International and Area Studies Commons^™

Smu Announces Development Plan To Enhance Its City Campus, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

Singapore Management University (SMU) today announced that it will embark on a two-year development project that will not only add new and much-needed additional learning, teaching and group study spaces to its current campus in the city, but also transform the landscape of the Civic District by injecting energy, zing and activities to the SMU Campus Green, with a vision to bring back the buzz and revive the ‘Bras Basah spirit’. The project will enhance the opportunities for SMU to engage with the community, and showcase the talent and vibrancy of the SMU campus and Singapore’s youth. Key features to …

Aquaculture And Coastal Habitats Mapping Of Vietnam, Thailand And Cambodia: Summer Internship With Clark Labs, Xiao Xiao

Sustainability and Social Justice

The report provides a detailed description of my internship experience with Clark Labs during the summer of 2014. As a research assistant, I was involved in the Aquaculture and Coastal Habitats Mapping project. This project was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. My responsibility was to create a baseline map of coastal habitats and the distribution of aquaculture (mostly shrimp) in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The internship was valuable, and gave an opportunity to learn and grasp more skills. It will influence my career goal in the future. I will definitely recommend this internship to people who have …

The “Art Of Rent”: Painters, Tourists, And Change In San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala, Laura Riddering

Sustainability and Social Justice

This qualitative case study explores artisanal painters’ views on tourism and their impacts on cultural change in San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala. They struggle with new cultural and economic identities through art. Painting is a way to overcome historical discrimination based on their identity, while they explore, develop, and communicate their cultural identities to themselves and outsiders. By selling paintings of cultural scenes that are of interest to them and to tourists, they strengthen their voices in the marketplace. Harvey’s (2002) concept of “space of hope” and Appadurai’s (2004) concept of “capacity to aspire” frame an understanding of this process …

Trilogy Of Violence: Religion, Culture And Identity The Abused Muslim Woman In The Age Of Secular Modernity, Hasnaa T. Mokhtar

Sustainability and Social Justice

Like many religious traditions, men use Islam to justify and sustain patriarchal control of women. Islam is stigmatized as inherently violent and oppressive to women. The dominant rhetoric among Muslim feminists attributes the aggression to the misinterpretation and misreading of sacred Islamic texts. However, an on-site observation and exploration of the 2014 gathering of Rihla in Konya, Turkey revealed that misinterpretation is but one of many causes and justifications of cultural Violence Against Muslim Women. The purpose of this research is to explore a new dimension of cultural violence against women in the name of Islam by examining the intersection …

A Study In How Linking Social Capital Functions In Community Development, Julie Burress Jordan

Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores how linking social capital is mobilized in community development and proposes an analytical framework for studying linking social capital relationships unique from bonding and bridging social capital. Linking social capital defines those relationships that are acting to bridge individuals across institutional boundaries and can be particularly important in rural, less developed regions. Although not frequently used in empirical studies, linking capital is typically measured by counting membership in external groups or associations. This study revealed the most direct benefit from linking social capital was financial support from intermediary agencies. Additionally, linking social capital has indirect community …

Examining The Effectiveness Of An Online Community Of Practice: The New Tactics Program, Frances Mary Rashmi Boehnlein

Sustainability and Social Justice

The purpose of this Practitioner’s paper is to develop a clear understanding of the basic elements needed for a successful online community of practice. I will explore what The Center for Victims of Torture’s New Tactics (NT) in Human Rights program is currently doing, distinguish effective-based best practices and offer recommendations to the program as to what they could improve to support the vision of a thriving online community of practice. This paper draws on both literature focusing on communities of practice, as well as my experience working with the NT program. I conclude that for as many participants who …

An Organizatonal Approach To Meaursing The Impact Of Mentoring On Mentors: A Research Study With Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Central Massachusetts/Metrowest, Shala Murray

Sustainability and Social Justice

This Master’s paper is an approach to assessing the impact of mentoring on volunteers at the mentoring agency Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts/Metrowest (BBBS). The mentoring research field is one in which the focus has solely been on the mentee and their developmental changes. Entities have not taken into consideration the developmental changes of the mentor; however, Bronfenbrenner’s theory on reciprocal dyads serves as the overarching rationale for why this is critical. A literature review was conducted to provide a framework in understanding why an organization would take on mentoring, exploring specifically the ways in which mentoring transforms …

Diplomatic Normalization Between The Us And Cuba In Light Of Recent Changes In Us Foreign Policy More Generally, Ethan Zawatsky, Ashley Gemma

Senior Honors Projects

We analyze normalization of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba. We first examine the causes of previous normalizations with Vietnam and China. From these cases, we identify factors that are key to the normalization process. These include political turnover, economic interests, other special interest groups, public sentiment, and what we refer to as the Lawnmower Effect. This effect is observed when one or both nations attempt to reopen diplomatic ties only to continually fail to establish relations due to the endurance of underlying political issues. We use the Multiple Streams Framework (a policy formulation theory) in order to evaluate …

