Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Development (7)
- Public Health (7)
- Development Studies (4)
- Agriculture (3)
- Anthropology (3)
-
- Climate change (3)
- Culture (3)
- Gender (3)
- Globalization (3)
- Individual and Family Studies (3)
- Indonesia (3)
- Mental health (3)
- Stigma (3)
- Tourism (3)
- Transportation (3)
- Bali (2)
- Commerce-Business (2)
- Development studies (2)
- Economics (2)
- Empowerment (2)
- Environment (2)
- Gender Studies (2)
- Gender and sexual minorities (2)
- Geography (2)
- Health Education (2)
- Identity (2)
- India (2)
- Migration (2)
- Natural Resources and Conservation (2)
- Natural resources and conservation (2)
Articles 1 - 30 of 276
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
‘Unbelievable’: Perspectives On The Digital World In Manang, Alex Halaby
‘Unbelievable’: Perspectives On The Digital World In Manang, Alex Halaby
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Manang lies one hundred miles northwest of Kathmandu in a valley called Nyeshang. Until a major road was constructed in 2014, the challenge of importing goods in and out of the town slowed the development of digital infrastructures supporting internet use. Consequently, the widespread use of the internet and digital communication is a relatively new phenomenon. Already, its effects are visible in classrooms, health clinics, hotels, and social structures. This paper investigates how Manangis learn about themselves, each other, and the world outside the valley in this new digital space. Emphasis is not placed on quantifications, but rather on the …
Lha, Lu, And Shipda: Religious Landscape In A Conservation Area, Luke Stumpfl
Lha, Lu, And Shipda: Religious Landscape In A Conservation Area, Luke Stumpfl
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Living in a political, cultural, and geographic border region between Nepal and Tibet (People’s Republic of China), the families of Tsum Valley face many demands from their sociopolitical, religious, and economic climate. Practicing Tibetan Buddhism, the people uphold a set of rules implemented by the community with leadership from Serap Dorje Drukpa Rinpoche over 100 years ago that prohibits the intentional murder of all animals. Hailed by leaders and scholars as a haven of biodiversity conservation due to this customary-turned- municipal law, Tsum Valley also exists within Manaslu Conservation Area governed by an entity of the federal government of Nepal …
Biocultural Diversity Of Medicine In Tsum Valley, Ashira Weinreich
Biocultural Diversity Of Medicine In Tsum Valley, Ashira Weinreich
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Health is intrinsically connected to biodiversity in the Himalayan mountains of Tsum Valley. Medicinal plants have historically been integral to primary health care in this region. The main objectives of this paper are to explore the role of biocultural diversity on perceptions of health and to demonstrate that medicinal plant knowledge contributes to health sovereignty in times of cultural and environmental change. The nutritional and medicinal significance of plants were examined in the daily lives of villagers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from April to May 2023. Preliminary results are analyzed ethnographically. Interviews and participant observation will provide a rich understanding …
Belonging And Identity In Mustang: Lived Experiences, Social Identities, And Mobility Patterns Among Himalayan Peoples Of Nepal, Lauren Carter
Belonging And Identity In Mustang: Lived Experiences, Social Identities, And Mobility Patterns Among Himalayan Peoples Of Nepal, Lauren Carter
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This paper delves into an immersive exploration and contemplation of a pivotal transformation unfolding in the heartland of Lower Mustang, Nepal. What began as an endeavor to channel my creative expression and unearth the diminishing world of yak herding soon necessitated a broader, more nuanced analysis of the profound changes sweeping across the region. This paper, mainly drawing upon the narratives of the inhabitants, seeks to portray the contemporary cultural and capital significance of yaks, as well as the various factors— climate change, outmigration, national policy discrepancies, conservation initiatives, and shifting cultural paradigms— that render specific patterns of movement increasingly …
Status Of Pangolins: A Case Study On "The Most Trafficked Mammal In The World" In Central-South Of Nepal, Tsogyal Wangmo Lama
Status Of Pangolins: A Case Study On "The Most Trafficked Mammal In The World" In Central-South Of Nepal, Tsogyal Wangmo Lama
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Pangolins are subject to constant trafficking in Asia and increasingly in Africa for their meat and scales. Very little research is done on this species due to its nocturnal, burrowing, and elusive nature. The larger the size of an animal is, the better it is known to the people and vice versa. Hence all these eight species of pangolins despite being under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list with the four Asian species declared endangered or critically endangered, are still illegally abused and used for ulterior motives due to a lack of awareness among the general …
Dairy & Development: An Investigation Into The Economic And Sociopolitical Dynamics Of Yak Cheesemaking In Nepal, Audrey Peiker
