Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

American Ways: A Course In Contemporary U.S. Culture For International Students, Christopher D. Fitch

Capstone Collection

International student populations are increasing in large proportions at universities across the United States. The onset of culture shock and difficulty communicating and relating with their new peers compounds an already difficult situation. Universities and colleges need a method to accommodate these students and help facilitate their transitions into a completely new academic and social environment.

“American Ways: A course on Contemporary American Culture for International Students” is a semester-long university level course designed to give knowledge and understanding of “American” culture to international students attending U.S. higher education institutions. It will cover topics surrounding U.S. culture that …

Homelessness In Brattleboro: An Examination If A Poor Community In Brattleboro, Vt, What Services Are Available, And How The Community Could Benefit From Sustainable Development Practices., Emily Clever

Capstone Collection

Decades ago the Federal Government created a system of systems to assist in eradicating extreme poverty, however in 2011 the poverty rate was at its highest rate in almost two decades leaving millions of families and individuals searching for assistance. Given today’s statistics it should not come as a shock that more and more families and individuals have accessed the system and government spending has significantly increased. The deterioration of the safety net has left many lost, looking for answers and for change to happen.

This research study focused on a small community in Brattleboro, Vermont and asked: What are …

Women Empowerment And Community Development Through Ecotourism, Katherine S. Barry

Capstone Collection

Eco-tourism is generically and broadly considered to be a trendy topic for the privileged traveler to obtain an “authentic cultural experience”. This paper aims to disprove common misperceptions and present failures the system has created. Eco-tourism is an over-exploited and under-utilized tool in the field of sustainable development. Many resorts and “cultural” tours dominant, while local people suffer economically, social and environmentally. However, in the far-reaches of the Kakamega rainforest, there is group that is filling the environmental, social and economic gap in the field of sustainable tourism. They are the Isecheno Women’s Conservation Group, empowering and educating women to …

How Is The Most Segregated City In The Country Addressing Disproportionate Minority Contact With A Juvenile Burglary Restorative Justice Program And What Implications Exist For Community Based Restorative Circles? : Conflict Analysis And Recommendations, Lauren Thrift

Capstone Collection

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is considered the most segregated city in the country and has the most disproportionate rate of minorities in Wisconsin’s juvenile justice system. The State of Wisconsin recognizes disproportionate minority contact (DMC) is a product of both differential offending by minorities and the racist differential processing by the juvenile justice system. Milwaukee’s residents are locked in a conflict about the role of racism in the high rates of minority crime and whether to address DMC with more stringent punishment or increasing alternatives to incarceration. The entrenched segregation between African American and Caucasian neighborhoods and social groups reinforces polarization, increasing …

Decommissioning Orleans Parish Prison: A Campaign To Build A Safer New Orleans / One Local Policy Step To Dismantle The Prison Industrial Complex, Tara M. Echo

Capstone Collection

Today, nearly two and a half million people in the U.S. are living in cages, with New Orleans holding the highest per capita rate of incarceration. While we have consistently seen that building cages does not bring us any closer to actualizing safety, the sheriff and other city officials of New Orleans justify a financially profitable plan to create more cages-to warehouse more of the city's people-in the name of safety.

Using an abolitionist framework, this paper examines safety by differentiating between contributing factors of being secure and factors which create harm in our communities. By tracing these factors to …

Los Comedores Sociales De España: Cómo Funciona Los Comedores Sociales En España, Y Cómo Han Cambiado Por La Crisis, Chandra Kirkland

Spain: Language, Community, and Social Change

The aim of this paper is to present the issue of hunger in Spain and outline the personal struggles of the people who come to soup kitchens to feed themselves. Due to the crisis, the necessity for free meals for the public has risen significantly. As unemployment and the eviction rate continue to rise, more and more people find themselves in need of extra support from organizations like the “Comedor” of San Raphael. The soup kitchen feeds between 150-250 people each 2-hr shift, ever Monday and Wednesday. In general, a minimum of 15 volunteers is required to ensure that everything …

Los Beneficios De La Educación Cultural Para La Rehabilitación, Samantha Thoma

Spain: Language, Community, and Social Change

In Fall of 2012, during my participation in the Spain: Language, Community and Social Change program, I volunteered at El Centro de Inserción Social “Matilde Canto Fernandez”, a center for inmates in the advanced stages of their reintegration. It is located in the center of urban Granada in order to make the reintegration into the social life of Granada easier. The center plays a residential role and offers intervention and treatment of activities, and social work.

