Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Analyzing The Social Impact Of Gacaca Courts In The Reconciliation Process In Rwanda, Mary Thibodeau

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Restorative justice is often misunderstood by Western academia in the context of community-based justice systems in African nations. The Gacaca courts used in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi are frequently criticized for their procedures and outcomes. However, a majority of these criticisms come from Western authors without having engaged in conversations with Rwandans and observing the effects of the trials within the nation. The only people who know and understand the impact of the Gacaca courts are Rwandans. I have been researching how the Gacaca trials contributed to homegrown solutions and their impact within communities in Rwanda …

Non-Conventional Vehicles As A Way Towards Carbon Neutrality In Iceland, Julia Sokolowska

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Paris Agreement’s chief objective is to protect the Earth and its inhabitants from a point of no return, when the effects of climate change will be so intense that they will shift the equilibrium of ecosystems. The distinctiveness of this international environmental treaty is that it does not impose climate change mitigation measures, but rather allows nation states to create their own set of measures, the NDCs, to reach the global warming of ‘well below 2oC’ by the end of the century. Thus, Iceland has submitted its own NDC, the Climate Action Plan 2018-2030, which has an ambitious goal of …

Gender-Based Violence During The 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic: New Challenges And Adaptations At Haguruka, Asia Korkmaz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Haguruka is a Rwandan NGO founded in 1991 that works to ensure Rwandan women and youth’s access to their legal rights. In addition to providing free legal aid, Haguruka runs educational and capacity building programs across the country to combat gender-based violence (GBV).1 When the Rwandan government instituted lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in January of 2020, many of Haguruka’s programs were no longer feasible under the new guidelines. Additionally, emerging research has shown that incidents of GBV have increased globally due to policies to combat COVID-19.2 Rwanda is no exception. Through a desk review, …

Trace Metals And The Environment: Studying The Behaviour Of Iceland’S Glacially Sourced Trace Metals, Owen Bailey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Trace metal contamination in marine ecosystems is a problem for every trophic level, from zooplankton up to humans. The mobility and uptake availability of these metals depend on such environmental parameters as salinity, temperature, and pH, among others. To explore the effects of varying parameters on dissolved metal behaviour, I studied the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, into which the Breidamerkurjökull glacier deposits trace metals from volcanic ash through glacial melt. In this study I develop and follow a sampling procedure to analyze trace metal concentrations in the lagoon, while additionally discussing the behaviour and impact of trace metals, focusing on cadmium, …

The Political Development Of Capital Punishment In The Modern Moroccan State, Mia Barr

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The modern Moroccan state seen today is very young. Having only been independent from France since 1956, the country has spent the last sixty-four years crafting its post-colonial statehood. What has emerged is a hybrid political system with powers split, however unequally, between the King and his inner circle, known as the makhzen, and the Parliament. Not only is the monarchy constitutional—meaning that its legitimacy is literally written into the primary governing document of Morocco, which had its last referendum in 2011—but it is also self-sustaining and self-legitimizing, for the monarchy uses its constitutional powers to grant itself further powers …

Understandings Of Sexual Consent Among Male And Female Zulu South Africans In Masxha, Kwazulu-Natal, Larkin Levine

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Though South Africa has an astonishingly high rate of rape and sexual violence, little research has been conducted on understandings of sexual consent outside of the context of rape and sexual violence in different South African communities. Instead, research has focused on understandings and perceptions of rape and sexual violence alone, ignoring the importance of understanding how individuals approach consent in healthy sexual relationships.

Through conducting semi-structured interviews with sixteen Zulu males and females of different ages, all of whom are residents of Masxha, I hoped to learn how these individuals understand sexual consent and how consent is requested, given, …

The Current State Of Migrant Health In Morocco: Pre-And Peri-Covid-19 Pandemic, Layla Babahaji

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the early 21st century, Morocco transitioned from being a predominantly transit migration country into both a transit and destination country for migrants. In 2013, the Moroccan government took significant steps to adapt the healthcare system in better integrating migrants in its policies. The government implemented the National Strategy on Immigration and Asylum that improved access to public health care for migrants. Recently, in March of 2020, Morocco declared a state of medical emergency due to the current COVID-19 pandemic that continues today. This paper addresses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the current state of migrant health in …

