Communication Commons^™

‘Unbelievable’: Perspectives On The Digital World In Manang, Alex Halaby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Manang lies one hundred miles northwest of Kathmandu in a valley called Nyeshang. Until a major road was constructed in 2014, the challenge of importing goods in and out of the town slowed the development of digital infrastructures supporting internet use. Consequently, the widespread use of the internet and digital communication is a relatively new phenomenon. Already, its effects are visible in classrooms, health clinics, hotels, and social structures. This paper investigates how Manangis learn about themselves, each other, and the world outside the valley in this new digital space. Emphasis is not placed on quantifications, but rather on the …

El Vínculo Entre El Arte, La Política Y El Espacio Público: Una Investigación De Colectivo El Muro Cusco Y Su Resistencia Contra Poder Estatal Y La Censura Del Espacio, Stella Gould

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El Colectivo El Muro Cusco es un colectivo libertario y autogestionado dedicado al apoyo a las luchas sociales y al intercambio de información alternativa. Activo durante los últimos 20 años, El Muro,1 como se le conoce coloquialmente, ha sido un proveedor de la verdad en Cusco, utilizando el arte y la protesta para expresar descontento con las injusticias perpetuadas por el gobierno peruano. Utilizando el muro del Paraninfo Universitario de la UNSAAC ubicado en la Plaza de Armas de Cusco como su centro focal, el Colectivo utiliza el espacio como galería de arte y lugar de exposición, pero también como …

Environmental Loss, Displacement, And Anxiety In Portugal: Analyzing News Articles To Differentiate Manifestations Of Environmental Distress, Robin Greene

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Expressions of environmental distress can take different forms, with different symptoms, causes, and treatments. Existing literature generally identifies three primary categories of environmental distress responses: environmental grief, solastalgia, and eco-anxiety. This paper explores these distinctions and identifies words typically associated with each category in Portuguese news articles using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). LDA is a Natural Language Processing (NLP) technique that groups words into topics and identifies connections between those words based on how often those words appear together in sequences. This paper uses a modified LDA algorithm called GuidedLDA to identify additional keywords within topics defined by a list …

The Role Of Moroccan Street Art In Decolonial Discourse And Binary Deconstruction, Taylor Rokala

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As a country historically subjected to French colonialism and currently the site of a burgeoning street art scene, Morocco is a locus for street art that contributes to the decolonial project and deconstruction of remaining colonial structures left by the French. Drawing from Edward Said’s concept of orientalism, the idea of gaze, and bell hooks’s counter concept of oppositional gaze, this paper seeks to understand how Moroccan street artists use their art to challenge the binary opposition between tradition and modernity constructed during the French Protectorate. I will discuss the theme of temporality, because of street art’s ephemeral nature and …

(Alte)Rnative Realities In Ghana; An Africanfuturist Travelogue Into The World Buildings Of Contemporary Ghanaian Female Alte Musicians, Agasarokeza Natasha Naomi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this research paper, I will use Africanfuturism as a lens through which I explore Ghanaian female alte musicians’ contributions to the growing Africanfuturistic imaginaries. Overall, this research aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on Ghanaian female Alte musicians and highlight their significance in shaping alternative realities. I will employ a qualitative research methodology, including interviews with two Ghanaian female alte musicians, and content analysis of their music videos, lyrics, and musical productions. By delving into their personal experiences and artistic expressions, the paper seeks to uncover how these artists challenge traditional gender roles, explore cultural identities, …

La Práctica De Interculturalidad Crítica: Un Caso De Estudio De La Ong Corporación La Matriz Y La Comunidad Migrante Haitiana En Barrio Puerto, Valparaíso, Annessa Ihde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Dadas las tensiones en torno al tema de la migración, donde se considera a los recién llegados como una amenaza para la sociedad, es vital comprender cómo las comunidades receptoras pueden promover y han promovido la inclusión de los migrantes. Un actor a menudo pasado por alto en la recepción e integración de los migrantes son las organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG), que, especialmente en ausencia de una respuesta integral por parte del Estado, han asumido papeles cruciales de apoyo para los migrantes. Este estudio explorará las acciones y relaciones de la Corporación La Matriz, una ONG ubicada en el distrito …

