Politics and Social Change Commons^™

The Inclusion Of Displaced Women In The Women, Peace, And Security Agenda, Ava Strasser

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On October 31, 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325, which stresses the importance of women’s involvement during times of conflict as decision-makers in peace-building processes. While this resolution and the broader Women, Peace, and Security agenda are dedicated to including women in important post-conflict reconstruction processes, the international community; comprised of states, international organizations, and civil society; has been criticized for its failure to implement this agenda. Further, it is evident that displaced women are a large population whose voices are widely left out of the post-conflict reconstruction processes. Within the discourse regarding the experience of displaced …

Foreign Direct Investment In Kigali’S Special Economic Zone And Its Impact On Rwanda’S Economic Reconstruction, Sabrina Roberts

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vision 2020 is a development strategy implemented by the Rwandan government. It aims to make Rwanda a middle-income country with a per capita income of $1240 USD. One pillar of this strategy is increasing regional and international integration. The Kigali Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) was created in direct response to this pillar.

The paper begins with an introduction to Rwanda’s post-conflict economic situation and goes on to describe and explain the role that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the KSEZ has played in reconstructing the Rwandan economy. The study focuses on the impacts of the KSEZ and the significance of …

The Effect Of Tribalism On Political Parties, Cyrus Lloyd

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tribalism has been the fundamental organizational unit of Middle Eastern Society for thousands of years. Recently however, modern scholars have questioned the viability of tribalism in the burgeoning democratic systems of the region. This study weighs in on this debate, focusing specifically on how tribal loyalties influence the effectiveness of political parties, considered by political science researchers to be the most effective way for the people to impose their will on the government. Focusing specifically on Jordan, this research takes into account information collected from interviews with several prominent members of Jordanian political, social, and intellectual life, including the heads …

Water And War: The Potential For Perpetuation Of Conflict Due To Climate Change, Kaufman Butler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Climate change has had a dramatic impact on the world’s weather for years, scientists can only make predictions about how global climate will continue to change going forward; but in all scenarios the circumstances are quite dire. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will see some of the most severe effects of climate change, which will permanently alter the lives of millions of people in the region. In the MENA region, climate change is projected to result in extreme drought and temperatures which will lead to increased water scarcity, in what is already the most water poor region in …

The Middle Ground: A Comparative Study On Mexico And Morocco As Transit And Forthcoming Host Nations, Christina Sarai Roca

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Migration has always existed but has increased with globalization as societies are becoming more interconnected through different mediums, surging the larger scale of movement between borders and the increasing inequalities in wealth between nations. As transit countries, Mexico and Morocco function as nations seen receiving migrants in transit to their countries of destinations. Central American migrants and migrants from the South-of-the-Sahara are two prominent migrant populations in Mexico and Morocco for many years, but due to the increased political discourse, legislation, and increased enforcement at these border regions, these migrants find themselves remaining for extended periods or even settling permanently …

Barriers Between Effective Transnational Changemaking: Relationships Between Ingos And Moroccan Ngos, Julia Walters

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper seeks to explore the relationships held between international non-governmental organizations, primarily based in the West, and Moroccan NGOs. The existing literature on the topic explores the ways in which international NGOs can both benefit and harm domestic NGOs, which seek to fix issues not thoroughly addressed and solved by the state or by the market, such as issues of gender-based violence, female education, and lack of rural healthcare. The data gathered was organized into two types of relationships; financial and non-financial. Financial relationships between INGOs and NGOs were often depicted as crucial in enabling critical projects, such as …

Kasbah 3, Kais Saied, And The Construction Of A Post-Revolutionary Political Paradigm In Tunisia, Aj Braverman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Kasbah 1 and Kasbah 2 – sit-ins resulting in the expulsion of old-regime ministers, the installation of a technocratic government, and the promise of elections – are generally regarded as two of the most important popular actions in the Tunisian Revolution. Left as a footnote to this history is Kasbah 3, a third sit-in widely considered to be a failed, radical movement corrosive to the successes of the Revolution. Eight years later, with the election of Kais Saied and the failure of the pre-revolutionary establishment Bourguibist movement, the spirit of Kasbah 3 appears to have returned. This paper seeks to …

Working For The Worker? A Study Of The Union Générale Tunisienne Du Travail (Ugtt), Ava Erfani

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study attempts to explore the nature of the Tunisian national trade union, the Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT), as it operates in Tunisia today. This was achieved by conducting in-depth interviews with Tunisians living in the greater Tunis area in the fall of 2019. Through the lens of both those affiliated with the UGTT and those who have no ties to the organization, an image of the UGTT is able to be revealed as a conspicuous entity. Is its aim to hold power in government? Or rather stay outside of the sphere of national politics to effect change? …

