International and Area Studies Commons^™

The Impact Of Program Structure On Language Acquisition And Intercultural Competence: A Comparative Study Of Study Abroad Programs In Kunming, China, Samantha Bergman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

According to the Project Atlas study conducted by the Institute of International Education, China is the world’s third most popular study abroad location. With over 390,000 international students currently studying in China, there are more opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding than ever before. However, there is still relatively little existing research on how different study abroad program structures impact students’ Chinese language skills and cultural literacy.

This study examined the impacts of experiential learning and intensive language study abroad program structures on students’ language acquisition and intercultural competence development. Two study abroad programs based in Kunming, SIT China: …

Supermarket Savvy: An Analysis Of Psychological Exploitation Within Grocery Stores, Calvin Brinkworth

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As obesity rates continue to climb around the world, an increased effort is needed to explore all means of prevention and intervention. Although previous research has examined the effectiveness of strategies like nutritional education, little research has been conducted surrounding the interplay of psychology and marketing within the context of grocery stores. As such, this paper examines the presence of psychological manipulation within grocery stores and the influence is has upon product choice, and ultimately consumption. Several key variables have been taken into account for this analysis, including store layout, location, product placement, packaging, and others, to provide a holistic …

La Resistencia Cultural A Través Del Teatro De Las Oprimidas Para La Cultivación De La Subjetividad De La Mujer En Un Contexto De Violencia De Género: Un Estudio De Caso Del Colectivo De Mujeres Osadía / Cultural Resistance And The Cultivation Of The Subjective Through Theatre Of The Oppressed For The Woman In A Context Of Gender Violence: A Case Study With Colectivo De Mujeres Osadía In Jose Leon Suarez, Province Of Buenos Aires, Lela Biggus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Hay en este momento en la historia una ola de movimientos feministas barriendo la vida política de Buenos Aires. Movimientos como Ni Una Menos busca, en una variedad de métodos, para interrumpir el discurso destructivo de la cultura machista que produce la violencia de género y hace que el acto de femicidio, el asesinato de una mujer por su género, sea común.

En mis investigaciones exploro cómo el Teatro del oprimido, una práctica teatral de Augusto Boal, puede transformarse en una experiencia de resistencia cultural y subjetivación de la mujer en un contexto de violencia de género. Yo pasé tiempo …

Being Transgender And Seeking Healthcare In The World’S Most Liberal City, Nicole Sharpe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The right to the highest form of healthcare is one of the most essential rights a person should have. It should be accessible to all human beings, and it appears this is not the case when it comes from the transgender population in the Netherlands and the U.S. In addition to transitional health care needs like hormonal treatment and surgery, transgender people require the same variety of general health care needs as many other groups of individuals. When obstacles create stigma within health care providing facilities, transgender individuals may be less inclined or discouraged to seek the care they need. …

From The Margins To The Frame: Social Identities And A “Pan-Pacific” Moana, Keara Sternberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper investigates the implications of Pacific representation and regional identity in Disney’s film, Moana. It evaluates if the film successfully represented a broad range of Pacific cultures and peoples. It weaves together 20 secondary sources, 8 interviews and 56 surveys. The sample population involved college-aged students from universities throughout the Pacific along with academic professionals and involved members of the Oceanic Story Trust. Overall, the study found that Moana successfully captured a pan-Pacific identity on several indicators, while it also found dissenting reactions toward the film by some respondents on measures of cultural representation. To Pacific students, Moana appears …

Monitoring Anuran Populations In Bosque Protector Candelaria: A Multi-Year Comparison Of Frog Populations In An Ecuadorian Cloud Forest, Mindee Goodrum

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For many years, amphibian populations around the world have been declining due to climate change, habitat loss or change, and diseases such as Ranavirus or the Chytrid fungus. However, there is still a great lack of information regarding the diversity of frogs, especially in the cloud forests of Ecuador where this study was conducted. This study was conducted in April and May of 2017 in the Ecominga Reserve of Cerro Candelaria in El Placer, Ecuador. The objective was to conduct visual-encounter surveys of several sites in the reserve and compare the results to studies that have been conducted in the …

