International and Area Studies Commons^™

From Police Officer To Professor: A Conversation With David Chan, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Stamp Duty Issues In Singapore Corporate Practice, Vincent Ooi

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

A new dimension to the determination and computation of stamp duties payable in corporate transactions has been introduced due to the Additional Conveyance Duties (“ACD”) Regime. For companies with significant residential property holdings, liability to pay ACD potentially extends to all transactions involving the issuance, transfer or cancellation of equity interests. This paper considers the impact of ACD on several common corporate transactions in Singapore, addressing the risks practitioners may face in being blindsided by potential tax liabilities. Besides highlighting potential pitfalls, this paper explores the use of advance rulings and preferring debt financing over equity financing for tax optimisation.

Tourism In Iceland: Individual Carbon Footprint And The Potential To Be Carbon Neutral, Ange-Elise Venet

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

World population has increased decade after decade and tourism is following the same trend. Tourism in Iceland is no exception, expanding each year. Most human actions have adverse effects on the planet, including travel. As traveling amongst humans increases so will tourism emissions. It is important to be aware of the impacts our actions have and the options available to make it better. Since carbon emissions for travelers are inevitable, this research has calculated the cost of offsetting those emissions through afforestation in Iceland. Most imagine a heavy financial burden to offset emissions but in reality, most visitors would only …

The Path To Mainstream Finance: Exploring Complementary Currencies And Interest-Free Lending, Ema Di Fruscia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores elements of alternative finance including complementary currencies, credit clearing systems, and Islamic Banking practices. I begin first by outlining the issues created by the mainstream western banking model, including wealth inequality, socioeconomic discrimination, environmental degradation, and the collapse of small businesses and local economies. I go on to introduce and define the concepts of complementary currencies, Local Exchange Trading Systems, and credit clearing systems; I argue that these systems challenge the popularly held perceptions that currencies and mainstream banking practices in general are immutable, given, or ideal. To support this assertion, I transition into my research findings …

Mental Maps, Occupation... Liberation? The Impact Of The Israel-Palestine Conflict On The Security And Legitimacy Of The State Of Israel And The Struggle Of Palestine, Malea Martin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Israel-Palestine issue has been present for decades, making it one of the world’s most prominent unresolved conflicts. Conflict for Israel-Palestine over the years has meant war, border insecurity, questions of legitimacy and sovereignty, and today, the role of the international community in the issue. One of the most paradoxical aspects of the Israel-Palestine issue is that Israel’s unequal treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories could be against Israel’s own interests in the long run. Given this conflict, the purpose of this paper, while contextualizing the long and divided historical nature of this issue, was to focus on the …

Interacting With The Trail: A Comprehensive Approach To Developing An Environmental Education Program For Agnolakely Private Nature Reserve, Claire Hamilton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Madagascar is a diverse island, biologically and geographically. This has led to the development of endemic species and high biodiversity within the landscape. Unfortunately, due to poverty, extraction of natural resources, and a growing population, these species have become threatened. Agnolakely, is a private nature reserve, located in eastern Madagascar that is trying to combat these challenges through reforestation projects and land protection. Agnolakely is not only of ecological value, but is also integral in the community structure. As Agnolakely expands it has become essential to implement education and outreach for the reserve. This study was designed to collect biological …

“We Are The Gap: Understanding The Inclusion Of Immigrants In Moroccan Left-Wing Politics”, Sam Brown

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project seeks to understand to what extent immigrants are included in left-wing politics in Morocco. In 2011, King Mohammed VI named Morocco an executive constitutional monarchy. One can argue that this means Morocco is moving in the direction of democracy, but is democracy what left-wing political parties are truly advocating for? And if they are, does the left include marginalized people it advocates for? Particularly, how are immigrants fighting for their own rights in Morocco, and to what extent are Moroccan left-wing political parties centering and uplifting the voices of immigrants, if at all?

Coming In Hot: Motor Vehicles, Capitalism, And Modernization In Mongolia, Thea Bergen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditionally, nomads in Mongolia have used horses for transportation. The horse was used to help herd livestock and also allowed them to get to the soum center quicker (Yembuu, 2015). This way of transportation is seen less and less now. With globalization comes an increase in different products from around the world. Herders now have the opportunity to buy cars and the ever popular motorcycle. Now, when out in the open Mongolian steppe, one can see motorcycles racing around to get herders from place to place. Some even use them to herd instead of a horse. And when a family …

Money Speaks: Education, Awareness And Facing Development In Rasuwa, Ariel Murray

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the Rasuwa district of Nepal, an area affected profoundly by the 2015 earthquake, development and infrastructure have been fast growing both since the natural disaster and the opening of Rasuwa Gadhi as the more formal trade route to and from China. For those in the district, a race has commenced building as much as possible in anticipation of an influx of tourism and business opportunities from both the border and new trekking in the area, though at varying expectations for both. With all this change on the rise, a big question is how are local efforts – like local …

