Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Schooling Silence: Sexual Harassment And Its Presence And Perception At Uganda’S Universities And Secondary Schools, Elena Mieszczanski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although reports indicate that a majority of students in Uganda are sexually abused while in school, sexual harassment and its impact on educational attainment is a rampant yet understudied problem (The Uganda National Strategic Plan on Violence Against Children in Schools, 2015). While harassment in schools by teachers and students is not the only factor leading to high dropout rates among students, the behavior of teachers and students in school, and the lack of discipline towards their actions is an internal contribution to this effect. This study aims to better understand the perceptions on what constitutes “sexual harassment” in Uganda …

The Plastic Problem: Plastic Pollution In Bali, Kate Giesler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With the fourth highest population and an ever-growing rate of plastic consumption, Indonesia is the second largest plastic polluter in the world (McCarthy, 2018). The country, which has only had plastic since the latter half of the 20th century, has staggeringly high rates of plastic waste which becomes pollution due to various factors. This paper examines the factors that go into why the rates of plastic pollution are so high, what people know about it and what is being done to help combat the problem. The four main topics explored are: laws, disposal methods, education and tourism. The study uses …

Morocco: The Intersection Between Intercultural Mediation And Migration, Arianna Diaz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My research seeks to understand the intersection between migration and intercultural mediation through a Moroccan context. The increase of undocumented and documented Sub-Saharans flowing into Morocco through the Western Mediterranean route creates an increase in intercultural spaces within Moroccan society. By analyzing Sub-Saharan livelihoods and discrimination in Morocco I address how ineffective intercultural communication creates tensions between Moroccan nationals and Sub-Saharan Migrants. By applying intercultural mediation theory I come to understand how intercultural mediation can be applied between these two cultural groups. I specifically analyze the capacity of Moroccan civil organizations to act as intercultural mediators between Moroccan communities and …

Demography And Behavior Of Critically Endangered Alouatta Coibensis Trabeata Troops In Forest Fragments In And Around Mata Oscura, Veraguas On The Azuero Peninsula Of Panamá, Billy Allen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The endemic Azuero howler monkey, Alouatta coibensis trabeata, was studied in three sites in and around the Mata Oscura community in Veraguas, Panamá in the western region of the Azuero Peninsula. A. coibensis trabeata is a critically endangered subspecies of A. coibensis that is threatened by continued habitat destruction and human encroachment throughout its entire distribution on the Azuero Peninsula. Sites included the Mata Oscura community (site 1), the Arenas community periphery (site 2), and the Cerro Hoya National Park (site 3). Demography, behavior, and habitat were assessed over 9 days of study in November. Troops were encountered in sites …

Church And State: The Impact Of Christianity On South African Politics During And Post-Apartheid, Calista Struby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Within the South African context, there exists an intimate relationship between religion and politics. South Africa by definition is a secular society however data indicates that the South African population that is overwhelmingly religious. According to a General Household Survey published in 2015, 86% of the South African population identifies with some form of the Christian faith (“General Household Survey,” 2015). Historically religious civil society has played a prominent role in shaping the political climate and the political involvement of South African citizens. During Apartheid, Christianity played an influential role in the ideological formation and justification of the Apartheid political …

La Influencia Del Quechua En El Castellano De La Isla De Taquile / The Influence Of Quechua In The Castilian Of The Island Of Taquile, Gianna Macri

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación explora el español de la gente que vive en la isla de Taquile. Esta población habla quechua principalmente, pero es importante aprender la lengua española para comunicarse con los turistas, y el español se enseña en la escuela. En una situación como esta de contacto entre dos lenguas, ambas pueden cambiar su estructura, sus características gramaticales y su vocabulario. En otras comunidades quechuahablantes, se describe una variedad de la lengua, el “castellano andino”. Los resultados muestran que el español de Taquile también tiene variaciones similares por la influencia del quechua: el orden de las palabras más común en …

Exploring The Space Between Healers: A Narrative Approach To Understanding The Relationship Between Traditional Healers And Biomedical Practitioners In Kwazulu-Natal, Marisa Delsignore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite playing essential and parallel roles in the lives of patients, there exists a frictional, imbalanced relationship between traditional healers and Western doctors in South Africa. While national policy encourages a seamless system rooted in both Western science and indigenous knowledge, biomedical institutions are hesitant to accept traditional medical practices, which are based on less tangible and more spiritually-oriented elements. This research project turns to these two ideologically different entities to assess their perspectives on the roles of themselves and the other within the context of the South African health system.

