brazil In The Global Energy Market: Idiosyncratic Considerations Between National Oil Companies And The State, Patrick John Zailckas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Home to the second largest reserves of petroleum in the world, Latin America will prove to play an important role in the international energy market throughout the 21st century. Today, Argentina and Brazil in particular boast extensive quantities of nonconventional natural gas and petroleum reserves in the shale beneath the Vaca Muerta oil fields and the offshore wells of the Campos and Santos basins, respectively. Through the direction of their nationally-held oil companies (NOCs), YPF and Petrobras, the States of Argentina and Brazil have sought to exert their sovereignty over the presence of their hydrocarbon reserves. Whether financed through the …

Comercialización Contra Capitalización: Nuevas Visiones De Desarrollo En La Lucha Por La Tierra En La Puna, Katherine Luke

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The rise of indigenismo in the province of Jujuy, Argentina led by the Asociación de los Pequeños Productores de la Puna (the APPP) and the Red Puna has transformed the relationship between the “pueblos originarios” and the state. Historically disenfranchised by the political and economic system, a wave of radical activism began with the national constitutional reform in 1994 that for the first time recognized the pre-existence of the original pueblos before the formation of the Argentine state and conferred communal land rights and a right to cultural sovereignty. The protests and petitions that followed over the last …

Los Determinantes De La Diferencia En La Tasa De Fecundidad Adolescente Entre Comunidades Pobres Y Ricas En Buenos Aires, Emily Turner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The city of Buenos Aires has some of the lowest rates of teenage fertility in Argentina (Gogna, Binstock, Fernández, Ibarlucía, & Zamberlin, 2008). However, this aggregated number obscures the huge variance within the city. In the most current available data (2010/2012) from the government of the city of Buenos Aires (GCBA) broken down by comunas (areas) highest fertility rate for 15-19 year olds was 81.6 births (per 1000) versus the lowest fertility rate which was only 6.2 (D. d. e. d. GCBA). This discrepancy is huge and reflects the incredible economic disparity in Buenos Aires. The comunas with the three …

Acquário Ceará: The Future Of Tourism In Fortaleza, Elizabeth Duffield

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2014, Fortaleza will put on display for the entire world to see as it is one of the Brazilian cities hosting the World Cup. In preparation for such a massive event and a staggering amount attention, the state of Ceará and the Secretary of Tourism embarked on a plan to develop tourism in Ceará and the capital city, Fortaleza, into a modern tourism destination. One project in progress, Acquário Ceará, will be largest aquarium in Latin America and the third largest aquarium in the world. Situated right on the coastline of Praia de Iracema in Fortaleza, the aquarium is …

La Realidad De Comercio Justo: Una Investigación De Las Fallas Y Los Éxitos Del Sistema En El Valle De La Convención, Perú, Desde La Perspectiva De Los Productores, Katy Keisling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este informe es el producto de mi proyecto de investigación sobre el funcionamiento del Comercio Justo en el cultivo del café en el Valle de la Convención, Perú. El Comercio Justo fue creado hace 25 años con el objetivo de mejorar la vida del pequeño productor a través de un sistema de comercio que valora la democracia y pago justo. Ahora, muchos investigadores han estudiado el tema para analizar sus impactos – pero la mayoría de literatura existente sobre el tema falta la voz del productor. Por esta razón, ubico mi estudio en la perspectiva del pequeño productor. Utilizando la …

Por Eso Cuidamos Una Investigación Sobre Las Motivaciones Culturales Andinas Que Incentivan A La Gente Indígena Local A Conservar La Naturaleza En El Parque De La Papa, Pisac, Perú., Sarah Yanuck

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La comunidad global ahora enfrenta el reto grande y urgente de conservar la naturaleza. Aunque las consecuencias de la inacción son graves, a mucha gente le falta motivación para actuar. Sin embargo, hay lugares donde personas y comunidades están luchando devotamente con la tarea de vivir sosteniblemente. El Parque de la Papa en Pisac, Perú, es uno de estos lugares. En esta investigación, fui al Parque de la Papa con el objetivo de identificar cuáles son las motivaciones que incentivan a la gente allá a conservar la naturaleza y para determinar cómo estas motivaciones se relacionan a la cultura Andina. …

El Papel De Ecoturismo En La Comunidad Nativa De Shintuya, Alto Madre De Dios, Peru: Las Percepciones De La Misma Comunidad, Dylan Barnes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este informe examina el rol de ecoturismo en la comunidad nativa Shintuya, Madre de Dios, Perú. Para hacer eso, uso las percepciones de los mismos comuneros sobre el ecoturismo y el futuro de su comunidad. La comunidad y la región alrededor tiene muchas atracciones turísticas, y por eso hay un gran potencial de turismo para la comunidad. También hay una presencia de una empresa de petróleo, con que los comuneros están trabajando. En estas páginas siguientes, voy a argumentar que esta situación no es tan blanca y negra como parece. No hay un lado a favor y un lado en …

