Digital Commons Network^™

Collection & Community Building Through Web Archiving: Engaging With Faculty And Students In A Collaborative Web Archiving Project, Andrea Schuler

Digital Initiatives Symposium

Tisch Library at Tufts University has recently begun a pilot web archiving project, aiming to deepen Tufts’ collections in areas of strategic importance and support more “traditional” library collection development activities, while collecting material that is not known to be comprehensively collected by other institutions. Additionally, the project offers an opportunity for collaborative collection building with faculty and students that serves as a unique way to deepen our community‘s engagement with the library.

The initial pilot collection focuses on environmental justice, selected due to its relevance to the Tufts community and curriculum and to build on existing Tisch Library collection …

Vulnerability Of Coastal Connecticut To Sea Level Rise: Land Inundation And Impacts To Residential Property, Rebecca Andreucci, Can B. Aktas

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Vulnerability indices at the global or national scales require considerable data aggregation where local economic and social impacts remain unnoticed. The goal of this study was to analyze the extent of inundated land from sea level rise and its economic impacts to residential property in coastal communities. Geographic data were integrated with economic and social data at parcel level resolution through GIS. Cumulative land inundation in seven coastal municipalities was calculated as 15 and 25 km², while direct economic costs to residential property was estimated to be $1.3 billion and $2.2 billion for 1 and 2 m sea …

Native Science In Practice: Cases For Broadening Understanding And Engagement Of Science In Education As A Plea For Future Generations, G. Sue Kasun, Dave López

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

We make a departure from the U.S.’s traditional “science education” in recognition of several stark realities—from the genocidal practices that have eliminated so many indigenous populations in the U.S. to the problems our planet faces, such dire environmental degradation. We are faced daily with a dissonance of knowing our planet needs our respect and care while at the same time bearing witness to “modern” lifestyles based in property rights and individualism. We engage Native science—which encapsulates all of Western science and expands upon it by including the spiritual and emotional realms as well as the physical and mental dimensions of …

The Uprooted People Of The Land: An Ethical/Theological Reflection On The Protection Of Adivasi Land And Human Dignity In The “New And Shining India”, Ashok Kujur

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The uprooting of Adivasis from their land raises theological, anthropological, and ethical questions regarding the intrinsic dignity of Adivasis as human persons, created in the image of God. This thesis argues that the looting of Adivasi land on the part of the multinational corporations (MNCs) is an unethical and sinful reality. It proposes a paradigm of prophetic dialogue and critical pedagogy that joins the effort to conscientize Adivasis about their own oppression, the power of the political dynamics, and to empower them in their struggle for freedom and liberation.

In this project I analyze and critique the issue of displacement …

Environmental Justice/Urban Initiative Project: Summer Internship With Massachusetts Department Of Environmental Protection, Tiancheng Ouyang

Sustainability and Social Justice

This report serves as a detailed description of my internship at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) in Worcester, MA, during the summer of 2016. The internship was proposed by Brian Postale, the Urban Compliance Initiative Project Coordinator as a way to automate the integration of GIS data and the computation of data used for visualization purposes. The purpose of this paper is to describe the structure of the organization, my responsibilities as an intern, and my assessment of the internship.

The internship proved to be a precious experience and provided the opportunity to apply and enhance my knowledge …

Understanding And Addressing Governance Dysfunction And Unsustainable Development In The Illegal Gold Mining Region Of Madre De Dios, Peru, Phyllis Duff

Sustainability and Social Justice

This paper endeavors to explore the link between dysfunction in governance systems and persistent challenges to sustainable development in the illegal gold mining region of Madre de Dios, Peru. Through the use of stakeholder narratives, field observations and literature review, four questions were examined: 1) What are the existing social and environmental conditions in the case study area? 2) What are the existing relationships amongst stakeholders, and how do these illustrate dysfunction of the existing system of governance? 3) What gaps and/or deficiencies in the existing system are revealed by stakeholder narratives, and what are their visions for an alternative …

Territoriality, Narratives And Violence: Stories Of Eight Women Living In The Presence Of A Large-Scale Mine In Ecuador, Chelsea N. Viteri 7742622017