Aït Khbach Nomads And A Thousand Plateaus: An Investigation Into The Challenges Of Nomadism Using Concepts From Deleuze And Guattari, Ryder Hobbs

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Aït Khbach nomads of Drâa-Tafilalet Region in Morocco face several challenges to their lifestyle. Namely, their obstacles relate directly to desertification and the state. Through interviews with the Aït Khbach, this paper seeks to present their narratives. Additionally, this paper grapples with the metaphysics of nomadism and the groundwork of its praxis. In their work, A Thousand Plateaus, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari construct concepts, such as smooth space, the state apparatus, and nomadism, which can be utilized pragmatically to complement and explore the narratives of Aït Khbach nomads.

Power And Impact: Examining The Role Of Monarchy And Media In Shaping Attitudes Around Race And Human Rights For Sub-Saharan Migrant Populations In Morocco, Leila Narisetti

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this investigation is to delve into the intricate dynamics surrounding migration in Morocco, specially focusing on the Maghreb region’s treatment of sub-Saharan migrants and the complex interplay between institutions of power, media narratives and societal attitudes towards race and identity. Drawing on Morocco’s historical relationship with slavery and its present handling of Africanness, the analysis unveils a culture of denial that deeply impacts the integration of migrants and the perpetuating of discriminatory practices. The narrative shifts towards the role of rhetoric and media, emphasizing its pivotal importance in shaping societal perspectives, particularly regarding non-Moroccans. The examination extends …

An Analysis Of Communication-Related Information And Services Offered To Parents Of Deaf Children In Puerto Rico, Brenda Belcher

Capstone Collection

The period from birth to five years is a critical stage for human language acquisition, and inadequate access to language during this period can cause far-reaching negative effects. Young deaf and hard-of-hearing children face barriers to acquiring language through speaking and listening techniques, and their parents must make consequential decisions about what communicative strategies to pursue for their child. In Puerto Rico, information and support around communication approaches flow to parents from a variety of sources, including the Island’s local Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) system, three dedicated schools for the deaf, and a variety of community-based organizations. This …

El Empoderamiento De Personas Embarazadas Y Posparto En Arica, Chile: Perspectivas Indígenas Y Biomédicas, Abby Perce

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El parto, sin importar las tradiciones o los procedimientos utilizados, es un proceso transformador tanto para quien da a luz como para el bebé. Si bien los procesos de embarazo, parto y posparto son experiencias individualizadas, el apoyo de la comunidad y la atención médica cuidadosa pueden marcar una gran diferencia en los sentimientos de empoderamiento y satisfacción en la vida de los pacientes. Este estudio exploratorio cualitativo tiene como objetivo comprender los contextos culturales que influyen en el apoyo disponible para las personas embarazadas y puérperas en Arica, Chile, así como investigar las formas en que este apoyo conduce …

Views Of Judaism And Jewish People In Jordan: Political, Social, Historical, And Religious Considerations, Thalia Gustina

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this research was to find out what the general view of Judaism and Jewish people is within Jordan and what factors play into these views. There were a few aspects of this topic that were specifically focused on in this study. The impact of Israel on the way that Jewish people are perceived was one of the main topics explored. Part of this was looking at the history of Judaism and Jewish people in the Arab World and how the relationship between them and their non-Jewish neighbors changed after the creation of Israel. As a majority Muslim …

The Australian News Media And Climate Change: How Frames Impact The Response Of Individuals In An Anthropocentric Society, Laura Joelsson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

News media plays an instrumental role in shaping opinions and perceptions on climate change due to it being such a wide-reaching institution. The discourses of news media are able to use frames to determine the discursive context in which a concept or issue is discussed by promoting a central theme or message. This study aims to use critical discourse analysis to determine how climate change is framed in news media, and how these frames depict the forms and scope of possible climate action. The study also analyzes if these forms of action are predominantly anthropocentric in nature. Critical discourse analysis …