La Valorización De La Educación Superior Para Estudiantes Indígenas En Madre De Dios: Interrogando Discursos Y Acciones Del Estado, La Fenamad, Y Los Estudiantes Indígenas / The Valorisation Of Higher Education For Indigenous Students In Madre De Dios: Interrogating Speeches And Actions Of The State, Fenamad, And Indigenous Students, Sierra Houck

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación explora cómo los estudiantes indígenas en Puerto Maldonado (que provienen de comunidades en Madre de Dios) valoran y pretenden usar la educación superior. Este informe compara estas perspectivas y deseos con las perspectivas y acciones de personas en los institutos superiores, miembros del gobierno, y miembros de la organización indígena FENAMAD. Además, esta investigación analiza tanto los desafíos que los estudiantes indígenas enfrentan al estudiar en Puerto Maldonado como los sistemas de apoyo que existen y se están desarrollando para los estudiantes indígenas.

La educación formal fue introducida en las comunidades indígenas de la región de Madre de …

Whiteness Under Pressure: Race, Masculinities, And The Negotiation Of Power In A Transforming South Africa, Sarah Bradach

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study expands upon whiteness studies that aim to interrogate whiteness and render it visible in contexts where it may operate as the norm, and explore its relationship with expressions of dominant and subordinated masculinities in post-apartheid South Africa. Using the lived experiences of white men in South Africa, the researcher examines themes of power and dispossession in relation to expressions of masculinities during the country’s recent economic, political, and social transformation. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data surrounding participants’ experiences of transformation, the majority of which took place at a bowling club outside of Durban. …

The Methane-Oxidizing Capability Of Pumice Biocovers On Icelandic Landfills, Mitchell P. Miller

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pumice has been shown in laboratory biofilter experiments to improve the oxidation of methane (Pratt et al. 2012, Pratt, Tate, & Deslippe 2012). Pumice biocovers were tested on two Icelandic landfills, Kirkjuferjuhjáleiga and Álfsnes. Seven biocover plots were dug and filled with a 50:50 blend of pumice and native soil. CH4 and CO2 were measured using the static chamber method before and after biocover placement. After one week, the CH4:CO2 ratio was reduced on four of the seven plots, weakly indicating that pumice biocovers may be an effective way to better oxidize landfill methane.

Cuba’S Use Of Medical Diplomacy: Establishing Global Significance And Influence, Juan Herzberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project aims to assess the importance of medical diplomacy as a foreign policy strategy for Cuba, as well as a means by which the small island nation has managed to gain geopolitical prominence in the current international political sphere. Through the analysis of Cuba’s medical internationalism, its impact on the health of populations across the world, its oil-for-doctors trade agreements with Venezuela, and its involvement in initiatives like the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), it becomes easier to see the link between medical diplomacy and geopolitical power, which Cuba has been successfully garnering since its 1959 Revolution …

The Disappearance Of Nyoman And Ketut, Laura Michelle Garvie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

La Militancia, El Feminismo Y La Participación De Poblaciones Marginales: El Estudio De La Asociación Civil Juana Azurduy / Militancy, Feminism And The Participation Of Marginal Populations: The Study Of The Civil Association Juana Azurduy, Claudia Freeman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Con frecuencia, es común observar en las calles argentinas gran cantidad de movilizaciones públicas; éste es, sin duda, uno de los signos que evidencian hasta qué punto la militancia forma parte de la cultura del país. A través de una investigación en la Asociación Civil Juana Azurduy, este ensayo se sitúa la militancia feminista dentro de un contexto de marginalidad que existe en la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Se analizan observaciones acerca del funcionamiento cotidiano de esta organización, observaciones de talleres educativos ofrecidos a niñxs, y entrevistas con dirigentes para examinar cómo funciona la militancia feminista en este contexto y …

No A La Tala: Percepciones Sobre Reforestación En Cochabamba, Bolivia / No To La Tala: Perforations On Reforestation In Cochabamba, Bolivia, Kate Raybon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En mi corto estudio quisiera explorar las percepciones sobre reforestación urbana y los espacios verdes en la ciudad de Cochabamba con la pregunta “¿Cuáles son las percepciones de la reforestación en Cochabamba?” Para ello, llevé a cabo entrevistas y encuestas breves con varios grupos directamente involucrados en movimientos de reforestación para recolectar percepciones sobre este tema. Los participantes eran parte de grupos como No a la Tala de los Árboles en Cochabamba, La ONG Gaia Pacha, el Departamento de Medio Ambiente del municipio de Cochabamba, y expertos ambientales. Finalmente, creé un mapa de cuentos en línea que consiste de fotografías …

