Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Acholi Clan, Ethnic, And National Identities In Post-Conflict Northern Uganda: A Case Study In Koch Goma Sub-County, Nwoya District, David L. Davenport

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

the following essay, the researcher will explore the clan, ethnic, and national identities of the Acholi people in the context of post-conflict northern Uganda. The researcher will first describe and interpret the meaning of these identities to Acholi people he interviewed during his research, and then he will analyze them in the post-conflict, socio-cultural context of northern Uganda.

During a research period of four weeks, the researcher spent a total of twelve days in Koch Goma Sub-Country, Nwoya District conducting one-on-one interviews. During this time, the researcher was able to interview eighteen people. Data was collected and analyzed qualitatively as …

Alliances Et Cultures: Cap Nord, Stacey Fitzpatrick

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En essence, Alliance et Culture est un endroit où les gens peuvent rencontre et apprennent comment de vivre ensemble. Cette association, officiellement crée en 1987, avait la mission de répondre à problèmes d'intégration sociale par des actions collectives, et le développement d’une vie social dans les quartiers. Pour réaliser cet objectif ils offrent des activités et services ouvrent à tout le monde comme l’accompagnement à la scolarité, les ateliers, les cours d’alphabétisation et de Français, et les ludothèques et plus. Il y a trois centres en Toulouse dans diffèrent lieux qui contribuent aux les gens dans les quartiers des Mirail, …

Cap Centre : L’Epicerie Sociale, Ana De Pina

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Contrairement à autres study abroad programs, « The School of International Training (SIT) » donne les étudiants Américains une opportunité de découvrir la culture Française, d’apprendre la langue Française, et de s’intègre dans la société Française. Pendant notre séjour en France, nous avons fait de bénévolat dans une association que correspond à nos études aux États-Unis. Aux États-Unis j’étudie la sante publique. Je suis très intéressé pour l’administration des hôpitaux et autres institutions de santé et la relation entre la sécurité sociale et la bonne santé. Donc, pendant trois mois j’ai travaillé au CAP Centre, une épicerie sociale qui aide …

Le Centre D’Alliances Et Cultures, Esther Wittenberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

L’esprit de accueillance était déjà au bâtiment de centre avant d’il était officiellement le centre d’Alliances et Cultures. La structure était construite aux même temps des autres maisons qui sont dans le même quartier. Il était un projet du HLM, le Habitation à Loyer Modéré, qui construit des maisons pour les familles. Les familles sont locataires et ils paient un loyer modeste. Il était ouvert en 1982 comme un bâtiment où les familles pouvaient rencontre des autres familles au même quartier. Petit à petit, ils ont crée un microsociété, et ont gagné une rassurance de solidarité. Eventuellement, les familles ont …

The Role Of Information In Enabling Community Response To Mining Threats In Palmares Ii, Christine Gerbode

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The case of Palmares II is examined to understand the role that knowledge (or misinformation/lack thereof) of specific geologic interests and rights of surface communities plays in enabling those communities to respond to the possibility of mining on their land. Palmares II is an MST settlement located near the Carajás mining complex in southern Pará. Currently, a number of companies are authorized or requesting permission to conduct research for mineral ores such as gold, copper, manganese, diamond, and nickel within the borders of the settlement; it is therefore potentially possible that this community will face mining interest on their land …

“Gente Que Va Y Viene”: Relaciones Entre El Turismo Y Las Comunidades Mapuche En La Zona De San Martín De Los Andes “People Who Come And Go”: Relationships Between Tourism And Mapuche Communities Near San Martin De Los Andes, Katharine Sullivan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this Independent Study Project, I investigate the relationship between tourists and the tourism industry and two indigenous Mapuche communities located near the popular vacation destination of San Martín de los Andes, located in the province of Neuquén in Argentinean Patagonia. Historically, these Mapuche communities have had a difficult and complex relationship with the government, Lanín National Park, and the tourism industry of San Martín de los Andes due to repeated human rights violations, discrimination, and marginalization on the part of these institutions. However, recently attempts to foster mutually beneficial and culturally respectful forms of tourism in the Mapuche communities …

¿Por Qué Participan? Las Motivaciones De Participación De Los Miembros De La Corriente Classista Combativa En La Matanza Why Participate? The Motivation To Participate For The Members Of The Corriente Classista Combativa In La Matanza., Googie Karrass

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The ‘piquetero’ movement that emerged out of Argentina’s economic crisis of 2001 has undergone many transformations. Beginning in the early 90’s in response to the devastating neo-liberal policies of Carlos Menem, this movement of unemployed workers created new forms of political dissent and organization. While individual groups existed within the movement their method of public protest, the blockage of transit routes, and their shared objectives for institutional change and stable employment, allowed this movement to act as an untied front. During the crisis of 2001 and in the wake of the utter failure of Menem’s neo-liberal agenda the ‘piqueteros’ converged …

