Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Are You For Bush Or For Kerry? A Discourse Analytical Study Of The Russian Mass Media Response To The 2004 United States Presidential Elections., Matthew Thomas Calvin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project seeks to combine a Russian Language component with a look at Russian foreign politics by performing a discourse analytical study of the Russian mass media reaction to the November 2004 United States Presidential elections. Discourse analysis is a method by which a language or speech sample is analyzed to discover the greater social and societal meanings and implications hidden within those words. The attempt was made to gain a greater understanding of Russian society and culture through an analysis of answers given to the question “Are you for Bush or for Kerry?”, posed to various members of …

A Learning Process: The Implementation And Effects Of Returnee Policies In Post-War Bosnia-Hercegovina, Danielle Kuczera

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Spirituality In Limbo: An Observation And Analysis Of Mongolia’S Modern Religious Climate, Dustin Saldarriaga

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper is essentially a history of religion in Mongolia with the purpose of illuminating the present state of religion at a socially, culturally, and politically unique point in Mongolia’s history. It has only been fourteen years since Mongolia experienced a political transition from totalitarianism to democracy, and the country now finds itself in a kind of “Limbo” with respect to not only the political state of the nation, but also the spiritual state of its individuals. The result is a religious climate filled with uncertainty and speculation, but also with passion and love. I attempt to explore this current …

Mcdonald’S And Samoan Youth: A Case Study Of Globalization, Anna Schechter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The topics of change, development and globalization are extremely pertinent to modern-day Samoa. The past ten years have lead to a vast increase in the inter-connectedness of Samoa to the world economically, socially, and culturally. This paper uses McDonald’s as a representation of the globalization occurring in Samoa in order to better understand the real impacts of these abstract terms. Samoan youth act as a medium in which to explore this topic. They are often the most attune to the impacts of globalization and perhaps even act as a catalyst for change. Thus this paper explores, specifically, the relationship between …

Village Elections: Emergence Of A Democratic Political Culture Or Reinforcement Of A Repressive Regime?, Laura Conniff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

China’s ethnic and geographic diversity makes the task of examining the implementation of national policy nearly impossible. As more than 70% of the population lives outside urban areas, narrowing the field to rural governance does not whittle down the subject matter to any great degree. However, the vastness of the topic is precisely why it is so vital to developing a coherent understanding of the country – knowing how a majority of the Chinese population interacts with local government sheds a great deal of light on the status of political reform in China today.

Many of the problems plaguing Chinese …

Multi-Culturalism In Ireland: Examining The Context Of And Debates Surrounding The Citizenship Referendum, Melanie Todman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I hope to explore Irish reactions to multi-culturalism through the highly controversial citizenship referendum. This referendum, through which the twenty-seventh amendment to the Irish Constitution will be made, is fundamentally changing Ireland’s citizenship policy from one of jus soli and jus sanguinis to one of just jus sanguinis. This change has been made amid current inflows of immigrants, many of whom are racially distinct and come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The framing question for this paper is: Like other European countries, Ireland is making the transition from a racially homogenous society to a more heterogenous …

Ich Rede, Wie Ich Mich Wohl Fühle: Language And Ethnic/Cultural Identity Among German-Born Young Adults Of Turkish Descent In Berlin, Emily R. Jenkins

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My study consisted of ethnographic interviews with young adults ages 19-28, who were born and raised in Germany to parents emigrated from Turkey. My main research question was, “What role does language play in the subjects’ conception of ethnic/cultural identity?” Specifically, I focused on the role of language in how subjects identify with or distinguish themselves from: (1) the ethnic/cultural majority in their country of residence, i.e. Germans; (2) the ethnic/cultural majority in their parents’ country of origin, i.e. Turks in Turkey; and (3) others of similar immigration background, i.e. other German-born people of Turkish descent. Originally I only intended …

Communalism To Consumerism: Consumer Culture In Samoa, Amelia Neptune

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Communalism is a system of living where the good of a total group is prioritized over individual wealth or wellbeing. Consumerism is a fascination with the act of purchasing and acquiring goods. This paper attempts to find out how consumer culture might clash or coincide with a tradition of communalism within the Pacific island nation of Samoa. It looks at the history of communalism within Samoa, and how communalism has been interpreted in Samoa’s modern society, manifesting in the form of remittances and formal gift exchanges.

