Family, Life Course, and Society Commons^™

Tribal Law At The Crossroads Of Modernity: A Study On Jordanian Attitudes Towards Jalwa, Danielle Sutton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research aims to examine Jordanian attitudes towards the tribal law practice of Jalwa and its recent reform. The study specifically focuses on the role of modernization in shaping these attitudes. Historical literature and social constructivist theories are used to inform and contextualize this approach. To measure modernization’s impact, a two-dimensional framework was developed that compares opinions across generations (isolating change over time) and across region of upbringing (change over space). Subsequently, there are two hypotheses guiding this research. The first argues that youth see jalwa less favorably than the older generation and thus lend greater support to the …

Religion And Identity In A Globalized Morocco, Jennifer Morgan Hekking

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The focus of my independent research project is on the variety of religious identities among Moroccan youth, with youth being defined as people under 30 years of age. Prior to my interactions with human subjects, I consulted numerous literary resources to establish the context of my study. I investigated religious identity, globalization, individuation, the phenomenon of the Arab “youth bulge,” and youth culture. After this literature analysis, I constructed an interview guideline of about 20 questions for my youth subjects with the help of my advisor. I used all of the questions on this guideline in my four in-person interviews …

The Poetics Of Power The Role Of Women’S Writing In The Moroccan Education System, Eli Makovetsky

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While women have always been writing in Morocco a lack of access to education and sexist ideals have limited the ability of women to disseminate their stories. Now, after years of attempted reforms women are still fighting against a society that relegates them to enact traditional gender roles. While more women are receiving education in Morocco the messages that the State projects continue to be androcentric. As such, this paper examines the role of women’s writing and literature in the Moroccan education system. By putting it in the context of the women’s rights movement this paper strives to trace the …

The Draw Of Revolution: Returning To Tunisia, Stephen Garrett

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Having left Tunisia for different reasons, some expatriate Tunisians chose to leave their old lives behind and return to their home country when Tunisia began its democratic transition in 2011. This report focuses on the experiences and perspectives of three returning Tunisians. Understanding these individuals’ views provides a new framework for understanding the path that Tunisia’s democratic transition has taken over the past seven years. Comparing their perspectives on themes relating to their shared experiences reveals differences and similarities. Interviewees largely differ with regards to their lives before the revolution, their previous political activity, the details of their return, their …

Thangka Painting: An Exploration Of Tibetan Buddhism Through Art, Hannah Slocumb

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Thangka painting is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist art form which depicts Buddhist deities. The deities must be made in very specific proportions, as it is believed that the deities can inhabit the paintings and thus the painting must be of the utmost beauty. Thangkas have a variety of uses, but they are mostly used as a means of gaining merit, in death rituals, during meditation, and in Buddhist ceremonies. In order to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism, I spent two and a half weeks studying thangka painting. I learned the entire process of creating a thangka, from the creation of …

What To Expect When You’Re Expecting: The Impacts China’S Maternal And Child Health Care Law Has Had On Tibetan Birthing Practices In The Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Hannah Mishriky

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While childbirth is universal, it is undeniable that class, culture, ethnicity, and the scientific and political state of medicine all influence how women experienced it. The Tibetan ethnic minority of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is a culture that exemplifies the uniqueness of each birth. Due to both their distinctive childbirth beliefs and practices, as well as the swift changes China has undergone, Tibetan birthing experiences are asking to be explored.

This study will focus on two major factors influencing Tibetan women's birthing experiences. To begin, research will be done to understand the Buddhist influences surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, …

Sacred Springs: Perceptions Of Religion And Water In Village Communities Of Uttarakhand, Juliet Risko

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores the rural area of Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand to gain an understanding of the relationship between traditional societies and their natural environment – including perceptions of water in the community, the aspect of religious rituals involving such resources, and the impact that these factors have on the overall health of the community. Originally, the water body of interest was the Ganga, with the complex layers of spirituality surrounding her waters. However, upon visitation to the community, it was discovered that natural springs held a much greater importance to the individual and collective lives in the area. Through …

Ontology Of Personhood In Ayurveda From The Perspective Of Patients And Physicians In Palampur, Himachal Pradesh: An Independent Study, Denise Defelice

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Scholars in western biomedicine describe the body as a physical entity distinct from mind and soul. However, the human body in Indian systems of medicine integrates the multiple natures of personhood and is both deeply physical and spiritual. This study demonstrates the unique view of personhood, being, health, and illness in Ayurveda through literature research and interviews with practitioners and patients. This study extends past a search for the ontology of personhood in Ayurveda and discusses the implications of this ontology on the way one views oneself and the world around him or her. Through this integrative approach, this study …

“Karm Hi Pooja Hai (Work Is Worship)” The Determinants That Influence The Subjective Health And Well-Being Of Cycle Rickshaw Wallahs In Varanasi, India, Benjamin Bryer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A total of 11 interviews were conducted over a 4-week period to study the subjective health and well-being of cycle rickshaw drivers in Varanasi, India. Varanasi was chosen as the location of the study because cycle rickshaws remain an integral and common mode of transportation within the city. Using ethnographic and qualitative research methods, participants were asked semi-structured interview questions to determine their personal definitions of a good and healthy life. Participant observation was also a critical method of data collection, as it gave insight into the daily routine and schedule of a rickshaw puller.