Dairy & Development: An Investigation Into The Economic And Sociopolitical Dynamics Of Yak Cheesemaking In Nepal, Audrey Peiker
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Cheesemaking in Nepal is full of love, passion, and creativity. What began as a Swiss development project in the 1950s has now grown into a full-fledged industry, providing jobs, creative outlets, and cultural expression for many. Nepal’s Dairy Development Corporation owns several factories throughout the country, setting the tone for the industry by establishing the standard price for milk and process for cheesemaking. From there, privately held factories innovate and compete, bringing new products to the market and increasing wages, but also struggle with consistency and reliability. Now, Nepal’s cheesemaking market is at a turning point—much of the herding population …
Sunan Kalijaga: The Birth Of A Self-Actualized Pilgrimage Culture, F. P. Meachem
Sunan Kalijaga: The Birth Of A Self-Actualized Pilgrimage Culture, F. P. Meachem
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Javanese Islam is incredibly unique in its style and practice. Despite boasting a Muslim population larger than the entire Middle East, Indonesia and its Islamic cultural practices are largely unknown in academic circles. This has made an introduction to Islam in the archipelago even more difficult for the rare interested Western reader. Frustratingly, what is lost on the rest of the world is basically second nature to 155 million Javanese Muslims, who learn from their families, schools, and pilgrimages about the Wali Songo, a group of nine semi-mythical figures credited with spreading Islam to Java. When we stop casting …
The Headbangers Of The Himalaya: An Investigation Of Nepal’S Rock And Metal Scene, Samuel White
The Headbangers Of The Himalaya: An Investigation Of Nepal’S Rock And Metal Scene, Samuel White
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The goal of this research endeavor was to generate findings which unveil information about the culture, the bands, and the lives of the musicians and fans who make up the Nepali rock and metal scene. The community is rather esoteric and information regarding certain bands and their musicians’ background is limited to broad, outdated articles published online. Thus, most of the information regarding the scene can only be obtained if one truly immerses themselves within it. I was fortunate enough to make friends which granted me a firsthand look into the Nepali rock and metal scene. The general questions which …
The Archetype Of The Ocean In Balinese Culture, Ava Hull
The Archetype Of The Ocean In Balinese Culture, Ava Hull
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
An archetype is essential for expressing an understanding of symbols and adding depth to the meaning derived from everyday life. It is a connection of source and meaning through the lens of the human experience. In the case of the ocean, people all over the world turn to the sea as a source of healing and a symbol of the murkiness of the unconscious mind. This holds true for the people of Bali as their beautiful Island is in deep connection with the force of the ocean. From the everyday contact like fishing and relaxing at the beach, to the …
What Makes A Family: How An Empowerment-Based Health Care Delivery Model Employs Family Planning To Positively Impact Families In Rural Maharashtra: A Study In Jamkhed, Ahmadneger, Sezin Sakmar
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The paper examines how an empowerment-based health care delivery model employs family planning services to positively impact families in rural Maharashtra. Family planning services provide those with the ability to become pregnant the option to control their own reproductive lives, whether they choose in favor of or against having children. Contraceptive use advances people’s human rights to choose whether they want to bear children and how many children they want, and people should have the choice of their preferred contraceptive method. The paper examines this issue within the framework of the Comprehensive Rural Health Project’s Jamkhed Model. Through the Jamkhed …
The Effects Of Stigma Against Hiv And Tuberculosis On Patient Mental Health And Healthcare-Seeking Behavior In Dharamshala, Isabel Powell
The Effects Of Stigma Against Hiv And Tuberculosis On Patient Mental Health And Healthcare-Seeking Behavior In Dharamshala, Isabel Powell
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
HIV and tuberculosis are highly impactful diseases in India, causing severe morbidity, mortality, and suffering for millions. The stigmatization of these diseases unnecessarily exacerbates suffering for those afflicted and their families, compounding to the existing physical and emotional burden of diagnosis. Individual interviews with healthcare workers were conducted at Delek Hospital and the Tibetan Children’s Village in order to identify the existence and effects of stigma in the Tibetan refugee population in Dharamshala. Respondents reported an extremely high burden of tuberculosis in the community, complicated by the refugee status and unique infrastructural challenges of the population. The burden of HIV …
Local Traditions, Global Influences, National Belonging: Conditional Acceptance Of Cross-Gender Dance In Central Java, Indonesia, Calla Rhodes
