Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Exploring Taksu & Meditation - Mysterious Power And The Tools To Realize It, Leonard Swanson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I came to the island of Bali hoping to learn about the local people's spirituality, to witness how they practice faith, and to see if local wisdom could be brought back to America. Here, I became intrigued by the mysterious power of Taksu and the worldwide practice of meditation. For this Independent Study Project, I aim to examine the relationship between meditation and Taksu, and see if the combined wisdoms can be cross-culturally applicable to foreigners in the west.

Balinese Hindus place an important emphasis upon frequent, elaborate ceremonies, but this practice is too place/time/context specific to adapt into American …

Sherpa Inc. The Cultural Commoditization Of The Sherpa Identity, Melissa Mittelman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the ways the Sherpa identity has been commoditized for a Western audience, the Sherpa responses to such a process and the repercussions it creates when understanding Sherpa cultural “authenticity.” Located in Kathmandu and the Solukhumbu district of Nepal, the findings were acquired through interviews with various members of the Sherpa community, discourse analysis and observation. This research concludes that the Sherpa community views their cultural commoditization as both a source of discredit and honor, creating difficulty in rationalizing how it both de-authenticates and re-asserts their Sherpa culture.

Women’S Organizations In Tunisia: Transforming Feminist Discourse In A Transitioning State, Caitlin Mulrine

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On October 23^rd, Tunisians voted in their first democratic election in the state’s history with much at stake after overthrowing the 23 year reigning dictator. As the era of Ben-Ali politics and social policy unraveled, Tunisians began to develop their own sophisticated political discourse as they collaborated to decide the direction of their state. Within this discourse, there emerged a sharp divide within the population, masked by Ben-Ali’s suppressive politics, over the issue of religion. Islamists, organized under Al-Nahda and other independent parties, stood in opposition to secularists who aimed to maintain a separation between religion and state. …

How Do Religion And Belief Systems Influence Traditional Medicine And Health Care In Madagascar?, Whitney Franklin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Religion and beliefs consistently shape social structures, laws, and even medicine. In Madagascar, this is extremely evident when considering traditional medicine but also exists in modern medicine. Christianity and traditional beliefs are the two main systems that have shaped traditional medicine to what it has become today. These opposites function as a duality that becomes apparent when looking at certain events in Madagascar’s history and the examination of the evolution and rituals performed in the different types of traditional medicine. Through the methodology of interviewing traditional healers and gathering historical information from experts in lectures, I can make sure to …

The Substance And Style Of Len Dong: Healing, Transformation, And Aesthetic In Spirit Possession Rituals Of Hue, Lauren Cardenas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Len Dong is a spirit possession ritual practiced in the mother goddess religion of Tu Phu. Tu Phu roughly translates to “Four Palaces” or the sacred homes of the four spirits of the earth, heaven, water, and mountain or woods[1]. As there is no formal organization of the religion, there is much freedom in its expression among practitioners. For example, the styles, designs, and intricacy of the costumes may vary, or perhaps the size of the accompanying ritual orchestra. Yet there remains one very important element of spirit possession ritual: loc or lucky gifts from the spirits …

South African Jews And How The History Of The Aparthied Has Effected The Community’S Relationship To The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Julia Berner-Tobin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research paper is centered on the question “how does the history of the Apartheid effect South African Jews relationship to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?” Four South African Jews from different parts of the Jewish community were interviewed. Blogs and newspaper articles were also analyzed. The participants were asked about their personal stories. They were asked about their relationship to Israel and Palestine, their visits there, whether or not they see a comparison between the Apartheid regime and the Israeli government. Participants were also asked to comment on the current climate of the South African Jewish community and the issues that …

Rise Of The Veil: Islamic Modernity And The Hui Woman, Zainab Khalid

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Hui are a familiar sight in most cities in China; famed for their qingzhen restaurants and their business acumen. Known usually as the “Chinese speaking Muslims,” they are separated from the nine other Muslim xiaoshu minzu by a reputation for assimilation and adaptability that is a matter of pride for Hui in urban areas.

A conversation with Hui women at Nancheng Mosque in Kunming revealed that they believed Hui to be at an advantage compared to other xiaoshu minzu because of their abilities to adapt and assimilate, “we are intelligent; we know what to do in order to survive …

Men Of God Homosexual And Catholic Identity Negotiation, Through Holland‟S Catholic Priests, Kyle Alexander

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how the Dutch gay Catholic man negotiates his seemingly contradictory sexual and religious identities. Homophobic interpretations of Catholic doctrine and belief often leave the gay Catholic man distanced and isolated from his faith. The current study expands on previous psychosocial literature by providing a more fluid and humanist theoretical framing of identity negotiation; as well as a historical, political, and psychological understanding of the gay Catholic men in Dutch context. Three life stories of Dutch Gay Catholic priests were collected and critically engaged to comment on the larger issue of religious …

Like The Roar Of A Thousand Thunders: Instrumental Music And Creativity In Tibetan Buddhist Ritual, Eben Yonnetti

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tibetan Buddhism has numerous detailed and diverse traditions of ritual music that play an integral part in religious practices. Despite the prominence of such performances in Tibetan Buddhist life, spectators and researchers alike have frequently misunderstood them based purely on physical observation. As a religion that focuses on the cultivation and development of the mind, any analysis focusing only on physical description is significantly flawed. Music in Buddhist practice is at a base level a sound offering. On a higher level, however, it is much more. If done with the proper motivation, musical performance during ritual is a method to …

Herbs And Healers Of The North: Medicine, Practices And Philosophies In Islamic And Traditional Healing In Northern Ghana, Renee Edwards

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

1. Objective: The objective of this project was three-fold:
   1. i. To understand the fundamental practices, philosophies, and perceptions in and around Islamic and traditional healing in Northern Ghana.
   2. ii. To identify the herbs, substances, and methods used to treat illnesses in Islamic and traditional healing.
   3. iii. To evaluate the measures of efficacy in Islamic and traditional healing.
2. Methodology: I lived in Tamale, in the Northern Region of Ghana for 23 days. I formally interviewed eight healers in six communities in and around Tamale. The demographics of the healers I interviewed were two Muslim healers and six traditional healers, six men and …

By The Pricking Of My Thumbs, Something Wicked This Way Comes: Omani Perceptions Of The Supernatural, Jennifer L. Borger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As a student who came to Oman knowing very little about the Arab world or Islam, I can safely say that my knowledge has increased tenfold. Upon entrance to the country in January 2011, I had no idea what my independent research study would end up addressing. Upon first hearing of the concept of the evil eye and all it relates to, my interest peaked. I began to think that this topic was interesting enough to command a month’s attention from me. This all changed during a weekend trip to Salalah, in the south of Oman, which included a lecture …