Three overarching themes were identified …

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 …

Nature And Nomads: Service Approach To Mongolia Tours, Jesse E. Shircliff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tourism has potential to diversify Mongolia’s geopolitically challenged economy. Tourism development and promotion has increased since 1990, and there is reason to expect continued sector growth. Cultural tourism has potential to commodify or degrade cultural resources (Gilbert, 2006, Pigliasco, 2010, Soma & Suhkee, 2014) and alter the physical landscape and identity of local people (Chang & Yeoh, 1999, Seng, 2005, Phua & Berkowitz, 2014). As tourism in Mongolia increases, its effects on cultural resources should be understood. This study of Mongolian tourism interviews fifteen tour company employees to understand how Mongolian culture is perceived and used from a business perspective. …

The Women Of Dho Tarap: Gender Roles, Challenges, And Change In Dolpo, Nepal, Luke Testa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

By collecting and examining first first-hand accounts of women and men from Dho Tarap, this report illustrates the many challenges that women report facing throughout their lives in Dolpo, offers a conceptual framework for understanding the significance of gender, and highlights women’s thoughts on change. The difficulties that women face appear to be due to cultural concepts that suggest that women are less capable than men, social norms that provide various learning and growth opportunities to men but not to women, and customs that result in women experiencing discriminate treatment in the home and community. Through an analysis of the …

The Lives Of Smart Phones: People’S Relationships With Technology Along The Tamor Valley, Candice Jiang

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The way people interact with smart phones and technology in their everyday life can reveal a whole lot about a culture, history and politics of a given place. In the Taplejung district in Northeastern Nepal, the Tamor valley has been a historical pathway for trans-Himalayan trade, business, and commerce (Saxer: 2015). However, it is also considered one of the most virtually and physically remote places in Nepal due to lack of physical and Internet infrastructure that enables all kinds of access. Nevertheless, smart phones have become an essential gadget in most people’s lives in this part of Nepal. In a …

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 …

Tibetan Perceptions Of Lgbtq, Lauren Champagne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project is aimed at understanding the perceptions of LGBTQ identities, people, and issues within the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala, India. The project starts by contextualizing feminism in Tibetan spheres as well as Buddhist conceptions of gender and sexuality, as many Tibetans are practicing Buddhists. The focus then turns to the reactions to and experiences of queer Tibetans and how Tibetans talk about and conceptualize queerness. Finally, this project looks at the formation of various networks that have formed amongst a small community of out LGBTQ Tibetans. The main objective of this paper is to provide a context for …

Keyhole Gardens As The Key To Environmental Sustainability And Access To Fresh Produce In Samoa: A Case Study Of An Organic Keyhole Farm, Madeline Allen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Keyhole gardens represent one of the many ingenious adaptations that are currently being used in Samoa to combat climate change, promote environmental sustainability, and improve diet. Through their design, these gardens are built to withstand greater fluctuations in climate; utilize alternative water resources and conserve fresh water; and contribute towards a solution to the waste management problem in Samoa. Additionally, keyhole gardens increase access to fresh produce, and can be used as tools to educate the community about healthy eating. This is of great national importance due to the myriad of health concerns that accompany the current diet in Samoa, …

“Religion Is Religion; My Life Is My Life”: Religious Influences On Family Planning Decisions In Kapchorwa District, Uganda, Sarah Mathys

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This report seeks to understand the influence that religion has on family planning decisions in Kapchorwa District, in eastern Uganda. Increased uptake of family planning has significant impliations for sustainability and development in Uganda as a whole. As a district with a high unmet need for faily planning, Kapchorwa serves as an important case study. Because over 99% of Uganda’s population reports a religious affiliation, and because literature on family planning claims conservative spirituality as a major cause of low uptake, religion is a natural lens through which to study family planning perceptions and utilization.

