Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Growing ‘Black Diamonds’: The Role Of The Government In Small Business Development And Black Entrepreneurship, Will Houghteling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

One of the most damaging and threatening legacies of the Apartheid system is the enormous wealth inequality gap that still persists today. The gulf between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ perpetuates problems of crime, educational attainment gaps and racial isolation and therefore minimizing this inequality is central to future economic stability and national success. In an effort to reconcile past injustices and create a more even and just wealth distribution the post Apartheid government focused on aiding black small business development and spurring entrepreneurship to as a sustainable route to economic growth and job creation. However, as various reports indicate, …

No Shelter: Unesco’S Efforts To Save Lalibela’S Culture, Kellen Mcclure

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The eleven rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia have existed for almost a millennium. Cut directly from the volcanic rock of the area, the churches have attracted foreign attention for over fifty years to an area that still remains extremely rural. Recently, new attention is being given to the churches in an attempt to save them from deterioration that threatens both the structural integrity of the buildings and the priceless artwork inside. Leading the effort is the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO, with help from the European Union, has launched a new project to build metal shelters …

Immigration: An Escalator To The American Dream Nicaraguans’ Experiences With Immigration To The United States In The Midst Of The War On Terror, Allison Koenker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Child Labour And Microfinance In Morocco: Using Microfinance To Reduce Child Labour And The Case Of The Al Amana Microfinance Institution, Kristyn Schomp

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Approximately 218 million children are child laborers worldwide. These children work as agricultural workers, prostitutes, handicraft producers, and in virtually in every other form of employment imaginable. But although the problem of child labour has been one of recent international focus, there are still 126 million children involved in some form of hazardous work each year.

The existence of such statistics can be attributed in part to the complex and multi-faceted nature of child labour. Similarly, the reasons for child labour can range from economic and political instability, migration, lack of work, and/or poor school systems. Therefore, the reduction of …

Policing The Police: Democracy And Effective Methods Of Accountability In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Alaina Varvaloucas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study seeks to explore the extent and effectiveness of systems of criminal accountability of the police force in South Africa. More specifically, it explores the pros and cons of existing organizations mandated to deter police from acting criminally and punish them when they do, and the need to strengthen them. The study first takes a look at such organizations as the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD)—which is an independent civilian oversight body—and the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) internal disciplinary system and assesses their strengths and limitations in providing a culture of accountability. The study then focuses on police culture …

Preludes To Violence: A Comparative Look At The Pre-Maquis Period And Contemporary Cameroonian Society, Mathew Welch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Union des populations du Cameroun (UPC) changed roles from a peaceful political organization to an underground militant one in late April of 1955. This study examines the reasons for which this revolution occurred, attempting to find modern parallels, with the goal of discerning the possibility of a future revolution in Cameroon. Extensive primary sources from the period were consulted, in addition to interviews with historians and sociologists for historical background, while periodicals, official studies, political scientists and economists were consulted for contemporary issues. Several individuals who were alive during the Maquis period were also interviewed. The study found that …

The Price Of Gold: The Environmental Impacts Of Toxic Chemicals In Gold Mining, Adam Goetz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The role of mercury and cyanide in gold mining has become a hot topic in Mongolia in the past few years. In the past few months, the government has launched a crackdown on the illegal use of these chemicals in response to the contamination of Khongor soum’s drinking water which resulted from an illegal mining operation. However, there are many more sites throughout the country that are in need of cleaning as a result of the illegal use of these chemicals by small companies as well as individual miners.

