Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Creating Transformation Through Art The Role Of Community Arts In A Transitioning Society Ballymun, Dublin And Belfast Northern Ireland, Katherine Power

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper presents my findings from an Independent Study Project conducted over a three-­‐week period in Belfast on the role of community arts in a transitioning society, with a focus primarily on youth. I have found three themes concurrent with my research being that community arts can boost self-­‐confidence and build positive identity, they can be used as a tool for addressing difficult issues, and finally, that community arts can unify a community. The arts, as a cause of these themes, have the potential to help a society transition and transform from conflict.

Engendering The Classroom: A Look At Constructions Of ‘Gender’ And Empowerment Within Teachers’ Trainings In Northern India, Martha Snow

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Education for girls in India has been a crucial area of study for the past 20 years; however, the main focus of attention has been on issues of girls’ access to school only. This study moves beyond this, seeking to gain critical insight into how ‘gender’ is being understood within the classroom via teachers. Teachers’ trainings conducted by the government and by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) were examined through interviews with teachers and coordinators of teachers’ trainings, along with experts on gender and feminism in Delhi and Jaipur, Rajasthan. These interviews focused on the content and quality of teachers’ trainings, and …

Pepfar Problems: How Does The United States’ Presidential Emergency Program For Aids Relief Empower Women?, Caitlin H.

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study looks to examine how the Presidential Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) works to achieve one of its key goals, the empowerment of women, in the Western Cape. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects women disproportionately, around the world and in South Africa. Thus, women should be a key focus of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) relief and HIV prevention. This paper analyzes the work of PEPFAR to empower women through three lenses. Women’s empowerment in general is discussed, to see how organizations view their own methods of empowerment. PEPFAR’s work with sex workers is examined, as they are often …

The Role Of Mothers In Muslim Families In Ouakam, Dakar: Navigating Traditional Gender Roles In A Modern Context, Emily Goodhue

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My study is on the role of women in Muslim families in Dakar, Senegal. What are they expected to do for their families? How do these women feel about their position and role in their families? What aspects of their role in the family do they enjoy and which do they wish were different? How is their role changing as more women enter the workforce? This topic interests me because many people in the United States have a negative perception of the position of women in Muslim societies. They claim that these women are oppressed and that the women suffer …

“Heaven And Earth” Samoan Indigenous Religion, Christianity, And The Relationship Between The Samoan People And The Environment, Grace Wildermuth

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines Samoan indigenous religion and the relationship between Samoans and the environment before and after the introduction of Christianity. It looks at how Christian beliefs and the cultural perspectives of European missionaries affected Samoa’s environment. It then considers Samoan indigenous religious values that may be helpful to combat current environmental problems. Primary and secondary sources were used, including interviews with both theologians and environmentalists. Samoan indigenous religion promoted a sustainable relationship with the land but Christianity and the cultural lens through which it was delivered had negative environmental effects. Samoa retains a deep environmental knowledge in the memories …

Trafačka: Young Artists In An Alternative Space (Life Of D.I.Y.), Dora Novey-Buttfield

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper documents the functions and internal structure of Trafačka, an experimental arts space located in the Prague 9 district. There is very little research on the presence and significance of alternative culture in Prague today, and the term itself is difficult to define. Using personal interviews conducted by the author and some background research on Czech alternative culture and spaces, the study highlights the stories of the residents and artists of Trafačka in light of the debate on alternative culture.

The author explains how Trafačka is an example alternative space and describes the complexities of being separated from other …

Beauty In The Indigenous Pageant The Cultural And Social Relevance Of Miss Samoa, Mariko Hamashima

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper investigates the Miss Samoa pageant’s historical origins, cultural relevance and preservation, the ways in which it empowers women, the public’s perspective, and future development. Secondary sources on the pageant were limited to eight pieces, so interviews with judges, contestants, winners, and participants were sources of information. Sixty surveys were also conducted to gain the public’s perspective of the pageant. The study found Miss Samoa is more popular for its entertainment value than cultural relevance. The Miss Samoa pageant has been utilized as an agent of empowerment for individual women but is not necessarily influential on a larger social …

Manifestations Of Tibetan Buddhism In Pudacuo National Park And Its Effectiveness As An Environmental Education Tool, Ellen Martin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-la, Yunnan is mainland China’s first national park and comprehensive conservation and eco-tourism attempt. The Nature Conservancy worked with Yunnan provincial government to establish park guidelines and advocate for certain conservation measures. One of the important guidelines that The Nature Conservancy included was local cultural preservation. A primary goal of this experiment in US-modeled national parks is to ensure the longevity of traditional values and beliefs in the parkland area. Pudacuo National Park is not only attempting to conserve the local Tibetan Buddhist tradition but also is attempting to capitalize on the uniqueness of the experience …

Himali Didi: Finding The Strength In The Women Of Nepal, Emily Cheung

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The intent of this project is to bring to light the role of Nepalese women in adventure sports; a phenomenon that has existed in Nepal for the past few decades but has been widely unappreciated, if not unnoticed. In this study, women from various adventure companies in Nepal were interviewed to reveal the experiences and obstacles these women face in these occupations during their lifetimes. Some of them agreed to share their stories.