Still Separate And Still Unequal: Community Relations’ Policy In Post-Conflict Northern Ireland, Wilma Metcalf

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Community relations‟ policy is the only reconciliation policy in Northern Ireland. With this being said, this paper is an exploration of community relations‟ policy in Northern Ireland and its efficacy in terms of Contact Theory, identity, and education. I begin by describing my methodology, challenges of doing the fieldwork, and overview of sources used. Then, I define the issue the policies are meant to address: Northern Ireland‟s segregated society. Then, I present a description of the approaches, both political and organizational, to address segregation and improve community relations. Here, I look at the Northern Ireland Act (1998), Sharing over Separation, …

When Mountain Bellies Grow Round: Localized Knowledge And Behaviors Facilitating Pregnancy And Childbirth In Phaphlu, Nepal, Cailin Marsden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In attempts to gain a level of understanding of a community’s localized experiences, beliefs, practices, and roles around pregnancy and childbirth, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted with the mothers and fathers of Phaphlu in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal. Aimed at the validation of diverse and localized ways of knowing revealed during the fieldwork period, this paper applies anthropologist Bridgette Jordan’s theoretical framework of authoritative knowledge to the emergent themes of subjectively understood childbirth (knowledge acquisition and flow, role of the husband, and protective behavior.)

Tattered: Why The Tibetan Carpet Industry Of Nepal Is Declining, And How To Mend It, Dustin Becker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Tibetan carpet industry of Nepal, once one of the country's leading exports, is quickly becoming unprofitable and uncompetitive compared to regional competitors. This is a trend that started over a decade ago, but requires renewed focus due to current alarming trends. My objective was to uncover why carpet manufacturers in Nepal are suffering from a decline in sales, and what separates the manufacturers who are still in business from those who are not. I stayed in the community of Boudha, where most of the carpet business owners live or work, and conducted interviews and electronic written correspondences with several …

We Are What We Eat: A Sherpa Cookbook, Renee Horen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Everybody eats. This is a basic fact of life: that all people, given that they have the means, consume some type of food on a daily basis. Although this is a common factor which on some level may unify us all as one people, the food produced and consumed by any given individual, or culture as a whole, divides us by who we are and where we come from. Food consumption is more than just an act of survival and within our eating habits lays greater meaning than purely sustenance. Eating is a form of expression shaped by history and …

Cultural Conceptions Of Health, Caroline Stephens

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Healthcare is a complicated structure, influenced by multiple economic, social and cultural factors. It is problematic enough to determine how to administer healthcare in countries that rely only on the western healthcare system, but it is even more difficult in places such as Madagascar where multiple healthcare systems exist. Today the Malagasy have a culture that combines the many French practices with the traditional Malagasy beliefs, traditions and values. Many Malagasy chose to utilize allopathic medicine, but many others still prefer to go to a traditional healer. By gaining a better understanding of the average Malagasy person’s perceptions of proper …

Healers And Researchers: Towards A More Balanced Relationship, Gracie Tewkesbury

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In my seminar paper, I discussed the benefits for both parties of collaboration between traditional healers and modern scientific researchers. If research is done on the medicinal effects of plants, these cures can be used more safely and effectively by members of the community. This relationship is greatly beneficial in theory, but the reality is less than ideal. Researchers, especially foreign ones, depreciate and exploit the knowledge of healers, and as a result, healers are often distrustful and unwilling to collaborate. The relationship between healers and researchers potentially holds the cures to countless diseases and can contribute directly to greater …

Western Influence, Latent Racism, And Their Impact On Access To Health Care In Madagascar, Jessica Joy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While the Malagasy commemorate their Independence Day on June 26 as the day they were freed from colonization and allowed to function as their own country with their own cultures and practices, colonization and Western influence has left an indelible mark on Madagascar that continues to exert its power to this day, shaping Malagasy social behaviors, values, and lives. The introduction of the slave trade to Madagascar in the mid-1800s, as well as French colonization, has left behind a thriving latent and structural racism in the country; a Western ideal of beauty, made complete by its valorization of fair skin, …

The Benefits Of Having An Integrated Health Care System In Madagascar, Elizabeth Miller

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For my individual research, I wanted to look into all the benefits that could be offered by collaborating allopathic and traditional healthcare systems and how such a system is accomplished in Madagascar, in order to weigh and to discover the feasibility of using integrated healthcare systems as sustainable development in other parts of the world. Furthermore, as Madagascar sets the example in my research this summer, the use of traditional and modern medicine as an integrated health care system best serves the majority of the Malagasy population for several important reasons.