This paper examines the role of a variety of different views …

Une Division Ambiguë: L’Immigration Et La Société Civile En France, Kristen Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Struck by the overwhelming debate and cultural emphasis on the issue of immigration in French society, I decided to explore the complex relationship between the non-profit organizations that give social services to various immigrant communities and the government. Through eight interviews with non-profits, government agencies, and political organizations, I concluded that the non-profits compensate for the faults of the French government by more accurately addressing the social issue of immigration. Beyond the non-profits, though, it is civil society in general that has the legitimacy of discourse over the State through its championship of universal rights and international integration. The paradox …

Caring And Treating Post – Traumatic Stress Disorder In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Colleen M. Boley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a major issue whenever there is a war or natural disaster. From 1992 through 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina was subject to one of the most destructive wars of the 20th century. The groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina that are working with posttraumatic stress disorder are investigated to see if they are truly helping people with posttraumatic stress disorder. This paper explores the ways in which posttraumatic stress disorder has affected individuals and the societies of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the organizations attempting to help people dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Between Bottom Up And Top Down: The Truth-Recovery Debate In Northern Ireland, Suzanne Brundage

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper is the final result of my Independent Study Project, a month long research period following three months of study and travel through the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. For three weeks in April 2007 I interned in Belfast with Healing Through Remembering (HTR), a non-governmental organization exploring the question of how Northern Ireland should ‘deal with the past’ in attempts to build a more positive future. I first encountered HTR in early March on my first visit to Belfast. My fellow classmates and I were tasked with examining five options for truth-recovery for Northern Ireland and brainstorming …

Power-Sharing, Stability And The May 8th Devolution Day, Christopher A, Walker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

May 8th, 2007; a day which will be a monumental moment in history. It will be seen as an end of an era of fighting and lost lives. For others it is going to be a moment of relief and progress. And still others will feel dazed and confused. Yet no matter where one might stand on the spectrum, this day will forever remain a historic one. One which will be referred to in the history books and stories will be told of what lead to this extraordinary moment. May 8th 2007 will be the day which Nationalists and Unionists …

Along The River Soumsoum: Urban Agriculture In Ngaoundéré, Winnie Fay Bell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With increasing urbanization large amounts of poverty is shifting from rural to urban centres, posing problems of unemployment and access to food. Due to this dynamic, urban poor all over the world have begun cultivating food in open areas in cities as a means of survival and in an attempt of securing food. With this in mind, this paper seeks to establish the place that urban agriculture holds in the small but rapidly expanding city of Ngaoundéré, in the Adamaoua Province of Cameroon. This is done through exploring the form, function and benefits of urban agriculture for those that partake …

Democracy On The Steppe: A Search For Active Local Citizenship In Rural Mongolia, Matthew D. Simonson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study seeks to understand how engaged Mongolia’s nomadic herders and other rural citizens are in local decision-making. To do so, we conducted over sixty interviews with rural citizens, local officials, and political experts. We also carried out two page-long written surveys which were filled out by nearly two hundred rural citizens in four provinces. Though many Mongolian political experts tend to dismiss local government as powerless and treat rural citizens as homogenous entity, our research has uncovered a remarkable diversity of opinion and activism at the local level. Through their participation in bag meetings and conversations with local officials, …

Sectarianism And Social Capital: Community Development In Northern Ireland, Becky Alhadeff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There is a prevailing belief within the majority of the community sector and indeed, amongst many politicians and policy makers that there is a gap between Catholic and Protestant community development. However it is also argued that the Catholic community has more calculated social need than the Protestant community. It was not my desire, nor within my ability with my limited time frame to measure the capacities of the two communities and determine if there is presently a gap, but simply to look at the reasons put forth by community developers, politicians, and academics for the reason this gap exists. …

State-Sponsored Terror And Security Force Collusion In Northern Ireland, Nate Keenan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

When I began to develop my topic I knew I wanted to study government collusion. The problem with that topic is the enormous undertaking it would require and the research only allows for three weeks. Another that I did know was that I wanted to know more about the work that the Pat Finucane Centre (PFC) does and how they deal with the families that are looking for answers concerning the deaths of their loved ones. I decided to ignore the paper topic for the time I was in Derry and focus on making the PFC the center of my …

Options And Aid: What The Future Holds For The Displaced Sugar Cane Families Of Labasa, Fiji, Lieselot Whitbeck

