Environmental Studies Commons^™

Asian International Students’ College Experience: Relationship Between Quality Of Personal Contact And Gains In Learning, Krishna Bista Ed.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

This study examines associations between Asian international students’ quality of personal contact and gains in learning. Based on a sample of 705 Asian international students, results indicate that Asian international students’ relationships with peers, faculty, and administrative staff are positively associated with five domains of gains of learning (i.e., personal development, science and technology, general education, vocational preparation, and intellectual skills). Academic level, length of stay, and country of origin predicted gains in learning when all independent variables were included in the model. Implications for the positive college experience for Asian students are discussed.

Ardıç, Nurullah. Islam And The Politics Of Secularism: The Caliphate And Middle Eastern Modernization In The Early 20th Century (Soas/Routledge Studies On The Middle East). London: Routledge, 2013., Cengiz Sisman Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Stenslie, Stig. Regime Stability In Saudi Arabia: The Challenge Of Succession. London And New York: Routledge, 2012, Carool Kersten Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Haynes, Jeffrey (Ed.). Routledge Handbook Of Democratization. London And New York: Routledge, 2012., Laurens De Rooij

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

David Held And Kristian Ulrichsen, (Eds.). The Transformation Of The Gulf: Politics, Economics And The Global Order. New York: Routledge, 2012., Laura Frances Goffman

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Keeping Pace With Cyber Power, Defense, And Warfare, Michael Olender

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review on:

• Joseph S. Nye, Jr., The Future of Power. New York: PublicAffairs, 2011.
• Daniel Ventre (ed.), Cyber Conflict: Competing National Perspectives. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
• Paulo Shakarian, Jana Shakarian, and Andrew Ruef, Introduction to Cyber-Warfare: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Amsterdam and Boston: Syngress, 2013.

How Will China Shape The Global And Regional Order?, Gunjan Singh

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review on:

• Xiaoming Huang and Robert G. Patnam. (Eds.). China and the International System: Becoming a world power. New York and London: Routledge,
• 2013 Yong Wook Lee and Key-young Son, (Eds.). China’s Rise and Regional Integration in East Asia: Hegemony or community? New York and London: Routledge, 2014

Hooglund, E. & Stenberg, L. (Eds.). Navigating Contemporary Iran: Challenging Economic, Social And Political Perceptions. New York And London: Routledge, 2012., Kathleen Foody Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Christopher Davidson (Ed.). Power And Politics In The Persian Gulf Monarchies. London: Hurst & Company, 2011., Anas Alahmed

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Rico Isaacs. Party System Formation In Kazakhstan. Between Formal And Informal Politics. New York: Routledge, 2011., Farkhad Alimukhamedov Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Suhrke, Astri & Mats Berdal, (Eds.). The Peace In Between: Post-War Violence And Peacebuilding. London: Routledge, 2012., Joseph Stimpfl Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Acemoglu, Daron & James R. Robinson. Why Nations Fail: The Origins Of Power, Prosperity And Poverty. New York: Crown Publishing, 2012., Maximiliano E. Korstanje Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer And Jonathan Van Antwerpen (Eds.). Rethinking Secularism. Oxford And New York: Oxford University Press, 2011., Carool Kersten Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge And Sustainable Food Sourcing: Dayutang Village, Hani Rice Terraces, Nina Whittaker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Reflecting on the importance of dynamic agricultural management techniques in addressing climate change and food security, this paper examines the Hani rice terraces of southern Yunnan as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). It identifies local inhabitants’ traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) as a key source of their success, and uses research conducted in Dayutang Village, Yuanyang County from May 4- June 2, 2015 through participative observation and guided conversation to explore the role of Hani TEK in sustainable food sourcing around the village. The TEK used in food sourcing in Dayutang is shown not only to provide villagers with …

The Restoration Process: Lessons From A Community-Based Conservation Initiative In Tunkhel, Mongolia, John Wendt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As policy makers transition away from central planning, Mongolia’s natural resource professionals are challenged with cultivating community support for stewardship in a time of escalating ecological disturbance. Nutag Action Research Partners has partnered with community members and government officials in Tunkhel, a small village in north-central Mongolia, to develop local resource management capacity and jointly draft a Conservation Plan for a commonly grazed riparian pasture. This study is a preliminary assessment of the ecological and social factors influencing project implementation. Information was collected using a variety of qualitative methods including meeting observation, surveys, interviews, photographs, and a review of previous …