Sustainability and Social Justice

Women play a substantial role in communities that are affected by mining nevertheless, their role has not been well documented and their voices and experiences have not been centered in the debates around extraction. In Ecuador, local rural, campesina, and indigenous women bear much the cost of large scale development projects, as their bodies, families, homes, environments and economies are impacted. This paper emerges from eight semi-structured interviews with indigenous and campesina women from Tundayme, a small rural town which is in the middle of the first large scale mine in Ecuador. Using a feminist political ecology framework and storytelling, …

Public Transit To Public Lands: The Nature Express, Cutr

Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Contextualized Education In Global Schools: Conceptualizing School Systems In A Global World, Loren Guerin

Sustainability and Social Justice

Education has been prioritized by global agencies as a universal right and current trends in the United Nations global benchmarks and development agencies call for education for all and a set of global values to guide educational policy and practice. This paper aims to problematize the current understanding of schooling and educational systems in a globalized world while demonstrating the need to move away from a global curriculum based on homogenized values and towards a contextualized education system. By looking at the evolution of Western Education, the use of education by colonial powers, and an in depth case study of …

Greening Gawain : Connecting Environmental Damage And Masculinity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight., Austin Putty

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This paper explores medieval environmental attitudes through a historical reading of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the study of which provides a blueprint for what may be a method of combating climate change denial at its cultural roots, which I will argue in this paper links to an outdated mode of European warrior masculinity. This paper will demonstrate the connections between hegemonic masculinity and environmental degradation at work as a discourse in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight through chivalric behaviors, as well as a burgeoning environmental conscientiousness at play that undermines it. The conflict between Gawain and …

Cuba’S Water Crisis: Coping With Water Scarcity In Havana And Santiago De Cuba, Jacqueline Gilbert

Spectrum

Based on nine weeks of original ethnographic research in Cuba, this article looks at how ordinary residents in Havana and Santiago respond to chronic water scarcity—a problem likely to intensify as the impacts of climate change advance in the Caribbean region and around the world.

The Effects Of Monsanto On Indian Farmer Suicide Rates, Rachel N. Sandri

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

The following paper presents an in-depth analysis of the effects of Monsanto on Indian farmer suicide rates from an Environmental Justice perspective. This case study intends to work through the continued injustice within Indian farming communities while examining the conditions in which this issue has been allowed to develop. Through an interdisciplinary lens, this paper aims to offer context on the situation by providing background information as well as integrating claims of morality. The paper highlights a close analysis of the issue through the incorporation of a multitude of resources such as scholarly works, news sources, social media, and works …

After The White House Garden: Food Justice In The Age Of Trump, Garrett M. Broad

Journal of Food Law & Policy

It’s debatable whether President and First Lady Obama’s White House garden was a positive or negative symbol to the community food justice movement—but it did send a signal. This essay speculates what, if anything, the Trump administration will signal to these community food justice activists. It also recommends a potential strategy for grassroots food justice advocates fighting for already limited resources.

Emphasizing Colonization In Modern Environmental And Women’S Activist Movements In India And The Future Of Ecofeminist Movements For Creating A More Just And Sustainable Future, Alea M. Tveit

Honors Theses

This research discusses the extent of colonial acknowledgement in modern women’s rights and environmental movements in India. British colonization profoundly altered the ecological landscape and social norms of the societies it affected while leaving behind institutional structures that encouraged and perpetuated discrimination, oppression, and environmental degradation. In the case of India, I illustrate pre-colonial norms surrounding environmental stewardship and women’s rights and compare it to post-colonial ideology to make a connection of modern human rights and environmental problems to a colonial past. Today’s popular environmental and women’s activist movements are analyzed to determine if colonial acknowledgment or a decolonial framework …

Grid Modernization And Energy Poverty, Shelley Welton

Faculty Publications

Grid modernization holds the alluring promise of rationalizing electricity pricing, saving consumers money, and improving environmental quality all at the same time. Yet, we have seen only limited and patchwork regulatory initiatives towards significant grid modernization in the United States. Outside of a few leading states, state energy regulators appear loath to embrace fullthroated versions of the project. This article argues that the underdiscussed problem of energy poverty in the United States is a critical contributing factor in the gap between grid modernization’s possibilities and our regulatory reality. Only by explicitly understanding how the issues of grid modernization and energy …

Neoliberal Environmentalism In The War On Poverty: A Case Study Of Carbondale, Illinois, Gregory Matthew Carter

