Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Reviving Ancient Traditions: A New Approach To The Emancipation Of Malian Women, Claire Crowley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Being immersed in a Malian family for over three months has given me an opportunity to observe and experience certain dynamics of the culture not afforded to the average traveller. It was this very experience which served to inspire this project, a diversion from my original research topic of polygamy. While the textbooks focused on the compliance and submission of Malian women, each day spent immersed in the culture and my family hinted at something more. My family’s lifeline and backbone are the women who manage the household; particularly my Maman and sister. While many acknowledge that Malian women carry …

The Next Generation: A Case Study Of Roman Catholic Youth In Suva, Michelle Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Youth communities, as well as religious ones, are thriving in modern Fijian culture. The young people identify with a changing way of life, while those who are religious often cling to tradition and order. Despite this apparent contradiction of lifestyles, most young people in Fiji do consider themselves to be religious.

This paper is a study on the identity of young, Roman Catholic Fijians in Suva, Fiji. I joined the Sacred Heart Parish youth group and worked with the members to gain an understanding of their lives as young, Catholic individuals in modern Fiji. I have also looked at their …

“Art As Direct Political Action:” An Investigation Through Case Studies And Interviews, Emily Meinhardt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 1970, Artforum, an international magazine of contemporary art, conducted a survey of various important artists asking the following question: what is your position regarding the kinds of direct political action that should be taken by artists? The question was asked in relation to the “deepening political crisis in America,” the Vietnam War. The development of television brought images of war into American homes more dramatically and immediately than any previous conflict. Though the war was taking place abroad, the violence was made real to audiences, including artists, many of whom felt pressure to respond to the political situation. Around …

“The Dust Of Some”: Glasnevin Cemetery And The Politics Of Burial, Nina Ranalli

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project was born of my personal interest in revolutions. I have always been fascinated with history and have devoted a good deal of interest to the American Revolution and the heroes that came out of it. Through the course of my studies of Irish history, I began to develop an equal fascination for the series of revolutions that took place here, which are seemingly all strung together into a solid tradition of violent rebellion in Ireland. As discussed in more detail below, this interest evolved into a focus on Glasnevin Cemetery, where many of these revolutionary heroes are buried, …

The Legacies And Potentials Of Feminism In Art De Appel Arts Centre, Amsterdam: A Case Study, Tatyana Neplioueva

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This report is the outcome of a month-long practicum and exploratory study of the history of feminist art at de Appel arts centre, an internationally oriented arts center located in Amsterdam. The result of this study is a documentary film exploring the connections between Feministische Kunst Internationaal (Feminist Art International), a show held at de Appel in the winter of 1978-'79, and If I Can't Dance, I Don't Want To Be Part Of Your Revolution (IICD) Edition III “Masquerade,” a rolling curatorial platform working in collaboration with de Appel in the fall of 2008. Data was obtained by means of …

Smarter Mothers, Healthy Children, Smaller Families: A Look At The Impact Of Women’S Education On Family Planning Decisions In The Sultanate Of Oman, Kerala Hise

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Is there a single, perfect, cure-all policy that a government can enact to achieve sustained development? This is a question international organizations and individual leaders ask themselves every day. There will always be ‘less-developed’ nations, this is a reality of having ‘developed’ nations, but there is no reason that humanity should allow there to be ‘under-developed’ nations, not when we have at hand the tools and knowledge to enact immediate, sweeping changes now. However, because different people, different groups feel that their idea or proposal is of the utmost importance, that change is often never realized. Often, too much value …

The 2008 Municipal Elections According To Nicaraguan Women: Nihilism, Hope, And Pragmatism, Teresa Cheng

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Sacred Work: Transforming Spirit And Community In Lucena, Paraíba, Jenny Schneider

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There has not been a great amount of research that has been conducted on Santo Daime. As such, my research will make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge available to those who are curious about the church, its practices, and their social implications. There is much stigma, prejudice, and even persecution of Santo Daime. Hopefully a more intimate look at the social ramifications of work with Santo Daime will ease these preconceptions.