The Truth In Fiction: A Discussion Of Educational Agency And Hierarchical Truth In Children’S Literature, Grace Griffin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I wrote and created With Wings and Words, a children’s picture book based off of interview material gathered about the 1989 Velvet Revolution, in order to demonstrate the inherent multiplicity of truth around historical events and break down the construction of a “national” truth by placing personal narratives and interpretations in conversation with each other. These narratives, while present and available in the Czech Republic, are important to display and discuss in order to avoid the oversimplification of events or erasure of the emotional complexities they cause. After consulting with various relevant Czech children’s books, I completed interviews and used …

The Psychological Impacts Of Being Environmentally Active, Allie White

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There are many psychological impacts that come with being environmentally active. The impacts that people tend to focus more on recently are the negative impacts, such as eco-anxiety or activist burnout. Much less attention is given to the potential positive impacts associated with being environmentally active. Thus, this research aims to look at whether there are positive psychological impacts of being environmentally active, and if there are, what specifically about being environmentally active creates those positive impacts. This is important because, if there are positive impacts of being environmentally active, they could be used to motivate people to become more …

Intersections Between Health And Disability: A Case Study At Disha Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan, Finnian Brokaw

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study investigated intersections between health and disability by asking the question: how do community perceptions of disability at Disha: A Resource Centre for the Disabled in Jaipur, India relate to health and quality of life for a person with multiple disabilities? This study utilized a case study methodology. The researcher took qualitative interviews from six respondents in the immediate educational and familial support network of a 27-year-old man with multiple disabilities. An interview based, qualitative methodology was important for investigating the complexity of perceptions of multiple disabilities and health as intersecting identities. The responses were analyzed and reflected upon …

The Future Is Non-Binary: Investigating The Genesis Of The Non-Binary Movement In Amsterdam And Beyond, Sky Karp

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project examines butch and crossdresser communities in Northern Europe in the late 20th century, and their transformation into the non-binary movement of the last ten years. This research investigates the recent trajectory of gender-diverse communities and evaluates the role of the non-binary moment in the history of gender-diverse people in the Western world. Findings come from interviews with Dutch individuals who identify as non-binary, genderqueer, or otherwise outside of the gender binary, as well as periodicals and other materials related to crossdresser and butch identities from the IHLIA LGBT Heritage Archives and the Atria Institute. This study demonstrates that …

Logistic And Structural Considerations For The Use Of Psychological First Aid In Humanitarian Emergencies, Taylor Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Following the IASC recommendations for implementation of psychological first aid (PFA) in 2007, providing PFA in humanitarian emergencies as a method of psychosocial support has become one of the standard interventions in the wake of crises. However, the impact of PFA on future mental health outcomes remains largely unstudied and many structural and logistic factors (e.g. training of PFA providers, reviewing evidence to inform practice, and policy considerations) must be managed in order to ensure appropriate, high-quality PFA in humanitarian emergencies. This research aims to synthesize both primary interview data and the existing literature surrounding PFA in humanitarian emergencies to …

Cuentos Cortos Sobre Terrorismo De Estado En Argentina: Lecturas, Análisis Y Usos / Short Stories About Argentina’S State Terrorism: Readings, Analysis And Uses, Shannon Anderson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación estudia los cuentos cortos relacionados con el tema del terrorismo de estado que pasó desde 1976 hasta 1983 en Argentina. A través de 8 cuentos cortos de diferentes décadas en y después de la dictadura cívico-militar (desde 1976 hasta 2019) y autores diversos/as femeninas y masculinos, examino las maneras en que este genero de la literatura muestra los contextos históricos, sociales y políticos del tiempo de la publicación de cada cuento. También, incorporo las perspectivas de personas involucradas en el estudio y la promoción de la literatura de este tema a través de entrevistas personales que examinan el …

“Un Sistema Abandonado”: Una Investigación Sobre El Acceso A Servicios De Salud Sexual Integral Para Mujeres Privadas De La Libertad En Argentina. / “An Abandoned System”: An Investigation Into The Access Of Comprehensive Sexual Health Services For Incarcerated Women In Argentina., Erica Harp

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En esta investigación, exploramos algunas percepciones del acceso a servicios de salud sexual integral para mujeres privadas de su libertad en Argentina. Las mujeres tienen necesidades de salud muy específicas, y aunque cada una tiene el derecho humano a una atención de salud adecuada, esto no se cumple en muchos casos. Con respecto a la salud en contextos de encierro, Argentina sigue las reglas de Bangkok, leyes federales y provinciales, que requieren atención médica adecuada para mujeres. Investigaciones anteriores han mostrado que hay una gran falta de atención médica en los sistemas penitenciarios del país, específicamente de servicios complementarios como …

#Bolivia: Trascendiendo Las Fronteras De La Participación Social Y Política A Través De Los Hashtags, Azella Markgraf