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 1997, a large number of agricultural leases in the Fijian sugar belts began to expire without renewal. Stepping away from the debates over who should have access to land under what legislation and for what purpose, this paper concentrates on the people who are being directly affected by lease expiration: the cane farmers and cutters themselves. Through the collection and analysis of information gathered through personal interviews and associated literature, this paper focuses on the present moment in Fiji and identifies the needs of displaced cane families, the options available to them, and the different types of aid that …

Accès Aux Médicaments À Madagascar : L’Etat, La Pharmacie, Et L’Usager, Peter Olds

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Ley Y Desorden: La Participación, La Política, Y La Planificación En El Archipiélago De Bocas Del Toro, Sage E. Trombulak

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Bocas del Toro Archipelago is quickly becoming one of Panama’s most popular destinations, both for tourists pursuing temporary fun-in-the-sun type activities and for wealthy Panamanians, Americans, and Europeans seeking a more permanent location for their vacation homes, luxury resorts, and retirement communities. These dual phenomena have become a subject of escalating concern for the political leadership in Bocas del Toro and for a plethora of local, regional, and international NGOs, as unprecedented levels of development are leading to the degradation of one of Panama’s most beautiful and biologically diverse landscapes, stresses on urban infrastructure, and rapid economic growth that …

Corruption In Montenegro Untangling The Knot, Anna Lipton Galbraith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Corruption in Montenegro exists on various levels. The focus of this paper is high level corruption, particularly conflict of interest cases regarding privatization processes, spatial planning and the procurement of public contracts. The reason for this focus is that the abuse of power by the government is one of the largest obstacles to creating a democratic environment of trust and a society structured around the rule of law. These are the primary areas were the government of Montenegro continues to exert inappropriate influence. The first section of the paper will analyze the origins of corruption and attempt to simultaneously provide …

Feminist Justice In Practice: Witness Experiences Of Survivors Of Wartime Sexual Violence In The Sud Bih, Brett A. Smith-Hams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Wartime sexual violence is currently being prosecuted in numerous legal institutions across the world. In order for survivors of this sexual violence to have the best possible experiences, many improvements in the care, protection, and support of those who come forward to testify in these institutions need to be made. This study looks at the practices of one particular legal institution, the National Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is currently in the midst of trying several war crimes cases, many of which involve incidents of mass, systematic sexual violence as part of a larger military campaign in the region …

Malo Le Folauga Brain Drain: A New Perspective, Mirna Carrillo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The migration of people is a prominent issue in Samoa. According to statistics, Samoa has a high emigration rate compounded with a small yet significant brain drain (Docqueir and Marfouk 2006: 174, 188). More and more skilled Samoans are going abroad for greater economic attainment and career advancement. However, the term brain drain implies that the migration of skilled professionals is a severe loss to the Samoan nation; it does not take into consideration the benefits of migration. The objective of this study is to qualitatively measure the accurateness of the term brain drain when describing the international movement of …

Migrant Working Children In Ho Chi Minh City: Emerging Trends Between Economic Migrant And Runaway Child Workers, Paige Fern

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper studies the impact of doi moi on working children in Ho Chi Minh City. Doi moi, which was implemented in 1986, drastically changed Vietnamese society, economically, socially ad politically. These changes allowed a market economy to emerge, sparked remarkable economic growth, and reduced the overall level of poverty. The living standard of the entire population has improved as a result of these economic developments. Poverty reduction has not occurred equally across all regions of Vietnam. Since 1986, there has been a growing divide between rural and urban areas. Around 10 million children in Vietnam today, 30% of the …

Cross-Cultural Encounters: Gringos And Ladinos In Zapatista Territory, Amy Chin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper is principally an analysis of the international observers’ experiences in Olga Isabel and the implications of their continual presence in the community. I begin by explaining my methodology in carrying out this project. I then give a brief history of the Zapatistas, followed by a summary of the present situation in Olga Isabel and its historical and political context. The body of the paper examines the experiences of international observers and the effects of their presence within communities. I conclude by placing my findings in the context of the larger Zapatista movement for indigenous rights and autonomy.