Una Exploración Del Proceso De Recuperación Frente A Desastres Y Las Fuentes De Resiliencia En Alimapu, "La Tierra Quemada” / An Exploration Of The Disaster Recovery Process And Sources Of Resilience In Alimapu, "La Tierra Quemada", Alison Stewart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The history of Chile has been fraught by natural and socionatural disasters. Nevertheless, research on the mental health effects on the disaster survivors and the mechanisms used to overcome the catastrophes and mend the psychological damage is scarce. Therefore, this descriptive study explored the experiences of those that were affected by the great fire of Valparaíso, Chile in 2014 and the work of those involved in the recuperation process in order to reveal the manner in which resilience is manifested among the communities of disaster sufferers. The sample population was composed of 7 disaster survivors from the communities of Cerro …

Transmitiendo La Identidad: Revalorización Sociopolítica Del Kichwa Por Los Medios De Comunicación \ Transmitting Identity: Sociopolitical Revaluation Of The Kichwa By The Media, Abi Mcdougal

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este Proyecto de Estudio Independiente considera cómo los medios de comunicación kichwas están involucrados en la conciencia sociopolítica indígena. Establece una historia de la opresión lingüística hacia los kichwa; provee un marco conceptual de los espacios de uso sociolingüísticos en la diglosia; e introduce el tema de los medios de comunicación kichwas, localizados en Otavalo y los pueblos de Imbabura cercanos. Presenta la información primaria sobre los medios de comunicación, obtenida a través de entrevistas, diálogos informales, observación enfocada y participante, y una encuesta pública en Otavalo. Considera el radio, lo audiovisual, y publicaciones escritas, a través de unas organizaciones …

Subversion And The State: Politics Of Moroccan Hip-Hop And Rap Music, Grace Findlen-Golden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines the political significance of recent developments within the Moroccan hiphop scene in the period following the “Arab Spring.” Since its emergence in the 1980s, Moroccan hip-hop has been used as a medium through which artists have been able to comment on social and political issues. During the past two decades with Morocco under the rule of King Mohammed VI, the content and implications of this art have undergone a transformation, particularly with regard to political commentary and artists’ relationship to the state. This research explores the evolution of hip-hop and rap music in Morocco over that time …

Creating Safe Spaces In A Homonormative Society: A Study Of The Hang-Out 010, Taryn Urban

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During the month of April 2017, I interned with The Hang-Out 010, a nonprofit organization in Rotterdam that serves as a community center for LGBTQ youth. During this period, I assisted the volunteers and staff by attending events, writing blog posts, helping to plan future activities, and developing a feedback survey to be completed by visitors. My main objective was to gain a better understanding of the organization through immersive observation, feedback from visitors, and interviews with the volunteers and director of The Hang-Out 010. I analyzed the role of the organization in the context of a society characterized by …

Physical Activity And Movement In The Classroom Setting, Coral Santos

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Around the world historically special needs persons were not always recognized as equals. Physical activity has multiple benefits physically and mentally to promote personal growth. This study examined the implementation of physical activity energizers to enhance class-based learning. The Aoga Fiamalamalama School for the intellectually handicapped was the site for this study which examined programs implemented in the organization to help Samoans with special needs. This research was based around observations and analysis of the energizers and the effects of these activities on approximately 27 students’ active learning in the classroom setting and the feedback from administration and staff. Six …

La Educación Multicultural: Enfoques Y Brechas En Cuatro Escuelas Municipales En Santiago, Chile / Multicultural Education: Approaches And Gaps In Four Municipal Schools In Santiago, Chile, Fiona Riebeling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La investigación se enfoca en la educación multicultural en cuatro escuelas municipales en Santiago. Se usa teoría notable de James Banks y Rolando Poblete Melis para identificar, categorizar, y comparar enfoques y brechas actuales en las escuelas y en la sociedad chilena. Se organiza y provee análisis de los desafíos, las iniciativas en desarrollo, y sugerencias para mejorar el futuro de la educación integradora e inclusiva en varias sub-categorías, destacado a través de conversaciones formales e informales con estudiantes y profesionales trabajando en el contexto escolar. Se aborda los límites de la investigación y enfatiza la necesidad de seguir investigando …

