Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Musician Is The Messenger: Islam And Jaliya In Mandinka Music, Blake Walker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores the complex dynamics at play surrounding jalis, or professional praisesingers, in the culture of the Mandinka people of West Africa. Jalis, almost certainly present among the Mandinka prior to the arrival of Islam in the area, remain one of the strongest reminders of pre-Islamic culture in Mandinka society. However, the art and social roles of the jali have undergone numerous transformations in adapting, conforming to, and sometimes challenging Muslim cultural norms. This paper explores some of the means by which the two cultural fountainheads of Islam and West Africa are reconciled by jalis and other members of …

Mame Coumba Bang: A Living Myth And Evolving Legend, Michelle Margoles

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper seeks to discover the story of the goddess Mame Coumba Bang, to examine her origins, and to analyze it as myth or legend. Through interviews, surveys, and few written documents, it investigates various aspects of the story of Mame Coumba Bang, including descriptions of the goddess, rituals, encounters, and manifestations of her existence. It also looks at the origins of the story and the ways it corresponds with Muslim beliefs. In analyzing the findings, it is found that Mame Coumba Bang is both a legend that is varied and evolving, as well as a myth that remains a …

The Learning Organization In A Post-Development Era: A Case Study On Orgnizational Development At The Valley Trust, Justin Haruyama

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the past two decades, the rise of Post-Development theory has witnessed the questioning of the core assumptions of development. Post-Development theorists point to the failures of “development” to create significant decreases in poverty or inequality worldwide. Meanwhile, other theorists call for radical transformations of conventional practice. This paper seeks to grapple with these questions, using the example of The Valley Trust, a development NGO in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, as an entry point into the debate. Research was conducted over a four-week period through a mixture of participant observation and formal interviews with staff members of The Valley Trust. An …

Watered Down: The Intersection And Integration Of Tourism Development And Water Resource Management In Marrakech, Morocco, Alison Maassen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Helping Women Help Themselves: Sex Work, Health, And Development In Mahajanga, Madagascar, Rachel Pryzby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Poverty is an inescapable reality in Madagascar, a force that permeates the lives of many Malagasy people. Approximately 75 % of the population lives below the poverty line, defined as one United States dollar per person per day . This poverty proves to be particularly cruel to women who are often illiterate, unmarried, and have children to support. In cases such as these, often the quickest and most lucrative type of work available is sex work. The proportion of sex workers (called makorelina in Malagasy and travailleuses de sexe in French ) in the city of Mahajanga is quite large—approximately …

Returning Home: The Makings Of A Repatriate Consciousness, Hope Steinman-Iacullo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The intention of my Independent Study Project was to learn more about what motivates some Afro Americans to repatriate here and/or return habitually and explore whether there were a diverse number of reasons and motivating factors. This aim and question was also put in a historical context. For instance, my research has shown that the Back to African movements of the past mostly aimed to be communal relocations, compared with the current condition of mostly individualistic moves. I also found that although not all of the participants in my project identified as followers of Garvey or Pan Africanism, they often …

An Ancient Practice: Scarification And Tribal Marking In Ghana, Alyssa Irving

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My research on tribal marking and face scarring took place in various parts of the country, but much of the information comes from the residents of Gwollu. By interviewing different people belonging to different regions and ethnic groups throughout the country, I was able to discover the main uses for marking: medical use, decoration, spiritual protection, and tribe or family identification (these marks specifically for ID can be referred to as tribal marks). This paper sweeps over the origins of marking and how it became quite important during slave raiding, but has various uses and implications in modern times. This …

Preludes To Violence: A Comparative Look At The Pre-Maquis Period And Contemporary Cameroonian Society, Mathew Welch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Union des populations du Cameroun (UPC) changed roles from a peaceful political organization to an underground militant one in late April of 1955. This study examines the reasons for which this revolution occurred, attempting to find modern parallels, with the goal of discerning the possibility of a future revolution in Cameroon. Extensive primary sources from the period were consulted, in addition to interviews with historians and sociologists for historical background, while periodicals, official studies, political scientists and economists were consulted for contemporary issues. Several individuals who were alive during the Maquis period were also interviewed. The study found that …

People Moving Matters: Theorizing Tourism And Migration On The Nepali ‘Periphery’, Adam Linnard

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Many papers and presentations pertaining to tourism have started something like the following:

The World Tourism Organization in its 1996/97 report states that 255 million people are employed in the tourism-related industries, which is one in every nine people employed in the world, making it the world’s number one industry and larger than the oil, automobile or weapons industries. Tourism also contributed US$653 billion to the international economy in the form of different tourism-related taxes. There is an annual growth rate of 4% in the world’s tourism market. (Bajracharya & Shakya, 1998)

Now this one begins that way, too.