Changing Water Resources’ Effect On Livelihoods And Socio-Ecological Relationships In Himalayan Communities Of Nepal, Luke Bazemore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The looming threat of climate change will lead to significant alterations in livelihoods and daily practices for individuals across the world. This paper seeks to identify the effects of climate change on hydrological regimes in Himalayan communities in Nepal with particular focus towards livelihood and socio-ecological transformations. Using the socio-ecological systems framework to analyze specific communities and their resource use, along with vulnerability and adaptative capacity analysis, this paper includes a meta-analysis of existing literature. Numerous findings indicated that rural, mountainous communities of Nepal face a variety of environmental impacts which may reduce viability of two significant modes of production: …

Catalonia: Independence In History, Rhetoric, And Symbolism, Natalie J. Cestone

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper discusses why Catalonia should be an independent state through its history with independence and its historical and modern-day use of rhetoric and symbolism. By delving into the history of the region and digging into the unique qualities of the region, we examine how Catalonia has drawn a line between itself and Spain. Historical attempts at independence, the Catalan language, use of mythology and legends – otherwise described as Catalan rhetoric – as well as the use of symbology are all outlined in this paper and reviewed in the context of how contemporary Catalonia is making another grab at …

Medical Trust In Pediatric Care In The United States, Talia Feldscher

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Trust is a critical aspect of the patient-provider dynamic, but in the U.S., its importance is overlooked in many medical settings, especially among those from low socio-economic groups. As the disparities in American healthcare are being recognized on a larger scale, it is necessary to further uncover why this is the case, and how to begin to remedy this disparity. This study presents an original qualitative data set of perspectives from four current health/mental health practitioners, based on their experiences with their pediatric patients, and how the concept of trust is critical to their service provision. Supported by literature, this …

La Integración De Las Necesidades Especiales Educativas En Aulas Convencionales Chilenos: Investigación Y Experiencias Vividas, Julia Alfiere

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El movimiento hacia la integración de estudiantes con necesidades especiales educativas (NEE) en aulas convencionales ha ganado tracción en los últimos veinte años como un asunto no solamente del reforma educacional, pero de derechos para estudiantes con discapacidades y necesidades educativas especiales también. Este informe investiga los resultados del movimiento hacia la integración con relación a la experiencia de integración en sí, y el rendimiento académico y la experiencia en el aula de los estudiantes con NEE. En el proceso de investigación para este informe, se entrevistaron varios partes interesadas, como docentes de educación diferencial y padres de estudiantes con …

Rastreo De La Agencia De Los Uchurracaínos: Yuxtaposicionando La Cvll Y La Cvr Para Analizar La Representación De La Gente Indígena Durante La Violencia Política Peruana, Emma Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este trabajo investigará la representación de las comunidades campesinas-­‐indígenas (CCIs) según la Comisión Vargas Llosa (CVLL) y la Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación (CVR), enfocando específicamente en el tema de la agencia. ¿Cómo son representados en los informes finales (IF) y la memoria oficial promovido por el Estado y por qué? La CVLL ha sido criticada por culturalizar la violencia y la CVR, aunque dio voz al sector más marginado en el país, los campesinos-­‐indígenas, ha sido atacado por establecer una visión maniqueísta de los actores en la violencia política (VP) que les pintó como seres humanos sin la …

Mysticism And Syncretism On The Island Of Java, Ryan Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On the Indonesian island of Java, there is a religious tradition referred to as Kebatinan, which can be seen as the mystical branch of the indigenous religion of Java called Kejawen. However, unlike the mystical traditions of other religions, mysticism is critical to the entire popular practice of Kejawen and is not simply reserved for a select few. There are, on the other hand, a select number of people who fully understand the philosophical notions associated with Kebatinan and so can still be considered the “mystics” of the Kejawen faith. What these principles of mysticism have ultimately manifested as in …