Factors That Determine Civil Action In Opposition To Hydroelectric Development Along The Chiriquí Viejo River In The Chiriquí Province Of Panamá, Nora Sawyer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Hydroelectric development has increased rapidly throughout Latin America in the late 20th and early 21st centuries (del Mar Rubio et al. 2014). In 2014, Latin America represented 20 percent of the world’s hydropower (del Mar Rubio et al. 2014). It is also the main source of power generation throughout Latin America, accounting for roughly 65 percent of all electricity generated (Wheeler 2012). Within Panamá, significant hydroelectric development has been happening in the Chiriquí province. Local peoples’ dissatisfaction with the actions of the hydropower companies has increased with time, resulting in civilians and organizations taking action in opposition to these companies …

Tourism And The Vrankrijk As A Safe(R) Space, Megan Adams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This is a practicum-based study on the impact of tourism on the creation and maintenance of a safe(r) space at the Vrankrijk. The Vrankrijk is a former squat and current volunteer-run community center and café, which hosts WTF Wednesday, a weekly safe(r) queer night of a voku dinner and performances. This research explores the current definitions of safe space as applied to the Vrankrijk. The study’s main focus is the impact of tourism on the Vrankrijk as a safe(r) space.

The study finds its roots in four experiential interviews with members of the community including a visiting band member whose …

Regulating The Reguliers: How The Normalization Of Gays And Lesbians In Dutch Society Impacts Lgbtq Nightlife, Laura Jacobs

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This Independent Study Project explores how LGBTQ nightlife is impacted by the changing position of gays and lesbians in Dutch society. Specifically, this project seeks to explore how the normalization and popularization of certain subcommunities of LGBTQ individuals in Amsterdam, lauded as one of the most progressive and gay-friendly cities in the world, influences how people navigate LGBTQ bars, clubs, and parties. Data was obtained by conducting 10 in-depth, semi-structured interviews. This data was then analyzed using Judith Butler’s theory of normalization, recognition, and regulation and Gert Hekma’s theory of homonormativity. The research revealed that despite apparent advancements in LGBTQ …

El Comienzo De Un Cuento: Los Desafíos De Promover La Lectura Infantil En Cochabamba / The Beginning Of A Story: The Challenges Of Promoting Children's Reading In Cochabamba, Cecilia Caro

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La promoción de la alfabetización en los niños y los adultos, se observa alrededor de todo el mundo. Organizaciones a niveles locales, nacionales e internacionales han surgido para combatir el problema del analfabetismo. Parece que aquí en Bolivia, también se han visto desafíos en crear una cultura de lectura en los niños, tanto dentro como fuera de la escuela. A través de entrevistas y mi propia experiencia como voluntaria en dos bibliotecas, este corto estudio explora el tema de la lectura y los niños en la ciudad boliviana de Cochabamba. Aunque no se ha visto mucha acción a nivel nacional …

Investigation De Regeneración Natural De Plantas Vasculares En La Reserva Madrigal Del Podocarpus / Investigation Of Natural Regeneration Of Vascular Plants In The Madrigal Reserve Of The Podocarpus, Sy Baker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En el Sur de Ecuador, hay una historia larga de incendio que está asociada con la historia de la agricultura y ganadería a causa de las técnicas de tala y quema para despejar áreas para campos y también quemaduras intencionales para fertilizar los suelos y mejorar productividad agrícola (Fernandez et al 2015). En los últimos días de Noviembre de 2016, un incendio quemó campos, la Reserva Madrigal de Podocarpus, y parte del Parque Nacional Podocarpus en Loja, Ecuador—el enfoque de este estudio. En este estudio: (1) se registraron las especies y distribución de plantas pioneras y sobrevivientes, (2) la se …

Definiendo La Concepción De La Salud Mental Y Espiritual: La Influencia De La Biomedicina Y La Religión Occidental En La Comunidad Mapuche De La Araucanía, Maya Salvio

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: In what ways has occidental religions and the biomedical health system influenced the conception of mental health in the Mapuche community in the Araucania?