Rush To Judgment: The Sti-Treatment Trials And Hiv In Sub-Saharan Africa, Eileen Stillwaggon, Larry Sawers

Economics Faculty Publications

Introduction: The extraordinarily high incidence of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa led to the search for cofactor infections that could explain the high rates of transmission in the region. Genital inflammation and lesions caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were a probable mechanism, and numerous observational studies indicated several STI cofactors. Nine out of the ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs), however, failed to demonstrate that treating STIs could lower HIV incidence. We evaluate all 10 trials to determine if their design permits the conclusion, widely believed, that STI treatment is ineffective in reducing HIV incidence.

Discussion: Examination of the …

A Refugee Paradox? Processes Of Inclusion And Exclusion Of Bosnian Refugees In Germany And Sweden, Brittany S. Beyer

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The aim of this project is to explain what factors account for the differentials in treatment of Bosnian refugees in Sweden and Germany. Although both of these states are signatories of the same international conventions that govern states’ humanitarian obligations toward refugees, the resources available to the refugees varied greatly between both countries, which in turn influenced the lived experiences of the Bosnian refugees. This paper examines these discrepancies within the contexts of ideas about national citizenship, the existence of governmental institutions designed to foster refugee integration, and external, non-state factors such as the media and other charitable organizations that …

A Path To Peace: Reconciling The Sunni-Shi’A Conflict In Iraq, Kelsey L. Modica

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The Iraqi state has a long history of division between Sunnis and Shiites. This conflict has often been violent and continues even today. Ultimately, this division dates back to the seventh century after the death of Muhammad. In order to better understand why there is a conflict between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq and not other countries, it is essential to understand the similarities and differences between their ideologies but also how they have been rooted against each other throughout history. Therefore, I begin with a description of the similarities and differences between Sunnis and Shiites to show the common …

Localizing The International: Examining How Fieldworkers Combat Adolescent Pregnancy In Northern Ghana, Alexandra C. Sloss

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

International aid is often ineffective because it is delivered without an understanding of local ideologies and contexts. My Capstone examined whether or not international aid in northern Ghana could be effective when addressing adolescent pregnancy. The Ghanaian programs I address in my Capstone are six non-governmental organizations, a government sub-district clinic and government junior high schools. The majority of my data was collected through interviews with individuals at all levels of the organizations, including directors, staff members, volunteers and individuals seeking the organization’s services. Alongside interviews I also spent time in the field, participating in youth group discussions, visiting regional …

The End Of The Means: Using The Arab Spring Revolutions As A Case Study For Machiavelli’S The Prince, Conor Sullivan

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This study sets out to examine if Machiavellian, realpolitik, style repression of unrest by autocratic regimes is still a viable tactic. To accomplish this, the Arab Spring revolutions in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria will be used as a case study. As the revolts were for similar economic and political reasons in a similar population, they present excellent case studies. The Prince itself will be used to develop a “Machiavellian regime,” encompassing a summary of Machiavelli’s prescriptions for rulers. This is done to avoid propagating clichéd or incorrect generalizations of Machiavelli’s work. The result of the study was not …

Afghan Narcoterrorism: The Problem, Its Origins, And Why International Law Enforcement Should Fight It, Steven Fantigrossi

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This paper provides insight into the issue of opium trafficking in Afghanistan. In 2014, despite U.S., Afghan, and international efforts since 2001, poppy-opium cultivation in Afghanistan reached an all-time high. The Afghan opium trafficking industry provides funding to terrorist groups and transnational crime organizations and is responsible for the continued corruption of government officials, police officers, and intelligence agents in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and other nations. Aside from increased corruption and funding of terrorists and criminals, the opium trade creates opium and heroin addicts out of men, women, and children across the globe. The history of how the opium problem …

“Chinese Chess” – A Proposed United States Policy To Denuclearize The Democratic People’S Republic Of Korea, Jolene Sproviero

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) currently has a small supply of nuclear weapons, and the country continues to develop its nuclear weapons capability through advancement of its facilities and supplies. North Korea has violated several international agreements in which the nation consented to being a nuclear-free state, but continued to test missiles and expand its nuclear facilities. The DPRK’s nuclear weapons capability and testing threatens the safety of the United States and its allies in East Asia. Since this issue has been evolving for years and remains a priority in foreign affairs, the United States has developed and …

The Mankurt Remembers : The Politics Of Language In Kazakhstan., Paige Brewer

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Going Beyond The ‘New Normal’ In Indonesia, Mari Pangestu, Philip Charles Zerrillo

Asian Management Insights

The Republic of Indonesia’s former Minister of Trade and former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Professor Mari Pangestu, talks about the country’s resilience, and going beyond the ‘new normal’, in this interview with Philip Zerrillo.

