Digital Commons Network^™

Supporting On Their Own Terms: Eu Institutions’ Discourses On Mindanao, Vincent Carlo A. Legara

European Studies Department Faculty Publications

This paper critically examines the nature and dynamics of European Union (EU) engagement in Mindanao. The southern Philippines is historically home to Muslims, with a special region that is the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), formerly known as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, where Muslims compose the majority of the population. Muslim Mindanao gained greater autonomy in 2019 after decades of violent conflict and the persistence of weak democratic institutions. Since the 1970s, Muslim secessionist movements have clashed against government troops for independence. These have contributed to poor human development indicators in Mindanao. The EU, previously the …

Digital Economy Innovation In The Indo-Pacific: Towards A 'Singapore Effect'?, J.G. Allen, Qiu Xu Martin Liao

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This paper examines the rise of Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs) in the Indo-Pacific as a strategic response to digital trade fragmentation and great power competition. Focusing on Singapore’s leadership, we introduce the ‘Singapore Effect’ – a model of regulatory influence distinct from others, such as the ‘Brussels Effect’ and ‘Beijing Effect.’ Unlike market-driven regulatory diffusion, the Singapore Effect emphasizes interoperability, norm entrepreneurship, and mini-lateralism, enabling middle powers to shape digital trade governance. We analyze DEA formation, implementation challenges in national law, and Singapore’s role as a bridge between diverse regulatory regimes. DEAs’ flexible, modular structure allows for incremental regulatory alignment …

The Effects Of Study Abroad Programs On Second Language Acquisition (Sla), Isabel Odewald

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

As study abroad programs have increased annually by 10%, numerous researchers have examined how participation in study abroad programs have affected second language acquisition (SLA) in students (Isabelli-Garcia, et. al, 2018). Reviewing previous literature evaluating the relationship between study abroad programs and undergraduate students overall academic achievement, personal growth, and career preparation, it has been found that study abroad programs impact students academically, emotionally, and cognitively. Specifically focusing on factors such as the duration of study abroad programs, personality of students, students’ motivations, and engagement with peers abroad, the current literature review provides explanations of relevant SLA theoretical frameworks and …

Transitional Justice: Understanding The Impact Of The Initiatives In Bosnia-Herzegovina And Guatemala, Rachel Bienstock

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis examines the impact of transitional justice initiatives on reconciliation and healing in regions that have experienced mass atrocities, with a focus on Guatemala and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). While transitional justice processes aim to address the legacies of human rights violations and foster sustainable peace, their impact varies significantly depending on the context and the mechanisms employed. By analyzing existing scholarship and using a case study methodology to gather in-depth data about each instance, this research explores how different approaches to transitional justice can serve a diverse group of communities and how different factors contribute to their success. …

Cultural Continuity And Identity Preservation In Diaspora: The Role Of African Pentecostal Churches In Maintaining Traditions Within African Communities In The United States, Olamide T. Awoyemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of African Pentecostal churches in preserving cultural traditions andshaping identities among African diaspora communities in the United States, focusing specifically on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Tampa, Florida. Through detailed participant observation and in-depth qualitative interviews, this thesis examines how rituals, religious practices, and community engagement within these churches facilitate cultural continuity and identity negotiation among Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants. Findings reveal that these religious institutions serve as critical sites for resisting cultural erasure, navigating the complex tensions between maintaining African heritage and adapting to American society, and providing …

Culturally Responsive Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv) Service Needs Among African Immigrant Women: Examining The Impact Of Cultural Norms And Psychosocial Barriers On Safety Perceptions And Help-Seeking Behaviors, Titilayo Ogunbambi

Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) remains a pervasive public health and social justice issue globally, with African immigrant women in the United States facing compounded challenges as they navigate cultural, structural, and systemic barriers, including migration-related vulnerabilities and attachment to cultural values that shape their decisions and experiences. Although formal IPV services exist, they often fail to address the lived realities and culturally specific needs of this population, leading to underutilization and barriers in seeking help. This qualitative study examines how cultural norms, psychosocial barriers, and systemic inequities influence safety perceptions and help-seeking behaviors among African immigrant women survivors of IPV. …