Taking Root: An Analysis Of The Best Method For Active Forest Regeneration In The Cloud Forest, Charlotte Startin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The cloud forest is a biodiversity hotspot and provides many vital ecological and economic services. Unfortunately, deforestation for pastures in the lower montane cloud forest is high. Many pastures become abandoned, leaving highly disturbed open areas of land where natural forest regeneration is poor. Human intervention to encourage ecological restoration is very important to re-establish the proper structure and functioning of the ecosystem. Forest regeneration projects are rare and often unsuccessful, which is why increased knowledge and skills of successful and practical methods for assisted regeneration are needed. The Inti Llacta Reserve in the Pichincha province in Ecuador protects a …

Samer S. Shehata, (Ed.). Islamist Politics In The Middle East: Movements And Change. London And New York: Routledge, 2012., Jaqueline Swansinger Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

An Assessment Of The Impact Of Sand Mining: Unguja, Zanzibar, Caroline Ladlow

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Resource consumption is one of the most crucial environmental problems facing the world today. Therefore nonrenewable resources need to be sustainably used to ensure the survival of both future generations and the resources at stake. The goal of this study was to investigate the impacts of sand mining on the environment, economy, and communities of Zanzibar. The environmental, economic, and social impacts of sand mining activities were studied at various sites on the island of Unguja. The effects on vegetation, coastal erosion, communities, and local economies were researched based on field observations and interviews with local people and officials at …

Fauna Census Of Intertidal Cliffs, Mangapwani, Zanzibar, Emily Jankowski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to their extreme variations in condition over the course of a day, intertidal zones are challenging environments. Organisms that live there must be prepared to cope with both exposure and submersion, not to mention the temperature variations that accompany these conditions. The differing tolerances and adaptations of various organisms to these conditions generally cause patterns of vertical zonation to occur in the intertidal zone, especially when the shore is steep and rocky. Understanding the ecology of shore environments is important to future conservation and management efforts. This study was conducted on a beach in Mangapwani, Zanzibar at at 6˚ …

Human Impacts On Water Systems: Biological Assessment Of Water Quality In The Bosque Protector Río Guajalito (Bprg) Using Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Harrison Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Benthic macroinvertebrates have been extensively used as bioindicators for water quality due to their varying sensitivity to a diverse range of impacts on hydrographic sources. In this study a sampling of macroinvertebrates was carried out in the Guajalito and Brincador rivers and a small creek that runs through the private reserve Bosque Protector Rio Guajalito in order to analyze if the health of the rivers has changed in relation to previous studies. The sampling stations were located upstream and downstream of potential sources of disturbance in each of the three streams sampled in order to determine what level of impact …

Marine Animalia Organism Diversity And Reef Condition On Two Reef Sites At Big Creek Beach And Boca Del Drago, Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, Bri Tiffany

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ocean acidification, climate change, overfishing, and coastal development are endangering coral reefs across the globe. In Bocas del Toro, Panamá, coral reefs are especially threatened by the rapid growth in tourism and the subsequent anthropogenic effects caused by an increased human presence. To evaluate reef condition in this area, a study comparing percent coverage of live and dead coral as well as the diversity of marine Animalia organisms was conducted at one reef site in Big Creek beach and one reef site in Boca del Drago, Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro. It was predicted that dead coral cover would be …

Fighting For The Right To Breathe: Exploring Perspectives Of Environmenal Threats In The South Durban Basin, Kayleigh Bhangdia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The goal of this project is to understand the way in which community members in South Durban perceive the environmental threats that they face. I have contextualized the current environmental injustices present in the wake of the Apartheid legacy. I worked closely with the South Durban Environmental Conservation Alliance in preparing my questions and conducting my interviews. I conducted 24 interviews in three different communities in the South Durban Basin including Wentworth, Merebank, and Clairwood. Following the interviews in Merebank and Clairwood, I engaged the participants in a short participatory mapping exercise in which they highlighted where the pollution was …