The initial idea for my service was to conduct a “Cine-fórum” in which I would show a movie and lead a discussion where …

“Yo Apoyo Al Tipnis ¡Y Qué!”: El Surgimiento De Apoyo Urbano Para La Viii Marcha Indígena En Defensa Del Tipnis, Jeanne Stuart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Después de la autorización por el Presidente Evo Morales de la construcción de una carretera que atravesaría el Territorio Indígena y Parque Nacional Isiboro-Sécure (TIPNIS), la VIII Marcha Indígena en Defensa del Territorio Indígena y Parque Nacional Isiboro-Sécure (TIPNIS) por la Vida, Dignidad, y los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas caminó 600 kilómetros por sesenta y seis días en oposición a la construcción de la carretera y a la falta de una consulta previa con las comunidades que viven allí. La Octava Marcha inspiró un apoyo urbano y una movilización social sin precedentes, a través de una amplia variedad de …

La Opinión Pública De La Leche Del Programa Nacional De Alimentación Complementaria En Chile, Jennifer Rosenthal

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: What is the public opinion of the free milk distributed by the Chilean Supplementary Feeding Program?

Objectives: The general objective is to reveal the public opinion of the milk distribution program in order to propose improvements. The specific objectives are to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the program, to become familiar with the perceptions of the milk according to various socioeconomic groups, and to investigate the level of awareness in order to propose strategies for development and education if necessary. Ultimately, this investigation identifies improvements to the program to satisfy the various needs of health …

Identificación Y Análisis De Las Determinantes Sociales Que Mayormente Influyen El Uso Inseguro De Los Plaguicidas En El Valle De Azapa En La Región De Arica Y Parinacota, Emma Garrison

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In recent history, agricultural expansion to satisfy ever growing populations has introduced new chemical agents that pose a great threat to human, animal, and environmental health. With growing prevalence every decade, agricultural pesticides are the cause for thousands of acute and chronic illnesses across the world. In Chile, more specifically in the region of Arica and Parinacota in the Azapa Valley, the recent, more thorough, documentation of pesticide intoxications has lead the issue to be recognized as a prominent public health concern of the agricultural region. This study focuses on the identification and analysis of the most prominent social factors …

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 …

Alliances Et Cultures Nord, Emily Taft

France: Language, Community and Social Change

Alliances et Cultures est un centre social à Toulouse qui « apporte, par des actions collectives, une réponse à des problèmes d'intégration sociale. » L’association, qui a été officiellement créée en 1987, réalise cette mission par trois axes principaux: l’insertion social et les liens sociales, l’accompagnement à la parentalité, et l’accompagnement aux personnes âgées. L’Alliances et Cultures a trois endroits différents : Sept-Deniers, Mirail, et Nord. Pour ma présentation, je vais parler de l’association en générale, ses missions, ses activités, etc. Je pense qu’il est important de montrer tous les fonctionnes de l’association pour mieux voir comment elles travaillent ensemble …

“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 …

Filling The Gap: An Examination Of Hiv/Aids Treatment And Prevention At Uganda Cares Masaka, Andrew Robert Mcasey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A six week internship was conducted at Uganda Cares Masaka, a HIV/AIDS treatment organization, to learn about the development issues surrounding the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The internship was aimed at gaining practical experience at an HIV/AIDS clinic to learn about the challenges faced and the strategies used by Uganda Cares as wells as the effectiveness of their strategies. Uganda Cares represents a collaborative relationship between the private, international HIV treatment and advocacy group, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), and the public Ministry of Health (MOH) in Uganda. A final objective of the internship was to gain an inside perspective on this …

Comunicación Entre Personal Médico Y Pacientes Indígenas Un Estudio De La Medicina Intercultural En Huancarani, Cusco, Peru, Jordan Cahn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación describe la relación entre personal médico y el paciente en un contexto intercultural. La ubicación del estudio es un centro de salud en la comunidad rural de Huancarani, Cusco, Perú. El personal médico viene de un perspectivo occidental y mayormente hablan castellano mientras que los pacientes son de orígenes indígenas y hablan quechua. El objetivo de la investigación es para observar la interacción intercultural entre el personal médico y los pacientes para determinar si las barreras culturales y preferencias para biomedicina o medicina tradicional infringen la calidad de servicios médicos. El personal médico prefiere la biomedicina y ve …