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Indonesia has a long and rich history of cross-gender performance in which males embody femininity onstage. Until recently, these diverse, locally-specific traditions were a widely accepted cultural practice. However, modern negative associations with the LGBTQ+ community and, by extension, the West, threaten the survival of traditional Indonesian cross-gender dance. By investigating feminine male gender performance in Java, I will uncover how Indonesians draw from localized cultural traditions, as well as globalized practices like Western-style drag, to destabilize restrictive national constructions of gender. I posit that traditional cross-gender dance serves as a culturally- sanctioned outlet for male expressions of femininity that …
Pop Spirituality In The Context Of Nepal, Kalinda Benson
Pop Spirituality In The Context Of Nepal, Kalinda Benson
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
In this research report, Pop Spirituality in the Context of Nepal, I look to add clarity to what it means to be “spiritual” and how that has been applied historically in context of Nepal. This paper focuses on what has led up to our modern day perceptions on spirituality. In the first section of the paper, I briefly describe what I mean when I say, “pop spirituality” or a “modern spirituality.” I define spirituality and how it differs from religion, a religion, and what secularization is. I want to acknowledge that there are many types of spirituality that exist of …
Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah: Navigating The Intersection Of Gender Nonconformity And Islam In Indonesia, Tali Hastings
Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah: Navigating The Intersection Of Gender Nonconformity And Islam In Indonesia, Tali Hastings
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
No abstract provided.
Exploring The Influence Of Globalization And Self-Expression In Shaping The Vietnamese Lgbtq+ Community In Urban Vietnam, Minh-Thy Tyler
Exploring The Influence Of Globalization And Self-Expression In Shaping The Vietnamese Lgbtq+ Community In Urban Vietnam, Minh-Thy Tyler
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The LGBTQ+ community is estimated to make up around 9% to 11% of Vietnam’s total population. Over the past few decades, Vietnam has undergone significant changes, marked by its increasing interconnectedness with the global community. These changes have also brought about a shift in perceptions and advocacy toward the LGBTQ+ community. Also bringing along a change in attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community in Vietnam is self-expression and fashion. Through drag or wearing gender-nonconforming attire, queer individuals are able to challenge the restrictive gender binary prevalent in Vietnamese society. Self-expression and fashion are also critical in helping queer individuals form and …
Grabbing The Paycheck: A Glimpse Into The Modern Economic Livelihoods Of Xe Máy Grab Drivers In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Maddie Davis
Grabbing The Paycheck: A Glimpse Into The Modern Economic Livelihoods Of Xe Máy Grab Drivers In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Maddie Davis
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Woven into the very fabric of urban life in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is commuting via motorcycle (Vietnamese: xe máy). The versatility of xe máy can be witnessed in the surge of rush hour traffic, the shipment of a great variety and quantity of goods, and the crunch of people in order to get the whole family atop a single bike. Due to xe máy as the primary way much of the population gets around, Ho Chi Minh City’s transportation infrastructure and traffic patterns are highly conducive to this method of transit. Resulting from these favorable conditions, a multitude …
The State Of Transgender And Kinnar Communities In Delhi: Case Studies Connecting Socioeconomic Factors To Health, Ray Craig
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The paper seeks to draw connections between socioeconomic barriers faced by the transgender (trans) community in Delhi, India and the healthcare that the community receives. It primarily discusses transgender people who are not part of the kinnar population, with as much consideration to the experiences of the kinnar community as possible, given limited access to their circles. Five transgender individuals and two cisgender individuals who have worked with trans communities participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews to understand various factors that affect trans people’s daily lives and their healthcare experiences in Delhi. Interviews were transcribed and coded, finding common themes of …
Ecological Living In Nepali Food Systems: A Synthesis Of Circular Nutrient And Knowledge Flows In The Kathmandu Valley, Kaitlyn Feely
Ecological Living In Nepali Food Systems: A Synthesis Of Circular Nutrient And Knowledge Flows In The Kathmandu Valley, Kaitlyn Feely
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Researching food-systems in Nepal can feel like drinking from a fire hydrant. Sixty-six percent of the population is directly involved in agriculture and a diverse set of ecocultural understandings influence the practice across the country’s landscapes, ranging from the Himalayas to urban centers to southern plains. In the Kathmandu Valley and peripheral hills where I conducted my research, seemingly any spare land was under cultivation, enabled by fertile ground, optimal climate, and market potential. But despite the prevalence of farming in daily life throughout the country, Nepal’s food system is not domestically self-sufficient. A complex web of imports and exports …