It …

Gaaro: Nepali Women Tell Their Stories, Sarah Cramer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“In the 1970s, women were discovered to have been “bypassed” by the development interventions. This “discovery” resulted in the growth during the late 1970s and 1980s of a whole new field, women in development (WID), which has been analyzed by several feminist researchers as a regime of representation” (Escobar, 13). This “regime of representation” was a way in which development discourse linguistically, and consequently practically, imposed a homogenized identity on these “bypassed” women, in order to bring them into development programs. This homogenizing discourse was constructed by Western development efforts and takes place by constructing all third world women as …

Atua Of The Aga: A Comparison Of Ancestor Worship In The Highlands Of Bali And Polynesia, Jamison Liang

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study is to understand the practice of ancestor worship among the Bali Aga village of Sukawana and its relation to how its inhabitants trace their origins. When did their ancestors arrive in Sukawana and where did they come from? Did any of their descendents continue to migrate across Indonesia? And how do the Bali Aga practice ancestor reverence through the use of shrines and temples—tangible evidence—in their villages? The responses to these questions provided a platform for comparison to current anthropological, linguistic, and archaeological theories in order to understand how locally constructed truth in Sukawana related …

Memory, Place And Nation-Building: Remembering In The ‘New’ South Africa, Kate Ronan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this project was to look at memory and memorialization in Cape Town in order to better understand the role of sites of memory and memory initiatives in the making of the ‘new’ South Africa. This study focuses on connections between memory and place and memory and identity. It also looks at the Cape Town landscape, the ways in which it has changed over time and contestations over sites on this landscape. This project was conducted as a social analysis project over the period of one month. Visits to monuments and museums, interviews with people involved in memory …

Development In Our Own Words: A Survey Of Development Perspectives Between Cameroonians And Americans In Yaoundé, Cameroon, Frieda L. Arenos

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

It is said that development addresses the quality and progression of life; that a country be self-sustainable in accessing its resources, educating its children, curing its sick, and guaranteeing its citizens contribution to a sufficient political and social environment. If the term is so, how do we justify development on a world scale? Do development projects that begin in the West have the same capacity for efficiency in the Third World? How does development aid make certain that those who are in need receive what they are promised? This paper is a field-based case study that analyzes in first the …

“Share The Wealth” A Critical Analysis Of Private Sector Development In Uganda’S Rural And Urban Settings, Michael Roscitt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Privatization and private sector development have been primary methods of development throughout Uganda and Africa for the last 20 years. These two valuable tools, however, have been plagued by corruption as many former State Owned Enterprises are being divested into the pockets of political cronies and influential foreigners. If State Owned Enterprises were instead divested amongst a broad section of the population, local entrepreneurs with limited capital could participate in the privatization process. If responsibly divested, private sector development would then be able to have more far reaching effects because the enterprises being helped would be owned by the people. …

An Observational Analysis Of Psychosocial Behaviors And Caregiver Responses In The Durban Children’S Home, Sarah Young

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In South Africa, many children find themselves in at risk situations arising from issues like HIV, abuse, and poverty, which highly impact their mental well being by forcing them into unlivable situations. The Durban Children’s Home, located in Glenwood, Durban, works to tackle this problem, providing facilities, meals, and care for 75 homeless, abused, terminally ill, and/or poverty stricken children. Yet in coming from situations where children no longer have support of their primary caregiver or environment, these children require quality psychosocial attention in the Home. However when basic needs of so many children must be met in an institutional …