La Cosmovisión Andina En La Comunidad De Amaru: Una Investigación Sobre La Condición De La Filosofía Andina A Partir De La Presencia De Sectas Religiosas Y El Turismo., Renzo F. Moyano Condía

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El siglo XXI puede ser definido por dos grandes procesos; la globalización acelerada y la pérdida de la diversidad biológica y cultural. Usando métodos antropológicos para describir transformaciones dentro la cosmovisión (filosofía o religión) de una comunidad, me enfoco en los grandes cambios dentro de la manera de vivir en la comunidad indígena de Amaru en el distrito de P’isaq, que de una manera u otra ha forzado transformaciones en los valores centrales de su cosmovisión. El propósito es de dos partes. Uno es describir los valores de la cosmovisión andina y los de la cosmovisión judeo-cristiana para poder claramente …

A Necessary Effort: The Construction Of A Binational Immigration Policy For Nicaraguan Immigrants In Costa Rica, Irma Castañeda

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although the experiences of Nicaraguan immigrants to Costa Rica have been well-studied, the investigation of this topic through the lens of the construction of public policies is missing. Through the testimonies of Nicaraguans that emigrated or still live and work in Costa Rica, I learned that immigrants, especially those that are undocumented, are vulnerable to the violation of their rights, for example, through the lack of access to public services or mistreatment by their bosses. Because of these violations, it is necessary to examine the topic of the immigration policies of both countries because they influence the treatment and integration …

La Enseñanza Informal Y Los Impactos Por La Influencia De La Educación Formal En La Comunidad De Santa Rosa De Huacaria, Veronica Puente

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación analiza la educación informal o la educación que los padres proporcionan a sus hijos sobre los valores culturales presente en la comunidad de Santa Rosa de Huacaria y explora como han sido afectados por la educación formal. Esta investigación surgió de las comunicadas brechas dentro de la literatura existente sobre la educación en pueblos indígena. La cual viene de la reforma la Educación Intercultural Bilingüe la cual tiene como objetivo incorporar el lenguaje y la cultura en la educación de comunidades indígenas. Sin embargo, no se ha podido realizar este objetivo. La metodología usada para este proyecto incluye …

Jugando Con Bola Ensalivada: Una Historia Política Del Béisbol Nicaragüense Desde Somoza Hasta Ortega, Braeden (Diego) Mayer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Nicaragua, baseball is known as the king sport and the Nicaraguan people have a passion for the sport like none other. Entering the two sides of present-day Nicaragua at almost the same time, baseball rapidly secured its spot as the national sport of Nicaragua during the occupation of the U.S. Marines in the early part of the 20^th century. Baseball became politicized with the rise to power of Anastasio Somoza García, and from then on, it would be an integral part in winning the affections of the Nicaraguan people. Founding two teams, plotting assassinations at games, and using …

Les Oubliés De L’Histoire: Perceptions Of Harkis And Community Awareness, Lauren Gilbert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Harki” is derived from the Arabic word “Harka,” meaning movement. This term is used to denote not only the original approximately 200,000 Algerian Arab and Berber Muslims, who militarily supported the French Army during the Algerian war for independence between 1954 and 1962, but also their families and descendants.[1] Especially during the war with Algeria and immediately following, they were often referred to as francais-musulmans, francais-musulmans repatries, or repatries d’origine nord africaine, thus avoiding the topic of conflict with the colony. This support took a range of forms, not always military; for example, the “Groupes d’auto defense (GAD) was …

Death Squads And Diplomacy: An Investigation Of British Attitudes Towards Sectarian Assassinations In The 1970’S, Hannah Nelson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I conducted my research for this paper during a three-­‐week internship at the Pat Finucane Center in Derry. I gathered evidence from a series of declassified British government documents provided to me by the center. I focus my study on the British government’s attitude towards sectarian assassinations, particularly committed by loyalist paramilitaries, in the first part of the 1970’s. I examine the issues of responding to international pressure, framing the problem, evaluating security force effectiveness, and screening strategies. I find that in the public sphere, the British government hid information to downplay the severity of loyalist-­‐led murder campaigns and instigated …

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.