Tibetan Vegans In Diaspora, Ringzen Wangmo
Tibetan Vegans In Diaspora, Ringzen Wangmo
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Despite the Tsampa (Roasted Barley) eating culture and yak cheese merchandise in the market, the Tibetan culture is widely known as highly dependable on meat eating by non-Tibetans, little is known about the Tibetan Vegans officially known as karkyong. Overall vegetarianism is known and practiced in the Tibetan history throughout the centuries that’s what’s commonly known as vegan diets in modern society. But not known as Vegans in the Tibet then. This study also shed some light on Tibetan vegans in the diaspora and their journey of becoming vegan through interviews with restaurant owners, vegans, monks, nuns, and lay Tibetans …
‘Too Shy To Talk About This Topic’: The Impacts Of Gender Conceptions On The Embodied Sexual Experiences And Perceptions Of Urban Vietnamese Students In Ho Chi Minh City, Lily Kafka
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This paper aims to articulate how ‘traditional’ gender roles are resisted, conformed to, and changed among youth within the context of Vietnam’s emerging market economy and consumer culture. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of how gender conceptions have progressed throughout Vietnamese history was a significant portion of my research. The data collection consisted of qualitative data through online surveys and in-depth interviews to understand the impacts of Vietnamese gender conceptions on the embodied sexual experiences and perceptions of university students in Ho Chi Minh City. My findings suggest that contemporary Vietnamese youth, specifically students residing in Ho Chi Minh City, are …
Tsaachin Reindeer Herders: Perceptions Vs Reality, Sharla Dart
Tsaachin Reindeer Herders: Perceptions Vs Reality, Sharla Dart
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Mongolia is a country commonly known for its vast steppes and rich culture of nomadic pastoralism. Images of livestock grazing on the open steppe often come to mind when people think about the country. However, what about the lesser-known reindeer herders? The Tsaachin reindeer herders of Mongolia are an ethnic group in the northernmost region of the country that have been subject to common misconceptions stemming from perceptions created by people consuming exaggerated and false narratives. This study aims to discover if perceptions that outsiders have influence the reindeer herders of the West Taiga.
The Rinpoche Sent Me A Friend Request: The Roles And Perceptions Of Social Media In Buddhist Religious Life, Solveigh Barney
The Rinpoche Sent Me A Friend Request: The Roles And Perceptions Of Social Media In Buddhist Religious Life, Solveigh Barney
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
When I first heard about His Eminence the 8th Chokyong Palga Rinpoche, I didn’t expect to find an Instagram page consisting of gym pics and sunglass selfies. As I kept scrolling through Instagram, I soon found out that Palga Rinpoche is not alone in this influencer-like social media façade; he is a part of a younger generation of Buddhist monastics who are trying to be what some call monkfluencers. These monastics are growing up in the digital world of social media, making it more accessible to share with the outside world the #monklife. My goal is to investigate the relationship …
Medical Ethics: How Resource Distribution Affects The Decision Making Of Doctors In Rural India: An Explorative And Comparative Study In Jamkhed, Maharashtra, Jared Yee
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Using rural Mahrasthra as a case study, I was able to explore the medical ethics and common dilemmas that occur in Rural India. Through a collection of interviews and articles, I was able to piece together my understanding of some common ethical challenges that India faces, emphasizing ones that were unique to the location and circumstance. Using observations I made through my work in the hospital, I learned that limited resources effects all sides of ethics in the medical field, with a signficinant effect on economics, hospital structure, and clinical protocol. In an attempt to source the aspects of Indian …
Monuments As A Lens To Understand Climate Change: A Survey Of Altered Indian Architecture, Mckenzie Davis
Monuments As A Lens To Understand Climate Change: A Survey Of Altered Indian Architecture, Mckenzie Davis
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
My project is asking in what ways climate change is impacting monuments in the developing world using case studies in India? The project will be a survey of sites occupying different positions in environment, religion, and history in order to assess the multitude of threats on cultural heritage created and/or exacerbated by climate change. The Taj Mahal (17th century) will be assessed in order to discuss the impacts of air pollution associated with an urban environ ment and drought along the Yamuna river, using a widely known icon of India to serve as a visualization of slow violence taking place …
Small But Strong: Growth And Development Of The Sikh Community In Kathmandu, Sarbjot Z. Jessop
Small But Strong: Growth And Development Of The Sikh Community In Kathmandu, Sarbjot Z. Jessop
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
No abstract provided.