Their journeys have taken them on (quite literal) climbs that have proven their physical strength and made tremendous moves to achieve gender equality in Nepal. Through this …

Tibetan Guozhuang In Diqing Autonomous Prefecture: A Comparative Musical Analysis, Christina Du Breuil

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The song and dance traditions of the Tibetan peoples of Diqing Prefecture are numerous and varied. Of these traditions, Guozhuang is cited as one of the oldest and most centrally traditional pieces of folk heritage. However, Guozhuang varies even within Diqing Prefecture. This paper addresses the basic form and structure of Guozhuang as well as variations between Benzilan and Shangri-la Guozhuang, two places separated not only by geographical distance but also the encroachment of development on traditional culture.

The Implications Of Privileged Gay Politics On Queer Aberrations: Interrogating South Africa’S Nongovernmental Industrial Complex, Vijay Sachdev

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The phenomena to address and confront social issues as a career path has shifted the way communities experience the realm of activism. This research addresses the effort emphasized in gay and lesbian activism on the Nongovernmental Industrial Complex as a platform for social transformation. These structures have notably been co-opted by neo-liberalism and the State. In South Africa, the gay and lesbian movement have its roots dug into legal reform which becomes conservative and relies on the rhetoric of identity politics to gain recognition without addressing redistribution and systems of oppression. Through three case studies culminating in a comparative study …

The Interdependence Of Gedi Ruins And The Giriama: A Study Of Ancestral Spirits, Jinn, And The Impact Of Islam, Tucker Deady

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Archaeological site, Gedi Ruins, is well known on the Coastal Province of Kenya as a place of great mystery. It is sacred to many for reasons of spirituality and appeals to both Swahili and Mijikenda, a group of nine tribes living on the coast, as a place of prayer. The Giriama make up one of these nine tribes and, as they have a large community surrounding the site of Gedi Ruins, are the focus of this study. The Mijikenda have a deep connection with their ancestral spirits as well as jinn. While their traditions run deep, there have, however, been …

Accessing Justice, Evaluating Agency: How 12 Women In Cape Town Perceive Their Local Police Services With Respect To Their Race, Class, Gender, And Geographic Location, Ellen Moore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Policing in South Africa has a long, twisted history that is still evident in some current police practices and especially in the public’s perceptions of the police. In addition to historical factors such as colonial rule and apartheid, people’s perceptions of the police are also affected by their race, class, gender, and geographic location. Although these factors’ can be considered to have an individual effect on perceptions, it is through a complex understanding of how they relate to one another that a true understanding of a person’s perception can be reached. The inspiration for this study stemmed from these concepts …

La Brecha Salarial Entre Hombres Y Mujeres: La Situación Y Los Factores Que Influyen En La Brecha En Los Altos Cargos De Trabajo En Chile, Kaitlin E. Thompson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Many reports and measurements show gender equality in Chile is very poor and the country is lagging behind on the world and regional scale. Opportunities as well as the number of women in the work force are few. The inequality is obvious in the gender wage gap in which men earn on average 20 to 30% more than women. Furthermore, in upper level positions the wage gap is even more profound, reaching almost 40%. This report investigates the topic of gender in Chilean society and specifically, the factors that influence the profound wage gap in high level job positions. In …

The Expansion Of Early Buddhism In Yunnan: The Grottoes Of Shibaoshan, Audrey Pazmino

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The expansion of Buddhism from India into China followed several different routes, one of which was the Southern Silk Road. The cosmopolitan nature of this crossroads between India, the Tubo Empire of Tibet, the Nanzhao Kingdom in the Erhai region, and the Tang dynasty in China greatly impacted the types of Buddhist sites constructed during this time period.