Democratic Control Of Armed Forces: An Analysis Of The Role Of The Parliamentary Assembly In The Defense Reform In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Elisabeth Hubbard

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The research beings with a discussion of the legal framework for defense reform in 2003 and in 2005 followed by an analysis of the role of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing the legislation for reform.

The analysis focuses on efforts to build the capacity of the Parliamentary Assembly and asks the question: have the efforts to build the capacity of parliamentary oversight of the defense reform implementation been successful in increasing democratic control of the Armed Forces of BiH?

I conclude that yes, the capacity-building efforts have been successful in increasing democratic control. However, the Parliamentary …

Raising The Future: An Introduction To Three Organizations Caring For Orphans And Vulnerable Children Using The Cluster Foster Care Model In Kwa-Zulu Natal, Madelaine Colby-Newton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study is a brief introduction to the cluster foster care model of care for orphans and abandoned children as it is implemented at three organizations in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, including God’s Golden Acre, the Kenosis Community, and the Pietermaritzburg SOS Children’s Village. This study provides an over view of the histories of these three organizations, their structure and networking systems, the role of foster mothers and volunteers working in each organization respectively, the methods of education employed, medical services offered and prevalence of HIV, histories of abuse and neglect amongst the children being cared for, inclusion of Christianity …

The Cyprus Property Issue: A Study On Proactive Steps To A Resolution, Anya Esmaili

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper attempts to reveal what the citizens of Cyprus, both in the Republic of Cyprus and in the “TRNC,” think about the property problem in Cyprus. It explains what the problem is, and what actions can be taken to find a solution, in addition to what has already been done in the past. The property problem is one of the most critical, if the not the most critical facet of the Cyprus problem. To get the opinions of a wide range of people, this research includes personal interviews with displaced individuals (both Greek and Turkish Cypriot), interviews with political …

The Art Of Building Peace: How The Visual Arts Aid Peace-Building Initiatives In Cyprus, Daniella Gold

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Often times, artists have the unique ability to see the world with fresh eyes. A specific group of Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot artists have consistently used the visual arts to undermine people’s normal defenses and to help create an atmosphere of peace between members of the two communities. Interactions furthering this atmosphere not only take place between the artists of the two communities who are actively participating in these activities, but also between those individuals who choose to attend these events. Artists, therefore, can use their work to help facilitate peace between warring people. However, for a variety of reasons, artists …

Development, Civil Society And The Conflict In Nepal, Shan Rehman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For more than two decades now, scholars such as Etienne Balibar and Antonio Negri have argued the ‘total subsumption of capital’; there remains no ‘outside’- all aspects of social life are governed by commodities and wage labor. This process, given impetus by the processes commonly referred to as economic globalization or market liberalization, also came to be synonymous with ‘development’. Imperfect markets, the widely implemented ‘Washington Consensus’ package of economic policies further implied, were far better social mechanisms than imperfect states.

The study and practice of ‘development’ worldwide, however, is in flux. Critiques of the mainstream ‘development’ project, widely implemented …

Mediation In Morocco: Current Uses And Future Possibilities, Rachel Markowitz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the world is searching for more effective methods and implementation of conflict resolution, it becomes increasingly important to consider the traditional uses of mediation and current efforts at training in communities, organizations, and the government. The purpose of this case study is to describe the role of mediation as a form of conflict resolution for several groups in Morocco as well as to analyze the prospect for more effective formal mediation in the future through training mechanisms from observations and interviews with current and future leaders throughout Morocco.

Obstacles To Women’S Political Empowerment In Jordan: Family, Islam, And Patriarchal Gender Roles, Margaret Pettygrove

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Recent developments in women’s legislative rights in Jordan, and rising interest in women’s issues throughout the world, have sparked interest in women’s political participation. The purpose of this study is to investigate why, despite numerous advancements for women in Jordanian society, women have not gained greater representation in political processes. This study is based primarily on interviews with 15 Jordanian women between the ages of 18 and 36, as well as interviews with 6 professionals in the field of women’s studies in Jordan. The results of these interviews were analyzed within a theoretical framework provided by literary sources. Research was …