Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Road To Recovery: Economic And Social Development In Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Erinn Lachner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina is recreating itself. This municipality, located in the Republic of Srpska, is the setting of the 1995 genocide, which murdered 8,000 Muslim men and boys. Destroyed by the war, this municipality is rebuilding its economy, infrastructure and civil society from scratch. Srebrenica has made a large amount of progress in the past ten years, with the help of international and local donors. These donors have contributed millions of dollars to the effort. However, Srebrenica still faces many obstacles, namely, high unemployment, lack of physical infrastructure and poor attention to social welfare. While slow, progress is made everyday in …

History And Society: Fact, Fiction And Reform In The Serbian Education System, Valerie Ullrich

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

History instruction is a means of disseminating political and cultural “truth” in societies all over the world. History occupies only a small space in the educational schemes that socialize and politicize children to their societies, but it could be argued that it plays a disproportionate role in these processes. In societies with contentious historical records and/or histories of conflict, it is particularly important to examine the role that history instruction does in fact play, as it can have positive or disastrous consequences over the long term. Serbian society provides one example of the potential effects of incomplete, politically influenced historical …

The Super Market: Examining The Bangladesh Market As A Model For Local Economic Development, Sally K. Smyth

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Maternity, Sexuality, And Capability: An Exploration Of The Aesthetics Of The Rural Moroccan Female Body, Carlye Warren

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper provides an intimate look at the rural female body and its nuances – aesthetics, self-perception, sexuality, maternity, and purity. Based on this research conducted in the rural village of Loutichina, it seems apparent that almost unrealistic demands are traditionally made on the rural female body, most noticeably the demands of reproduction and physical labor. Local perceptions and attitudes towards maternity and sexuality are also explored, as is the way in which the rural female body undergoes basic biological changes and cycles and is simultaneously affected by surrounding social and cultural pressures. Ethically, I was confronted with issues of …

Gender Based Violence In Jordan: Domestic Violence And Honor Crimes, Danielle M. Becknell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper analyzes the social, psychological, religious, and legal interactions of gender-based violence that manifest themselves within the Jordanian society in various ways. Honor crimes are the ultimate manifestation of this phenomenon in this culture, and as such cannot be separated from the society, gender-relations, or violence against women. Interviews with specialist within the field allow for a more in depth exploration of the topic.

Remember Ruben? L’Histoire De Ruben Um Nyobé À Travers La Société Camerounaise, Katelyn Knox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Aujourd’hui la société camerounaise est caractérisée par un sentiment de tribalisme que l’on peut voir dans plusieurs domaines. Pour combattre ce sentiment tribal (voire fraternel) l’on doit cultiver une mentalité plutôt nationaliste dans la société plus élargie. Pour créer cette mentalité, quelques intellectuels ont suggéré qu’il faut regardé le passé de ce pays, surtout chercher à cultiver cette mentalité en utilisant l’esprit des « grands nationalistes », ceux qui ont combattu pour l’indépendance avant les années 1960 et au-delà. Cette étude se focalise sur le père du nationalisme au Cameroun : Ruben Um Nyobé. Elle montre son taux de connaissance …

El Impacto De Micro-Crédito En Superar La Pobreza, Magda Tsaneva

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The present study is a microeconomic investigation, based on personal interviews with different microentrepreneurs and functionaries of credit institutions. It evaluates the impact of micro-credit, investigates the challenges the micro-credit programs have to confront, and suggests some potential improvements. In a qualitative analysis the following conclusions have been reached: the micro-credit is very limited in scope, it is not focused on really poor people, and neither has it been effective in helping the beneficiaries it has had to grow. Thus, while micro-credit has had many positive effects and has been useful to maintain and develop the microenterprise sector, it has …

¡Dame Un Ritmo (Y Sueldo)!: La Sustentabilidad Económica De Los Artistas Callejeros En El Gran Santiago, Zachariah Smith Cheema

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Street artists in the greater Santiago area are the product of a high unemployment rate and a history of street music in the city. Street artists can be found in every part of Santiago, from the shopping centers to the tranquil parks. Santiago’s street artists vary in age, talent, and future plans. However, these street artists confront many similar risks, such as the threat of detention, other street vendors, or the spectators themselves. While street art as a long-term job is a possibility, there is not a lot of room to save money for the future. Street art lacks support …

