Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Efficiency Of Water Privatization In Senegal, Patrick Hoguet Norton

Whittier Scholars Program

According to the World Bank, Senegal stands out as one of the most successful examples of water privatization especially out of Global South Nations; but in a world where drinking water is so scarce, expensive, and unregulated, it is important to thet the validity of these positive claims about Senegal’s water privatization program. Do the Senegalese people feel the same way? My project analyzes newspaper sources, journal articles, and Senegalese media to gauge the validity of these positive claims and to see how the Senegalese people and the international community are responding to water privatization in Senegal. In addition, my …

The Story Of Delray: A Case Study On Environmental And Restorative Justice In Detroit, Danielle Trauth-Jurman

Honors Projects

An in-depth case study on environmental and restorative justice in Delray, Michigan. Delray was a vibrant, immigrant community with rich history and cultural significance that was slowly transformed into an industrial dumping ground. This evolution drove many middle class families out of Delray and into nicer parts of the city, leaving behind only the elderly and the individuals too poor to move away. Exploring the ideas of environmental justice and examining the current research on environmental inequality.

Moving To A New Paradigm: A Reflection On Ethics, Sara Bajor '15

Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics

No abstract provided.

Youth's Comprehension Of Environmental Justice Across Multiple Countries, Alexa L. Stovold

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Global climate change is an issue of environmental justice, because neither contributions toward the causes nor its consequences are equally distributed across and within countries (Roberts, 2001). Given the importance of framing climate change as an environmental justice issue, the present study sought to understand how youth conceptualize and engage with environmental justice across multiple countries. Youth are an important target population for engagement, because they often are active agents of social change by challenging the status-quo, and becoming civically engaged (Blythe & Harré, 2012; De Vreede, Warner & Pitter, 2014; United Nations, 2004).

The current research is a secondary …

Cultivating Human-Nature Relationships: The Role Of Parents And Primary Caregivers In Development Of Environmental Identity, Anne E. Bremer

Pitzer Senior Theses

Industrialized societies have been characterized by a trend of disconnecting humans from our natural environment, leading to environmental and psychological damage. Therefore, in order to work toward repairing such damage, reconnecting humans and the natural environment is critical. One way of conceptualizing human-nature relationships is through “environmental identity,” a term that describes self-identification as part of a larger ecosystem, aesthetic, spiritual, or recreational enjoyment of nature, environmentally positive behaviors, and a social, political, or moral identification with environmentalists. Despite the literature having emphasized childhood experience in nature as being essential to the development of an environmental identity, parental influence in …

Fossil Fuel Divestment: The Power And Promise Of A Student Movement For Climate Justice, Jessica Grady-Benson

Pitzer Senior Theses

In the face of dire threats posed by anthropogenic climate change, a growing international Movement for Fossil Fuel Divestment has emerged to challenge the political and economic power of the fossil fuel industry. Building off a history of college and university divestment campaigns, students are spearheading the movement to rid their institutions’ endowments of investments in the top 200 companies with the largest reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas. Highlighting perspectives from within the movement and drawing from literature in social movement theory and Climate Justice, I explore three crucial components of the student Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement: Climate …

Sustainability Policy’S Inherent Dilemmas – Exemplified Via Critical Examination Of The Las Vegas Metropolitan Sustainability Campaign, Kathryn A. Zimmerman

All Master's Theses

In response to a dual problem of critical water scarcity and rapid population growth, leaders of metropolitan Las Vegas implemented a region-wide, internationally marketed sustainability campaign. Preliminary studies found that, while sustainability policy attains its rhetorical goals, solutions initiated not only perpetuate but also purposefully expand the original dual problem to justify continuous water resource acquisitions. To examine this sustainability conundrum constructed by leadership—problem-perpetuation rather than problem-resolution—a critical examination in resource management asked two basic questions: what is being sustained and by what means? Via this inquiry, specific processes by which leaders perpetuate problems can be identified; and, so-informed, new …

Mountain Roots: Artistic Inquiry Into The Science And Spirit Of Mountains, Celeste Bickford

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The future of mountain landscapes will be shaped by the landscape-related decisions we make today. These decisions are influenced by two major factors: what we know and how we feel. The interplay between emotional and analytical information is what motivates the decisions we make related to mountain environments and landscapes. Taking this into consideration, a partnership between art and science and a conversation between emotion and analysis can be instrumental in forming a holistic view of how humans relate to particular landforms such as mountains. This interplay between emotional and analytical information manifests in the decisions people make in relation …

From Alarm To Action: Closing The Gap Between Belief And Behavior In Response To Climate Change, Kathryn Laing Doherty