“Mind The Gap” Addressing The Gap Between Health Care Policy & Health Care Reality In Madagascar & The Way Forward Integrating Traditional Medicine & Ethical Reform Within Health Care, Laura Dillon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

At first glance the health care system in Madagascar looks pretty good. No health care system is perfect, in fact most are far from perfect, but some certainly work better than others. On paper it seems that the current system in Madagascar would be among those that “work better”. Sadly, there is oftentimes a disconnect between what a government writes on paper and what happens in reality; looking around the streets of Antananarivo it quickly became apparent that Madagascar is an example of this disconnect. You do not have to be a health care professional to see the lack of …

How Do Religion And Belief Systems Influence Traditional Medicine And Health Care In Madagascar?, Whitney Franklin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Religion and beliefs consistently shape social structures, laws, and even medicine. In Madagascar, this is extremely evident when considering traditional medicine but also exists in modern medicine. Christianity and traditional beliefs are the two main systems that have shaped traditional medicine to what it has become today. These opposites function as a duality that becomes apparent when looking at certain events in Madagascar’s history and the examination of the evolution and rituals performed in the different types of traditional medicine. Through the methodology of interviewing traditional healers and gathering historical information from experts in lectures, I can make sure to …

Medical Pluralism In Morocco: The Cultural, Religious, Historical And Political-Economic Determinants Of Health And Choice., Tyler Martinson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Morocco is a culturally diverse intersection between the African continent, the Arab world and Europe. This multiplicity is mirrored in the country’s pluralistic medical system and beliefs surrounding the concepts of illness and health. Explanations of health are endorsed by culturally specific knowledge and are then naturalized and taken as objective. A synthesis of theoretical descriptions and political-economic of medical pluralism, along with historical analysis, explains the presence of multiple health practices and how a person’s choice of medical practice is heavily influenced by dynamic socio-cultural, religious, historical, political and economic factors. This study will help improve practitioner/client narratives of …

The Mongolian Horse And Horseman, Elisabeth Yazdzik

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I am halfway through my ISP when I discard the sheet of questions written for me in Mongolian, and begin to ask what really matters.

“I would like to learn not just about the practices of Mongolian horsemanship, but about the culture.”

“Chinggis Khan took the entire world on horseback; America was unknown then, and he nearly conquered Europe. Because of this, the horse is sacred.

We do our working riding horses. We eat the horse’s meat. Our herding is done from horseback. Because of this, the horse is sacred”.

These are the words of Rentsendavaa, spoken to me as …

Yak, A Green Icon And A Good Investment, Caroline Kang

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Yak, A Green Icon and Good Investment” was conceived after I briefly interned for the Mongol Yak Society during the NGO Drop Off. I became interested and even, invested in their mission. For three weeks of the ISP period, I worked closely with the Mongolian Yak Society based in Ulaanbaatar and researched how increasing the productive value of yaks through improved communications, equipment, knowledge, and support will address several key environmental and economic issues. I further focused on the Mongolian Yak Society and its role as a detached entity that intervenes on various levels of the yak wool value chain: …

Nomadic Knowledge Of The Yak: A Case Study In The Khangai Mountains, Mongolia, Jesse Geary

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

It is extremely important to probe and preserve the knowledge of nomadic herders of Mongolia. There is no formal piece of literature that dictates how these clever humans survive. Their lifestyle requires a vast skill set spanning from construction knowledge, to navigational skills, to a deep understanding of their animals. One attains this knowledge through years of observation, listening, and attempting to mimic their parents. In this way, knowledge is passed on from one generation to the next. Investigating herder’s knowledge of the yak provides a window into the animal husbandry practices of Mongolian nomads. The herders in the central …

Commercial Patterns And Spatial Networks In Hanoi’S Old Quarter: A Case Study Of Vendors On Lan Ong Street, Daniel Weiner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Walking the streets of the Hanoi’s Old Quarter, one can easily begin to question the economic viability of the area’s commercial pattern. That is, how can multiple stores that sell the exact same products coexist in such a densely concentrated arena? Why do traders with the same goods choose to locate next to each other? Through a literature review of the history of Hanoi’s Old Quarter as well as a case study of the vendors on Lan Ong Street, I examine the purpose and the functionality of the Old Quarter’s spatial structure. I find that the vendors in the Old …

The Substance And Style Of Len Dong: Healing, Transformation, And Aesthetic In Spirit Possession Rituals Of Hue, Lauren Cardenas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Len Dong is a spirit possession ritual practiced in the mother goddess religion of Tu Phu. Tu Phu roughly translates to “Four Palaces” or the sacred homes of the four spirits of the earth, heaven, water, and mountain or woods[1]. As there is no formal organization of the religion, there is much freedom in its expression among practitioners. For example, the styles, designs, and intricacy of the costumes may vary, or perhaps the size of the accompanying ritual orchestra. Yet there remains one very important element of spirit possession ritual: loc or lucky gifts from the spirits …