With the introduction of a cash economy from the West, the paper looks at …

Just Behind The Mountain: Refugee Children Imagine Tibet, Emma Tobin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the Tibetan diaspora began in 1959, when His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India, many Tibetans have settled and started families in exile. Today, a large percentage of Tibetan refugees have been born in exile, and have therefore never seen their country. Within Tibetan exile communities, however, the importance of Tibetan identity is strongly emphasized and people are still very much invested in the plight of Tibet. As a result, there exist strong ideas about the reality of life in Tibet within the exile community. According Jamyang Norbu, “Though the Shangri-la stereotype is a Western creation, …

Fences In Mongolia: A Study Of Land Reform, Nicholas A. Kroshus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In a feverish ten-hour van ride, my ISP topic and desire to study land privatization developed as I watched the landscape change with each passing kilometer. Sick from food poisoning and riding in the back of van resting on saddles, sleeping bags, and various boxes I realized I wanted to study something involving the economics of Mongolia. Mama Ulziii had recently mentioned the development of land laws and the corruption involving them sparking my flow of thoughts. As I lie in the back being jostled around, hitting my head, I was struck with the idea of discovering how an individual …

Finding The Door In The Mirage: The Politics Of Cultural Change In Mongolia, Evan Buxbaum

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 1996, as the Mongolian delegation entered the Olympic arena in Atlanta, a Russian announcer let his tongue slip and heralded the country as a true independent nation, because nobody depends on them. The comment triggered a scandal which was suppressed under a deluge of meaningless public apologies, yet merely eight years later, the Russian announcer’s insult seems to barely even apply anymore. With Mongolia’s entrance into the international community of interdependents, free from dictatorial control for the first time during the age of globalization, it has plunged into an era of change. The outcome of this transitional period will …

Self-Esteem Of The Female Adolescent: As Promoted Through The Life Skills Class, Kelsey Sullivan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Managing The Commons Through Obligation: Communality In The Sierra Juárez Of Oaxaca, Katie Moyer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As one of the most ethnically, culturally, and biologically diverse states in the Mexican Republic, Oaxaca proved to be a good location to learn about alternative forms of social organization. With 570 municipalities, Oaxaca has 23% of the municipalities in the entirety of Mexico. The vast majority of Oaxaca’s municipalities—480—are politically and socially organized through communality, a traditional form of self-government widely known as usos y costumbres (uses and customs). Within the four weeks allotted for this research project the majority of my time was spent in the Northern Sierra Juárez in the state of Oaxaca.

I first visited the …

La Cultura Del Agua En Al-Andalus = The Culture Of Water In Al-Andalus, Natalie Lacy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I jump in the lake, moving through crisp liquid, opening my eyes to the clarity of sunrays dancing on the sandy bottom that expands itself to an indefinite line between shore and water; my hair flows softly behind me as I glide away from the surface of reality, releasing all tension within and absorbing the surrounding purity. I float towards the surface, leaving the silent world beneath, taking a breath: I am renewed. It is this sensation, swimming on the shores of Lake Superior, that inpsired my utter infatuation with water. Having grown up on an island, I have lived …

Bih In Black And White: Photo-Diary Of My Adventure Learning How Ngo’S Anti-Trafficking Prevention Programs Work In Small Communities In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Rebecca Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

From the very beginning of my immersion in the Balkans, the issue of Trafficking of Human Beings has found a nook in my mind of righteousness, and ever since, the interest of learning how this crime is being prevented has festered. In the one-month period of time I had for my research, I spent 5 days in Modriča, 8 days in Ključ, 5 days in Mostar, 7 days in Sarajevo, and 2 days in Dubrovnik. The goal of my travels was to see first hand the actual and physical actions that NGO’s in small towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter …

The Return Of The Sick Man Of Europe: A Study Of The Political, Economical And Cultural Grounds For/Against The Entrance Of Turkey To The European Union As Viewed By Turkish Immigrants And Germans Living In Berlin, Ursula A. Arno

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On 17 December 2004, the European Council will decide whether to enter into membership negotiation with Turkey. In the following sections the political, economical and cultural reasons for and against Turkey’s accession will be examined. The views of both Germans and Turks living in Berlin will be discussed. Following this synopsis, it will be argued that the underlying grounds for not welcoming Turkey into the EU are cultural. Consequently, the study of the Turkey-EU debate will be indicative of the issues that the EU as a supranational organization has.

Canto Al Huaso, Canto Al Pueblo: La Música Y El Discurso Político De La Identidad Chilena Durante Los Años Sesenta Y La Unidad Popular, Greg Walz-Chojnacki

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La fuerte polarización de la política chilena durante los años sesenta y la Unidad Popular tiene un reflejo en las representaciones de la identidad nacional a través de la música. Usando la letra de canciones y entrevistas con músicologos y músicos, este ensayo examina el discurso politico presente en la música de este período. Primero, se describe la representación de una identidad nacional tradicional a través de la música de Los Huasos Quincheros. Luego, se analiza la formación de una identidad alternative en dos etapas: el desarrollo de una vision del país que reacciona a la imagen patronal y exclusive …