The Global Anxiety Crisis In Teenagers And A Proposed School-Based Preventative Intervention Plan Focusing On Building Resilience In Children, Lia Darling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have significantly influenced teenagers, creating a global anxiety crisis. This paper discusses why and how the pandemic and climate crisis increased anxiety in teenagers and the ways that prevent anxiety disorders like building resilience in children. While there is much literature on the negative effects on mental well-being, few propose solutions. This paper discusses the urgent need for preventative interventions to decrease the risk of developing an anxiety disorder along with proposing a framework for a school-based intervention focusing on building resilience skills in children. The paper used a mix method …

Bridging The Education Gap: Series Of Infographic Guides To Sustainable Living For Low-Income Communities, Brianna Mateo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Low-income communities in Australia face numerous negative impacts, such as health issues, social exclusion, educational disparities, and discrimination, which limit their opportunities to improve their quality of life (The Public Defenders,2022). As a result, students from these communities often have fewer resources and less funding, contributing to poor educational outcomes and underrepresentation in STEM fields, which includes environmental education (Australian Department of Education, 2022).

To address these challenges, I created an 8-page infographic series titled “Sustainable Living: On a Budget.” The series includes a cover page, an overview page, and four infographics covering : climate change, waste, preserving biodiversity, and …

People Power & Politics: Evaluating The Impact Of The Conselho De Cidadãos De Lisboa On Climate Policy And Political Efficacy In Lisbon, Marion Linde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the social and ecological effects of climate change intensify, governments across the globe must evaluate how best to deal with the climate crisis. Likewise, increasing citizen participation in decision-making processes has been a key strategy for dealing with such issues. Theories on the benefits of citizen participation inform real practices such as democratic mini-publics and citizens assemblies. In Lisbon, Portugal, the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa implemented the first edition of the Conselho de Cidadãos de Lisboa (CCL) in May 2022. The CCL is a citizens assembly designed to directly involve residents in city policy-making, with the first edition focusing …

El Impacto Del Diagnóstico De Cáncer De Mama En Los Vínculos En Mujeres De La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires (2023) / The Impact Of A Breast Cancer Diagnosis On The Relationships Of Women Living In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires (2023), Devin O’Loughlin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El siguiente trabajo de investigación busca describir las relaciones sociales de una persona con cáncer de mama. Para colectar datos, se entrevistó a cuatro mujeres argentinas CIS que han padecido cáncer de mama para investigar sus relaciones con sus amigos, sus parejas, y sus familias, y si estas relaciones han cambiado como resultado de su diagnóstico. Estas entrevistas estaban destinadas a informar cómo se distribuyen los roles de cuidado y acompañamiento durante el tratamiento por la enfermedad e indagar cómo pueden ayudar los amigos y la familia a la gente durante el tratamiento para el cáncer de mama. El trabajo …

A Photo Documentary: Exploring Queer Identities In Kwazulu-Natal, Nicholas Graves

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Media can be a powerful tool in examining the structures of power that both hinder and advance LGBTQIA+ representation and subsequently, lived experiences. Therefore, being able to understand the varying feelings that everyday South Africans feel towards queer people, will be measured through the media that people consume. For the vast majority of South Africans, this would look like movies, TV soap operas, and discussions that take place on the radio. Understanding the role media plays within the country is vital to understanding the overall progress that has been made.

The media’s ability to reflect lived experiences within gay and …

The Rinpoche Sent Me A Friend Request: The Roles And Perceptions Of Social Media In Buddhist Religious Life, Solveigh Barney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

When I first heard about His Eminence the 8th Chokyong Palga Rinpoche, I didn’t expect to find an Instagram page consisting of gym pics and sunglass selfies. As I kept scrolling through Instagram, I soon found out that Palga Rinpoche is not alone in this influencer-like social media façade; he is a part of a younger generation of Buddhist monastics who are trying to be what some call monkfluencers. These monastics are growing up in the digital world of social media, making it more accessible to share with the outside world the #monklife. My goal is to investigate the relationship …

Abandonados Por Los Estados Unidos: Migrantes Venezolanos Llenan Los Vacíos En La Comunicación De La Política Migratoria, Ingrid Piña