Do Myths Ever Die? Social-Cultural Changes And Mythical Transformations In Indigenous Amazonia: A Dialogue With Peter Gow, Aparecida M. N. Vilaça

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This is the first Peter Gow Memorial Lecture, given at the University of St Andrews in February 2024. Based on the analysis of different versions of Wari’ myths (Rondônia, Brazil) collected over forty years, the paper has two central objectives. The first is to engage with Peter Gow’s analysis of the mythical transformations resulting from the historical changes experienced by the Piro/Yine Indigenous people of Peru. The second is to discuss Lévi-Strauss’s suggestion that a myth can “die” after successive transformations, exhausting itself, taking the form of romantic tale or legendary tradition.

An X-Ray Of Mẽbêngôkre Houses In Terms Of Matrimonial Alliance, Vanessa R. Lea, Leandro Mahalem De Lima

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article examines the matrimonial implications of the Houses, or matrihouses, of the Mẽtyktire subgroup of the Mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó-Jê) with the assistance of Puck (Program for the Use and Computation of Kinship Data) and Pajek software. In accordance with the greater legibility of graphics, statistical results have been converted into graphics whenever possible. The analysis is based on a revised version of a dataset spanning the years 1978 to 1982 and published on the site Kinsources. What began as a village census later morphed into genealogies, which served as the basis for the digital dataset. The matrihouses …

Ser Nhande’I Va’E, Da Concepção Aos Primeiros Passos: Uma Abordagem Etnográfica Sobre A Permanência, O Movimento E A Palavra, Maria Inês Ladeira

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

O evento do nascimento, assim como os ritos de passagem, são temas recorrentes na literatura etnográfica, com destaque aos resguardos, condutas e preceitos. Neste artigo, ao versar sobre o ato de nascer, refiro-me a alguns princípios referenciados na cosmologia guarani, na qual esse acontecimento é também um marcador – marco espaço/temporal – dos lugares habitados – isto é, ação de territorialização. Determinadas condutas pré e pós-parto são fundamentais para os Guarani Mbya e os Ava Guarani se socializarem com os demais viventes nas matas/terras que conformam seu território (Yvyrupa). A partir desse prisma, ressalto algumas propriedades e combinações …

Enactive Narrativities: Rubber-Times Historicity And Indigenous Media In Peruvian Amazonia, Gabriel Torrealba Alfonzo

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article analyzes the intersection between historicity and politics expressed in Kukama media-making practices. It examines the political and enactive dimensions involved in the Indigenous mediatization of rubber-era narratives in Peruvian Amazonia. I focus on the case of Radio Ucamara, a Kukama radio station from the Peruvian town of Nauta, and the ways in which they confront private and state powers through the production of digital and non-digital media. I specifically analyze Indigenous media-makers’ instrumentalizations of rubber-times narrativity by virtue of aesthetic mastery. Radio Ucamara media relies on a polyphonic strategy that encapsulates both narrative and meta-narrative discourses aimed to …

Outras Antropologias E Seus Desafios Cosmopolíticos: Reflexividades Indígenas, João Paulo Barreto

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

Este texto é resultado “Dueto”/keynote com Tânia Stolze Lima do Congresso da Salsa em Letícia, intitulado: “Outras antropologias e os seus desafios cosmopolíticos”, proferida no dia 29 de novembro de 2023, onde propõe uma reflexão sobre os desafios enfrentados pelos estudantes indígenas no campo da Antropologia, especialmente no contexto universitário de pós-graduação. Como também discute os limites e tensões entre o pensamento indígena e a lógica ocidental acadêmica, marcada pela pretensão de universalidade e pela classificação redutora dos conhecimentos dos povos indígenas. Coloca-se em pauta a desconstrução dos corpos e pensamentos que os indígenas são submetidos ao adentrar na universidade, …