Santo Daime is the only completely Brazilian religion: a unique syncretism of indigenous Amazonian traditions, Portuguese Catholicism, African spiritualism, and Kardecist Spiritism, whose convergence reflects Brazil’s …

Fijian Art: Traditional Roots, Contemporary Expression, And A Source Of Livelihood, Emma Scanlan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research study presents a comprehensive overview of the art scene in Fiji and explores the ways in which art in a small scale society acts as a vehicle for expression and social change. The term “art” is one that is not easily defined as it is highly personal and subjective to artist and patron alike. There has been a cross-cultural and ongoing debate in trying to answer to question “what is art?”. However despite this it is unanimous in belief by those with an affinity for the arts, that the expression of a society’s people in any form creates …

Traditions In Transition: A Musical Perspective In A Changing, Developing Samoa, Colin Kiley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper was compiled during November 2008. It was a research project that sought out the perspectives of various diverse musicians in Samoa at that time. These musicians included music school instructors, Peace Corps volunteers, Samoan orchestra composers and conductors, traditional Samoan composers, traveled Samoan musicians as well as contemporary Samoan artists. The paper examines how the purposes of music in Samoan society have shifted, altered or changed from traditional times to current-day Samoa in the face of development, a growing economy and increased contact with outside influences. Although the music of Samoa, its purposes, values, uses and aesthetics have …

La Mondialisation Et Les Croyants: Des Effets De La Mondialisation Sur Les Communautés Chrétiennes = Globalization And Believers: Globalization’S Effects On Christian Communities, Carrie Lee Tallichet

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research aimed to explore the different manifestations of globalization’s impact on Catholic and Protestant student movements in Toulouse, France. To accomplish this investigation, the researcher sought the opinions of students who participate regularly in religious groups regarding the cultural diversity of their group and their concept of a global Christian community. Based on information gathered in interviews, the researcher concluded, though not definitively, that Catholic and Protestant student groups both experience the effects of globalization, but each in a manner in relation with their faith’s organizational structure: Catholic students felt close ties with other Catholic groups worldwide despite the …

A Portrait Of Perseverance: A Glimpse Into The Life Of One Family In Edehara, Tunisia, Kathryn Graves Tindell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Excerpt from Introduction:

What follows is a short story providing a glimpse into the life of Naïma and her family. The entire story is based on fact, each person is real in every detail and each event described occurred; however, the sequence of events is fictionalized. For example, I did not see the pottery made from beginning to end, but rather saw different steps of the process throughout the course of my seven days. In total, I did view every step except for retrieving the clay from the mountains, but as they told many stories about this, I have a …

Samoa: A Truly Religious Place? Views Toward Religion In Samoa, Angelica Saada

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The goal of this study was to explore the ‘religiosity’ of Samoa. Specifically, this study attempted to understand how ‘religious’ the average Samoan is, as well as examine the implications of being ‘religious’ in Samoa. It also sought to investigate the plurality of religions in Samoa, the existence of individuals moving between churches, and attitudes towards religious plurality. In addition, this study explored differences between the religiosities of younger and older generations and attitudes toward Samoan youth. Based on the results from interviews and surveys, it was concluded that Samoans view themselves and their country as ‘very religious.’ Being ‘religious’ …

Creative Ecology: Art’S Role In Addressing Environmental And Sustainability Issues In Australia, Michael Meade

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Art has embodied the relationship between humans and the natural environment throughout the ages. As this relationship changed, many artists began to address concerns about the ways humans interact with nature. Today, more than ever, there is a need for channels of communication to address the major environmental and sustainability problems of our time. This study examines how art is influenced by environmental and sustainability concerns and the ways in which it responds to such concerns. By investigating how artists, community organizations, festivals and other initiatives encourage public awareness about environmental and sustainability issues, the study explores art’s role in …