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El 12 de octubre de 2022, los Estados Unidos (los EE. UU.) cambió la política migratoria respecto a los inmigrantes venezolanos, sin previo aviso. “El nuevo proceso de control migratorio” extendió a los venezolanos la orden de salud pública debido al COVID-19, “Título 42,” que expulsa migrantes por cruzar la frontera y niega el derecho humano de solicitar asilo, y el programa humanitario“Uniting for Ukraine” por cuál han entrado refugiados de Ucrania desde abril de 2022. Efectivo inmediatamente, la nueva política puso en riesgo a los migrantes venezolanos ya en camino a los EE. UU. Entre los migrantes recientemente expulsados …

Defensa Y Oposición Al Aborto Legal: Una Exploración De Las Estrategias Y Las Agendas Dentro De Los Movimientos A Favor Y En Contra De Los Derechos Reproductivos En Buenos Aires, Argentina / Defense And Opposition Of Legal Abortion: An Exploration Of The Strategies And Agendas Within Pro- And Anti- Reproductive Rights Movements In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Hannah Levenstein

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La Ley para legalizar el aborto en la Argentina fue sancionada en diciembre de 2020. Esta expansión de los derechos reproductivos fue un resultado de años de lucha y debate entre dos activismos opuestos, un movimiento a favor y otro en contra de la legalización del aborto. Este proyecto es una investigación exploratoria de las estrategias usadas por los dos activismos, cómo han cambiado antes y después de la legalización del aborto, y cuáles son los próximos pasos cada uno de estos grupos. Analizando cinco entrevistas con militantes de los activismos pro-aborto y anti-aborto, complementado con una investigación bibliográfica en …

La Política Cultural Del Aborto: Las Percepciones Y El Manejo Del Aborto En Arica, Chile, Eva Strelitz-Block

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Chile has a long history of restricting access to legal abortion. Until 2017, when the government passed the law N° 21.030 decriminalizing abortion on three grounds, abortion was completely illegal. However, despite this movement towards decriminalization, legal abortion access is still very limited and highly restricted. In this criminalized, highly stigmatized environment, self-managed abortion has emerged as a way to transform the landscape of abortion. This qualitative, exploratory study seeks to explore perceptions of abortion and practices of abortion management both within and outside of the official healthcare system among women and people with the capacity to become pregnant and …

El Impacto De La Pandemia En La Formación De Los Hábitos De Alimentación En Niñes Pequeñes En La Villa 21-24 En Barracas, Buenos Aires / The Impact Of The Pandemic In The Creation Of Nutritional Habits In Young Children In Villa 21-24 In Barracas, Buenos Aires, Hannah Seewald

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Durante la Pandemia COVID-19 en Argentina, la inflación aumentó, y el desempleo aumentó especialmente entre los trabajadores informales, lo que dejó a muchos de ellos dependientes de los comedores comunitarios y de la ayuda nutricional para alimentar a sus familias. La violencia doméstica y la pobreza aumentaron aún más. Problemas estructurales como la falta de agua potable y los cortes de luz, situaciones que suelen enfrentar los habitantes de la Villa 21-24, Barracas, Buenos Aires, continuaron. Las escuelas se cerraron y la instrucción presencial se suspendió, en ese contexto los grupos comunitarios trabajaron para alcanzar los suministros adecuados de alimentos. …

Energy Literacy In Portugal: A System Map And Framework To Increase Energy Literacy Through The Renewable Energy Transition, Molly S. Fox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Western society lives with a great dependence and an almost simultaneous ignorance of energy consumption (van den Broek, 2019). The systemic landscape of energy knowledge and dissemination is more critical than ever as Portugal races to meet decarbonization goals. This paper fills a knowledge gap by updating the current social landscape of energy literacy in Portugal through a comprehensive system map and framework to increase energy literacy levels through the renewable energy transition. By conducting a semi-systematic literature review, meta-narratives and themes were identified and used to create theoretical concepts, a framework, and a system map. This research found that …