Covid 19 In U.S. Migrant Detention Centers: The Call For Freedom In The Face Of A Global Pandemic, Salma Rojas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My research paper investigates the responses of the U.S. immigration detention system to the COVID 19 pandemic and determines the capacity of the detention centers to keep detained individuals alive and healthy. As I analyze their capacities, I look to past detention center outbreaks, updated public health resources, reports on ICE facility conditions and the testimonies of migrant people who were detained during the COVID 19 crisis. The urgency of the COVID 19 pandemic is why I dedicate part of my paper to what needs to be done to prevent the situation from worsening. In drawing from these various sources, …

The Increased Role Of Pesantrens In Indonesia’S Modern-Day Approach To Deradicalization, Helen Bruckner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Indonesia has had a unique relationship with Islamic radicalism since the war for Indonesian independence in 1945. While the formation of an Islamic State in Indonesia has been at the forefront of radical movements since independence, the approaches to achieving this goal have changed drastically over time. This goal has also had multiple adversaries, from Dutch and Japanese colonialism, to the left-wing Sukarno regime, to the authoritarian Suharto regime, and finally the War on Terror. Across all of these different time periods, Islamic radicals in Indonesia have also had to contend with the different Muslim communities across the archipelago, many …

The Indigenous As Orthodox: Religious Evolution In Tana Toraja, Charles Perry Lange

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Within the last century, the Toraja regency in South Sulawesi has seen an unprecedented amount of social change. From their beginnings as hierarchical feudalistic culture at the turn of the 20th century to operating one of the largest tourist attractions in Indonesia, their way of life has been turned on its head. Most notably, these changes begin as religious and expand to impact cultural, political and economic life as well. This paper examines those changes from the regions blossoming of the Aluk To Dolo indigenous tradition to the incorporation of Christianity and finally the consolidation and preservation of indigenous beliefs …

United Or Divided? The Politics Of Euro-Mediterranean Regional Identity And Migration Governance, Sarah Hall

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Migration management has become one of the foremost global governance challenges facing states today, as the number of people seeking to move across borders continues to rise exponentially. As a result, states have begun to band together into regions to collectively manage the flow of refugees and migrants into their territories. Given that these regions are grounded in the articulation of a common identity among member states, the overall trend of regionalism as it pertains to migration governance represents an interesting point of entry from which to analyze three intersecting dynamics: migration management, regional cooperation among states, and identity politics. …

Ecological And Economic Benefits And Risks Of Using Botanical Insecticides In Tanzanian Farms, Lilia Garcia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Insect damage is a major concern for smallholder farmers in developing countries like Tanzania. Synthetic insecticides can tame infestations, however they can be expensive, inaccessible, and their misuse can threaten farmer health and ecological conditions. Botanical insecticides are cheap alternatives to treat infestations while preserving beneficial insects such as pollinators, predators, and parasitoids. This study assesses how both synthetic and botanical insecticides affect beneficial insects, crop yield and profit/costs. This study finds botanical insecticides slightly less harmful towards non-target insects. Botanical insecticides seldomly improve crop yields but usually result in a higher profit/lower cost. Due to high variation in ecological …

Indigenous Communities Versus Oil Companies: Identifying Trends In Tactics And Success Of Indigenous-Led Anti-Petroleum Movements In The Ecuadorian Amazon, Ella V. H. Carlson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In roughly the last 50 years, the Ecuadorian Amazon has become the epicenter of petroleum production in Ecuador. As oil companies attempt to exploit more and more of the rainforest, they have encroached on indigenous lands, leading to violations of indigenous rights through environmental destruction. As their territories have been invaded, indigenous groups throughout the Amazon have formed movements large and small in resistance to petroleum activities. Scholars have studied select campaigns in the past, but the literature lacks a comparative review of the characteristics of those movements. This paper compiles histories of seven campaigns against petroleum in the Ecuadorian …

¿“La Familia Diversa”?: Una Investigación En Constructos De Familias En Ecuador En El Siglo Xxi, Julia Cornick

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En este ensayo, exploro la constitución ecuatoriana de 2008, específicamente el artículo 67 que reconoce y protege “la familia diversa”. Este artículo supuestamente reconoce “la familia en sus diversos tipos”. Pero, otras partes de la constitución y las acciones del gobierno niegan el artículo en muchas maneras. A pesar de las promesas rotas y palabrerías de la constitución, individuos y grupos en comunidades LGBTI en Ecuador existen afuera de la constitución cuando construyen “familias alternativas”. A través de formas de familias alternativas, los ecuatorianos pueden hacer familias alternativas y significado afuera de la constitución, y voy a investigar las implicaciones …