Baniwa Speculative Kinship, João Vianna

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article discusses the dynamics of Indigenous kinship in the Amazon, based on the autobiographical narrative of Mr. Júlio Cardoso, a ninety-year-old man of the Baniwa people. From his account, I develop an ethnographic discussion on the Baniwa, speakers of an Arawak language and inhabitants of the Upper Rio Negro, with a particular focus on the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Júlio’s life is highlighted due to his extended period living with patrões from the regional aviamento system between the 1950s and 1970s. One of Júlio’s most recurrent formulations regarding these non-Indigenous bosses is that they were “as if” …

Determinants Of Integration: Migration Difficulty, Mental Health, And Social Connections Among Eritrean Immigrants, Shewit Woldemichael

Master's Theses

This thesis explores how the experience of migration hardship affects integration outcomes of Eritrean migrants in the U.S. and the Netherlands. Using original survey data and the Immigration Policy Lab’s Integration Index (IPL-24), this paper investigated the intersection of economic, psychological, and social interactions that facilitate integration outcomes. This research finds that migration hardship doesn’t just make people’s lives more difficult; it breaks down the social ties and mental well-being that are essential for economic success measured by integration.

Citrus Farming, Tourism, And Globalization: Jeju Island’S Transformation Under South Korea’S State-Led Development, Caitlin Hong

Student Work

The Williams Prize in East Asian Studies is awarded to Caitlin Hong for her outstanding senior thesis, “Citrus, Capital, and Control: Jeju Island’s Transformation under State-Led Development.”

Hong’s work exemplifies intellectual ambition, methodological rigor, and original insight. Through an interdisciplinary blend of historical analysis and ethnographic fieldwork, she offers the first comprehensive English-language account of Jeju Island’s citrus farming industry, tracing its development from the postwar period to the present day.

Demonstrating extraordinary initiative, Hong designed and executed an independent research trip to Jeju Island, conducting interviews with citrus farmers, laborers, and experts, while also consulting numerous primary sources in …

The Influence Of (Post-) Colonial Language Policies On Local Languages In Cameroon: An Acquisition Planning Perspective, Alain Flaubert Takam

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines language policy and planning in favour of minority languages during the colonial era and immediately after. It is based on the observation that local languages in Cameroon do not seem to have the ethnolinguistic vitality necessary for their long-term survival. The situation of these languages begs the following question: Did the promotion strategies of national languages in colonial Cameroon pave the way for language attrition that is observable today or is it the language policy choice of the political authorities in independent Cameroon that has caused this language issue? This paper, which falls within the general framework …

Mexico's Gender Violence Alerts: Ambiguous, Under-Resourced, And Uneven Impacts On Women’S Human Rights, Molly Ewing

Senior Theses

Mexico has some of the highest rates of violence against women and femicide in the world and these numbers continue to rise. Over the past few decades, Mexico has attempted to address this issue through a series of penal code reforms, social campaigns, and comprehensive legislation, but the impacts of such measures are undercut and unevenly felt due to a series of under looked contributing factors. Mexico is the first in the world to implement the Gender Violence Alert Mechanism (AVGM), which was established under the General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free from Violence (LGAMVLV) of 200. …

Sacred Seeds: The Transmission Of Knowledge Seen Through Aztec Religionand Agriculture, Ian S. Hohsfield

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The integration of religion and agriculture was a cornerstone of Aztec civilization, deeply influencing societal practices and knowledge systems. Scholars have long recognized the importance of religious rituals in ensuring agricultural success; however, the specific methods by which agricultural knowledge was transmitted within religious contexts—and how these methods may have contributed to knowledge gaps—remain underexplored. This thesis investigates the relationship between Aztec religious practices and the transmission of agricultural knowledge, focusing on how the methods of knowledge transmission influenced agricultural expertise and led to potential gaps. It does so by analyzing primary sources such as the Florentine Codex and the …

A Tale Of Two Organizations: San Francisco & Tokyo, An Analysis Of Urban Youth Poverty In The Developed World, Arturo Paredes