The Philippines Growth Story: Ground Realities Of Asean Integration, Bernardo M. Villegas

Asian Management Insights

Open policies, an attractive workforce and new market potential in the Philippines– all suggest a ‘take-off’ is underway.

Asean's Role In Asia Pacific In The Driver's Seat Or Just A Back-Seat Driver?, Sudhir Devare

Asian Management Insights

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has often been described as the fulcrum around which the security, political and economic architecture of AsiaPacific will be built. But can ASEAN play that role?

Foreign Investors Are Finding Vietnam Increasingly Attractive, Tony Diep, Hawkins Pham

Asian Management Insights

A new wave of mergers and acquisitions and foreign direct investments is coming into Vietnam thanks to macro stability, an emerging middle class and changes in Asia’s manufacturing landscape.

Developing Leaders, Rajeev Dubey

Asian Management Insights

Investing in human resources and leadership potential to develop sustained competitive advantage.

The Past And The Hopeful Future Of Vietnam’S Economy, Le Dang Doanh

Asian Management Insights

Reform and integration are key for tapping Vietnam’s economic potential.

Muddling Through Or Knee Deep In The Big Muddy?, Howard Thomas

Asian Management Insights

A widening gulf between thepractice of managementand academic organisationscharacterises the stateof affairs in business schools today.

A Comparative Study Of Middle Eastern Foreign Policy: How Middle Eastern Intelligence Agencies Shape Current Events, Megan A. Fink

Honors Theses

This study monitored the intelligence and foreign policy actions of Israel, Iran, and Saudi Arabia from August 2013 to August 2014. Data was collected from coverage by Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, and Al-Jazeera, three reliable and respected news sources that cover global events. The actions taken by foreign policymakers in these countries were recorded throughout the study period.

These actions were organized into a taxonomy based on whether they were intelligence-based or non-intelligence based. Within those broad categories, more distinguishing characteristics were analyzed to show patterns of behavior within national intelligence services of the nations studied. These patterns …

Ways In Which Community Involvement May Influence Girls’ Education In Senegal, Babou Ndiaye

Masters Theses

This study attempts to examine through the lens of social feminist theory the ways in which community involvement may influence girls’ education in Senegal. It highlights the extent to which networking, advocacy, and meaningful interactions between community and school may contribute to improving access, learning conditions, and academic achievements for girls. The paper also provides an analysis of the adverse effects of community involvement on girls’ education in Senegal. It underscores the extent to which patriarchy and class interfere to shape community involvement and undermine girls’ education, in terms of both access and quality. The paper further sketches a combination …

The Visual Turn In Ir: Documentary Filmmaking As A Critical Method, William A. Callahan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Although the field of international relations (IR) is arguably in the midst of a ‘visual turn’, few scholars have directly discussed research methods for studying visual international politics. This article follows the aesthetic turn’s call to resist the rational methods that frame our understanding of ourselves and the world. Yet it also argues that the visual turn is more than an elaboration of the aesthetic turn. While analyses of visual culture are characteristically suspicious of the power of images, this article argues that making films can provide an innovative method for studying IR. In particular, the visual turn can better …

Undocumented Youth Living Between The Lines: Urban Governance, Social Policy, And The Boundaries Of Legality In New York City And Paris, Stephen P. Ruszczyk

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation compares the transition to adulthood of undocumented youth in New York and Paris, along with analysis of the construction of illegality in each city. In both the United States and France, national restrictions against undocumented immigrants increasingly take the form of deportations and limiting access to social rights. New York City and Paris, however, mitigate the national restrictions in important but different ways. They construct "illegality" differently, leading to different young adult outcomes and lived experiences of "illegality." This project uses seven years of multi-site ethnographic data to trace the effects of these mitigated "illegalities" on two dozen …

Effect Of Sensory Cues On Hand Hygiene Habits Among A Diverse Workforce In Food Service, Robert Pellegrino

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Poor hand hygiene is a leading cause of foodborne illnesses in the foodservice industry. A series of complex motivational interventions must be employed to permanently change the behavior of workers, to increase their compliance and sustain appropriate levels of proper hand hygiene. Unlike the healthcare industry, which uses large, costly multi-modal behavior modification strategies, the foodservice industry must deploy rapid, cost-efficient strategies that are focus on accommodating these goals with the constraints of high employee turnover rates and diverse demographics. This research was twofold, 1) examining differences in emotions and hand hygiene behavior among participants of two cultures when handling …

Asean: Growth In The Fast Lane, Edward Lee

Asian Management Insights

ASEAN’s political, economic and demographic factors suggest a giant is awakening.

The Future Of Petroleum Security In Asean, Christopher William Dula

Asian Management Insights

Structuralchanges inAsia’s demandfor petroleumthreaten todisrupt supplystability,especially forSoutheast Asia.