Through focus groups and key …

Forest Conservation And Timber Management A Case Study Of Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, Hoima District, Uganda, Nick Jickling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The refugee population in Uganda is the largest in Africa, more than 1.3 million in size and growing by 100,000 per year. The demand for cooking fuel and building material results a continuous degradation of Uganda’s forests and protected areas. Refugee settlement which often employ short term management to cater to refugee needs, are hotspots of forest clearing. Forest management and environmental conservation of Kyangwali refugee settlement was evaluated, during a five-week practicum with the Environment and livelihoods department at Action Africa Help. The availability, accessibility and affordability of forest resources using GIS mapping, household surveys, informal interviews and observation. …

“Because This Land Is Free” A Historical Perspective On Poverty, Settlement, And Conservation In The Lubigi Swamp, Adele Stock

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Between 1970 and 2010, 40 percent of the world’s coastal and inland wetlands disappeared (Ramsar Convention, 2014). 13 percent of Uganda’s land area is wetland (Elroy, Muhweezi, and West, 2005). A 2015 World Bank Study found that 40 percent of Kampala population lives in informal settlements in or or around wetland, and 50 percent of Kampala’s wetland cover has disappeared in the past 20 years (World Bank, 2015). Kampala’s Lubigi Wetland, the city’s largest, serves as a critical water catchment area for the entirety of Uganda’s Central Cattle Corridor. Alongside this, it provides vital social, environmental and economic functions and …

A Way Of Reflecting On Identity: The Five Stories Of The Conflicting Relationships In Nepal, Tomoki Yamanaka

Capstone Collection

Conflict studies show that the components of identity are interrelated to sources and dynamics of conflict in intricate ways. This study self-reflectively explores a way of reflecting on identity from the links between conflict and identity through a qualitative study of the five stories of the conflicting relationships in Nepal. By analyzing the stories collected through in-depth interviews with Nepali peace workers, an element of power in group differences was noted. This illustrated the challenge of having the voices of those being marginalized heard amongst conflicting issues around them. Those that were interviewed also struggled with the challenge of having …

Perdiendo El Paraíso: Lo Que El Turismo Se Llevó De La Isla Isabela / Losing Paradise: What Tourism Took From Isabela Island, Dylan Souquet Moglen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Desde los años 60s las Islas Galápagos se han convertido en una importante atracción turística para el mundo. En los últimos 50 años han tenido un rápido crecimiento para transformarse, por medio del sector turístico, en un gran poder económico para el Ecuador. Pero, ¿cuáles han sido las fuerzas que impulsaron este crecimiento? y, lo que es más, ¿cómo ha afectado el crecimiento tan increíble a las comunidades locales de las islas? Este estudio se enfoca en explorar, tomando a la Isla Isabela como base, lo que ha ocasionado (y se ha llevado) el turismo aquí en Galápagos, usando en …

Pololeo Y Protección: Las Barreras De Acceso A Métodos Anticonceptivos Para Adolescentes Vulnerables En La Comuna De Macul, Santiago De Chile / Pololeo Y Protección: Barriers To Access Contraceptive Methods For Vulnerable Adolescents In The District Of Macul, Santiago De Chile, Louisa Boswell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El embarazo adolescente sigue siendo un problema de salud pública al nivel nacional en Chile. Aunque por ley, todos tienen el derecho a una educación sexual y a elegir un método de control de fecundidad, todavía existen casos de embarazos no planificados, particularmente entre adolescentes. Este estudio investigó las barreras que limitan el acceso a métodos anticonceptivos para adolescentes, enfocando primariamente en el sistema público en la Región Metropolitana. Específicamente, la investigación consideró las adolescentes de la comuna de Macul, utilizando muestras de un colegio local y dos centros de salud familiar para hacer conclusiones. La investigadora entrevistó a matronas …

Sex Work And Compromised Health: Health Conditions And The Barriers To Accessing Treatment Services In Pelourinho, Salvador, Amelia Fox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sex workers remain one of the most marginalized populations in Brazilian society, both coming from and living within realities defined by poverty and poor health. Through partnership with Força Feminina – an organization located in Salvador, dedicated to aiding local sex workers– I explored the day-to-day health complications sex workers encounter and the impact these problems have on quality of life. I then questioned how discrimination and stigma impact a woman’s willingness to prioritize her health and seek out healthcare services. To pursue these questions, I utilized participant observation, interviews with 4 staff members – a pastoral educator, financial coordinator, …

Betanzos: Enfrentando El Cambio Climático \ Betanzos: Confronting Climate Change, Cody Eaton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Como para la gran mayoría de la gente de las naciones de un nivel alto de desarrollo de la economía, los efectos del cambio climático no tienen un impacto significativo en mi vida diaria. El grado de separación de las consecuencias de mi consumo me permite quedarme en la ignorancia, pero la gente de la municipalidad agrícola de Betanzos no tiene el mismo privilegio; el cambio climático es una amenaza a su medio de vida. Este documental investiga la realidad actual de Betanzos y cómo los actores desde el nivel comunitario hasta el gobierno nacional intentan enfrentar y adaptarse a …