There Are No Fat People In The Netherlands: Embodied Identities, Hypervisibility, And The Contextual Relevancy Of Fatness, Jean Ochterski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research is the product of a month long exploratory study on fatness in the Netherlands and how it intersects with other marginalized identities, including race, class, and queerness. The primary question it answers is the ways in which hypervisibility of fat bodies interplays with the silences surrounding size as an axis of identity. The research removes fatness from solely conversations in the public health field and re-situates it in a feminist, academic framework. Data was obtained through oral history interviews with seven self identified fat people currently living the Netherlands. The results show that childhood, dieting practices, standards of …

Fros, Weaves, And Kinks: The Social And Political Significance Of Hair For Black And Coloured Women In Cape Town, Carol Antunez

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project seeks to explore and understand hair performance by black and coloured females in Cape Town and understand 1) its possible political significance and 2) its social role. This ISP will attempt to explore the construction of hair as a symbol of class and beauty by looking at its historical significance. In this paper, I will investigate how young women in Cape Town, specifically black and coloured women, choose to represent themselves through hair and explore the connotations attached to their particular hairstyle choice. Furthermore, in this paper I will try to answer the following questions 1) Do black …

Living Openly: 2 Narratives Of Black And White Lesbians Living In Cape Town, Rebecca Gant

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

After apartheid, South Africa created an amazingly progressive Constitution that was one of the first in the world to include gay rights. The passing of a law legalizing same-sex marriage, as well as the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act work to create a world of equality and acceptance of homosexuality, at least on paper. Unfortunately, a far different reality exists, as the failed implementation of these provisions has created a large dichotomy between Constitution and public opinion, with many individuals remaining unsupportive of gay rights. My project originally sought to explore the effects of this discrepancy …

An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Holistic Wellness Through Three Paradigms Of Wellness; Western Medicine, Traditional African Healing, And Herbalism., Alison Frankel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As globalization persists and varying cultures come into increasing contact with each other, people are becoming more exposed to a multitude of approaches to wellness. With the opportunity to examine wellness from multiple perspectives, people have the chance to blend aspects of different systems. Each paradigm of wellness posses it’s own virtues and failures, but is incomplete on its own, and thus a more holistic and integrative approach is in order. In this process, the notions of “holism” and of “wellness” demand to be contemplated and reconsidered, and ultimately united to establish a goal for healthy living. Once this is …

The Trajectory Of Warwick Junction As A Site Of Inclusivity In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Kara Van Schilfgaarde Van Schilfgaarde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Warwick Junction, a thriving trading hub in the inner city of Durban, has long been considered one of the best examples of collaborative urban management practices between the local government and informal traders. In a post-apartheid South Africa, there was a national desire to transform the old systems of governance, which in Warwick translated to city government institutions making an effort to include informal traders in the policymaking and management processes. This paper tracks the history of Warwick Junction, using its oppressive past to frame common perspectives of informal trade. It considers the legacy of the post-apartheid era South Africa, …

The “Good” South African: Concepts Of Nation-Building And Social Cohesion In The Public School Setting, Kristi Carey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this research project is to examine the ways in which the classroom, teacher, and student dynamics of a South African urban primary school create a site for nation-building, citizenship, and the promotion of social cohesion. Understanding that the school serves as an institution for the production of ideology, socialization, and spreading of knowledge, this research will investigate how curriculum, authority, and policy influence what it means to be a “good” South African citizen, and thus, a contributor to forming both personal and national identity. Through observing the “Life Orientation” courses, the research attempts to grasp the kind …

Filmmaking, Reconciliation & Peacebuilding In Rwanda: Challenges And Opportunities., Kierran Petersen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Rwandan filmmaking industry is in its infancy, only emerging after the 1994 genocide. Since then, a small group of pioneer filmmakers have simultaneously built a community structure with the capacity to train young filmmakers, showcased Rwandan talent and attempted to integrate cinema into Rwandan culture. This cinema-related development is also taking place in a post-genocide context, where national unity and reconciliation is on the forefront of national policy and individual consciousness. Film in Rwanda has played a role in moving the country past the genocide that decimated the population and destroyed the existing infrastructure and severed the social ties …

Mapping The Knowledge Economy Of Medicinal Plants In Northern Madagascar: Information And Resource Flow In Traditional Health Practices, Chanelle Adams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the wake of pharmaceutical success with alkaloid compounds found in the Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), there has been increased attention towards identifying medicinal properties in the country’s rich flora. Both native and foreign companies seek profitable use of wild plant species found within Madagascar’s unique biodiversity. Many conservation organizations believe that the world’s forests in biological “hot spots” contain cures unknown to modern science and therefore, their preservation essential.