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The degree to which the climate continues to change will largely be determined by choices made by individuals and nations regarding greenhouse gas emissions. Many Americans engage in energy conservation actions. But, the political will in the United States to adopt emissions reduction policies is unlikely to exist without public demand. Therefore, public mitigation actions of individuals (e.g., contacting elected officials in support of emissions reduction) are critical to induce legislative response. The majority of individuals who are most concerned about climate change (the “Alarmed” segment) do not engage in public mitigation actions, but some do. The purpose of this …

Message Matters: Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Increase Household Hazardous Waste Program Participation, Amy Dyer Cabaniss

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Removing household hazardous waste (HHW) from the municipal solid waste stream is important to protect health, safety and the environment. Communities across the U.S. separate HHW from regular trash for disposal with hazardous waste, however nationally, participation rates are low with only five to ten percent of households estimated to participate in any given collection. This two-part study used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand individuals’ beliefs and attitudes toward HHW collections, and to develop a print message intervention to increase participation. In Study 1, respondents (N = 983) completed a survey administered to homeowners in the Connecticut …

The Distance From Necessity: A Bourdieusian Analysis Of Gathering Practices In Vermont, Alan Robert Pierce

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines why contemporary Americans continue to gather wild plants and fungi. Vermont, a state with a rich history of gathering, serves as a study site. I interviewed twenty-four gatherers using ethnographic methods. I applied a Bourdieusian framework to analyze the differences between gathering practices as they related to gathering knowledge, views of nature, and uses of gathered products. The interviews indicated that gathering is important to the physical and mental well-being of its practitioners and instills a connection to nature as well as to place. Interviewees cited spending time in nature and enjoyment of engaging the senses as …

Just Farming: An Environmental Justice Perspective On The Capacity Of Grassroots Organizations To Support The Rights Of Organic Farmers And Laborers, Rebecca Elaine Berkey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This mixed methods study builds upon literature and research in environmental justice, public participation, and community development to examine how justice-related issues impact farmers and workers on organic farms in the Northeastern United States. It also examines how involvement in a grassroots organization helps farmers and workers address these issues. At the core of the study is an exploration of environmental justice and its applications at a broad, systemic level; an examination of the current context of laborers in organic agriculture in the Northeast; and finally an investigation of the effects of grassroots organizing within the Northeast Organic Farming Association …

Self-Reliance Beyond Neoliberalism: Rethinking Autonomy At The Edges Of Empire, Karen Hébert, Diana Mincyte

Publications and Research

Across scholarly and popular accounts, self-reliance is often interpreted as either the embodiment of individual entrepreneurialism, as celebrated by neoliberal designs, or the basis for communitarian localism, increasingly imagined as central to environmental and social sustainability. In both cases, self-reliance is framed as an antidote to the failures of larger state institutions or market economies. This paper offers a different framework for understanding self-reliance by linking insights drawn from agrarian studies to current debates on alternative economies. Through an examination of the social worlds of semisubsistence producers in peripheral zones in the Global North, we show how everyday forms of …

Assessing The Biodiversity And Susceptibility Of Trees In Maxwell Park To Future Invasive Tree Pest Outbreaks, Genevieve Alexander '14

Outstanding Senior Seminar Papers

The purpose of this project was to assess tree susceptibility to invasive tree pest outbreaks in a Central-Illinois urban park. Tree biodiversity in Maxwell Park, located in the Town of Normal, Illinois, was evaluated assuming that the greater the tree biodiversity in a park, the more resilient the park would be to future invasive tree pest outbreaks. The Town of Normal Parks and Recreation Department served as the community partner for this project. By determining Maxwell Park’s current level of biodiversity, proposed new trees for future replacement plantings could be identified to help increase biodiversity and decrease the potential for …

Assessing The Indoor Tanning Behaviors And Risk Of Skin Cancer Among Illinois Wesleyan University Students, Ellen Cornelius '14

Outstanding Senior Seminar Papers

The purpose of this research is to assess the indoor tanning behaviors of students at Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) in Bloomington, Illinois and formulate strategies to reduce students’ risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is widespread, and is the second most common cancer among people aged 15-24 years. There is strong evidence to support that many skin cancer cases seen today could have been avoided if the individual had never used an indoor tanning device. Research suggests the use of indoor tanning devices is popular among college-aged females in the US, thus persuading this demographic to reduce their indoor tanning …

Food Sovereignty: An Alternative Paradigm For Poverty Reduction And Biodiversity Conservation In Latin America, M. Jahi Chappell, Hannah Wittman, Christopher M. Bacon, Bruce G. Ferguson, Luis Garcia Barrios, Raúl Garcia Barrios, Daniel Jaffee, Jefferson Lima, V. Ernesto Méndez, Helda Morales, Lorena Soto-Pinto, John Vandermeer, Ivette Perfecto