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En los últimos años, el uso masivo de los medios de comunicación a través del internet ha cambiado irrevocablemente las formas de socialización y participación pública de la humanidad. Con la existencia de las redes sociales como Facebook y Twitter, los discursos políticos que hace unas décadas hubieran sido restringido por las fronteras materiales ahora se extienden a nivel mundial. Siguiendo la elección nacional de Bolivia el 20 de octubre de 2019, el hashtag #Bolivia se viralizó mientras personas de todas partes del mundo iban discutiendo lo que pasaba en el país. En el presente estudio, observo y analizo el …

“¿Qué Es Ser De Izquierda Ahora En América Latina?” Reflexiones Sobre Veinte Años De Los Gobiernos Progresistas Latinoamericanos, El Legado Del ‘Giro A La Izquierda,’ Y El Poder Del Pueblo., Isabel Cushing

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mi estudio corto indaga en el momento político actual en América Latina y revisa las trayectorias de los gobiernos progresistas, en el marco del ‘giro a la izquierda,’ casi dos décadas después de su auge al aparato estatal, con un enfoque en los tres casos prácticos de Bolivia, Argentina y Uruguay. Las preguntas que impulsan mi investigación surgen de mi propia experiencia, después de irme de Bolivia en medio de la turbulencia tras las elecciones nacionales, y abarcan un análisis y una profundización de las bases, los logros, y la erosión de las diversas izquierdas latinoamericanas. El contenido y el …

Pensaba Que Te Había Olvidado: El Daño Duradero De La Trauma Que Viene De Tortura En La Dictadura Chilena, Antonia Mcdonnell Capossela

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: Is there a more useful model to characterize the torture that was implemented in Chile using the context of theory and history to establish an in-depth understanding of the symptomology and effects of the experience of torture survivors?

Objective: The general objective of this study is to establish the origin of the methods of torture used during the Pinochet dictatorship and use these results to suggest a model of reparations that is more wholistic. The specific objectives are to understand the intervention and instruction by the CIA in Chile, to study the testimonies of torture during the dictatorship …

Los Efectos De La Minería En La Salud: El Movimiento Social Aymara En Torno Al Cerro Márquez, Maya Hajny Fernandez

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With the political and social state of Chile’s history, mining has been present for hundreds of years, affecting the land and the indigenous populations in the country. This study asked how mining in the town of Ticnamar would affect the community, what positive and negative results mining activity has, what the most important elements of the social movement against mining are and how all of these elements influence health. The study sought to learn and study the impact of and the motivations that mining could have in the community of Ticnamar, and how it is perceived by the community. More …

Los Proyectos Educativos Alternativos Para Terminar Con La Desigualdad, Samuel Christensen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación se centra en la presencia de pedagogía crítica y educación integral y popular en el sistema educativo en Chile y Argentina y los intentos de establecimientos escolares de usarlas para liberar a sus estudiantes de ciclos de segregación, discriminación y desigualdad. Hay una brecha larga en el sistema educativo actual donde un grupo de estudiantes en alta condición de vulnerabilidad social han sido etiquetado fracasos sin esperanza. Cuatro instituciones escolares fueron estudiadas a través de entrevistas, conversaciones y observaciones participantes. Mientras estos proyectos muestran un gran esfuerzo para crear espacios para cada tipo de estudiante, todavía falta mucho …

Salud Mental Comunitaria: Implementación En Chile Actual, Emma Baker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores how familiar community mental health organizations in Valparaíso follow an established model of community mental health, derived from a variety of essays, books, and reports on the topic. Additionally, it serves to present the effect of this relationship on the contemporary social revolution in Chile. The present social and political unrest, manifesting itself in massive protests throughout the country, presents a unique moment in which these themes can be examined. Additionally, Chile encounters high rates of psychological disorders among its population, a lack of protection for the mental health of children and adolescents, and a lack of …

Subversión Del Binario De Género: Descubriendo Las Violencias Ejercidas Sobre Las Personas Trans En Valparaíso, Marie Mendoza

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The key purpose of this investigative work is to identify the types of transphobic violences that are inflicted on Trans people in the specific case of Valparaiso, Chile. In an attempt to understand these violences, this project follows the experiences and understandings of these violence of two trans individuals who live in this city. Following a theoretical framework of gender performativity, and the way in which gender is constructed and repeatedly performed, outlined by Judith Butler, this investigation also analyzes how these violences are derived from the subversion of trans bodies to the gender binary and the cisnormativity of society. …

“Para Nunca Más Vivirlo, Nunca Más Negarlo”: El Legado De Violencia Sexual Durante La Dictadura, Isabel De La Torre

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: What are the mental health effects of sexual political violence against women during the dictatorship and during the current socio-political movement?