Youth Dating Culture In Urban Vietnam: Attitudes, Behaviors, And Influences, Alexa Difiore

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper attempts to research urban youth’s attitudes and behaviors concerning everything having to do with dating (the process, PDA, typical dating spots and behavior) and opinions towards “hot issues” in contemporary, Vietnam such as pre-marital sex and co-habitation. My research question focuses on what the term “dating” means among youth in urban Vietnam, and the various influences that affect youth’s dating and sexual lives. Through an extensive literature review, I learned that there is an overall lack of information and discussion about sex in Vietnam. There is also a general idea that from parents, the government, and school that …

Relative Democracy: Rwandan Perspectives On Representative Government, Gabriel C.J.M. Nahmias

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The primary objective of this research is to ascertain, at least in part, the importance Rwandan’s place on different aspects of democracy. This is done with the hope of giving Rwandans more voice in the discussion of the “democratization” of their own country. With Rwanda’s unique culture and history, the application of “democracy” within this nation should be done, in the mind of the researcher, in accordance to the context, and the only people who fully understand this context are Rwandans themselves. The secondary objective is to hypothesize why these aspects have particular importance in the Rwandan context. The tertiary …

Seawalls In Samoa: A Look At Their Environmental, Social And Economic Implications, Sawyer Lawson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study concerns the environmental, economic and social implications of seawalls in Samoa. Information for this study was gathered using a combination of secondary sources and primary sources including interviews, surveys and participant observation. Given the cultural and economic importance of Samoa’s coastline and the fact that seawalls, which already occupy much of Samoa’s coast, are becoming more abundant, it is important to understand the implications of building them. The researcher found that partially due to climate change and sand mining, Samoa’s coastline has become increasingly threatened by erosion and coastal retreat. Seawalls are in many cases the fastest and …

The Crisis Of Unity In The 21st Century: The Unrealized Dream Of Pan-Africanism In Cameroon, Araba Sapara-Grant

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The following is an analysis of how the sentiments of pan-Africanism, a notion formulated in the early 20th century, have failed to proliferate in Cameroonian society. As a concept based in the social, economic, and political solidarity of the African continent, the pan-African movement has often been a point of reference for intellectuals searching for a solution to the problems Africa currently faces, some of which include lack of political agency and stagnating economic growth. The beliefs promoted by pan-Africanists is that by joining together the collective potentials of all African people, the continent can become a global force, leaving …

Public Perceptions Of Corruption In Tanzania: How Does The Corruption Perceived By A Sample Of People In Arusha, Tanzania Compare To Tanzania’S Transparency International Cpi Rating Of 3.2 And What Does It Mean For Tanzania?, Kelly L. Mcdonnell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The World Bank defines corruption as “the abuse of public power for private benefit.” The definition of corruption can have many permutations, however, and acts of corruption are rarely recorded, thus it is difficult to quantify the level of graft in a town, city, or nation. In response to this problem, non-governmental agencies like Transparency International proposed using questionnaire-based surveys to measure public perceptions of corruption. This particular study focuses on trying to measure perceptions of corruption in Arusha, Tanzania. Arusha is a major metropolitan area in Tanzania, located in the northeastern part of the nation. Using Arushans as the …

Rising Food Prices In Kenya: How The Government And Its Citizens Are Coping, Or Not, Teresa Eilers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Kenya’s food prices are skyrocketing and the price of Kenya’s staple food, maize meal, is escalating fastest out of all food prices. The global market is experiencing rising food prices; but, Kenyans are paying dramatically more for their food compared to other global citizens. The Kenyan government can confront these rising prices by utilizing various policy change options. Unfortunately, the Kenyan government and Kenyan citizens must confront the causes to exorbitant maize meal prices to address the current food crisis in the country.

Faces Of Angels: Photography As A Fundraising Tool For Aids-Affected Children In The Kibera Slums, Sandhira Wijayaratne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The AIDS epidemic that has plagued sub-Saharan Africa for the last few decades has produced a growing population of children that have been detrimentally affected by the consequences of the disease—death of parents, declining household income, poor education, hunger, and stigma. These effects are heightened in urban slums like Kibera, where poverty, disease, and other problems run rampant. Experts concur that the best way to address the needs of AIDS-affected children is through community-based organizations on-site that work to reduce the risks faced specifically by these kids. Angels of Hope Kibera is one such institution, providing early childhood education, a …