Responses from semi-structured interviews with seven health practitioners from …

“Archival Of The Fittest: The Role Of Archives In Constructing Public Memory Of Queer History”, Brooks Hosfeld

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

IHLIA LGBT Heritage, an LGBTI-specific archive housed in Amsterdam, is moving beyond traditionally-introverted roles of an archive by putting on an exhibit about the past 40 years of LGBT activism in the Netherlands. The archive alone contributes to public awareness of queer history, and the exhibit, With Pride, gives a heightened platform for select gay narratives from the collections. The subjects on display, as well as the goals and decisions that selected them, reflect which narratives are included in historical memory and deemed palatable to the public.

Black Gold In A Changing World: An Examination Of Saudi Arabia’S Dependence On Oil And The Possibility Of A Solar Energy Transition, Sofia Mouritsen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, considering the profound effects that the resource has on the domestic, socioeconomic, and international affairs of the Kingdom. It is determined, after examining the economic and environmental factors that make it necessary, that Saudi Arabia must reduce its dependence on oil and diversify its economy, ideally by pursing solar energy. This conclusion is reached by considering Saudi Arabia’s domestic challenges, which include unemployment and rising domestic energy demand, as well as factors such as the price volatility of oil and changing global energy trends. A Saudi transition to solar power is determined …

The Islam Of Europe: Challenges Of Governance, Erin Baranko

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As practicing Muslims become an increasingly large share of the population in Western European countries, governments encounter the challenge of preserving liberal democratic societies in the face of a force often considered to be in direct opposition to the values of those societies. This paper discusses the challenges of the governance of Islam in Western Europe and evaluates the validity of the perceived threat of Islam to European values. Through analysis of scholarly work and interviews with experts in relevant professional and academic fields, this paper identifies three myths about Islam that contribute to this perceived threat: Islam is anti-democratic, …

Sustainable Tourism Practices In Vietnam: The Influence Of Institutions And Case Study Of Sapa’S Growing Tourism Industry, Alexandria Cahill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As tourism becomes increasingly important to Vietnam’s economy, and subsequently the development of the country, it will become ever more critical to examine the impact of tourism, including both the positive and negative consequences. The intention of this paper is to continue the analysis of the tourism industry in Vietnam; in particular, this paper considers sustainable tourism, which can be defined as minimizing impact on local culture and environment while simultaneously resulting in economic gains and employment, all while operating in a way that can be continued in the future. As Vietnam is rich in diverse cultures and natural landscapes, …

From Lahure Legacies To Moving Peoples: A Study Of Opportunity And Mobility In The Annapurna Hills, Peter Jacobson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the interplay between the politics of mobility and changing notions of opportunity in the face growing trends of tourism in the southern Annarpurna Conservation Area (ACA) of Nepal. Research was conducted in three villages that have been the sites of rapid change in recent years, both due to the widespread adoption of local trekking economies, and to demographic change engendered by growing trends of outmigration. By adopting a political ecological framework, which challenges common apolitical explanations of exclusion, inaccessibility and unequal distribution of costs and benefits with particular regard to environmental challenges, this paper jointly applies what …