De Maíz Vivo” La Siembra De Maíz En La Sierra Norte De Oaxaca, Holly Kingsbury

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cuando uno se acerca al pueblo de Guelatao de Juárez en la Sierra Norte de Oaxaca, México, al pasar el Río Grande se puede ver donde el huracán Stan destruyó muchas milpas. No obstante, es probable que esas milpas, y otras que se ve en el camino, estuvieran abandonadas mucho antes de que el huracán las tocó. En la Sierra Norte y en todo México, esas milpas representaron y todavía representan la vida y alimentación básica de los mexicanos: el maíz. El estadounidense común piensa que el maíz existe en una forma: lo que vemos sembrado en miles de hectáreas …

Facilitating Public Participation In The Eastern Cape Province: A Case Study Of The Centre For Governance In Africa, Paul D. Lemaistre

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Decreasing amounts of public participation threaten to undermine the legitimacy of democracy in South Africa. Numerous surveys, academic resources and Internet and print media indicate general trends among the citizenry that a disconnection and dissatisfaction towards government is prevalent. As a result, the South African public has extremely low levels of public participation for a nation with such a politically charged past. It has become the objective of many civil society organizations to help with the delivery of vital developmental goals, including democracy advocacy, on behalf of the citizens. This paper seeks to examine the efforts of a single NGO, …

Towards Delivery And Dignity: Community Struggle From Kennedy Road, Jacob Bryant

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since 1994, a number of new community-based movements have risen in protest of the economic policies of South Africa’s new, African-led government. Among these is a movement of shack-dwellers in Durban that began at Kennedy Road with a defiant protest that recalled the protests of the “first struggle,” that against apartheid. The movement has embodied many of the characteristics of its predecessor in the United Democratic Front, including its democratic organization, consultative culture, songs and tactics. But the extent to which these similarities are conscious or connected is unclear, for the movement has created much culture of its own. This …

Good Morning, Africa! (Dreams And Identity In Morocco), Chantal James

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This is an exploration of identity using dreams in the Moroccan context. I formally spoke to around twenty-five Moroccans for my research and spoke briefly or casually about the subject of dreams with many more, almost everyone I became friendly with. I give no personal information about the people who spoke to me without their consent, and I give all credit where it’s due, I hope. I set out from Rabat on the 10:30 train to Marrakesh, to spend my three weeks there. I kept a copy of Dreams, a collected works of Jung, by my side. I kept copious …

A Small Town Drug Problem: The Socio-Economy Of Malindi’S Heroin-Using Population, Greg St. Arnold

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research was conducted in Malindi focusing on the social and economic characteristics of heroin-users. A survey of users’ ages, employment, education level, future ambitions, family status, and attitudes towards rehabilitation was undertaken with the assistance of The Omari Project, a local non-governmental organization specializing in rehabilitation services. The findings reveal a community mired in the throes of poverty and unemployment, which exacerbates the community’s drug problem. Recommendations are offered suggesting how best to meet the economic and social challenges presented by the heroin-using community.

The Role Of Malagasy Women In Community Development: Analyzing The Potential For The Creation Of A Women’S Association For Alternative Livelihoods In Ifaty, Amanda Fencl

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Integrated Conservation and development projects (ICDPs) have increased in number worldwide as conservation organizations have to come to terms with the importance of involving and addressing the needs of local human populations to order to achieve their conservation goals. Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, environmental degradation, and plaguing poverty has made ICDPs crucial in achieving national goals of tripling the area of natural heritage conserved and poverty reduction through socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable development. In order to understand how such sustainable development can be achieved, it is essential to spend time enhancing one’s understanding of the local mentality and worldview. On …

“Oh Uncle Pema!” The Role Of Musical Agency In The Creation Of A Modern Tibetan Identity, Tracy Ellwanger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Aku Pema,” a widely popular song in both Tibet and exile, is a useful vehicle for camparing the agency of Tibetan musicians and audiences, as they interact with dominating cultures (Chinese, Hindi, and Western) and official paradigms (espoused by the Chinese government and the Tibetan government-in-exile). After examining the role and implications of “Aku Pema” as a “political” song in both locales, I will look at notions of modernity and tradition, especially in the context of the growing sinocization of Tibetan culture in Tibet and the resulting exile views of pure versus impure Tibetan music.