Constructing Social Environments: The Evolving Relationship Between Uses And Management Of Urban Greenspace In Stone Town, Zanzibar, Mara Basich-Pease

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite the overwhelming enthusiasm for urban greenspaces throughout the Global North, discussion around parks in the developing world has scarcely been met with the same vigor. This study aims to bring attention to the unique aspects and strengths of urban greenspaces in East Africa, as well as the ways in which these spaces can be improved. The history, use, and management of greenspace was examined through literature review, observation, and interview. The historical and cultural significance of greenspace throughout Stone Town was found to both influence and run contrary to the current uses. Management of greenspace was convoluted and inefficient …

The Heritage-Making Conundrum In Asian Cities: Real, Transformed And Imagined Legacies, David Ocon

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The process of heritage-making is farfrom straightforward. Defining the meaning of heritage in young nations and citieswhere land availability is limited is a challenging exercise. It often crossesthe paths of history, religion, memory-shaping, development, andidentity-building. It requires fluent communication channels between civilsociety, local organisations and governments. Willingness to cooperate from allthe parties involved is essential; dialogue a must.In land-scarce or densely populated Asiancities, expansion and growth is colliding with the preservation of legacies, thepast and memory. This paper examines regional case studies from Hong Kong,Manila and Singapore, where preservation of cultural patrimony, development anddaily life follow conflicting paths. It sheds …

The Personality Profile Of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect assessment of the personality of Kim Jong-un, supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, conducted 2013–2018 from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data about Kim was collected from open-source media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM–III–R, DSM–IV, and DSM–5.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality Styles …

Let’S Get The Psychology Of Debate Right, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In the last few weeks, manySingaporeans have been exercised over the lengthy debate that ensued between anacademic and a government minister during a parliamentary committee hearing. Singaporean historian Thum Ping Tjinhad made a written submission to the Select Committee on Deliberate OnlineFalsehoods in which he asserted that the biggest purveyor of fake news inSingapore was the Government, in particular the late founding prime ministerLee Kuan Yew. When he appeared before it to flesh out hissubmission, he was questioned for over six hours by Home Affairs and LawMinister K. Shanmugam, a member of the committee, over his interpretation ofhistorical events such …

Introducing Basic Programming To Pre-University Students: A Successful Initiative In Singapore, Heng Ngee Mok, Vandana Ramachandra Rao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

“Let’s Code!” is an intensive 3-week basic programming course that aims to formally expose pre-university students in Singapore to programming. This course was conducted in blended-learning format, and included lecture videos, self-check quizzes, video conferences, meet-up tutorials and take-home programming assignments. The authors hope to capture the experience gained from running this course for educators who intend to implement similar courses in the future. Besides a detailed description of this course, significant changes that were made based on feedback from participants and members of the teaching team are documented here.

Smu Appoints Professor Lily Kong As Fifth President, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

The Singapore Management University (SMU) is pleased to announce that top academic leader, and award-winning researcher and educator, Professor Lily Kong, will be the University’s fifth President. Professor Kong, who currently holds the position of SMU Provost and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Social Sciences, is slated to succeed Professor Arnoud De Meyer on 1 January 2019.

La Intersección Del Afecto Y El Empleo: Los Impactos Del Género Y Migración En Las Relaciones Laborales De Empleadas Domésticas Paraguayas En Argentina / The Intersection Of Affect And Employment: A Gender And Migration Perspective On The Complexities Of The Labor Relationships Of Paraguayan Domestic Workers In Argentina, Emily Gray

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este informe analiza las complejidades y los matices de la relación entre las empleadas domésticas paraguayas y sus empleadoras argentinas, con un enfoque específico en las consecuencias emocionales y financieras que esta relación puede tener en las dos mujeres. Esta relación laboral es única y compleja porque tiende a ser más afectiva y familiar que una típica relación empleadora-empleada, dado que el lugar de trabajo de la empleada es el hogar de su empleadora. Si bien la cercanía de su relación tiene claros beneficios, esta intimidad también puede crear grandes ambigüedades con respecto a los límites del acuerdo laboral que …

“Arica Tiene Vih, ¿Y Tú?” El Rol Del Test Rápido De Vih En El Diagnóstico Oportuno Para Jóvenes De La Comuna De Arica, Chile / "Arica Has Hiv, And You?" The Role Of The Rapid Hiv Test In The Timely Diagnosis For Young People In The District Of Arica, Chile, Julia Zigman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: How is the rapid HIV test useful in assuring access to timely diagnosis of HIV for young adults in the city of Arica, Chile?

Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the rapid HIV test as a means of increasing access to timely diagnosis of HIV among those aged 18 – 29 in the community of Arica, which participated in a pilot of the rapid test in early 2018. The study sets out to evaluate the installation of this pilot to situate the role of the rapid test in Chile’s HIV landscape. Further objectives …

El Valor De Verde Neoliberalismo, Crisis Económica Y Políticas Polarizadas: Cómo Afecta En La Vida Cotidiana De La Gente De Clase Media En Buenos Aires. / The Value Of Green Neoliberalism, Economic Crisis And Polarized Politics: How They Affect The Everyday Life Of The Citizens Of The Middle Class In Buenos Aires., Sierra Conboy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The history of a country can haunt them for decades. For Argentina, the history of neoliberal economics has plagued the economic development of the country; so much so that as a result of neoliberalism, Argentina experienced the worst social, political, and economic crisis of the countries entire existence between the years of 1998 and 2002. With the height of the crisis being in 2001, it continues to lurk in the economic and political infrastructure of the country today. The threat of constant economic dilemmas has manifested into the minds of the citizens of Argentina, but how far has it gone? …

Somos Todos Juncos Y Mapuches / We Are All Reeds And Mapuches, Jonah Kone

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A partir del siglo XVIII, ha sido una migración criolla hacia el Delta de Paraná, Argentina, lo que representa una zona de humedal, situada en el delta del río de la Plata. Principalmente a partir del siglo XIX comenzó una serie de procesos para formar lo que se refiere a la “identidad isleño,” lo que implica un estilo fuertemente conectada con los procesos ecosistémicos del humedal, y viviendo de la tierra para la sobrevivencia: actividades que incluyen el junco, la pesca, y el cultivo de frutas entre otros. A partir del fin de los años 50 empezó un proceso de …

Raci (Red Argentina Para La Cooperación Internacional): La Cooperación Internacional En El Contexto De Las Organizaciones De La Sociedad Civil En Argentina / Raci (Argentine Network For International Cooperation): International Cooperation In The Context Of Civil Society Organizations In Argentina, Juno Rettenmier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La cooperación internacional entre los actores estatales y no estatales —como las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, fundaciones y empresas— es un desarrollo relativamente nuevo en las relaciones internacionales, pero es una parte importante para el desarrollo social hoy en día. Este informe intenta introducir el concepto de la información como un recurso tan valioso como el dinero en el proceso de la cooperación internacional y en el logro de los objetivos de desarrollo social, especialmente para las OSC, apoyado por los aprendizajes y las observaciones que yo hice durante mis cuatro semanas como una pasante de RACI (Red Argentina …

El Caso De Relmu Ñamku Como Observatorio Para Valorar Potencialidades, Riesgos Y Desafíos De Juicios Por Jurados Interculturales / The Case Of Relmu Ñamku As An Observatory To Assess The Potentials, Risks, And Challenges Of Intercultural Jury Trials, Carol Harding

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El sistema de juicios por jurados interculturales en Argentina es el primero de su tipo. Por el momento, el caso de la activista Mapuche Relmu Ñamku es el único caso que ha cumplido con el criterio de un jurado intercultural. En esta investigación, por medio de entrevistas con abogados, antropólogas, y activistas, valoré las diferentes perspectivas sobre las potencialidades, riesgos, y desafíos del sistema, usando el caso de Relmu como un observatorio. El marco teórico del sistema legal adversarial y el de jurados representativos proporcionan un estándar para el supuesto propósito y los límites del sistema. Además, la teoría de …

Las Barreras Que Enfrentan Las Personas Indígenas Con Discapacidades En Una Comunidad Rural De Paucartambo, Perú / The Barriers What Face The People Indigenous People With Disabilities In A Community Rural From Paucartambo, Peru, Julia Scolapio

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En Perú las personas tienen la garantía de recibir protección del Estado en la presencia de una discapacidad. El gobierno solo reconoce las discapacidades que han sido certificadas por un médico oficial. Cuando las personas reciben un certificado de discapacidad, están amparadas por la Ley 29973 para personas con discapacidades. Pero la expectativa no es la realidad para las personas con discapacidades en Perú. Para personas que viven en zonas rurales, por ejemplo poblaciones indígenas, el proceso para recibir un certificado del gobierno no es fácil y ellos enfrentan barreras para certificar sus discapacidades y para recibir sus derechos. Las …

Un Giro Ontológico En La Cosmovisión De La Naturaleza: El Papel Del Capitalismo Y Otras Influencias En El Cambio De Las Percepciones Tradicionales De La Naturaleza En La Comunidad Quechua De Paru Paru / An Ontological Turnover In The Cosmovision Of Nature: The Role Of Capitalism And Other Influences In The Change Of Traditional Perceptions Of The Nature In The Quechua Community Of Paru Paru, Jessica Pusch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En el contexto de la antropología ambiental y con un lente de ecología política, este informe analiza el papel del capitalismo en la degradación ecológica global a través de un estudio etnográfico específico y único. Este estudio ocurrió en el pueblo quechua Paru Paru, situada en las sierras andinas de Perú en la región de Cusco. El siguiente artículo incluye una examinación del aumento en las actividades económicamente capitalistas y la presencia de otros factores involucrados en el cambio de la relación y las percepciones sobre la naturaleza en el contexto de la cosmovisión. Había una pérdida clara de algunas …