Spirituality And Conservation In Tujiin Nars, Lisa Torstenson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For centuries, Mongolians have relied heavily on the land for their survival. In Selenge aimag, the surrounding Tujiin Nars forest is an integral part of their lives. An area with many uses, it was once so heavily deforested that the majority of the area lost its ecological function. Now, these impacts are being reversed by dedicated government workers, community groups, and regular citizens. The people of this area believe that they are intimately connected with the forest, and that spirits reside within the trees and the land itself. As such, they stake importance in treating the land with respect. This …

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome In India: A Socio-Cultural Perspective, Hannah Wickham

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the ways in which cultural determinants affect the health-seeking, diagnosis and treatment process of women with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) as well as the underlying socio-cultural causes of the illness. Often coined as a “lifestyle disease”, PCOS is becoming a growing concern of physicians and women alike as its prevalence is on the rise with no signs of slowing down. Lifestyle, stigmas/taboos, PCOS’s effect on identity, and quality of life are all areas that are examined throughout this paper. A mixture of patients’ and doctors’ perspectives on PCOS were gathered throughout a three-week time period in …

Kisumu County Hospital Patient Demographic Analysis: Looking Toward Universal Health Coverage, Lauren Scheffey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Universal health coverage is priority sought after by developed and developing nations alike, and Kenya sits on the list of countries seeking to achieve this goal in the coming years. The definition of “coverage” can vary by country, but three criteria are commonly found in the discussion of UHC globally: access, affordability, and quality. Affordability is determined by the state’s healthcare financing system; quality refers to the services provided by health facilities; and access, at least in part, concerns the geographic placement of health services providers in relation to the population they intend to serve. This geographic element is the …

Challenges To Democratic Inclusion And Contestation Of Space: Contemporary Student Activists In Transforming South Africa, Momo Wilms-Crowe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Twenty-four years into democracy, in a time marked by stark inequality and rising levels of political disillusionment, student activists are key players in the pursuit of a more just, more equitable, and more democratic South Africa. Using universities as spaces to contest, disrupt, and challenge the status quo, student activists challenge narratives of youth political apathy and act as agents of change, encouraging society to meet the goals established in the 1996 Constitution, the document enshrining the very promises they were born into believing would be their reality. Through mobilization and organizing, student actors boldly engage in questions of substantive …

"Prescribed To Fuck Off": Examining The Role Of Heterosexual White Men In South Africa From The Perspective Of Seven Students At The University Of Cape Town, Meagan Murray

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Movements towards racial and gender equality in South Africa are experiencing growth because of the increasingly urgent need to rectify the inequalities of apartheid. These movements have destabilized notions of white hegemonic masculinity by creating a dissonance between the socially-constructed privileges that white men are entitled to and their perceived limited access to advancement. The primary responses to this “crisis” have materialized in the construction of male organizations aimed at either redeveloping masculinity or defending male privilege, as well as a desire to distance oneself from the stereotypical male identity. All reactions bear significant weight on the future of South …

Mind Control In The Post-Colonial State: The Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment In Tertiary Education In Senegal And Jamaica, Janiel Chantae Slowly

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the end of 17th to 20th century colonization, Senegal and Jamaica have been victims of the rhetoric of development. The economic, social, and political progress of these nations have always been overshadowed by their categorization as “developing countries”. Yet, this development rhetoric fails to acknowledge not only the wounds of colonization but the more modern manifestations of continued exploitation of these countries often by the same countries that “emancipated” their colonies. Senegal and Jamaica for example, are both dominated by large percentages of young adults, in both cases a large majority of the populations are individuals under the age …

La Relación De Prácticas Religiosas E La Identidad: Los Campesinos Migrantes Q’Eros / The Relationship Of Religious Practices And Identity: The Migrant Peasants Q'Eros, Autumn Delong

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este estudio se enfoca en la relación entre la experiencia religiosa de los campesinos migrantes q’ero y la concepción de la identidad. Describe el estado de los rituales religiosos en la ciudad de Cusco y explica la preservación y el cambio de las prácticas a través de la migración de los q’ero del campo a la ciudad. Además, explica el papel de las tradiciones religiosas como un fortalecimiento y reafirmación de la identidad q’ero en medio del nuevo ambiente de la ciudad. Este informe muestra que las perspectivas de los especialistas y practicantes de los rituales de la cosmovisión andina …