Buddhism also took on new characteristics from the local ethnic groups in the Erhai region, particularly the Bai ethnic minority. The grottoes of Shibaoshan are one of these early Buddhist sites in Yunnan that reflect the integration of traditional Indian and Tibetan …

The Constructs Of Coexistence: Visualizing Contemporary Saint-Louisien Identity Among The Architectures Of A Colonial Past, Isaac Lindy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Saint-Louis, Senegal occupies a unique place among other Senegalese cities because of its history as the former colonial capital and, therefore, its profound experience with cross-cultural interactions. This study demonstrates how an urban identity predicated on coexistence is cultivated. Through interviews with Saint-Louisien residents and urban technicians, a metropolitan image is herein illustrated. Included in that image are specific sites of appropriation and the dreams of a utopian future, highlighting the continued dynamism among the architectures of a colonial past.

Changing The Very Fabric Of Society: A Case Study Of The Fundación Entre Mujeres Holistic Empowerment Model, Briana Frenchmore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The women of rural northern Nicaragua live in a context that is shaped by the inequalities of gender and class that originate in machista culture and the dominant economic system. To confront this reality, the non-government organization, Fundación Entre Mujeres (FEM) works from the “Gender and Development” (GAD) approach using a model of holistic women’s empowerment. To create social change, FEM’s programs focus on ideological, economic, and organizational empowerment. This investigation seeks to understand how FEM carries out its holistic empowerment model within communities, while reflecting on the strengths of their methodology and the challenges they face in creating social …

Refractions: Poems Through The Prism Of Proscription, Kayla Ahmed

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The chief aim of this study is to establish a working knowledge of contemporary Tibetan poetry and attain a sense of its development both chronologically and through displacement via diaspora. This is achieved by a brief analytical comparison between traditional and modern forms of Tibetan poetry on the basis of structure, language, content, themes, functions and uses. The frustration between the desire for cultural preservation and the desire for innovation within the Tibetan exile community is also explored. Ultimately this coalesces in a collection of original poetry that reflects the elements of contemporary Tibetan poetry and the pain of life …

Nationalism And Painting In Colonial Bengal, Jasmin Cohen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

What began as a general inquiry into the nature of nationalism in the paintings of “the Bengal School” turned into a project focused on tracing the pulse of nationalism between two distinct yet related groups in Bengal roughly between the years 1895 and 1920. The bulk of this paper deals with existing scholarship on the painter Abanindranath Tagore, whose name is most often mentioned in the discourse regarding nationalism and painting in Bengal; in addressing this scholarship, I deliver a critical analysis on the relationship between Abanindranath, his paintings, and the idea of nationalism. I then follow that discussion with …

The Israeli Defense Forces In The 21st Century: Humanitarian Complier Or Human Rights Violators? An Assessment Of Ihl Compliance In The Second Lebanon War And Operation Cast Lead, Skyler Scoggan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My reasons behind writing this paper are very personal and its conclusion will have a direct impact on my future. I am Jewish by blood and have always have had a strong connection with the tradition even though I do not consider myself religious. I have respected more so the traditions and culture that have come from the faith of my mother. The fact that my grandfather, great grandfather, and the dozen more before him, carried on these same rituals that I carry out on Shabbat or on the high holidays, is beyond the realm of being special. Many cannot …

Water Security And Management In Burkina Faso: How Socio-Political And Cultural Complexities Affect Development, Megan M. Godfrey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Burkina Faso is currently ranked as the 175^th poorest country out of 177. In addition to over 50% of the population living in poverty, Burkina Faso is challenged with droughts and lack of adequate water system infrastructure. The agricultural nation is dependent on water to grow and harvest crops, as almost 80% of the farming done in the nation is for sustenance. This paper will address the role culture plays in water systems; how gender relations, and cultural practices influence water management and sanitation systems. In addition, this paper will examine how current systems in place are changing and …

Whose Gay Town Is Cape Town? An Examination Of Cape Town’S Gay Village And The Production Of A Queer White Patriarchy., Mollie Beebe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My ISP works to illuminate the diversity of LGBTQI experiences and lives in Cape Town. I do this through discussing the privilege necessary to "come out" in Cape Town and, subsequently, have access to The Pink Village, Cape Town's gay district. By Bringing in theory on "coming out" as a white experience and the queer movement as re-centering white normativity, I work to openly discuss how a history of exclusion has lived on in Cape Town's gay district and pushed the more marginalized gay communities out of the city center. Through academic research, participant observation in both the gay village …

Progression Of Aesthetic: A Study Of Beads And Adornment In Contemporary Krobo Society, Jordan Ashe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

1. Methodology: To gain insight into the role of bead heritage and adornment in Krobo, I spent 18 days in Krobo-Nyaso, learning how to make recycled glass beads called giga, and observing the use of beads in daily life and ceremonious occasions. I observed one wedding ceremony and parts of a Dipo ceremony, though I was unable to attend a naming ceremony or funeral. To gain insight into contemporary bead culture, I interviewed Krobos of all ages, occupations, and social ranks, including one bead vendor, two bead makers, two chiefs, one priest, and four Krobo women. I also sought …