Policing The Police: Democracy And Effective Methods Of Accountability In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Alaina Varvaloucas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study seeks to explore the extent and effectiveness of systems of criminal accountability of the police force in South Africa. More specifically, it explores the pros and cons of existing organizations mandated to deter police from acting criminally and punish them when they do, and the need to strengthen them. The study first takes a look at such organizations as the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD)—which is an independent civilian oversight body—and the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) internal disciplinary system and assesses their strengths and limitations in providing a culture of accountability. The study then focuses on police culture …

You’Ll Never Silence The Voice Of The Voiceless: Critical Voices Of Activists In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Kate Gunby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this research has been to explore how and why former liberation activists have continued to speak out against the government since the African National Congress (ANC) transitioned from a liberation movement to a ruling party. These individuals highlight the importance of having a voice, and making that voice heard by the government. They also provide a plurality of opinions that are just a sampling of the sentiments held by South Africans today. The objective of my research is to better understand what is wrong with the ANC and South Africa, possible causes, and how they can be …

Khal: An Exploration Of The Language Around Blackness In Morocco, Rachel Leigh Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Morocco has been described as a melting pot. While various ethnicities, religious beliefs, and languages merge and intermingle within the country, the language in the majority of Moroccan homes is Darijaa. The language itself is a mixture of the Amazigh language and classical and popular Arabic with some European elements. Additionally, Darijaa is the language through which the majority of Moroccans have come to understand the world and the people around them. It is also through this language that I will explore conceptions of blackness and black identity in Morocco. Through evaluating the words for “black” in Darijaa, I hope …

Kaya Hip-Hop In Coastal Kenya: The Urban Poetry Of Ukoo Flani, Divinity Lashelle Barkley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the global world of the 21st Century, music is one of the few things that has the ability to cross physical as well as cultural borders, which is why my Independent Study Project (ISP) focuses on the role of hip-hop music in the youth culture in Kenya’s largest coastal city, Mombasa. Throughout history, music has proven its artistic power; inspiring people to resist oppression, challenge inequality, and even claim salvation.

This enduring characteristic of music is central to my ISP which explores the emergence of hip-hop in Kenya as well as the evolution of Ukoo Flani, one of the …

“How To Change The World”: Writing An Online Sustainability Leadership Manual For Young Australians, Nina Sherburne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Under the direction of the Centre for Sustainability Leadership (CSL) in downtown Melbourne, VIC, three articles were written for the CSL online manual entitled “How to Change the World”. These articles contain straightforward, easy-to-read answers to questions young people have regarding sustainability and leadership in their community. The three questions include: “Should I register my not-for-profit? If so, how do I?”, “How do I fundraise for my organization? And do I need to register as a Fundraiser?”, and “How to I sell the idea of sustainability (or change in general) to my boss?”.

This online manual will remove the barriers …

Unemployment, Women, And Taxis: A Study Of The Taxi-Sister Program In Its Test Phase, Mackenzie Israel-Trummel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In May of 2007, the Senegalese Ministry for Family and Female Entrepreneurship in collaboration with a private car dealership, Espace-Auto, announced plans for the Taxi-Sister program, which introduced ten women into the taxi driving profession. The first ten women, who hit the streets in September 2007, are considered a test-run for the program, as the Ministry seeks to expand women’s roles in Senegalese society and presence in the economic sector. The program is considered to be both an effort to address women’s poverty and to establish a feminine presence in professions formerly reserved for men.

This study attempts to describe …

Growing ‘Black Diamonds’: The Role Of The Government In Small Business Development And Black Entrepreneurship, Will Houghteling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

One of the most damaging and threatening legacies of the Apartheid system is the enormous wealth inequality gap that still persists today. The gulf between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ perpetuates problems of crime, educational attainment gaps and racial isolation and therefore minimizing this inequality is central to future economic stability and national success. In an effort to reconcile past injustices and create a more even and just wealth distribution the post Apartheid government focused on aiding black small business development and spurring entrepreneurship to as a sustainable route to economic growth and job creation. However, as various reports indicate, …

No Shelter: Unesco’S Efforts To Save Lalibela’S Culture, Kellen Mcclure

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The eleven rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia have existed for almost a millennium. Cut directly from the volcanic rock of the area, the churches have attracted foreign attention for over fifty years to an area that still remains extremely rural. Recently, new attention is being given to the churches in an attempt to save them from deterioration that threatens both the structural integrity of the buildings and the priceless artwork inside. Leading the effort is the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO, with help from the European Union, has launched a new project to build metal shelters …