While the protection of these natural resources is important to Western medicine, it is even more vital for local people who depend on the forest as their primary …

Access To Capital In Dakar: An Analysis Of Microfinance, Michael Furlane

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study analyzes the effectiveness of micro credit in a developing African country by evaluating the history of microfinance and then focusing on access to credit in modern day Dakar, Senegal. Microfinance, or small capital loans to business startups in budding nations, has been used as a tool in developmental economics for a several decades. Ideally it is an elegant solution to a problem that permeates developing countries around the world: the lack of available credit. This lack of credit stifles economic growth in every sector of an emerging economy. As part of this study I interviewed both credit firms …

Ndank-Ndank: How Governmental Health Organizations Can Take Their First Step To Help Other’S Take Their First Step: A Case Study Of A Prosthetics And Orthotics Rehabilitation Center In Dakar, Senegal, Sarah Jacobi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The number of people with disability in the world is very large, however; what having a disability means for each person is even more alarming. In a developing country, it is extremely difficult for people with disabilities to receive the health care they need. The organizations that offer health care to people with disabilities are faced with a number of challenges; but they continue to do the best they can. This study was done at a prosthetics and orthotics rehabilitation center in Dakar, Senegal. It is a case study that examines the difficulties the workers face, the motivations the workers …

Public Perceptions On Family Planning And Birth Spacing In The Cultural And Religious Context Of Senegal: A Case Study In Dakar, Senegal, Heidi Kahle

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Much prior research has examined the prevalence rates of family planning and contraceptive use in Senegal, as well as the importance of family planning for reducing maternal and infant mortality, improving the well being of families, and improving the national economy. Few studies, though, have captured the perspectives of Senegalese persons and their attitudes and beliefs toward family planning, rumors and stigmas that surround it, and how different actors can work together to dispel rumors and encourage the use of family planning. I conducted my research in Dakar, Senegal, where I interviewed a variety of persons – two gynecologists, a …

Challenges Affecting Street Children In Post-Conflict Northern Uganda: Case Of Gulu Municipality, Annie Weber

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Northern Uganda has been beleaguered with political unrest and rebellion for over two decades. The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has wreaked havoc on the entire northern population, causing lives to be lost and leaving a stain of physical and mental trauma that will last forever. Children, having been the most affected during the war, are still feeling the influence that the LRA has left behind. This study sets out to try to understand the phenomenon of street children in post-conflict northern Uganda, specifically in Gulu Municipality. The phenomenon of street children is considered to be one of the most prevalent …

Gender Disparities In Access To Hiv Testing And Antiretroviral Treatment Services, Wyatt Lombard Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Throughout a six-week practicum period at TASO Mulago in Kampala, Uganda and St. Francis Naggalama Hospital in Naggalama, Uganda, the researcher aimed to find methods to increase male engagement in all facets of comprehensive HIV/AIDS care. Women and children generally receive most global attention on the issue of HIV/AIDS in Uganda but men are beginning to demand more attention. Antiretroviral treatment has been critical in allowing countless people to live functionally with HIV but many research projects have hypothesized that delayed access to HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention methods has resulted in men exhibiting higher mortality rates upon initiation of this …

A Case Study Of Rural Finance Self-Help Groups In Uganda And Their Impact On Poverty Alleviation And Development, Rebecca Flynn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of financial Self-Help Groups (SHGs)on poverty alleviation and development in rural areasof Uganda and evaluate their successes, limitations, and potential for sustainability.An extensive literature review ofpovertyin Uganda, development theories and development in Uganda,andrural finance self-help group methodology and theorieswas conducted in order to provide a broader context for the research.

The participants in the research were members of SHGs in Central Uganda under the Self-Help Group Approach Uganda (SHGAU) organization andemployees of SHGAU.The primary methods were personal interviews and focus groups. Thesegave the researcher insight into the goals and structure …

Examining The Effectiveness Of The Millennium Villages Project Through The Health And Education Sectors: A Case Study In Ruhiira, Uganda, Meixi Guo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study is meant to present the information gathered by the researcher during a 6-wwek practicum with the Millennium Villages Project Ruhiira office. The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of this organization by looking at its Health and Education sectors. By studying the interactions between the two, the paper aims to analyze the pros and cons of their interventions. During the course of this study, the researcher also learns about the local people’s view on the Millennium Villages Project as well as the difficulties Millennium has encountered when implementing the project.

The researcher used multiple methods …

Uganda’S Cotton And Textile Sectors: Current Production Challenges, Motivations And Effects On Development, Daniel Geiser Chell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Current policies promote value addition industries and increased cotton yields. On the ground, however, cotton production and textile industries continue to lag behind previous rates of production. The study therefore sought to understand the conditions contributing to the current economic climate of the cotton industry. Once context was established, the researcher explored factors both promoting and discouraging cotton cultivation. Finally, the research explores the developmental consequences of increasing cotton and textile production in Uganda. In order to meet the aforementioned objectives, the researcher carried out a value chain analysis of the cotton and textile industry, taking note of the policies …