How Survivors Of Domestic Violence Seek Legal And Social Support Against Their Abusers In Ahmednagar District Of Maharashtra State In India: An Exploratory Study, Jonathan Israel
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This exploratory study sought to gather detailed information about women’s experiences surviving and rehabilitating from domestic violence. This information was used to identify factors that encourage survivors to stay in their relationships and factors that enable them to seek legal and social support against their abusive partners. Qualitative data was gathered through a series of in-depth interviews and panel discussions with survivors of domestic violence in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra (India). This data was analyzed with guidance from Indian feminist theory, local professionals, and contributing research mentors. Further examination of national survey data, past research on domestic violence in Indian contexts, and …
Changes In Identity: How Mongolian Musicians And Performers Have Responded To Geopolitical Transition, Heather Cook
Changes In Identity: How Mongolian Musicians And Performers Have Responded To Geopolitical Transition, Heather Cook
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
During Mongolia’s socialist period, traditional forms of Mongolian music were deliberately altered as the government, heavily influenced by the Soviet Union, attempted to modernize Mongolian culture. Throughout this period, traditional instruments were modified, the types of music that could be performed were strictly censored, and the structure of performances was set to strictly mimic those of Western orchestras. After Mongolia’s Democratic Revolution of 1990, the artistic freedom of Mongolian musicians has greatly increased, but even now, socialist cultural policies are deeply intertwined with Mongolian musical culture. Why is this the case? What is the common perception among performers about the …
Retracing Revolutionary Footsteps: The Legacy Of The People’S War In The Maoist Heartlands, Katherine Coetzer
Retracing Revolutionary Footsteps: The Legacy Of The People’S War In The Maoist Heartlands, Katherine Coetzer
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
In 1996, Nepal was engulfed in a civil war when the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) – hereafter referred to a— launched a guerilla war against the state. In historical and political scholarship on the conflict, there has been a tendency to situate the conflict with a neat set of causes and consequences. In focusing on the macroscale changes, such narrations of “Big History” obscure the experiences of the Nepali people who were—and continue to be— impacted by war with the loss and violence endured clinically tallied in human right reports and social science studies. Within rigid analyses, the variegated …
Born A Foreigner: Tibetan Statelessness In India, Sonam Rikha
Born A Foreigner: Tibetan Statelessness In India, Sonam Rikha
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
A majority of the Tibetans in India are stateless, meaning that they have citizenship to no internationally recognized country. India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and has no national refugee framework. Therefore, residents of India are either designated as foreigners or citizens. Tibetans—including those that were born in India—are labeled as “foreigners” in India. Stateless Tibetans in India have no permanent legal status, making them vulnerable to detention and deportation. Furthermore, stateless Tibetans can’t buy property, have limited educational and career opportunities, and constantly have to renew documentation in order to reside in India. While …
How Survivors Of Domestic Violence Seek Legal And Social Support Against Their Abusers In Ahmednagar District Of Maharashtra State In India: An Exploratory Study, Jonathan Israel
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This exploratory study sought to gather detailed information about women’s experiences surviving and rehabilitating from domestic violence. This information was used to identify factors that encourage survivors to stay in their relationships and factors that enable them to seek legal and social support against their abusive partners. Qualitative data was gathered through a series of in-depth interviews and panel discussions with survivors of domestic violence in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra (India). This data was analyzed with guidance from Indian feminist theory, local professionals, and contributing research mentors. Further examination of national survey data, past research on domestic violence in Indian contexts, and …