Murals & Mother Nature: Urban Environmental Art In Lisbon Reveals Great Concern And Appreciation For The Environment, Ana Gunther

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Urban art is a novel dimension of the environmental movement. Utilizing highly trafficked areas, urban art has the potential to spread environmental messages both because of the size of the audience and because of the contrast between nature-centered art and the urban context. The paper discusses 15 environmental urban artworks in Lisbon and conducts a visual and thematic analysis. The analysis revealed five themes present in Lisbon: the power and beauty of nature, connection with nature, environmental loss and degradation, waste management, and climate change. The most prevalent theme in Lisbon was the connection with nature, followed by a tie …

Factors Driving Changing Community Acceptance Of Gays And Lesbians In Cato Manor, Kwazulu-Natal, Isabella Van Der Weide

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Acceptance of LGBTQ people is an important and encouraging area of social progress. As attitudes change in South Africa and across the world, it is important to understand the drivers of change and how that change is experienced within communities. Using both semi-structured interviews (n=19) and collection of survey data (n=30), this study interrogated the factors that formed and changed views on gay and lesbian people among respondents from a community in Cato Manor, a peri-urban area near Durban, South Africa. About half of all participants reported an opinion change. Interview participants who experienced opinion change most commonly reported the …

How Ultra Firms In Former Soviet And Yugoslav States Became Political Actors, Alex Pelletier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

When you go to a football match one of the first things that you will undoubtedly notice are the ultras. Their loud coordinated chants and movement fill the stadium with energy that would not be there otherwise, and their tifo and flairs add an artist’s touch to the stands. There are ultras for just about every club, and every city in the world, with each group having their own unique identity. The local standing of football clubs, paired with the devoted and organized structure of ultras has seen them become political and military actors across the world. Ultras based in …

The Ethics Of Medical Voluntourism: The Conceptualization And Management Of ‘Doing Harm’ Within The Business, Katelyn Dohler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although medical voluntourism programs are rapidly growing in popularity, deep ethical controversies overly the industry. In particular, understanding how the field of medical voluntourism follows a business model sheds insight on the sources of tension and conflicts of interest that can arise within organizations and the sector as a whole. However, understanding the roles of individual motivations and societal pressures in the development of these ethical controversies is relatively unexplored.

Through an inductive thematic analysis of data gathered from literature review and expert interviews, this project investigates these driving factors behind the rapidly growing business, how these driving factors contribute …

Man V.S. Wild: An Analysis Of Language Used Regarding Human-Wildlife Conflict In The Kibale National Park Community, Western Region, Uganda, Sophie Perfetto

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

If humans are to live sustainably and in harmony with wildlife in the vicinity of Protected Areas, policy makers, and government authorities need to make informed decisions with consideration to the needs of local communities. For this to happen, policy makers must understand the perceptions of local communities and take local perspectives into account. As language is at the root of perception, language was studied in the context of its role in shaping local perceptions of human-wildlife conflict and consequential conflict mitigation strategies. Six communities around the Northern region of Kibale National Park, Uganda, were studied, with sites located in …

An Analysis Of The Role Of Gender In Political News Media Coverage, Clare Atkinson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although there has been a decrease in specific exclusionary rules in governments around the world, most nations are very far from a governing body which represents the diversity that exists within their borders. There are many issues which may dissuade previously marginalized populations from political participation. One of these problems when it comes to female participation, is differential political news coverage. This study looked at how media sources set the political agenda and frame news stories in terms of the gender of a politician, and how this can create an additional challenge for women in government. The investigation found that …

The Multi-Step Approach To Covid Prevention In The Casamance Region, Saraí Hernandez Salguero

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Located in the Oussouye Department approximately 43 kilometers away from the city of Ziguinchor in the Basse Casamance region of southern Senegal is the Oussouye commune where I had the pleasure of staying for three weeks. I had learned that the inhabitants of this village were not significantly impacted by the Covid-19 virus since it became global knowledge at the start of 2020. As of March 2020, the village had only reported 69 active cases and the department saw only 8 deaths in total. I sought to figure out what could be the cause of this and through a series …