Molding Memory: An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Representations Of Candomblé In Public Places Of Memory And The Afro-Brazilian Community, Lauren Hobby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over eighty-five percent of the population of Salvador, Brazil is of African descent, creating a rich history of cultural, political and social development. Nevertheless the majority of the museums in Salvador have historical spoken very little of this culture and its relationship to the city. In 1982, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro opened, introducing a small museum focused solely on the cultural exchange between Africa and Brazil as well as the development of Afro-Brazilian religiosity. Thinking critically about the importance of museums in the construction and dissemination of awareness, knowledge and respect for cultures as well as the current debates over the …

Faith And Freedom: A Profile Of The Religious Environment In Mongolia’S Emerging Democracy, Jeffrey Sinick

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mongolia is a rapidly globalizing nation that became both democratic and capitalistic after their 1990 revolution. In its history Mongolia has always had a strong religious influence coming mainly from Buddhism, which prevailed throughout Mongolia before the 70-year long socialist period that preceded the democratic revolution. The socialist period destroyed much of the traditional religion in Mongolia and left a spiritual and political vacuum in Mongolia after 1990. Economic hardships and religious tolerance brought forth numerous Christian religious groups and social organization that have profoundly affected the new religious environment in Mongolia, while Buddhism struggled to rebuild and retain a …

La Mondialisation Et Les Croyants: Des Effets De La Mondialisation Sur Les Communautés Chrétiennes = Globalization And Believers: Globalization’S Effects On Christian Communities, Carrie Lee Tallichet

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research aimed to explore the different manifestations of globalization’s impact on Catholic and Protestant student movements in Toulouse, France. To accomplish this investigation, the researcher sought the opinions of students who participate regularly in religious groups regarding the cultural diversity of their group and their concept of a global Christian community. Based on information gathered in interviews, the researcher concluded, though not definitively, that Catholic and Protestant student groups both experience the effects of globalization, but each in a manner in relation with their faith’s organizational structure: Catholic students felt close ties with other Catholic groups worldwide despite the …

Kilombo Do Kioiô: The Use Of An Artesanato Program As A Program Of Social Justice, Anna Losacano

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The women’s artisan group, Kilombo do Kioiô, part of the Ação Social da Paróquia Sao Bras (Sao Bras Parochial Social Action Group) in the neighborhood of Plataforma, Salvador, Bahia, works to insert poor Afro-Brazilian women into the economic market and wider society. This community of women is struggling to survive in a society in which they are marginalized by their gender, race and socio-economic position. They are also struggling to survive two types of violence that are pervasive in Plataforma: domestic violence and violence related to drug trafficking.

This research project studies how working as artisans affects the participants’ social …

Sit Like A Bell: Sound And The Body In Tibetan Buddhism, Christopher Elford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Lobsag Khedup, a 32 year-old Tibetan Monk living in a single room at an art center in Zhongdian where he teaches the art of thangka painting, wakes in silence at 6 a.m. He pulls his bedding around him as if to make a nest out of it. It is cold and his action is somehow appropriate to the introversion of the hour. There is no light in the room, no room yet to speak of, just the dull indistinct sense of an interior. He sits up and starts to pray. But to pray isn’t enough, he must make his devotional …

Urf: Islamic Biomedical Ethics In Rural Mali, Amanda Reider

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Anxious faces gather at the entrance to La Grande Mosquée de Sanankoroba, an imposing cement structure amongst small mud homes, awaiting the imam’s decision. He is not a mujtahid , but offers fatwas nonetheless; today’s is on birth control. Men crowd around—and a few women at the rear—to hear him speak out against birth control, against the use of oral contraception, for being against Islam and against God’s plan. And when his speech finishes, the faces disappear, back into their homes, and little discussion ensues. Instead, men return to their wives to share the verdict, to denounce family planning as …

Hlavní Nádraží: Past, Present, And Future, Laura Dillon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I first conceived of this project in pursuit of an abstract quality that seemed inherently difficult to grasp. Everywhere I encountered references to an admirable “character” and “spirit” at the old train station—a spirit that is soon to evaporate with the pending renovation and restoration. In observing the station and talking with architects I saw many paths I could take in my research. No matter which direction I headed, though, I wanted somehow to reveal this elusive character. The most straightforward way I saw to attempt this was through a photographic documentation of the current state of Hlavní Nádraží. It …