Master's Projects and Capstones

This study analyzes the experiences of low-income youth in terms of their access to educational opportunities in connection to their social mobility, the study focuses on two highly prosperous cities: San Francisco and Tokyo specifically dwelling into some affected population groups and overall neighborhoods where low-income populations are clustered in. The study delves into youth poverty as a complex phenomenon facing communities and its direct implications for the lives of youth in the context of educational experiences and its connection to socio-economic outcomes. By focusing on two organizations addressing this issue in each of the contexts, the study highlights interventions, …

Amazigh Lexical Substrate In Tunisian Derja: An Outcome Of Linguistic Contact On Youtube And Facebook, Soubeika Bahri

Journal of Amazigh Studies

Despite the extensive discussion of the structural and lexical impact of Tamazight on North African spoken varieties in Morocco, Algeria, and Libya (Berkai 4-14; Souag 2018, 192-200; Faizi 29-39; Bensoukas and Boudlal 179-21; Zellou 1-13), little is known about the linguistic contact outcome between the Tunisian spoken variety (henceforth, Ettounsi or Tunisian Derja) and Tamazight. In this article, we present and analyze Amazigh linguistic substrate examples in the lexicon of Ettounsi. Contact-induced change (Lafkioui 51-93; Thomason 339-46; Heine and Kuteva, 529-72) and language contact on YouTube (Garley, 77-106), along with the method of computer-mediated discourse (Androutsopoulos, 419-438), offer …

Reckoning With An Icon: Exploring The Activism Of Mĩcere Githae Mũgo, Erica Charles Kiduko

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines the activism of Mĩcere Gīthae Mũgo, a distinguished Kenyan literary scholar, playwright, and feminist, whose works remain a vital part of twentieth and twenty-first century liberational struggles across Africa and the diaspora. Through a critical analysis of her literary projects, academic work, and political engagements, this study explores how Mũgo’s intellectual interventions challenged colonial, postcolonial, and patriarchal structures. It draws on feminist, Pan-Africanist, and decolonial theoretical frameworks, to situate career struggles for intellectual freedom, gender justice, and cultural reclamation. The thesis investigates foundational elements of Mugo activism, employing a multi-method qualitative approach: that includes textual analysis, oral …

Syrian Perspectives On The U.S. Intervention Against Isis: Analysis Of Youtube Videos, Nelson Cleveland

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates Syrian public opinion surrounding the 2014 U.S.-led military intervention against ISIS through critical discourse analysis of Arabic-language YouTube videos. In light of the renewed interest and continued presence of U.S. troops in Syria following the Assad regime’s collapse in 2024, the study examines how Syrians originally responded to the coalition strikes and political context in which they occurred. Drawing on four primary videos including street interviews, protest recordings, and discussions from expert panelists, the analysis uncovers recurring themes of distrust towards the U.S. and other states who engaged in intervention, condemnation of perceived collusion and exploitation, and …

The Women’S Emancipation Struggle In Senegal During The 1980s And 1990s: The Case Of The “Yewwu-Yewwi” Movement, Aliou Ly

Journal of African Policy Studies

Senegalese women’s socio-cultural and economic status has always been shaped by local customs, religion, and gender structures. During the colonial period, against the backdrop of the opportunity to have a Western education, economic changes and extremely rapid urbanization encouraged Senegalese women to join the political arena in supporting various male political leaders. This trend continued during the post-colonial period, leading to the election of female parliamentarians and women holding high governmental positions in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1980s saw the creation of more vocal and visible women’s organizations such as the Yewwu-Yewwi “Pour la Liberation des Femmes” movement of …

Diamond In The Rough: Unearthing Botswana's Sources Of Political Legitimacy, Angela Gapa

Journal of African Policy Studies

Botswana has garnered analytic attention in the past few decades as Africa's developmental miracle. Being among the poorest countries in the world upon its independence in 1966, it catapulted itself to one of the fastest growing economies in the world for a period of four decades. What made the Botswana experience all the more outstanding, was that within the context of its company among other non-renewable natural resource dependent countries, it stood as an anomaly. This is because these resource endowed countries generally suffered or were susceptible to the "resource curse." This paper identifies legitimacy as having important value in …

