Place and Environment Commons^™

Claiming Manaslu: The Agency Of A Rural Community In Nepal’S Developing Mountain Tourism Industry, Sierra Gladfelter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to the commoditization of Everest‟s summit and road construction around Annapurna, adventure tourists drawn to Nepal for wilderness and „authentic‟ village experiences are increasingly seeking more remote destinations like the Manaslu Circuit, which only opened to trekkers in 1991. The trekkers and mountaineers who travel such routes play a crucial role in ushering in the development of remote regions and reshaping the face of previously isolated villages. As agencies, nonprofits and community organizations design and market these alternative treks with the noble goal of alleviating poverty in rural Nepal, there is often a disconnect between those promoting the destination …

Seawalls In Samoa: A Look At Their Environmental, Social And Economic Implications, Sawyer Lawson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study concerns the environmental, economic and social implications of seawalls in Samoa. Information for this study was gathered using a combination of secondary sources and primary sources including interviews, surveys and participant observation. Given the cultural and economic importance of Samoa’s coastline and the fact that seawalls, which already occupy much of Samoa’s coast, are becoming more abundant, it is important to understand the implications of building them. The researcher found that partially due to climate change and sand mining, Samoa’s coastline has become increasingly threatened by erosion and coastal retreat. Seawalls are in many cases the fastest and …

Yongzhi Village: An Example For Sustainable Tourism And Development In Deqin County, Kiersten Brown

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nestled beneath misty mountain peaks, among the Salween, Mekong, and Yangtze rivers, a beautiful Tibetan village lies. Alongside low-lying mountain creeks and waterfalls this village is in Deqin County of Yunnan’s Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Deqin TAP). The Deqin TAP is the most Northwest prefecture of Yunnan. Deqin boasts that 33% of its population is comprised of the dominant minority group, Tibetans. Deqin prefecture is comprised of three counties, Shangrila County, Deqin County, and Weixi County. Deqin County is mostly comprised of small Tibetan towns and villages like Yongzhi. About 100 families inhabit Yongzhi. The village is placed right along …

The Impact Of Qmm On Social Relations In Fort-Dauphin, Christopher B. Collier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My interest in this subject began with a general desire to understand how Malagasy society adapts to “outsiders.” We learned throughout the semester about the various external forces that have shaped the culture of the island since the arrival of the first people here thousands of years ago. At first, my ideas were focused more on the experiences of people immigrating to Madagascar. I observed very particular patterns: immigrants of certain ethnicities fill specific socioeconomic niches in specific geographic areas, and with varying reception from the Malagasy community.

I came to realize, however, that similar patterns take place even between …

Why Mexicans Migrate: A Glimpse At The Causes And Effects Of Rural Mexican Migration In The Community Of Yogana As Well As Current Movements Towards Local Development, Katie Norris

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Migration is a current matter confronting both U.S. and Mexican society. For Americans, the topic signifies an ever-increasing entry of Mexican migrants to U.S. factory and agricultural hotspots. In comparison, for millions of Mexican citizens, migration marks an intricate aspect of daily life with a story embedded not only in the present day but in the histories and futures of individuals, families and communities as well. An on-going cycle of poverty explains the principle motivation behind the growing number of migrating citizens from Mexico. Social and environmental injustices associated with free-trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement …

As Rivers Run Dry: A Study Of Global Freshwater Scarcity And Its Implications For Socio-Economic Development, Sophia Wenzlau

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Water scarcity is a serious problem—without adequate supplies of clean freshwater, there cannot be life. The direct and indirect costs of water scarcity are huge, including poor public health, gender inequality, and acute restrictions for economic development. Currently, around 20 percent of the global population lacks access to safe drinking water and 2.4 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities (UNEP Brief, 1). About 1.8 million people—most of them children less than five years old—die every year due to water-borne diseases from fecal pollution—the equivalent of about 15 killer tsunamis each year or 12 Boeing 747 crashes …

“Mieux Vaut Prévenir Que Guérir”: The Effect Of Natural Disasters On Water- And Sanitation-Related Infectious Diseases And The Increasing Need For Disaster Preparedness, Naomi Malam

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The world is suffering from an extreme global water crisis. 1.1 billion people in the world lack access to adequate clean water, and 2.6 billion people lack access to water and sanitation. Approximately 10 million deaths per year can be attributed to this water crisis; water-borne infectious diseases play a significant role in this death toll. Diarrhoeal disease accounts for 2.6 million deaths per year and is one of the leading causes of death in many developing countries.