Silent Killers: Diabetes And The Active Ignorance Of Noncommunicable Disease In Bali, Madeleine Lambert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I will explore the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and specifically diabetes in Bali. I will study the general publics’ awareness and behaviors about noncommunicable diseases, as well as the attitudes and behaviors of diabetic patients towards their own condition. Furthermore, I will explore the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of diabetes, as well as the impact of the Indonesian national healthcare reform of 2014 on these issues. My objectives in this study were to explore the perspectives of both patients and healthcare providers towards diabetes, and to compare and contrast these perspectives both against each other and …

Imagining Intersectional Anti-Rape Messaging At An Organization In Cape Town, South Africa: Visible And Invisible Subjects, Maslen Bode Ward

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Less than one month ago, South Africa held the first ever Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide to assess the most effective ways to approach solving the country’s high rates of gender-based violence. My study aims to consider anti-rape messaging and advocacy under an intersectional framework, using one organization in Cape Town as a case study. I examine how anti-rape messaging in South Africa has failed to consider intersectional identities in their imagined conceptions of survivors and perpetrators. I explore the potential for intersectional anti-rape messaging and the role of race, class, gender, culture, and language in the distribution, audience, …

The Influence Of Habitat Preference On Longitudinal Population Composition And Distribution Of Groupers (Serranidae) In Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar Tanzania, Caroline Daley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A survey of six common grouper (Serranidae) species was conducted on both the western protected and eastern unprotected reefs around Chumbe Island. Species, estimated maturity, and fundamental niche and general habitat preference was extrapolated based on observed realized niche and qualified according to substrate, depth, slope position, and general reef region. Abundance, biomass density, and biodiversity of Serranid populations were compared among locations on the reef with habitat preference in mind in order to best assess how habitat influences population composition, distribution, and health. The results of this study provide depth to previous research on the protected reef and indicate …

Correlations Between Reef Health And Vertical Zonation On Ushongo Village Reef And Fungu Zinga Reef, Daniel Gates

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While the existence of vertical zonation on coral reefs is well-known, the driving mechanisms and the influence each has is not clear. This study seeks to investigate the influence of reef health on vertical zonation. Reef health is used as a potential factor since it is essentially a broad description of reef diversity. Therefore, a healthy reef which is very diverse is likely to have more and different interspecies interactions than an unhealthy one. This project investigates whether these altered interactions results in different depth distributions of various coral types, categorized broadly by colony shape. Reef health did not seem …

‘Defensoras De La Selva’: Mujeres Indígenas En Resistencia Al Extractivismo En La Amazonía De Ecuador / 'Defenders Of The Jungle': Indigenous Women In Resistance To Extractivism In The Amazon Ecuador, Tanmatra Bhanti

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En los últimos décadas el movimiento indígena ha sido un potente actor social en contra de los actividades extractivista en la amazonía de Ecuador. Con el crecimiento de empresas petroleras y mineras en territorios indígenas hay una fuerte respuesta de la comunidad indígena en contra los concesiones que el gobierno otorga en nombre de concepto equivocado de desarrollo. Las implicaciones de extractivismo incluye graves daños ambiental, social y cultural. Estos impactos son exacerbados para las mujeres. Las mujeres indígenas siempre estuvieron presente en todos aspectos de esta lucha, y han tenido un papel importante dentro del movimiento. Las mujeres están …

Fish Diversity And Distribution In The Seagrass-Coral Reef Continuum At Two Sites Off The Western Coast Of Isla Bastimentos, Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Kathy Liu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Coral reefs are the most diverse marine ecosystem and the largest biogenic structure on Earth. They serve as shelter for many reef fishes and are a food source for resident and visiting fish species. In the tropics, coral reefs are often in close proximity to seagrass beds and the two contiguous marine habitats are not only highly interconnected but also highly understudied. The seagrass-coral reef continuum offers a wide array of services to human society as well as to various life stages of reef fishes resulting in diel, temporal, or yearly migrations of fish between the two habitats. Tropical reef …