Africa's Economic Growth And Development Dilemma: Dysfunctional Leadership, Oluwole Owoye, Olugbenga A. Onafowora

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the impact of leadership on economic growth and development in all African countries. The historical records of leadership changes in African countries since independence show a dichotomous pattern. In 23 countries, the changes in leadership occurred more frequently, which indicated a "scramble" for leadership. In 30 countries, the changes in leadership were infrequent, which fit the "strongman-sit-tight" leadership syndrome. Based on the historical data of leadership changes, we construct the ideal leadership bounds for each country and compute the indices of dysfunctional leadership. We find that the index is positive in countries with more frequent leadership changes …

Economic Integration As A Contribution To Sustainable Development In The Horn Of Africa, Mengsteab Tesfayohannes, Hany Besada

Journal of African Policy Studies

The Horn of Africa is one of the most geopolitically important regions of the world, with great human and natural resource potential. Unfortunately, the region is notorious for its crises and instability. This is due to internal and external destabilising factors related to ethnicity, tribalism, resource sharing, poverty, superpower rivalry, porous borders and hegemonic desires. Although it differs slightly between countries, the average per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of the region is less than $200. Gender disparity in education and economic activity is prevalent in the region at all levels. Over 75% of the labour force is engaged in …

Beyond The Geometry Of State Sovereignty: Regionalism And Non-State Actors In The Southern African Development Community (Sadc), Lesley Blaauw

Journal of African Policy Studies

The collapse of the Cold War and accelerated globalization have reshaped the international political economy and in the process ignited a new impetus for regionalism. This paper posits that despite the transformation of SADCC into SADC, regional integration in southern Africa remains quintessentially statist with minimal (if any) involvement of civil society organizations and the private sector. This suggests that states in SADC remain crucial in lending scope and providing guidance about the content and character of regional integration. There is, therefore, in SADC, not yet a realization about the complimentary roles to be played by states, civil society organizations …

Secessionism In Africa, Edmond J. Keller

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Pathologies In De-Bureaucratic Public Organizations In Nigeria, Joseph E. Imhanlahimi

Journal of African Policy Studies

Because of the nouveau and rapidly growing interests in, and acceptance of, de-bureaucratization (popularly called "deregulation" in Nigeria), as a more attractive organization concept than bureaucratization, the central concern of this paper is an identification and objective analysis of bureau-pathologies in de-bureaucratic public organizations in Nigeria, in response to those of bureaucratic organizations which have already been analysed in the literature. The major and prevalent bureau-pathologies identified and analyzed are inconsistency and unpredictability, informality and denials, unlimited or uncircumscribed flexibility, personalization, limitation of de-categorization, laziness, and goal displacement. Their effects can be summarized as the prevalence of worrying degree of …

Of Corruption And Anti-Corruption Strategies In Nigeria: The More You Look The Less You See, Sylvester Olubani Fajonyomi

Journal of African Policy Studies

This statement from the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reflects the outcome of the regime's efforts at fighting corruption in its first four years (1999-2003) in office: "Some members of the Nigerian public have expressed their opinion to the effect (that) our anti-corruption crusade in the last four years has been deficient in credibility because it appeared to lack the support of the Federal Executive Council who only rarely expressed their support in public. The situation has to change with the new cabinet. Each and every one of you must do more than give a nodding support for …

Challenges And Opportunities Of Agricultural Research In The Sudan, Allam Ahmed

Journal of African Policy Studies

National research institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are under increasing governmental pressure to make direct and visible contributions to national research and development strategies. Although Sudan is a predominately agricultural economy, crop productivity is extremely low and does not exceed thirty percent of the level attained in research farms. The aim of this paper is to develop a framework for analyzing problems and identifying opportunities to strengthen African research institutions' role in development-oriented research. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the implementation capacity constraints, which exist in formal agricultural research, and the impact this has on …