At the heart of this …

El Papel Homosexual Del Cine De Pedro Almodóvar Durante La Movida Madrileña = The Role Of Homosexuality In The Films Of Pedro Almodóvar During The Movida, Spencer Silverthorne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

When I first arrived in Spain, I wanted to conduct my Independent Study Project on the relationship between machismo and homosexuality, and how these lifestyles were represented in the arts throughout Spanish history. Ideally, I would have liked to study the foundation of machismo, and how it was realized and enforced upon the Spanish people and culture, especially during the regime of Francisco Franco. Then, I would have liked to contrast that movement with the portrayal and the image of the homosexuality community, exhibiting how that broke such a traditionalist belief system. The reason why this subject fascinated me was …

El Movimiento De Mujeres Y El Estado Nicaragüense: La Lucha Por La Autonomía, Sarah Moberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El Movimiento de Mujeres ha sido un movimiento social vital, diverso e influyente en la historia de Nicaragua, comenzando a mediados del siglo veinte. Ha tenido tres etapas en su evolución, bajo las tres diferentes estructuras del Estado: la dictadura Somocista, el gobierno Sandinista, y los gobiernos neoliberales. Durante las tres etapas, el Movimiento tuvo cambios en sus agendas, sus debates, su membresía y su forma de organización. La relación con el Estado es un gran factor en el rumbo de un movimiento social. Ha influido en las estrategias políticas y las formas de participación, las cuales también han influido …

La Participación De La Juventud En El Desarrollo Comunitario: Un Estudio En La Organización Juvenil De Cantera, Ciudad Sandino, Surya Karla

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cuando pensamos en las formas de exclusión, discriminación y opresión que existen en la sociedad, usualmente pensamos en términos de clase, género o raza. Muchas veces, se nos olvida pensar en otro sector enorme de la población oprimida: los jóvenes, adolescentes y niños. El poder en la sociedad puede ser concentrado en personas ricas, blancas y masculinas, pero significativamente también en las personas adultas. En una entrevista con Aura Lila Ulloa, Directora de la organización CANTERA, respecto al enfoque de este proyecto, me informó:

… “Vivimos, desgraciadamente, en una sociedad adultista. Dejar de ser una sociedad adultista y dar espacio …

Evangelization And Religious Conflict In Chiapas: In Search Of Common Ground, Katie Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The religious conflict in Chiapas can hardly be called religious; politics, poverty, and indigenous identity issues are a few of the many factors that have shaped the cultural climate here, and have contributed to the violence and tensions. The deeply divided communities, thousands of people displaced from their towns, and the gruesome murders of the past 40 years have all been attributed to the Catholic-Protestant rivalry. But the reality of political power struggles, US and Mexican government involvement, economic need, and the influence of indigenous community organizing/uprising are all informing the current religious climate. The culture wars are as much …

The Needs Of The Marginalized; Documenting A Crisis Defined As Such By The Catadores De Lixo Of Jangurussú, Jane Hudson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Catadore de lixo is a general term used by Brazilians to refer to those people who work with garbage. It encompasses those who work (and often live) in open landfills and scavenge for salvageable goods to consume, use, or sell; those who work in the street collecting garbage; those who collect only recyclables; and those who work within associations, companies, or cooperatives that sort, sell, and/or recycle refuse. Such a cooperative and the catadores who comprise is the focus of my research.

My objective for spending three weeks in the homes and community of the catadoras de lixo was to …

Abortion: The Reality For Women Of Praia Grande, Anna Tawse

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Under Brazilian law, abortions are prohibited in all cases except for pregnancies resulting from rape or sexual violence and pregnancies which present possible death or harm to the mother. Upon a closer look, however, it is obvious that regardless of the illegality, Brazilian women are getting abortions. In light of this, I conducted a research project to uncover more about the reality that Brazilian women, specifically located in Praia Grande (a small community on Ilha de Mare off the coast of Salvador), face given the simultaneous existence of the two situations listed above (which I refer to as the “abortion …

Facing Reality: The Story Of Icaro Amorim, Nicole Vengrove

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The harsh struggles and lack of basic necessities, which plague many low-income neighborhoods in Northeastern Brazil negatively impact children’s physical and emotional development. My research follows a 16 year-old boy, Icaro Amorim, who lives in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Fortaleza, Ceara, located in the Northeastern region of Brazil. Despite his hard life where food is never a guarantee, Icaro possesses a social awareness that motivates him to improve the life of his family and his community. This social consciousness is played out in Casa de Cultura, a project which Icaro and his peers started in their community of …

Arte Y Pobreza: Integración Social A Través De Movimientos Culturales, Betsy Mccormick