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 …

Investing With An Impact: Moving Business Beyond Profits, Graham Pansing Brooks

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Impact Investing” is an emerging concept that focuses on developing a common ground between capital investment and philanthropy. This relatively new theory of social entrepreneurialism focuses on creating positive social impacts while also maintaining an economic commitment to investor returns. This innovative concept has been notably championed by Credit Suisse as well as other financially based institutions and NGO’s. The purpose of this paper is to explore and address the defining factors within the developing and growing field of Impact Investment. The increased effort by business towards moving beyond standard methods of Corporate Responsibility has resulted in the catalyzed formation …

Changing Paradigms: Community Policing In Calabar, Isael Gonzalez Goodman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On April 27, 2011 the first community base of Salavador was installed in the neighborhood of Calabar representing a new model of policing focusing more on prevention rather than repression. Before the arrival of the base, Calabar was a community where many feared to enter. Constant shootings between rival gangs and sporadic police invasions made it a dangerous places to live in. Since the implantation of the base a new era for the community has begun and people can now walk up and down the streets of their neighborhood freely without fear of being struck by stray bullets. Additionally, the …

Drug Sentencing Policy Discourse Of Fortaleza, Nick Sundback

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Drug sentencing is a pressing issue in Brazil. With the context of high and increasing rates of crime and drug use, overcrowded prisons, and high rates of recidivism both in terms of prison and drug addiction, attitudes of individuals towards drug sentencing policy are worthy of observation and examination.

The objective of this monograph is to examine discourse by informants, five individuals who interact with sections of society most affected by drug sentencing, namely drug users. This monograph will consider pluralistic observations on, and evaluations of, drug sentencing practices, implementation of drug sentencing, an overview of the broader debate over …

Is It Really Just All About Sex And Money? A Case Study Of Teenage Motherhood In The Village Of Kwaximba In The Valley Of A 1,000 Hills, Margaret Nelson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The aim of this learnership at the Valley Trust was to gain insight into why teenage girls in the Valley of the 1,000 Hills fall pregnant and what is the cost of early motherhood on the future of young women. Previous research of the province KwaZulu-Natal has revealed that teenage pregnancies are a large problem in school districts and restricting the future academic pursuits of teenage mothers. The learner worked alongside the Valley Trust in coordination with their outreach programs in the local villages of the Valley of a 1,000 Hills to learn fundamental and underlying reasons behind teenage pregnancy …

Africans In A Country “Without Blacks”: Challenges And Accomplishments Of The Integration Of Recent African Immigrants In Argentina - Africanos En Un País Donde “No Hay Negros”: Los Logros Y Desafíos De La Integración De Los Recientes Inmigrantes Africanos En La Argentina, Stephan Grabner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For nearly two centuries, Argentina has constructed a national identity which manages to remain culturally and ethnically homogeneous by ignoring the vibrant community of Afro-Argentineans and their rich contributions to society. However, recent waves of African immigrants and the growing self-awareness of the Afro-Argentinean community are raising questions about what it means to be Argentinean in the context of increasing global mobility. The new focus on human rights visible in Argentine politics over the past decade has brought about changes which seem to indicate a transition towards a more multicultural society. Despite widespread ignorance and racism which permeate all levels …

La Educacion Chilena: ¿Derecho Humano O Bien De Consumo?, Simone Nicole Henry

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El tema de este proyecto es el sistema educativo chileno, en términos de los Derechos Humanos y, particularmente, el derecho a la educación del niño. Se busca información sobre el sistema educativo chileno por su historia, su evolución, sus métodos actuales, sus fortaleces y sus debilidades para encontrar el origen de la desigualdad profunda que el sistema sufre y también perpetua. Para obtener esa información, se usaron fuentes primarias y secundarias además de entrevistas de varias personas que participan, directamente o indirectamente, en la educación chilena primaria. Aunque la educación superior en Chile es también un desafío actual, como un …

“Podemos Vivir Sin Oro, Pero No Sin Agua”: Un Estudio De La Minería, Sus Efectos Y El Movimiento De Resistencia En Azuay, Ecuador, Kyle Schneider

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Si bien los gobiernos neoliberales que se sucedieron en la década de los noventa definieron un marco legal e institucional ‘atractivo’ y permisivo para la inversión extranjera en el sector minero ecuatoriano, el gobierno de Rafael Correa es el primero que apuesta por la gran minería como una actividad estratégica para el modelo económico de Ecuador.”[1] Esta cita explica la política del actual gobierno con respecto a la minería, y como las industrias extractivas se han convertido en parte principales del ambicioso plan del gobierno para recaudar fondos para sus obras públicas y la inversión social. El hecho de …