We are entering a period of undeniable climate change which is bringing about more natural disasters and extreme weather events than ever …

Ending Generational Poverty: A Contemporary Application Of The Work Of Paulo Freire In Nicaragua, Los Angeles And Uganda, Nicole Broom

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Para disminuir el nivel de pobreza generacional en poblaciones marginalizadas, hay que explorar formas educativas alternativas porque los esfuerzos existentes no han mostrado una habilidad para reducir ese fenómeno. A pesar de las diferencias en geografía y el estatus socioeconómico de los países de origen de esas organizaciones, las siguientes instituciones comparten ciertos fundamentos filosóficos, muchos de los cuales corresponden a las teorías de Paulo Freire en Pedagogy of the Oppressed, que sirven como prácticas efectivas para servir a poblaciones marginalizadas: Pearl Lagoon’s Academy of Excellence en Laguna de Perlas, Nicaragua; Camino Nuevo Charter Academy en Los Ángeles, California; …

Reminding, Retelling, And Re-Remembering: The Evolution Of Staro Sajmište, Its Future, And The Marginalization Of The Holocaust In Serbian Public Memory, Benjamin Somogyi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research paper examines the evolution of Staro Sajmište, its future and the resultant marginalization of the Holocaust in Serbian public memory. Sajmište was the largest Nazi concentration camp in territory of the Republic of Serbia. After a brief overview the history of the Holocaust and the history of the site, this paper focuses on the political manipulation of Sajmište’s memory since the Second World War. The paper divides the evolution of Staro Sajmište in Serbian public memory into four phases: rewritten memory, reduced memory, fabricated memory, and erased memory. Through the analysis of Sajmište’s legacy in Serbian public memory, …

La Integración De Los Inmigrantes: Una Sociedad Que Acoge, Weddy Worjroh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The first truth that I stumbled across upon arriving in Granada is that immigration has and continues to have a great impact on the society as a whole. I have always been intrigued by immigration because both of my parents were immigrants. Coming from a country that was built by the hands of immigrants, I get irritated when people say offensive things about the immigrants of today. Ever since I was a child my parents have told me many stories about the struggles and adversities they overcame in order to obtain a better life. For this reason, when I look …

La Cara De La Explotación: Un Estudio De La Industria Minería En El Sur De La República De Ecuador, Jillian Howell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mi viaje continúo al sur oriente a la ciudad de Macas en la provincia de Morona Santiago, a dónde había una reunión del Programa de Pequeños Donaciones (PPD) de las Naciones Unidas - Proyecto de Desarrollo (UNDP) sobre los pequeños proyectos sostenibles en el sur de Ecuador. Unos de estos proyectos era sobre mitigando de los impactos ambientales de los mineros artesanales de La Pangui y Congüime en el Cordillera del Cóndor. Yo visité este proyecto una semana después, cuando fui a La Pangui y viví una noche con la familia del presidente de una asociación de los mineros artesanales. …

Cultural Tourism In Mjini Ole, Pemba: A Case Study In Its Establishment And Marketing, Peter Rashid Clabby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study was to attempt to better outfit the Kidike Pemba Flying Fox Ecotourism Center of Pemba Island, Zanzibar, in order to increase its appeal to a wider audience of tourists and to benefit the surrounding community of Mjini Ole. This goal was specifically carried out by establishing and marketing cultural tourism under the Kidike brand. In Kidike’s initial condition, guests were able to see the roost site of this endemic giant fruit bat – the Pemba Flying Fox – and continue on to see historical ruins and a mangrove forest, but the presentation and experience as …

Alienation In Acholiland: War, Privatization, And Land Displacement In Northern Uganda, Nicole Kligerman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper presents the various dynamics, causes, and consequences of land conflicts in Acholiland. In order to comprehensively address these complex issues, this paper analyzes land conflict in connection to the Northern Uganda war, explaining the military strategies that resulted in widespread displacement and alienation from the land. This paper further explores changing Acholi cosmology and customary land law in connection to land alienation. Additionally, I examine local land conflicts as well as three privatization and “development” plans in relationship to preexisting land displacement issues. This paper highlights the opinions of my fieldwork participants regarding the importance of land to …

Lessons From Cideci Las Casas : The Potential For Non-Directive Learning Spaces In The United States, Gideon Mausner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of my project was to observe the informal, non-directive and communal learning space of CIdeCI Las Casas in San Cristobal, Chiapas and consider its potential applications in the United States of America. The following paper presents the results of this project in five sections. In the first section I examine the meaning of modern education and its primary vessel, the school. In the second section I give a detailed background of CIdeCI: its history and purpose and its place within the cultural and political realities of Chiapas. In the third section I share my experiences and observations from …