A Domestic Pas De Deux: The Rise Of The Muslim Brotherhood And Islamist-Regime Relations In Jordan, Simon Shogry

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During the first three decades of the Jordanian kingdom’s existence, the Muslim Brotherhood was a relatively apolitical charity organization that held a handful of seats in Parliament. From the mid-1970s onward, however, the Brotherhood grew substantially in size and influence, so much so that it is now the largest and most broad-based political party in Jordan. Looking at domestic, regional, economic, social, political and theological factors, this study seeks to explain the Brotherhood’s dramatic political ascendance and, also, how the regime has coped with its rise. A holistic explanation of this phenomenon is the study’s modus operandi. In order to …

Emotional Expression: Poems And Pacific Voices, Anna Lane Harmless

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This essay is a collection of opinions and stories that deal with four major emotions, anger, happiness, sadness, and love. A collection of poetry that expresses those feelings as well as a set of original poetry written by the researcher are set into the text. The original poetry is an alternative medium that the researcher hopes will represent some of the views of the young adults of the Pacific concerning emotions and expression of emotion. The poems were inspired by surveys and interview responses, with hopes to create an image and feeling that may connect with Pacific voices. The group …

On Est Ensemble: A Participatory Study Of The Jembe Tradition As Preserved By The Griots Of West Africa, Joel Rowe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this study, I examine how a culture’s values are reflected in a specific pedagogical process through participant observation; in essence, I endeavor to examine first-hand the anthropology of pedagogy. The jembe, in truth, is comparable to a window into both the teaching model of a Senegalese master drummer and the cultural values reflected in his pedagogical method. In learning to play the parts of seven jembe rhythms with fluidity and recording their cultural significances, I discover the elements of criticism and sacrifice deeply inlaid in the tradition of this instrument. Relative to the communal setting of the griot family …

“Multi-Track Diplomacy” Through Enhancing Interreligious Understanding: A Case Study In Abrahamic Trialogue Between Jordanian And American Students, Nick Doctor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Interfaith dialogue has become widely acknowledged as a means to enhance interreligious and intercultural sensitivity, complement state-based diplomatic efforts, and attain sustainable conflict resolution. This study is aimed at examining the potential of Multi-Track Diplomacy, demonstrated through interreligious discourse, to develop interreligious and intercultural sensitivity within the young adult, nonprofessional demographic. The data and analysis is based upon research acquired through interviews with interreligious organizations, religious and academic scholars, and Jordanian citizens in spring 2008; and three interfaith trialogue sessions held April-May, 2008 with participants from the three Abrahamic faith traditions. The analysis indicates that mild tension exists between Christian …

Art, Ritual, And Representation: An Exploration Of The Roles Of Tsam Dance In Contemporary Mongolian Culture, Mikaela Mroczynski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tsam, the sacred and complex Buddhist ritual dance, although only introduced to Mongolia in the 19th century, established itself as a significant ceremony before being halted by the purges and destruction the communist era. The 18 years of religious freedom that democracy has heralded have resulted in tsam’s successful reestablishment as a religious ritual in a growing number of monasteries across the country. Tsam has also taken its place as an icon of Mongolian culture for foreigners, a cornerstone of many performance groups’ representation of Mongolian cultural heritage. As based on interviews with performers, administrators, designers, and audiences of performance …

The Exchange At Halesi: A Sacred Place And A Societal Context, Ethan Gohen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Halesi is a small, but growing village located in the Khotang District of Eastern Nepal. In many ways it is rather normal. As is typical in this area of Nepal, its inhabitants are mainly Rai Hindus, although there is a substantial community of other Hindu castes as well. Less typically, there is a small, but very important Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Halesi. The reason for this monastery is even less typical still. In the rocky terrain around Halesi there are many caves. But in the central rocky, tree covered hillock of Halesi bazaar there is one cave of particular importance. …