Integrated Mental Health Care In Education For Syrian Refugees: An Exploratory Study, Emily Goldstein

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Trauma-inducing experiences during conflict can significantly impede the ability to function and effectively learn in the classroom; thus, it is essential to integrate mental health services into the school setting for refugee populations. This study investigated the state of integrated mental healthcare for Syrian refugees in Jordan by surveying Syrian students on their attitudes towards seeking mental health and interviewing educators on their classroom practices. The scope of the study was extremely limited, as data was collected on only 21 students and 5 educators in one school and a number of biases could have skewed the results. It was found …

Looking Beyond Primary: A Study Of Barriers To Secondary Education In Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, Uganda, Chloe Schalit

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The increase in protracted refugee situations around the world complicates the provision of public services such as education. Accessing secondary school is key to individual and community empowerment for vulnerable refugees through providing higher education and employment opportunities. However, secondary school attainment is often severely lacking in refugee settlements. In Uganda, 58.2% of refugees are enrolled in primary school, while only 11.3% attend secondary school. This study sought to understand the experiences of Ugandan refugees related to barriers to secondary education and its relation to social and economic empowerment, as well as solutions that refugee communities, Implementing Partners (IPs), and …

“Yo Agradezco Por No Sentirme Solo”: La Iglesia Evangélica En El Espacio Transnacional / "I Thank You For Not Feeling Alone": The Evangelical Church In The Transnational Space, L. Elizabeth Jowers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Del 86% de argentinos que fueron criados en una familia católica, el 15% ahora no se autodenomina católico. Este trabajo se enfoca en dos flujos demográficos en la Argentina. Uno es la diversificación del campo religioso, en particular la influencia creciente con respecto a la iglesia cristiana evangélica. El segundo flujo es la inmigración, en particular la inmigración de los países limítrofes de la Argentina. Estos dos flujos demográficos están vinculados a los temas globales del desarrollo económico y la difusión acelerada de las ideas y creencias en el siglo XXI. Estas dos tendencias se ven claramente en el distrito …

Discutiendo Desde El Interior: La Marginación De Los Hombres Trans Dentro Del Movimiento Por El Aborto Legal En Argentina / Arguing From Within: The Marginalization Of Trans Men Within The Movement For Legal Abortion In Argentina, Olivia Nichols

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En la actualidad, el color verde lleva con ello una asociación casi indudable al movimiento por el aborto legal en Argentina. A pesar de este alto perfil del movimiento conocido como la marea verde, una recorrida por la historia del movimiento revela una gran brecha en el diálogo en relación con la inclusión de personas que no son mujeres cis, como los hombres trans que también abortan.

Informada por entrevistas con activistas trans argentinos y la observación de un encuentro de la Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito, esta investigación considera la inclusión (o falta …

La Implementación De La Ley De Educación Sexual Integral (Ley 26.150): Una Comparación Entre Escuelas Secundarias Públicas Y Escuelas Secundarias Privadas Católicas En Caba / The Implementacion Of The Law Of Comprehensive Sexual Education (Law 26.150): A Comparison Between Public And Private Catholic High Schools In Caba, Eve Gertzman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La promulgación de la ley 26.150, también conocida como la Ley de Educación Sexual Integral (ESI) en 2006, dio a todos los docentes de Argentina no sólo la oportunidad, sino también la responsabilidad de enseñar educación sexual sexual de una manera integral en sus aulas. Aunque han transcurrido más de doce años desde su aprobación, la ley no se ha implementado adecuadamente en las distintas regiones del país, incluyendo a la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Recopilando las opiniones y experiencias de tres docentes de escuelas secundarias públicas y privadas católicas en Buenos Aires, este estudio …