An Assessment Of Housing Decisions Among Shabia Residents, Allison Bream

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mention the term “shabia,” or “social housing,” to any Omani, and a handful of associations come to mind: poverty, violence, lack of education. Social housing is a concept burdened with assumptions, assumptions that often reflect poorly upon its residents. Using the Asset-Based Community Development framework, this paper seeks to dispel notions regarding the Shabia by endeavoring to understand how its residents perceive their community and how this affects their housing decisions. What about the Shabia encourages residents to come, and remain, there? Why would they consider leaving? How have they addressed the challenges associated with living in social housing? This …

O Movimento Dos Atingidos Pela Barragem De Tucuruí: Uma História Oral, Susan Beaty

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project presents a critical oral history of the movement of communities affected by the Tucuruí Dam in Tucuruí, Para. Like the many other hydroelectrics constructed during the 1970s and 80s, the Tucuruí Dam was built to deliver power and profits to influential economic entities, namely nearby bauxite and aluminum mines, while local communities incurred the costs. Due to inadequate pre-project studies and irresponsible resettlement and indemnification programs, the construction of the dam and its reservoir brought devastating social and environmental impacts to the surrounding region. In the wake of this devastation, a social movement emerged to defend the rights …

“Ahora Es Cuando”: La Lucha Por El Derecho A La Ciudad En La Villa 31 = “Now Is The Time”: The Fight For The Right To The City In Villa 31, Margaret Scott

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the Villa 31, an extensive informal settlement in the heart of Buenos Aires, thousands of precariously constructed brick homes reach four, five or even six stories and stretch shakily toward the sky. Beneath poorly constructed foundations, the land on which the villa’s thousands of homes rest is valued at up to $6000.00 (U.S. dollars) per square meter. Villa 31 finds itself in the “heart” of Buenos Aires, built up against extensive railways (bus and train), a central automobile artery, and the city’s well developed port, all of which give the villa the potential to be some of the city’s …

The Interplay Of Peace, Justice, And Logic: Bali-Bawock As A Case Study For Inter-Ethnic Land Disputes, Masumi Hayashi-Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

his paper seeks to explore the conflict existing between two ethnic groups, the Bali-Nyonga and the Bawock, as a case study for inter-ethnic land dispute. Through the process of this study the researcher tried to look past arguments of logic in order to uncover the struggle for autonomy, the struggle for respect, and how damaging the muddy relationship between tradition and modernity can be. She found that ultimately models of mediation and dialogue were the most constructive in helping the conflict’s actors heal among themselves, and to develop the tools for interacting with a globalized society.

The Stories Of Juruti Velho, David Mittelman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper presents a collection of stories from the communities of the Juruti Velho region of the municipality of Juruti, Pará, Brazil. The inhabitants of this region represent just one group affected by the current mining undertaking by the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa). Following some important background information on ribeirinhos populations, Amazonian development, and Alcoa’s history of displacing communities, the study presents the past, present and potential future of these communities in their own words. Stories were collected in loosely structured interviews and transcribed, in order to capture what is important to the community members’ sense of identity and …

Visiones De Pertenencia: Comunidad Tras Las Palabras De Personas Mapuche, Marissa Brodney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Central to the Mapuche reclamations of ancestral territory happening now in Patagonia are notions of “community”. Recognition, on the one hand, of an indigenous right to re-appropriate state land implies historical consciousness of indigenous pueblo preexistence, and the imposition of national communities in which indigenous groups do not find representation. Secondly: in recent decades, the “community” has become a strategic point of reference in the legal and political arenas in which reclamations are registered. A result of the struggles of indigenous activists of the past few decades, official recognition as an indigenous community implies recognition of unique rights. Thirdly: resulting …

Alcoa In Juruti, Brazil: A Case Of Environmental Injustice And Colonialism?, Caitlin Schroering

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines the visions of development of Alcoa, an American bauxite mining company, and the traditional ribeirinho communities in the area of Juruti Velho, Brazil. These two objectives are pursued in order to determine if Alcoa’s actions in the area constitute environmental injustice and colonialism. An explication of environmental injustice and colonialism is undertaken, and is followed later by a discussion of social invisibility and how circumstances are created that allow for the exploitation of traditional communities. The work and demands of ACORJUVE, a community association that is in opposition to Alcoa, are also discussed. A review of the …

A Critical Assessment Of The Impact Of World Heritage Site Designation In Sub-Saharan Africa, Lauren Blacik

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Archaeological associations and development agencies alike are celebrating the recent effort by the World Heritage Committee to inscribe as many African sites as fast as it can onto its List recognizing the heritage with the highest universal value to our collective human history. While it seems an obvious move of equality, in reality, this flurry of inscription is doing untold damage to African sites. Issues of local involvement in site management have not been resolved or streamlined, so site designation exposes communities to degradation of their traditions and values. Likewise, traditional management practices have not been institutionalized, often stripping sites …