Sexuality In Chile, Elana Jacobs

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores contemporary sexuality in Chile, through an analysis of the institutionalized rules and regulations, comprised of the many laws and regulations determined by Chile’s governing bodies and embodied by the words and actions of State Officials, and the police force: los Carabineros; to the societal norms and collective values, which include the position of the Catholic Church, the media, and the sociological investigations which analyze Chile’s collective understandings and dominant discourses, determining what is acceptable within the realm of sex and sexuality, and what is not. Additionally, this paper seeks to understand the efforts of the many organizations …

Inmigración Marroquí En Granada = Morrocan Immigration In Granada, Emily C M O’Neill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In today’s world of increased globalization and great economic disparities, the discussion of immigration has become all the more controversial, complicated, and relevant. I believe in the right to immigrate. The nation into which one is born strongly determines the destiny of the individual. I was born in the United States, a rich democratic country and subsequently may have greater opportunities than someone from an impoverished nation, this does not mean, however that I have more right to life than the latter. It is a sad reality that people are forced to leave their homeland in search of a better …

In Search Of The Truth: Modern Church-State Relations In Yunnan Province, Kathryn Rosenbaum

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The relationship between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Protestant church is a complicated relationship that varies greatly with time period and location. This paper explores the interactions from various viewpoints, the history of the relationship, the legislation pertaining to the relationship, and a brief study of the interactions in two very different locations in Yunnan Province—Kunming and the Nujiang valley.

The Maidens Of The Maiden City, Lauren Herman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Citizenship In The Republic Of Ireland: In The Context Of The European Union And The Citizenship Referendum, Cora Bruemmer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In a world of increased globalization, the importance of citizenship may seem less and less important. However, I would assert that political belonging is becoming ever more important and is undergoing radical changes. The European Union (EU) is rapidly changing people’s understanding of citizenship. Rather than calling themselves Irish, people may soon be calling themselves European instead. Borders between countries are weakening and movement between them is increasing. Today a citizen of Latvia can live and work in Ireland as long as he or she so chooses. These changes in citizenship may actually have great implications for citizenship policy in …

La Crise Du Vin Français ? L’Effet Des Évolutions Sociaux Et Culturelles Sur L’Adaptabilité De L’Économie Du Vin Français = French Wine In Crisis? The Effect Of Culture And Social Changes On The French Wine Economy, Andrew Mckibben

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On lit souvent dans les journaux français qu’il y a une crise du vin. Le terme « une crise du vin » doit d’abord être plus spécifié pour vraiment comprendre l’état actuel de l’économie du vin. Ces articles font références aux plusieurs d’indications économiques et sociales que le vin français souffre d’une demande qui baisse et qui baissera de plus en plus. En citant des statistiques et des chiffres, il paraît qu’il y a un problème dramatique.

Depuis les années cinquante, lorsque la consommation du vin a atteint son niveau le plus haut, la consommation nationale, et mondiale, est fortement …

Land Conflict Resolution Within An Autonomous Space, John Cheney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

La Lucha Del Mocase Para Desarrollo Y Autonomía, Katie Metcalf

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study is an analysis of the current situation of the small producers of the Movimiento Campesino del Santiago del Estero (MOCASE) to determine the extent they are obtaining a sustainable and autonomous existence by means of rural development projects, with a specific focus on MOCASE from the region of Bandera Bajada, department Figueroa, and their interaction with the Programa Social Agropecuario (PSA). The history of repression and social exclusion of the small producers, both on a provincial and national scale, through the implementation of neoliberal macroeconomic policies, massive land sales to large enterprises, and corrupt government policies have severely …

Un Tren Que Pasa: La Lucha De La Faa Por Alcanzar La Representación En El Mercosur, Heather John

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In response to the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) process of regional economic integration which began in 1991, in 1994 national organizations of family farmers from the member countries formed a transnational coalition entitled La Coordinadora de Organizaciones Agricultores Familiares del MERCOSUR (COPROFAM) to represent themselves at the regional level. This study examines the reasons why the Federación Agraria Argentina (FAA), the largest member from Argentina and a longstanding Argentine institution, chose to represent itself as part of a transnational coalition at this regional level. Furthermore, it attempts to answer what the obstacles and successes of COPROFAM have been …

The Effects Of Modernization On The Bedouin Populations Of Jordan, Peter Dicampo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Leaving The Streets, Jane Slater

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Currently thousands of children and adolescents live in the streets of Managua, and this phenomenon is moving rapidly into the smaller cities of Nicaragua. In other countries around the world, civil war is a leading cause of street children, but in Nicaragua, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, often committed by the father or stepfather, combined with poverty is usually why children and adolescents turn to the street. Street kids range in age from about 5 or 6 years old to 18 years old, and many kids living in the streets have children of their own. The majority of street kids …