Goals, Challenges, And Successes Of A Girls Development Organization In Kenya : A Case Study Of Moving The Goal Post (Kilifi, Kenya), Madeline Boston

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Girls and Women in Kilifi District, Kenya are some of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged people. Low retention rates in school, early and unintended pregnancies, and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS trap them in a cycle of intense poverty. Moving the Goalpost (MTG) in Kilifi uses football to empower girls and young women, helping them to fulfill their potential by engaging them in sport and educational development projects. This report analyzes the goals, challenges, and successes of MTG through understanding its organization capacity, and offers recommendations for improvement.

Indicadores De Maduracion Sexual Y Su Relacion Con Indices De Masa Corporal (Imc) Y Habitos De Alimentacion En Escolares Femeninas De Arica, Chile, Melissa Colden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The basis of this investigation came from recent evidence that the age of puberty, specifically with respect to young girls, has fallen notably in the past decade. This trend exists in Chile, as well as other countries such as the United States, and has presented itself alongside a portentous epidemic of obesity and malnutrition. Knowing the risks of both disorders, and how their affects have already been manifested in the adolescent population in Chile and the city of Arica, this study sought to develop a relationship between body mass index (BMI) and pubertal development, including the appearance of secondary sexual …

Taking Action Against Gender-Based Violence: Bringing Men And Women Together In Wentworth Through The Prevention In Action Movement, Silpa Srinivasulu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project is an exploration with the KwaZulu Natal Network on Violence against Women and its activities and relationship with grassroots-level organizers regarding the Prevention in Action movement in Wentworth to unite men and women in a movement to end gender violence and protect health and safety. Gender-based violence is a particularly tragic health and justice issue in South Africa. While most interventions attempt to raise awareness and empower women to stand up against gender violence, recently organizations have understood the need to engage men in the dialogue, mobilize them to take action, and foster true changes in social norms …

The Vacb Model In Hòa An Village And Xeo Trâm Hamlet: Comparison And Analysis Through A Gendered Lens, Alyssa Bosold

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Burning fuel-wood, a method of traditional cooking practiced by half of all homes in Vietnam (Global Alliance for Clean Cook-stoves 2012) and the majority of homes in Hòa An Village and Xeo Trâm Hamlet, has significant negative consequences in terms of environmental and personal health. In Hòa An Village and Xeo Trâm Hamlet, as is true in much of Vietnam, gender roles dictate that women should be primarily responsible for household chores like cooking (World Bank 2001, Nguyen 2012, Nguyen 2012, Vo 2012). This means that women must often deal directly with the environmental dangers and safety hazards of woodstoves. …

The ‘Narod’ In Narodnjaci: Perceptions Of Turbo Folk In Contemporary Sarajevo, Uchechi Esonu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Turbo Folk is often associated with the ultranationalism and violence of the Wars of Yugoslav Succession in the nineties. Working from the perspective of people who enjoy this music and/or frequent establishments where Turbo Folk is played in contemporary Sarajevo, I investigate the narratives employed by both listeners and detractors of Turbo Folk. What attributes or values are projected on the genre, in present day Sarajevo? Have these values changed from how the genre was perceived during the war in the 1990s? Is Turbo Folk political or politicized? Based on ethnographic field research conducted over the course of one month …

The Social And Economic Impact Of Mpesa On The Lives Of Women In The Fishing Industry On Lake Victoria, Danielle White

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study will examine the social and economic impact of the mobile banking system, MPESA, in the lives of women in the fishing industry on Lake Victoria in Kenya. The study aims to discover what MPESA is being used for and how its use is affecting the lives of its female users. It will not only study the immediate impact on women, but also the impact on the interactions with their families and communities, as well as the fishing industry. The study aims to determine whether or not MPESA is beneficial to these women and if it is, how the …

The Life Of A Child: Learning, Imitating, And Interacting Among Children In The Northern And Ashanti Regions, Annie Alexander

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During the time of independent study, I split my time between the Northern and Ashanti Regions. I lived in a village by the name of Gumo outside of Tamale and in the Ashanti Region; I stayed in Benim located near Ashanti Mampong. While my home was in each respective village, I traveled to surrounding areas to expand the scope of my research and provide conclusive evidence. I spent my time among the children observing, learning, and recording their interactions. Living in the village gave me the chance to experience the daily lives and actions of the children. Using participant and …