Objectives: The general objective of this study is to identify how sexual political violence has been used in Chile against women and to analyze its consequences on the mental health of survivors. More specifically, this study attempts to investigate the mechanisms sexual political torture during the dictatorship and now, visibilize the unique damages to mental health caused by this type of violence, and analyze the dictatorial legacy in regards to sexual violence and the current socio-political climate. …

Un Musical Sobre Las Campesinas De Valle De Tambo Y Su Resistencia Socioambiental En El Conflicto De Tia Maria, Gretta Lucia Marston-Lari

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El cambio climático intensifica las dificultades que ya enfrentan las comunidades indígenas, incluida la marginación política y económica, la pérdida de tierras y recursos, las violaciones de los derechos humanos, la discriminación y el desempleo. Dentro de conflictos eco-territoriales, la mujeres indígenas son los actores sociales más vulnerables. En el Perú, los proyectos extractivos presentan grandes amenazas al medio ambiente, y consecuentemente a los derechos de la mujer campesina. Un caso emblemático del abuso extractivo es el conflicto en Valle de Tambo, donde el gobierno aprobó el proyecto minero Tia Maria que afectaría a la comunidad campesina de la provincia …

“Not Yet A Priority:” The Intersectional Exploration Of Labor Market Access For People With Disabilities, Anona Neal

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Approximately one in four families in Morocco are affected by disability. Of those affected by disability, many are in vulnerable situations, because there is an explicit linkage between having a disability and likelihood of experiencing poverty. The primary reasons for this phenomenon include lack of access to education, employment and health care. Following the Arab Spring, the Moroccan government implemented Article 166 which explicitly banned workplace discrimination against people with disabilities (PWD); however, only 13% of those affected by disability of working age can find employment. In this paper, I investigate the obstacles PWD face that prevent them from accessing …

La Participación Y Representación De Las Mujeres Afrodescendientes En Los Movimientos De Ni Una Menos Y La Marea Verde En El Buenos Aires Actual, Olivia S. Sabini-Leite

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The myth that "there are no blacks in Argentina" or that "we do not have an afrodescendant population" remains prevalent in present-day Argentina since the beginning of state nationalization. However, immigrants and youth have sparked a movement geared at the recuperation of afrodescendancy among afroargentines. From this influence and the 31st National Women's Encounter, a strong wave of Afro-descendant women has grown, promoting the visibility, recognition and constant presence of the afrodescendant population.

During the same years, Ni Una Menos (Not One Less Girl) that responds to gender violence and Marea Verde (Green Tide) that responds to the struggle for …

The If Men Project – The Design And Implementation Of A Healthy Masculinity Curriculum For Young Men, Scott Kaltenbaugh

Capstone Collection

This paper examines the creation of the If Men Project, a healthy masculinity training curriculum aimed at young men. The If Men Projectseeks to create a better world by helping young men find a stronger sense of their own identity in a way that creates positive relationships with everyone around them. In short, it helps young men be good men.

The paper will track the creation process from my own social justice journey, through the conception of the project, the design of the training, multiple implementations of it, and finally to the reflections and learnings that came from …

Forjando Un Feminismo (No) Transgeneracional: Una Examinación De La Memoria Y La Construcción De Identidades En El Movimiento Estudiantil Feminista Del 2018-19, Isabel Guarnieri

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The student feminist movement of 2018-19 was dubbed Chile’s “third wave” of feminism. Media outlets framed it not only as a push to address violence against women and establish a non-sexist education system, but as a revolt against the neoliberal system that generates gender-based inequality – a legacy of the military dictatorship. This paper sought to investigate the processes by which the activists of the 2018-19 student feminist movement constructed a transgenerational movement through the mobilization of memory, as well as to interrogate the intergenerational perspectives surrounding the effectiveness of this mobilization, recognizing feminism’s continuities and the importance of remembering …

Local Democracy And Education Policy In Newly Federal Nepal, Jack Shangraw

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2017, Nepal held its first local elections in twenty years. These were the first elections held under Nepal’s new constitution, ratified in 2015, which transitioned the country from a unitary state to a Federal Democratic Republic. This case study analyzes the effect of the transition to federalism on decision-making and community representation in local governance in Annapurna Rural Municipality in West-Central Nepal. This study focuses specifically on education policy, one of the more public and contentious policy responsibilities devolved from the federal level to the local units under the new constitution. This research is based on interviews with government …

Reintegration Of Women Perpetrators In Post-Genocide Rwanda, Terrie Soule

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Women tend to be victims during times of violence. Due to this the breadth of research on women who perpetrate violence is limited. Due to stereotypes women are more often than not seen as peace makers and nurturers, which ignores the fact that women have just as much capability as men to inflict violence. During the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, average citizens, including women, became perpetrators of genocide. As this genocide only occurred in 1994 research on the reintegration of perpetrators is limited. This paper asks the question how are women perpetrators of Genocide being reintegrated into society? …