Theses

The following thesis examines the city of Carbondale, Illinois, during the tumultuous years between 1965 and 1975. Carbondale was the recipient of large amounts of funding from the Model Cities program, part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. During that time, Carbondale experienced violent anti-war protests and community-wide unrest. At the same time as Model Cities projects began, the modern environmentalism movement surrounding the first observance of Earth Day, April 22, 1970, also occurred. Within four years, environmental groups comprised mostly of white citizens were pitted against African-American community activists working to improve Carbondale’s segregated Northeast neighborhood and the …

The Particulars About Particulates : Metal Exposure And Self-Regulation Of Children Living Near Coal Ash., Clara G. Sears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of coal combustion for electricity and the storage of coal combustion by-products known as coal ash occur across the United States and around the world. The most abundant type of coal ash, fly ash, contains small particles with metals, some of which are known neurotoxins. Fly ash is currently stored in open-air landfills and surface impoundments that allow fugitive dust to escape into surrounding communities, potentially exposing children to small neurotoxic particles. This dissertation uses preliminary data from a larger cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between particulate matter exposure, metal exposure, and problems with self-regulation. Recruitment of …

The Lebanese Trash Crisis, Araz Khajarian

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

Thinking about what it means to be a human being in the 21st century comes with many different aspects that one needs to take into consideration. Human Rights is becoming more complicated as life requires more in some areas and less in other as it proceeds. Clean air and water are one of those rights that every human being should have access to. When humans are denied access to those two, especially for political or class stratification reasons, a case of environmental injustice should be identified. Not everyone has equal access to all resources neither does everyone consume the same …

Micro Plastics And Their Implications For Human Health: An Environmental Justice Approach, Alexis Smith

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

Studies have shown microplastics are ubiquitous within global waterways. They have been found in waterways that supply drinking water to millions and they have also been found at various levels within the aquatic food chain. This implies that, not only are we eating microplastics, we are drinking them too. What does the reality that we are consuming plastic daily mean for humans as a species?

Transformed Science: Overcoming Barriers Of Inequality And Mistrust To Pursue The Agenda Of Underrepresented Communities, Reneé Lyons

All Dissertations

Educational programs created to provide opportunities for all, in reality often reflect social inequalities. Such is the case for Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR) Projects. PPSR projects have been proposed as an effective way to engage more diverse audiences in science, yet the demographics of PPSR participants do not correspond with the demographic makeup of the United States. The field of PPSR as a whole has struggled to recruit low SES and underrepresented populations to participate in project research efforts. This research study explores factors, which may be affecting an underrepresented community's willingness to engage in scientific research and …

A Comparison Of Park Access With Park Need For Children: Case Study In Cache County, Utah, Shuolei Chen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Childhood obesity is one of the nation’s most serious health problems. There are growing efforts to prevent childhood obesity by improving opportunities for physical activity in their communities. The outdoor settings of the built environment, such as parks and open spaces, can offer children opportunities for physical activities, experience with nature, and social interaction, which contribute to children’s physical and psychological health. However, children’s physical access to parks is often inequitable. Simultaneously, the quality of parks also varies. These disparities caused the inequitable distribution of health-promoting features of built environment among disadvantaged groups who may not have access to other …

A Literature Review Of Climate Change And Urban Sustainability, Julia L. Sanabria

Research Papers

Cities are vulnerable to climate change, but they are also uniquely positioned to lead the way in both mitigating and adapting to it. While there is no single solution to climate change, cities have a responsibility to transition toward a more sustainable future. This paper examines current literature in climate change and sustainability in urban areas through a discussion of the urban heat island effect, human health, natural hazards, urbanization trends, socioeconomic factors, urban energy, water and wastewater, public transportation, waste management, green infrastructure and governance. The paper has three key goals: (1) to examine how climate change is affecting …

Going With The Flow: Using Menstrual Education As A Tool For Empowering Post Pubescent Nepali Girls, Graceann L. Cadiz

Master's Theses

Global discourse and research evidence on the benefits of girl’s education show that prioritizing girl’s education is the most successful strategy of breaking the cycle of poverty, gender inequality, and overpopulation. Moreover, there is a growing interest in closing the gender gap in education, but there has been insufficient attention to the specific needs of girls experiencing menses or menarche within schooling environments. The beginning of menstruation represents a pivotal event in development of the adolescent girl but is under-recognized and deemed insignificant with a culture of silence present throughout the rest of their lives. While providing access to education …