Terrorist Radicalization And International Security: A Crisis Of Masculinity And Gender, Moiz Rehan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This interdisciplinary ISP expands the traditional field of IR and security studies through a feminist and gendered perspective and has three aims: 1) to explore and assess the role that gender plays in creating and reproducing power relations among men and women at the level of international institutions; 2) to demonstrate that women play a wide variety of roles in conflict zones and peace building; and 3) to emphasize that terrorist organizations utilize the power relations constructed through gender and hegemonic masculinity to radicalize young men and women and to explore the relationship between hypermasculine state and terrorist masculinity. The …

Land Rights Of African Indigenous Groups: International Instruments And Main Issues, Anastasia Strouboulis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For indigenous peoples, land is more than an economic commodity, it has guided their way of life for generations. This notion is particularly prevalent in Africa, where many diverse indigenous communities exist, from desert regions to vast forests. However, without the recognition of international laws and standards that seek to preserve and uphold their land rights, the indigenous peoples of Africa continue to face socio-environmental and political issues. This research paper seeks to understand what actors, documents, and mechanisms exist to protect and promote the land rights of indigenous peoples in Africa and assess their effectiveness. This research question was …

Perceptions Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine In Western Society: A Focus Study On Switzerland, Sandra B. Saldana

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The demand for complementary, alternative, and traditional medicine, or CAM, has been a topic of debate in Western countries like Switzerland in the past decades due to the limited evidence-based research on its effectiveness. However, countries like Switzerland have been implementing CAM in their national health insurance as a response to the pressure of demand from the people. Thus, understanding the motivations for CAM use may help medical and government institutions address the shift towards a new way of managing health and disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial factors involved in influencing the patients’ perception …

Ethically Sourced Vanilla: Certifications In The Production Of Vanilla In The Sava Region Of Madagascar, Maisie Campbell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vanilla is an orchid whose beans are harvested after ten months on the vine. About eighty percent of the world’s vanilla is produced in Madagascar and the SAVA region is the capital of vanilla production within the country. The changing demand of vanilla, damage from cyclones, and the three-year development of the vanilla plants before they begin producing beans causes a boom and bust cycle of prices of vanilla. Some organizations have tried to ameliorate the problems these cycles and low prices pose to vanilla farmers by creating certifications for companies that promise that they will not pay less than …

An Examination Of Perception Gaps In Educational Access For Syrian Refugees In Amman, Ramya Prabhakar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research aims to explore the underlying reasons of educational access gaps of Syrian students in host communities in Amman, Jordan and the effectiveness of the Government of Jordan and international organizations in addressing these gaps. Through interviews, surveys, and a literature review, the researcher explores current perceptions of educational access, gender-based access gaps, and barriers to education at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. This research draws on the concepts of supply and demand and cost/benefit analysis to analyze why so many Syrian students do not attend school. The researcher hypothesizes that perceptions of access and barriers diverge as …

The Art Of Peer Pressure: Social Desires As Incentives To Join Students Protests In Jordan, Jordan Hughes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Collective action and rational choice theory suggest that social movements suffer from a tragedy of the commons that incentivizes individuals against participation. The last several decades of increased youth-driven protests and demonstrations in the Middle East, however, suggest that these collective action barriers are being consistently overcome. I propose an addition to the rational choice basis of Olson’s collective action theory which incorporates social desires, and specifically peer pressure, as an observable individual incentive. Using a combination of interviews and vignette-style factorial surveys, I test this hypothesis to measure the effect of perceived peer pressure on the intention of students …

A Tale Of Two Ṭuruq: An Exploration Of Sufism In Morocco Through The Qādiriyya Budshishiyya And Tijāniyya, May Hu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this ISP is to explore the relationship between the esoteric dimensions of Islam in Morocco, as expressed through two examples ṭuruq: the Qādiriyya Budshishiyya and Tijāniyya in Morocco to explore power dynamics of Sufi ṭuruq in Morocco. The Qādiriyya Budshishiyya and Tijāniyya serve as apt case studies as two of the most prominent Sufi ṭuruq in Morocco. They also have interesting implications as the Qādiriyya Budshishiyya has in recent years seen an increase in clout and influence in Morocco as Ahmad Tawfiq, the Moroccan Minister for Habus and Islamic Affairs has affiliations with the ṭarīqah and …