“Porque Soy Madre”: Un Análisis Del Rol De La Maternidad En La Organización “Multisectorial Contra La Violencia Institucional” En Rosario, Santa Fe / “Because I’M A Mother”: An Analysis Of The Role Of Maternity In The Organization “Multisectorial Against Institutional Violence” In Rosario, Santa Fe, Daisy Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

It is difficult to talk about social movements in Argentina without discussing the significant impact of “Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo.” “Las Madres,” which began as an activist organization of mothers of “los desaparecidos” or the “disappeared” during the military dictatorship of 1976-1983, is politically influential in Argentina to this day. Through demonstrations, marches, and other campaigns, Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo and its work have shaped the way that the whole world understands human rights violations during the dictatorship. Apart from their work to visibilize instances of state terrorism, Las Madres has created a precedent that allows …

A Danza De Las Tijeras Continuidad Dinámica Y Reivindicación De La Identidad Indígena Andina / Dance Of The Scissors Dynamic Continuity And Reclamation Of Andean Indigenous Identity, Cinthia Durán

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project aims to analyze the contemporary ways in which the Dance of Scissors is practiced and reproduced to determine if its continuity outside the place of origin, with all the modifications that it has experienced, can be considered a form of cultural resistance. Resistance in this context is addressed in two specific ways: as a dynamic continuity of Andean indigenous identity and as a tool of cultural vindication. To achieve this goal, during the work period the research methodology consisted of interviewing dancers and scissors musicians; be a participant as observer of skills and essays of Tijeras dancers …

Discursos De Esclavitud: Un Análisis De Las Implicaciones Estratégicas De La Retórica Acerca De Los Talleres Textiles Informales De Buenos Aires Y Los Migrantes Bolivianos Que Trabajan En Ellos / Discourses Of Slavery: An Analysis Of The Strategic Implications Of The Rhetoric Surrounding The Sweatshops Of Buenos Aires And The Bolivian Migrants Who Work In Them, Tessa Silverman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The city of Buenos Aires is home to about five thousand sweatshops, which collectively employ an estimated thirty thousand bolivian migrants, many of whom work and live in these sweatshops under severely exploitative conditions. This phenomenon is part of a larger global trend of the fashion industry depending heavily on the production of clothes in small, local sweatshops where workers can face extensive hours, minimal pay, and dangerous conditions. Over the years, the problem of sweatshop labour, both internationally and here in Argentina, has become increasingly visibilized, in part through the use of the term “slavery” to describe the labour …

Las Consejerías Estatales Y No Estatales Para Las Mujeres Víctimas De Violencia De Género: Un Estudio De Caso De La Asociación Civil Corriente La Colectiva / The State And Non-State Councils For Women Victims Of Gender Violence: A Case Study Of La Asociación Civil Corriente La Colectiva., Elizabeth Millar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La violencia de género existe en todas las dimensiones de la vida, como el trabajo, el hogar, la atención médica, y situaciones afines. Las mujeres que han experimentado la violencia merecen conocer y comprender sus derechos. La ley ha cambiado para reconocer más derechos, pero todavía el estado no está cumpliendo su rol de proveedor de servicios. Por eso, las consejerías no estatales, como la de la Colectiva, desempeñan un papel importante en compensar donde el estado está faltando a través de servicios legales para los casos específicos y educativos sobre sus derechos. Este ensayo reflexiona sobre el funcionamiento de …

“Todavía Nos Falta”: Un Análisis Etnográfico Del Género Y La Clase Social En Un Club Deportivo Barrial En El Sureste De La Ciudad De Buenos Aires / "We Still Lack": An Ethnographic Analysis Of Gender And Social Class In A Neighborhood Sports Club In The Southeast Of The City Of Buenos Aires, Alonso Fernández

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El rol de la mujer ha sido históricamente uno de minoría en el mundo del deporte. Las mujeres han sido excluidas culturalmente y por la sociedad por mucho tiempo y no han tenido la accesibilidad a todos los beneficios del deporte de la misma manera que los hombres la han tenido. Igual que el género, el rol de la clase social también es significativo en como funciona adentro del contexto deportivo. En varios deportes, como el fútbol o el boxeo, el deporte representa una oportunidad para poder tener éxito que resulta en una ascendencia por la escalera de la clase …

When The Health System Fails You: Maternal Care Under Kenya’S 2017 Nurses' Strike, Tessa Coughtrey-Davenport

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study focuses on the 2017 nurses’ strike and how the crippling of the public health system impacted maternal care in Kisumu, Kenya. Kenya has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, and there have been many efforts to reduce this, such as delivery with a Skilled Birth Attendant and attending antenatal care visits, all of which are centered around a functioning health system. The research team used a combination of interviews with key populations and analysis of service delivery data at local health centers to evaluate the effects of the strike on maternal care. The study …