Evaluating Public Hearing Testimony In The Context Of A High-Risk Environmental Rulemaking: Does Public Hearing Testimony Provide The Epa With The Information The Agency Requests In Its Proposed Rulemaking?, Deborah Stein

Theses

Does public hearing testimony provide the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the information the agency requests in its proposed rulemaking? In one EPA proposed rulemaking, the agency requests public comment on approximately 140 topics specific to the proposed rulemaking. This analysis examines the testimony from two public hearings to see if the speakers provided any of the information the agency requested. Public hearings are used frequently in our democratic system and can vary substantially. The public hearings associated with a high-risk environmental proposed rulemaking are compared to characteristics that are common to public hearings in general. The public participation characteristics …

Environmental Justice And Gis: A Comparison Of Three Gis Methods For Estimating Vulnerable Population Exposed To Brownfield Pollution In Portland, Oregon, Kyle Goodman

Geography Masters Research Papers

This project compares three GIS techniques that estimate populations who are potentially affected by environmental contamination in Portland, Oregon. All three GIS techniques utilize polygon containment to estimate populations potentially exposed to pollutants based on block level census data. In this study, multiple buffer distances at half-mile increments were used across all three techniques. Circular Euclidean distance buffers surrounding a known contaminated property, such as documented brownfields, approximate the contamination zone. Accurate estimates for populations exposed to harmful environmental conditions could provide a better understanding of environmental justice issues. The specific research questions were: 1) Are the population estimates sensitive …

Evaluating The Distributional Effects Of Regional Transportation Plans And Projects, Kristine Williams, Aaron Golub

TREC Final Reports

Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have long been required to consider the equity implications of their regional transportation plans and processes. Funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities, this research aims to provide additional guidance to MPOs on how to evaluate distributional equity in regional plans and projects. The report begins with an overview of federal requirements related to equity in transportation planning. We then synthesize contemporary methods for measuring transportation equity and the distributional effects of plans and projects from a review of the literature and MPO plans and studies. The report concludes with exploratory case studies of …

The Conservation Of Marine Ecosystem From Trawl Usage By The Local Government Based On Sustainable Marine Preservation Principle, Waluyo Waluyo, Djoko W. Winarno, Ayub T. S. Kusumo, Rosita Candrakirana

Indonesian Journal of International Law

Fisheries practice using trawl and seine nets in Indonesia are still numerous since fishermen round that it will yield much more. However, the practice also threatens the life of small and young fishes as well as destroys the coral reef. The government then issued the regulation namely the Regulation of Minister on Marine Affairs and Fishery Number 2/Permen-KP/2015 about the Prohibition of Trawl and Seine Nets Usage which apply to the whole area of fisheries in Indonesia. It was one of the efforts by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in conserving its marine ecosystem. The aim of this …

Illegal, Unreported And Unregulated Fishing: The Impacts And Policy For Its Completion In Coastal West Of Sumatera, Sri Asih Roza Nova

Indonesian Journal of International Law

For coastal States, IUU fishing is a classic problem. This issue has become a thorn in the flesh, despite being attempted various ways to overcome them, but until now it still has been resolved yet. IUU fishing action can cause many problems, such as increasing poverty of coastal communities, making bankruptcy of fisheries industry, damaging ecosystems and fish habitat in the ocean, disrupting stability of security coastal countries, damaging of diplomatic relations between the coastal States and so on. To that end, this article tries to analyze more deeply about IUU fishing and it’ problems in Indonesia

Volume Cxxxiv, Number 21, April 28, 2017, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Potential To Motivate High School Environmental Science Students With Environmental Justice: A Mixed Methods Approach, Elliott Karetny

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods, design-based study was to explore the potential for socioscientific issues framed by environmental to motivate high school environmental science students. The embedded design began and ended with a survey of student dispositions, and included interviews of particular students in an effort to capture views of general and personal dispositions. Statistical analyses uncovered a moralistic approach to environmental decision-making, and a positive outlook of the future, including the confidence to solve environmental problems. Students revealed an abstract notion of the environment that requires innovative approaches to teaching environmental science, and view scientists as essential change agents …