Un Análisis Histórico De La Respuesta De Organizaciones Sindicales A La Pandemia De Covid-19, Rachel Hodes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La historia social de los últimos ciento cincuenta años de Ecuador ha contribuido únicamente a las acciones de organizaciones sindicales durante la pandemia del COVID-19. Un análisis de los medios sociales de varios sindicatos durante la pandemia y las protestas del 1 de mayo 2020 revela desarrollos claves en cuatro áreas: la afiliación política, la construcción de solidaridad con el movimiento indígena, el enfoque en la educación, y la lucha contra la corrupción gubernamental. Patrones mayores incluyen la priorización continua de la educación por obreras incluso cuando enfrentan nuevos desafíos, la unidad de centrales sindicales contra el neoliberalismo y la …

“Gender And Sexual Minorities Identity Terms” Academic Discourse In Nepal Over Time, Carolyn Kelly

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The last 20 years in Nepal has seen drastic changes in the rights and recognition of Gender and Sexual Minorites. Little research has been done on GSM in Nepal and the majority of this research focuses solely on discrimination faced by GSM using western identity terms and categories. These identity terms conflict with a Nepal specific understand of self. Even fewer research has been done on academic discourse on GSM in Nepal. There is a need to understand how academics talk about Nepal’s GSM and how this has changed over time. Terms and their respective constructed identities say a lot …

(Des)Cuidando A Quienes Nos Crían: Una Exploración Cualitativa Del Abordaje Para El Diagnóstico, La Prevención Y El Tratamiento De La Depresión Posparto En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires (2020) / (In)Adequate Care For Those Who Raise Us: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Approach To Diagnosis, Prevention And Treatment Of Postpartum Depression In The City Of Buenos Aires (2020), April Hopcroft

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Aunque el embarazo y la maternidad están representadas como periodos de alegría, la llegada de un bebé es una transición significativa en la vida que también puede provocar sentimientos de ansiedad y depresión. La depresión posparto (DPP) es un trastorno de estado de ánimo que plantea consecuencias graves para ambas madre y bebé. Dada la vacancia de investigación en la Argentina, este trabajo pretende analizar el abordaje actual de intervención de la DPP en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Los objetivos específicos son: 1) identificar y describir el proceso de diagnóstico, prevención y tratamiento, y 2) indagar las percepciones …

Las Perspectivas Y Experiencias De Los Profesionales Del Campo De La Reproducción Asistida En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires Y Bahía Blanca En El Año 2020. / The Perspectives And Experiences Of The Professionals In The Field Of Assisted Reproduction In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires And Bahía Blanca In 2020., Calder Hollond

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En este informe se realiza una exploración del campo de la reproducción asistida en Argentina en 2020 a través de entrevistas personales con seis profesionales en el campo. Estos profesionales vienen de Capital Federal y Bahía Blanca y ofrecen perspectivas diversas en el estado del campo en este momento, los cambios que han pasado en los últimos años, y una mirada hacia el futuro. Este informe utiliza una metodología cualitativa y exploratoria, y un diseño observacional transversal. Además, emplea una muestra no probabilística y un diseño descriptivo para introducir el tema de reproducción asistida en Argentina y después analizarlo a …

El Ingreso Familiar De Emergencia En Argentina: Una Exploración Cualitativa Preliminar De La Suficiencia Relativa Y El Acceso / Emergency Family Income In Argentina: A Qualitative And Preliminary Exploration Of Relative Sufficiency And Access, Seamus Mcwilliams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El gobierno argentino ha promulgado docenas de nuevas protecciones sociales y varios de apoyo financiero para limitar la devastación económica causada por la pandemia del coronavirus. Una de estas medidas es el Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia (IFE), un estímulo de 10.000 pesos dirigido a familias del sector informal. Esta población tiene poca capacidad para resistir un período indefinido sin ingreso, y simultáneamente es difícil de alcanzar con los otros programas de ingresos debido a la naturaleza de la informalidad. A través de un análisis del ecosistema de apoyo gubernamental y dos entrevistas con profesionales familiarizadas con el sector informal, este …