Returning Home: The Makings Of A Repatriate Consciousness, Hope Steinman-Iacullo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The intention of my Independent Study Project was to learn more about what motivates some Afro Americans to repatriate here and/or return habitually and explore whether there were a diverse number of reasons and motivating factors. This aim and question was also put in a historical context. For instance, my research has shown that the Back to African movements of the past mostly aimed to be communal relocations, compared with the current condition of mostly individualistic moves. I also found that although not all of the participants in my project identified as followers of Garvey or Pan Africanism, they often …

Memory, Place And Nation-Building: Remembering In The ‘New’ South Africa, Kate Ronan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this project was to look at memory and memorialization in Cape Town in order to better understand the role of sites of memory and memory initiatives in the making of the ‘new’ South Africa. This study focuses on connections between memory and place and memory and identity. It also looks at the Cape Town landscape, the ways in which it has changed over time and contestations over sites on this landscape. This project was conducted as a social analysis project over the period of one month. Visits to monuments and museums, interviews with people involved in memory …

La Recuperación De Ex-Centros Clandestinos De Detención Como Espacios De La Memoria: Un Estudio Acerca Del Caso Del Ex-Centro “Olimpo” En Buenos Aires, Katherine Jensen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The last military dictatorship in Argentine history, from 1976 to 1983, implemented an institutionalized system of state terrorism that by the dictatorship’s end had permanently disappeared 30,000 of its citizens, as well as individuals from the rest of Latin America. The core of this system was the use of centros clandestinos de detención, tortura y extermino (clandestine centers of detention, torture and extermination) in which sequestered persons were tortured and then either disappeared or liberated. In the last few years, a movement has emerged to convert this former centers into espacios de la memoria (sites of memory). One such ex-center, …

La Identidad Colectiva Del Pueblo Mapuche: El Pasado, Presente Y Futuro De Su Lucha Territorial, Katherine A. Lawyer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As many native populations face cultural extinction, the question of indigenous land rights is a discussion of growing urgency and polarity. The Mapuche Pueblo, a population native to Chile and the south of Argentina, is an example of such a population battling to regain control of their original territories so as to insure the survival of their culture. The research of this study consisted of a two-week cultural investigation of the Mapuche communities in the south of Argentina so as to understand this collective cultural identity. The paper itself examines the life cycle of the social movement to recuperate these …

The Effects Of Space On Sex Worker Experience: A Study Of Amsterdam’S Red Light District, Hannah Koski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This report is the outcome of a month-long exploratory study on the ways in which a space influences the experiences of the sex workers operating within it, using the Red Light District in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, as the site of focus. Data was obtained by way of qualitative methods including focused interviews and unstructured observation and analyzed with a pro-prostitute perspective and within various spatial theoretical frameworks. It is concluded that while the clustering and visibility of sex workers in the Red Light District results in a certain standardization of practice and experience, the independent nature of window sex work …

Making Space For Critical Discourse: The Daily Resistance Of Acampamento Luiz Carlos, Nicholas Detlef Salmons

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores the implementation of MST’s pedagogy of conscientização (conscientization) within Acampamento (camp) Luiz Carlos in order to better understand the role that dialogue plays in raising the collective consciousness of peasants newly engaged in the occupation of the land. The approach I took to understanding this process was heavily influenced by Paulo Freire’s works on literacy and revolution, as well as James Scott’s theories of the quotidian resistance of peasants and other subordinate groups. Due to his theories and the subsequent realities encountered in the field, the focus of the study was expanded to include a better understanding …

Nixi: A Case Study Of The Influences Of China’S Economic Development On The Fringe Of Tibet, Zachary Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On the eastern mountainside of Nixi cling several tall, red earthen houses, the winding road to Deqin cuts between; they face a swell in the middle of the valley where several more houses stand, and one in mid-construction. The two clusters of beautiful Tibetan houses are connected by a fairly recently added crushed stone road, walled in by rough stonework patched with cement. The village is surrounded by evergreens and blossoming mountain laurels. To the north the green mountains are staggered until they slowly fade into pale blue creases humbled by a high snowcapped range at the Tibetan border. To …

La Migración Por Obligación: Los Movimientos Migratorios De Los Mapuche, Rebecca Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project seeks to explore connections between the neoliberal economic model with the migratory patterns of the mapuche, an indiginous people group in Chile. Since the imposition of neoliberalism the mapuche have been forced to migrate from the country to urban centers in order to survive. Chile has taken control over the majority of mapuche land, forcing an economy of subsistence agriculture on the pueblo. Thus, the youth vacate their communities, migrating to the cities to try and provide a future for their families. In so doing, the influences of the dominant culture permeate nearly every aspect of their lives. …