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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Individual Strength-Based Assessment For Adult Empowerment Ngos, Ashley T. Turner Jan 2015

Individual Strength-Based Assessment For Adult Empowerment Ngos, Ashley T. Turner

MA IDS Thesis Projects

The purpose of this culminating comprehensive project is to advise adult empowerment focused NGOs on the importance of identifying and leveraging the strengths of the individuals they serve. Given the evidence that all individuals innately have strengths, it is important to be aware of them in order to properly engage such assets. Character strengths are studied in this paper as one of the main pillars in the field of positive psychology. This culminating comprehensive project reviews the literature on positive psychology to best understand how empowerment can be achieved. Accompanying this research is a sample resource guide that was designed …


Disaster Preparedness Plan For The Study Abroad Student: How To Engage Students In Hazard Preparedness, Kimberly Ligon Jan 2015

Disaster Preparedness Plan For The Study Abroad Student: How To Engage Students In Hazard Preparedness, Kimberly Ligon

MA IDS Thesis Projects

In today’s world, hazard preparedness is vital for creating disaster resilient communities across the globe. This is needed now more than ever, due to the increasing number of disasters occurring worldwide (Chafe, 2007; Nakagawa & Shaw, 2004). This culminating project researches individual and community disaster preparedness, especially preparedness in the higher education community, and specifically study abroad individuals. There is a void in the current literature on disaster preparedness for study abroad students; a community of students that is growing and could encounter more hazards than on-campus students. Through case studies of disaster resistant universities and a proposed intervention, this …


Culturally Relevant Career Development Programs For Native American Youth, Annie N. Crippen Jan 2015

Culturally Relevant Career Development Programs For Native American Youth, Annie N. Crippen

MA IDS Thesis Projects

Native American society today is plagued by a host of social and economic disparities, largely the result of historical trauma experienced by generations of the Native American population stemming from the European colonization of the Americas. This paper seeks to identify some of the key elements needed to create culturally relevant solutions to career development challenges facing Native youth by understanding the historical legacy of Native American people in the U.S. and how this history has shaped contemporary Native American society. After identifying historical lessons and contemporary challenges, potential culturally relevant solutions to the systemic cycle of poverty, unemployment, and …


Encouraging Latino Students Through Relational Teaching: A Case Study In Lawrence, Massachusetts, Ohilda Difo Jan 2015

Encouraging Latino Students Through Relational Teaching: A Case Study In Lawrence, Massachusetts, Ohilda Difo

MA IDS Thesis Projects

Within the next 10 years, the majority-minority ratio in the United States will shift, and people of color will outnumber white Americans. In 2014, for the first time in history, a majority of students in K-12 were children of color. Although the student demographic of public schools has changed, the demographic of teachers and the style of teaching remain archaic and catered to white students. This qualitative study focuses on the lowest educated population in the U.S. – Latino youth. The project is a case study on a highly concentrated Latino community in the city of Lawrence, Massachusetts, where 71% …


Children And Disaster Education: An Analysis Of Disaster Risk Reduction Within The School Curricula Of Oregon, Texas, And The Philippines, Ashley Merchant Jan 2015

Children And Disaster Education: An Analysis Of Disaster Risk Reduction Within The School Curricula Of Oregon, Texas, And The Philippines, Ashley Merchant

MA IDS Thesis Projects

For the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in the intensity and frequency of disasters. This has created a growing interest in the issue of disaster risk reduction among the global population. Past research has shown that proper planning and the use of protective measures can reduce the effects of a disastrous event. Preparedness is not only the responsibility of a nation’s government or relief agencies, but also of every member of the community, including the vulnerable population of children. The United Nations has called for disaster risk reduction education to be implemented in schools around the …


Applying Intercultural/International Education Towards Creating Sustainable Peace In Sub-Saharan Africa, Bella Cheptoo Kimutai Jan 2015

Applying Intercultural/International Education Towards Creating Sustainable Peace In Sub-Saharan Africa, Bella Cheptoo Kimutai

MA IDS Thesis Projects

The aim of this thesis is to assess the benefits and progress that intercultural education would create towards peace building and reconciliation if applied in school curriculums in sub-Saharan Africa. With the support of published literature and in-depth research in three countries, this research will argue for interculturalism, through international and intercultural education, as a strategy for peaceful coexistence both in stable and unstable situations. The country case studies in this partic-ular culminating project will be Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Particular emphasis and stress will be placed on the importance of intercultural education in schools and how it will help …


Models Of Faith: The Role Of Faith-Based Organizations In International Development, Mara Hochberg-Miller Jan 2015

Models Of Faith: The Role Of Faith-Based Organizations In International Development, Mara Hochberg-Miller

MA IDS Thesis Projects

Faith-based organizations make up a large percentage of organizations doing development work both domestically and internationally. Faith-based development organizations (FBDOs) can be successful because they have spiritual drive to work for the social good, and large religious organizations to support them. However, not all FBDOs practice good development, and in the past many of them have undertaken development projects that proved to be damaging and detrimental to the host communities. The purpose of this research is to explore how different FBDOs conceptualize and operationalize their faith while doing development work abroad. Through exploring different models of faith-based development and analyzing …


Traffickacts.Org: Turning Advocacy To Action To Combat Human Trafficking Through The Public, Sarah Gardner Jan 2015

Traffickacts.Org: Turning Advocacy To Action To Combat Human Trafficking Through The Public, Sarah Gardner

MA IDS Thesis Projects

This paper discusses in depth one of the most controversial topics today in the field of development and social justice: human trafficking. Examining it from an activist perspective, this paper defines human trafficking, reviews the history of slavery as it relates to human trafficking, and examines current and emerging trends in combating this human rights violation. Various best practices are explored in the realm of anti-trafficking campaigns and programs. A primary focus of this paper is providing a model for combating trafficking through the engagement of the general public. Therefore social media advocacy is also defined and analyzed in the …


Sex, Gender, And Culture: The Emergence Of Structural Violence While Seeking A Sexual Health Transformation In Uganda, Leah Pauline Jan 2015

Sex, Gender, And Culture: The Emergence Of Structural Violence While Seeking A Sexual Health Transformation In Uganda, Leah Pauline

MA IDS Thesis Projects

With the 2nd highest fertility rate in the world and the 5th highest population growth rate, Uganda’s ever increasing number of inhabitants is becoming a hindrance to the nation’s ability to develop socially and economically. Despite the push for increased family planning services and sexual health services by the international community and national government, translating words into effective action has been met with cultural beliefs and behaviors blocking the road to changing sex practices within Uganda. Through conversations with the employees of Musana Community Development Organization in Iganga, Uganda, this research explores the complexity of the barriers standing in the …


The Power Of Soccer: A Promising Tool For Youth Empowerment A Case Of Soccer-Based Health Program At El Nacional Public School In Ecuador, Haruna Higa Jan 2015

The Power Of Soccer: A Promising Tool For Youth Empowerment A Case Of Soccer-Based Health Program At El Nacional Public School In Ecuador, Haruna Higa

MA IDS Thesis Projects

The purpose of this culminating project was to identify the power of soccer in the context of international development and apply it to soccer-based youth empowerment programs, specifically an after-school program at El Nacional public school in Ecuador. Soccer is becoming one of the best approaches to connect various peoples who do not share the same language or cultural traditions because of its universal popularity, as evidenced by the more than one billion people who watched coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2014 Final Match (numbers to be consolidated) (“The 2014 FIFA World Cup,” n.d.). Given the evidence that soccer …