Impactos En La Salud Pública Y Desigualdades Frente Al Cambio Climático En América Latina: Una Aproximación Hacia Las Consecuencias Diferenciales De Las Inundaciones Y Olas De Calor En La Cuenca Matanza Riachuelo. / Public Health Impacts And Inequalities In The Face Of Climate Change In Latin America: An Approach Towards The Differential Consequences Of Floods And Heat Waves In The Matanza Riachuelo Watershed., Julia Mettler-Grove

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La relación entre el cambio climático y la salud pública es un tema emergente y crítico para estudiar en la escala local, concretamente en lo que refiere a analizar los efectos producidos por las olas de calor y las inundaciones. Si bien existe un campo de investigación creciente sobre el tema, son pocos los trabajos que ahondan en la conexión con la salud pública, un elemento central para pensar en la gestión del cambio climático en las ciudades. Esto es precisamente lo que se propone hacer la presente investigación, tomando como caso de estudio la cuenca más urbanizada e industrializada …

¿Es Suficiente La Ley De Parto Respetado? Una Investigación Sobre El Parto Respetado Y La Intervención Médica, A Partir De Las Opiniones De Los Profesionales De La Salud Y Una Organizacion De La Sociedad Civil En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires, Argentina / Is The Respected Birth Law Enough? An Investigation On The Respected Birth And Medical Interventions Through The Opinions Of Health Professionals And A Civil Society Organization In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jennifer Rufino

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A través de los años, la medicalización y los avances en el campo de medicina ha garantizado un nivel de seguridad para el proceso del embarazo y el parto. Sin embargo, la intervención médica también ha producido una discusión sobre el aumento de cesáreas, el significado del parto respetado, y los derechos de la mujer. Esta investigación exploró las opiniones de los profesionales de salud y una organización de la sociedad civil sobre la ejecución del parto respetado y el aumentado de la tasa de cesáreas en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dada la situación de aislamiento social …

Encuentros Intergeneracionales: Continuidades Y Reformulaciones En Las Prácticas Militantes De Las Jóvenes Integrantes De Espacios De Acompañamiento De Aborto En La Amba / Intergenerational Encounters: Continuities And Reformulations In The Activist Practices Of The Young Members Of Abortion Accompaniment Spaces In The Amba, Hannah Robinson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Debido al acceso restrictivo de los abortos legales, en los últimos diez años los espacios de acompañamiento de personas que quieren interrumpir la gestación se han convertido en un sitio importante de la militancia feminista en Argentina. Estos espacios o colectivos brindan información sobre el uso del medicamento misoprostol para abortar, conectan las personas gestantes con profesionales de salud “amigables” que garantizan el acceso al Interrupción Legal del Embarazo, y proveen apoyo durante el proceso de interrupción. Al mismo tiempo, en los últimos cinco años una marea de jóvenes ha entrado masivamente a la militancia feminista.

A través de la …

Facebook’S Façade: Understanding The Disillusionment Of Tunisian Youth, Adam Cooper

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the past nine years, Tunisian youth voter participation has been incredibly low. Once leaders of the country during its democratic revolution in January 2011, youth in Tunisia are now disillusioned with the Tunisian political sphere and have remained absent from formal politics, a transition that is both confusing and worrying. Tunisian youth have also had a dominant presence on Facebook during this time, often utilizing the online space for political activity in lieu of voting in elections and holding membership in political parties. This paper examines the relationship between the Facebook usage and participation in elections of Tunisia youth, …

Internship Paper: Completed At The Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo, Julia Herzfeld

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper discusses my experiences while online interning with the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo, an organization based out of Prishtina and works to support inclusive and victims-centered transitional justice in Kosovo. I worked primarily on two research projects, one on the Transitional Justice Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the other on the status of criminal complaints filed by the Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade to the Serbian justice system related to war crimes committed in Kosovo. While the circumstances surrounding my online internship were not ideal due to the Covid-19 pandemic, my experience greatly enhanced my knowledge of the …