Objectives: The general objective of this study is to identify the ways in which mental and spiritual health are conceptualized by the Mapuche community and identify the influences of occidental religion and biomedicine in Carahue and Saavedra. The specific objectives are to identify the conceptions of mental and spiritual health among the three predominant ideologies, characterize their perceptions of anxiety and depression (two occidental mental illnesses), identify the relationships between the three ideologies, and …

El Suma Qamaña: La Convivencia En Relación A La Salud Según La Gente Aymara De Arica, Codpa, Y Putre / El Suma Qamaña: Coexistence In Relation To Health According To The Aymara People Of Arica, Codpa, And Putre, Alison Ogawa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Suma qamaña, comúnmente conocido como buen vivir o convivir bien, es un concepto andino relacionado con la manera en que la gente entiende la vida y conceptualiza la salud. Es un modelo de armonía en que se busca un equilibrio con todas las cosas, incluida la comunidad, la naturaleza, la espiritualidad, la familia, el cuerpo, y la mente. Esta investigación busca responder a la pregunta ¿Cómo se entiende y vive la salud en el marco del concepto del buen vivir de la gente aymara de Arica, Codpa, y Putre? También, intenta explicar el concepto del buen vivir o suma qamaña, …

Tierra En Revuelta: La Presencia De La Cosmovisión Indígena En Las Luchas De Resistencia En La Región De Qoyllurit’I \ Earth In Revolt: The Presence Of The Indigenous Worldview In The Struggles Of Resistance In The Region Of Qoyllurit'i, Maya Pace

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El Santuario del Señor de Qoyllurit’i ha sido un lugar sagrado desde la época pre-inca y hasta ahora es el sitio de una peregrinación grandísima cada año. En 2011 recibió el título de Patrimonio Inmaterial Cultural de UNESCO en reconocimiento de su importancia para el Perú. Es un ejemplo fuerte de la mezcla de catolicismo con la cosmovisión indígena—la peregrinación es para honorar este sitio de un milagro católico, pero la peregrinación también incorpora danzas tradicionales, la creencia indígena en la nieve sagrada y en los apus, y pagos a la tierra. Entonces las propuestas de concesiones mineras recientes han …

Discourses Of Psychiatry And Culture: The Interface Between Western And Traditional Medicine In The Treatment Of Mental Illness, Madeline Molot

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mental illness is a burden of disease that, in many countries, is neglected; South Africa is no exception. There are many reasons for this, including but not limited to a lack of specialized mental health personnel in primary care settings, a budget that favors South Africa’s communicable disease epidemic, and a continued stigma around mental illness. Whenever discussing the healthcare system in South Africa, however, it is important to note another parallel system of care, one with little to no budget or regulation: that of traditional healing. It is estimated that over 70% of South Africans have at some point …

Music As The Guide On The Pathway To Empowerment And Wellbeing. A Narrative On An Arts-Based Holistic Health Solution., Sabine Adler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explored music as the guide on the pathway to empowerment and wellbeing at a nonprofit organization called Durban Music School. Using narrative inquiry, I have collected stories from different people involved with Durban Music school as well my own observations and reflections. Through finding empowerment through music myself, I was able to add in my personal experiences to compliment the experience of others. Using informal interviews and conversations, direct observations, journaling, and playing guitar as a method of inner reflection, I looked to explore through stories how underprivileged individuals have found empowerment through their musical journey. Out of …

Twisting The Tap: Water Scarcity And Conflict In The Euphrates-Tigris River Basin, Samantha Glass

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Is water a target or an instrument of violence? Is it an amplifier of conflict or a means for cooperation, a source of growth or a force of destruction? The purpose of this report is to determine how threats of water shortage and the lack of a trans-boundary management plan has prompted states in the Euphrates-Tigris River Basin to leverage the shared resource as a political weapon to preserve national interests and ascertain regional authority. The scope of this report examines the domestic policies, economic objectives, and foreign-policy interests that compose Turkey, Syria, and Iraq’s national stakes in the trans-boundary …