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Strong feedback between global biodiversity loss and persistent, extreme rural poverty are major challenges in the face of concurrent food, energy, and environmental crises. This paper examines the role of industrial agricultural intensification and market integration as exogenous socio-ecological drivers of biodiversity loss and poverty traps in Latin America. We then analyze the potential of a food sovereignty framework, based on protecting the viability of a diverse agroecological matrix while supporting rural livelihoods and global food production. We review several successful examples of this approach, including ecological land reform in Brazil, agroforestry, milpa, and the uses of wild varieties in …

Richard Smith. Mapping China And Managing The World: Culture, Cartography And Cosmology In Late Imperial Times. New York: Routledge, 2013., Daniel Knorr

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Caizhen Lu. Poverty And Development In China: Alternative Approaches To Poverty Assessment. Routledge Contemporary China Series, 74. New York: Routledge. 2012., Tami Blumenfield Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Transitional Justice: Prioritizing Truth Commissions Or International Tribunals To Ensure Healing And Reconciliation, Jlateh Vincent Jappah, Danielle Taana Smith

Journal of International and Global Studies

There is a recent increased examination of the effects of international funding for truth commissions and criminal tribunals in post-conflict societies as they transition to peace. The discourse on whether to prioritize truth commissions or international criminal tribunals and which form of transitional justice more effectively fosters healing and reconciliation continues to be highly polemical. This paper explores whether, in terms of post-conflict healing and reconciliation, international funding would be better spent on truth commissions than on international criminal tribunals or vice versa. It examines the complexities and heterogeneity of transitional societies and suggests that international funding for transitional justice …

Developing Paradise: Tourism, The Local Community, And Nature In Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic, John Ripton Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Las Terrenas, a town in the Samanà province of the Dominican Republic, has experienced phenomenal growth of its tourist industry. Electricity only arrived in Las Terrenas in the late 1990s, yet today, more than 70 hotels and other establishments offer thousands of rooms in tourist accommodations. In little more than two decades, the population of Las Terrenas has mushroomed from a few hundred to nearly 20,000. While the forces of commercial development integrate Las Terrenas into the global economy, its municipal infrastructure simply has not kept pace. The national government finances the construction of roads and other projects to promote …

Transnational Policy Networks In Global Water Governance In India, Vandana Asthana Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

This paper argues that in the processes of global water governance, transnational policy networks play a significant role in defining spaces of engagement that privilege certain voices and versions. These networks produce narratives that not only convey storylines of sustainable water practices but also often have embedded within them the advocacy of a particular policy instrument that they intend to promote. What appears as knowledge is often structured towards the goal at which it is directed. Using application of private sector participation in water as an example from India, the paper explores how these power/knowledge regimes are established and supported …

Taiwan: Introspecting On A Democracy At An Existential Crossroad, Raviprasad Narayanan

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review on:

• Dafydd Fell. Government and Politics in Taiwan. Abingdon: Routledge. 2012.
• Jean-Marc.F. Blanchard & Hickey, Dennis, V. (Eds.). New Thinking about the Taiwan Issue – Theoretical insights into its origins, dynamics and prospects. New York: Routledge. 2012.

Joy Hendry. Understanding Japanese Society, 4th Edition. New York: Routledge, 2013., Ilana Maymind Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Zheng Wang. Never Forget National Humiliation: Historical Memory In Chinese Politics And Foreign Relations. New York: Columbia University Press, 2012, Torsten Weber

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Xiaowei Zang. Islam, Family Life, And Gender Inequality In Urban China. London/ New York: Routledge, 2012., Vanessa Frangville Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Chad Haines. Nation, Territory And Globalisation In Pakistan: Traversing The Margins. New York: Routledge, 2012., Utathya Chattopadhyaya

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Timothy De Waal Malefyt And Robert J. Morais. Advertising And Anthropology: Ethnographic Practice And Cultural Perspectives. New York: Berg, 2012., John Mccreery Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Berenschot, Ward. Riot Politics: Hindu-Muslim Violence And The Indian State. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011., Daniel Jasper

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review

Political Participation Of The Indian Diaspora In The Usa, Vinod Janardhanan

Journal of International and Global Studies

This essay aims to foreground the types and patterns of political participation of Asian Indians in the US and the change and continuity thereof since migration of the community began in significant numbers in the 20th century. It shows how immigration reforms and citizenship laws prevented the community, for over half a century (until at least 1965), from achieving a demographic critical mass, which is a crucial factor in becoming an effective player in the political system of the US, and the community’s reaction to these restrictions. Surveying the political participation of Indian Americans since the years prior to India’s …

Transnational And Global Processes In Modern Chinese History, Karen Teoh

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review on:

• Prasenjit Duara. The Global and Regional in China’s Nation Formation. Oxon and New York: Routledge, 2009.
• Bryna Goodman and David S. G. Goodman, eds. Twentieth-century Colonialism and China: Localities, the Everyday, and the World. London and New York: Routledge, 2012.