Marodsilton Muborakshoeva. Islam And Higher Education: Concepts, Challenges And Opportunities. London And New York: Routledge, 2012., Laurens De Rooij

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Gordillo, Gastón. Rubble: The Afterlife Of Destruction. Durham: Duke University Press, 2014., Ismael Vaccaro Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Comparing Avian Diversity And Anthropogenic Disturbance At Sendero Los Quetzales Cerro Punta, Panamá, Sloane Merdinger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This report summarizes the survey of land and avian diversity along a transect that runs from the exterior to the interior of the Los Quetzales Trail of Parque Nacional Volcán Barú in Cerro Punta, Chiriquí, Panamá. The region of Cerro Punta is Panamá’s primary producer of produce and also home to one of the most biodiverse land reserves in the world. Despite protection efforts the area is continuously threatened by human development. The study juxtaposes calculated Shannon-Wiener Biodiversity Indices across graduated levels of anthropogenic disturbance to determine if there is a significant difference in biodiversity between areas with low, intermediate, …

Hospital To Home: Interoperability In The Health Ecosystem, Francis Puno

Asian Management Insights

Mobile health solutions have created a revolution in the global healthcare ecosystem.

Waste Management And Environmental Initiatives In Accra, Ghana, Aoife Genevieve Duna

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Title: Waste Management and Environmental Initiatives in Accra, Ghana

Author: Aoife Genevieve Duna ([email protected]; Middlebury College, Anthropology and Dance major)

Objective: The objective of this project was fourfold: • To study the current waste management practices by government and private waste companies • To observe the perspectives of residents on waste disposal • To explore environmental initiatives by citizens, NGOs, and student groups • To investigate the potential projects that could reduce waste

Methodology: For my project, I conducted interviews, made observations, participated in daily personal waste management, visited a landfill, and visited a composting project.

Findings: Waste collection is …

The Industrial Impact On Wetlands In Jinja And The Nexus Of Industry, Wetlands, And Community (A Rights-Based Sustainable Development Approach), Ranger Ruffins

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Uganda is a beautiful country filled with an extensive amount of natural resources, one of the most profound being wetlands. It is said that these wetlands are a crucial source of food and water for almost 3 million people (NEMA, 2012 and Oguttu et.al, 2008). They also provide many more invaluable socioeconomic benefits for the country. As Uganda experiences increasing development as well as a rapidly increasing population, the wetlands become increasingly necessary, at the same time they become increasingly threatened. It is written in the 1995 Ugandan constitution that Ugandan policy is aimed at ensuring sustainable development for the …

Fish Use Of Largely Unexplored Sub-Tidal Habitats In The Hinchinbrook Channel Estuary, Queensland, Alexandra Parisien

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the use of sub-tidal open-bottom, rocky, and seagreass habitats by the Siganus genus (herbivores), Gerres genus (benthivores), and planktivores in the Hinchinbrook Channel Estuary in Queensland, Australia. The Hinchinbrook Channel Estuary, a tropical estuary cutting between Hinchinbrook Island and the Australian mainland, is surrounded primarily by mangroves. Its sub-tidal habitats are largely unexplored due to factors such as low visibility and the presence of estuarine crocodiles. In this study, I reviewed 699 underwater videos collected by James Cook University PhD candidate Michael Bradley in order to analyze feeding and movement behavior of pre-identified fish.

The results of …

The Himalayan Gold Rush The Untold Consequences Of Yartsa Gunbu In The Tarap Valley, Noah Stone

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite the fact that it has been used in tradition medicine for centuries, the caterpillar fungus known as yartsa gunbu (Othiocordyceps sinensis), has only become a popular medical supplement in the last fifteen years. Demand in China has driven what has been dubbed ‘the Himalayan gold rush’, a scramble for the fungus that has utterly transformed the agro-pastoral economies of the remote Himalayan regions where cordyceps is found. In many cases, the locals have prospered economically from the commodification of yartsa gunbu. In one such region of Nepal, the Tarap valley of the Dolpa district, while the villagers have benefitted …