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between artistic and cultural movements as a means of integration for socially excluded populations in Buenos Aires following the economic crisis of 2001. Art in a traditional sense, that is, art found in museums, is most frequently an expression of the dominant classes and is an object of contemplation rather than a form of intervention with the social reality of the masses. Two prominent and “opposing” theories are presented as a possible framework for understanding the relation between art and the societies that produce it: Liberalism and Marxism. The specific …

Concientious Cinema: Senegalese Cineastes As Preservers Of Cultural Identity And Promoters Of Social Change, Paula Fortner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Senegalese cinema was born with a conscience. From its earliest days, Senegalese films have been marked by tendencies to preserve cultural identity and promote social change. Using background research, film screenings, discussions, and interviews, this study categories these trends into a movement of “Conscientious Cinema,” and identifies the development of both of these objectives. This study first traces the trend of cultural identity preservation from the films of the founding generation to their evolution in the projects of young filmmakers today, and similarly explores the development of the trend of social-change promotion from between these generations. In the analysis, I …

The Role Of Tibetan Buddhism And Culture In Sustainable Development (A Case Study Of Yubeng Village), Frazer Lanier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During a lecture by Li Bo, of CBIK (the Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge a Chinese NGO), I was given a glimpse into the role that culture plays within poverty alleviation and environmental conservation. While poverty alleviation aims to develop community economies, this goal is usually seen as being in conflict with environmental conservation because it requires the use of environmental resources. This is a common misperception. According to Gou Jing’s article Gateway between Culture and Nature， “man’s touch bestows nature with culture” (Guo Jing 12). The interaction between nature and humans is the foundation for culture and the …

An Oasis In Byron Shire: Factors In The Progress And Success Of A Local Greens Party, Adam N. Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Greens in Byron Shire on the North Coast of New South Wales gained four of ten seats on the Shire Council including the mayoral position in 2004, giving them a strong voice in the direction of the Shire. This degree of local success is incredibly rare for the Australian Greens or for any third party, and thus, the example of the Byron Greens is a significant case for anyone involved with local politics in Byron or anyone who is involved with third parties, specifically with the Greens. This study sets out to determine the factors in the success of …

Melbourne’S Community Gardens: Harvesting More Than Just Vegetables, Dana E. Kennedy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research on community gardens is an increasingly important area of study. As the percentage of the global population living in cities continues to climb, community gardens have the ability to reach increasing numbers of people. Previous research has shown that these spaces allocated for the growing of vegetables, flowers, fruit and/or herbs, produce many outcomes reaching beyond their members and into the surrounding environment. Studies indicate that this localized method of food production is able to reduce food costs for those involved, serve as an educational tool and provide a platform for community building, socialization, neighborhood renewal, and environmental remediation. …

“Apparently, I Am A Pedophile:” Living And Coping As A Child-Lover In The Netherlands, Andrew Extein

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The term “pedophile” is among the most loaded and controversial in Western culture. In my study I seek to gain a better understanding of the men that would fall into the category of “pedophile,” a phrase that is more often than not misused and misrepresented by our society. To gain this insight I have interviewed six self-identified child-lovers or pedophiles about their life experiences with these feelings, how they came to realize their feelings, how they came to terms with their feelings, how they express their feelings, and how they cope with their feelings. The paper discusses and defines certain …

Finding A Sexual Dialogue With Children: A Dutch Model, Cassandra Baxter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper investigates the ways in which Dutch children, under the age of 12, learn about sexuality. This is a holistic investigation of three different avenues of education that children receive; parents, schools, and organizations. Through a framework of developmental psychology, I examine how the methods of, and dominant theories behind, education reveal a larger cultural conception of childhood sexuality.

Through in-depth interviews, I spoke with one parent who lives in Amsterdam, one primary school teacher from the De Theo Thysen School in Amsterdam, two primary school sex educators from the Hulpverlening Gelderland Midden in Arnhem, and a representative from …

Coral Reef Tourism And Conservation In Bocas Del Toro: An Analysis Of Ecotourism And Its Tour Guide-Based Components, Rebecca Kayes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tourism of the coral reefs in Bocas del Toro is an important economic activity but also potentially harmful to the environment, creating an ecologically and economically unsustainable situation and doubts that the region engages in “ecotourism.” Coral reef tourism was analyzed with a specific emphasis on tours, tour guides, tourist motivations, tourist education and conservation-related activities. Research methods included participant observation in the tourism world in Bocas, interviews with guides, tourists and community members, and a tourist survey. Though local popular opinion disagrees, data collected shows tourism in Bocas does not emphasize reefs or reef conservation, a potentially catastrophic situation …