Structural And Financial Constraints For Arabica Coffee Planters, Chloe Wardropper

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Arabica coffee production in Cameroon is struggling. Coffee growers and their plants are aging rapidly due to a lack of incentives to continue production. The downturn in arabica production started in the 1980’s, with the drop in the world price of coffee and the privatization of formerly government-run programs and agricultural cooperatives. Financial problems continue today because there are no structures to replace those organizations which offered financial and technical support. This paper will examine the constraints facing arabica coffee growers today and the options available to them for the amelioration of their situation. This is achieved primarily through interviews …

What’S A Girl To Do: Repatriarchalization And Croatian Women’S Reproductive Freedom, Brittany Rast

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Croatia is a country in transition. After decades of officially minimizing differences between itself and the rest of the former Yugoslavia, Croatia is now fiercely fighting to establish its own unique identity. As part of that battle, Croats have embraced their folk traditions, and they have brought the Catholic Church back into prominence. Approximately 85% of Croatians are Roman Catholic, and the Croatian government and the Catholic Church have very strong ties (Drakulic 1993: 125). As is the case in many transitional countries, the embracing of folk culture and its norms, coupled with the resurgence of the Catholic Church has …

Roma In Vojvodina: Expressions Of Cultural Identity Through Performance, Jane Kaufman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper begins to cover some of the ways Roma cultural identity is expressed through performance in Vojvodina. The way Roma music and dance is seen in Vojvodina is highly influenced by the “circus” image and very little scholarly writing on Roma folklore exists to challenge this image. Roma musicians in rap/hip-hop groups incorporate elements of Roma traditional music and Roma language into rap/hip-hop to confront this stereotype and in performance these influences can interact, challenging stereotypes and revealing current values and traditions.

Caring And Treating Post – Traumatic Stress Disorder In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Colleen M. Boley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a major issue whenever there is a war or natural disaster. From 1992 through 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina was subject to one of the most destructive wars of the 20th century. The groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina that are working with posttraumatic stress disorder are investigated to see if they are truly helping people with posttraumatic stress disorder. This paper explores the ways in which posttraumatic stress disorder has affected individuals and the societies of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the organizations attempting to help people dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Between Bottom Up And Top Down: The Truth-Recovery Debate In Northern Ireland, Suzanne Brundage

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper is the final result of my Independent Study Project, a month long research period following three months of study and travel through the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. For three weeks in April 2007 I interned in Belfast with Healing Through Remembering (HTR), a non-governmental organization exploring the question of how Northern Ireland should ‘deal with the past’ in attempts to build a more positive future. I first encountered HTR in early March on my first visit to Belfast. My fellow classmates and I were tasked with examining five options for truth-recovery for Northern Ireland and brainstorming …

Resistant Cultures: Punk Identity And Anarchist Resistance In Three Yugoslav Successor States, Jeff Lambert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project attempts to discover the roots of the anarchist movement and reveal any connections to the punk subculture (both historic and contemporary) that emerged in Slovenia in the late 1970s and propagated throughout the federate republics. Given the unique economic history and geopolitical significance of the SFR Yugoslavia, there is a discussion of how anarchism differs in the Yugoslav successor states today (specifically Croatia) from other countries on the European continent. Punk is discussed as an alternative to nationalism and personal stories of anarchist identification are recorded herein.

How Do Women In Prek Toal Village (Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, Cambodia) Participate In And Benefit From Ecotourism?, Amy Dowley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Abstract This study assesses how women in the floating village of Prek Toal in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, participate and benefit from the ecotourism activities in their area. The study also investigates women’s perspective on ecotourism within their community, how it affects their lives, and if they have expectations of current and future benefits or changes resulting from ecotourism. This study is conducted in the context of current studies on livelihoods in the Tonle Sap region, including the recent technical report, “Influence of Built Structures on Local Livelihoods: Case Studies of Road Development, Irrigation, and Fishing Lots,”(ADB, 2007a) identifying …