The ISP, or Independent Study Project, is written by students from the undergraduate programs of SIT Study Abroad and relates to a program theme. Using primary sources students choose topics with a manageable focus that can be carried out in a variety of settings, such as schools, nongovernmental organizations or field research stations. During the independent study period students work closely with a project advisor and other key contacts in the field. The ISP is typically a 20- to 40-page paper presented to student colleagues, the academic director and, often, the advisor and other interested host-country individuals.
Copyright permissions have been obtained by all contributors to this collection.
Submissions from 2017
Managing Health in All the Helpers: A Survey of Mental Health Services for Humanitarian Aid Workers, Erin Mercado, University of Colorado Boulder
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, Davidson College
The Methane-Oxidizing Capability of Pumice Biocovers on Icelandic Landfills, Mitchell P. Miller, St. Olaf College
Identificando los Limites del Acceso a la Salud Reproductiva: Un análisis sobre las experiencias vividas por las mujeres guaraníes con los servicios de la salud reproductiva en la Villa 31 de Buenos Aires, Amelia Mitchell, Hamilton College
Power to the Period: The Role of Menstruation in Nepal’s Formal Workplace, Johannah Mitchell, Cornell University
Perdiendo el Paraíso: lo que el turismo se llevó de la Isla Isabela / Losing Paradise: what tourism took from Isabela Island, Dylan Souquet Moglen, Colby College
Discourses of Psychiatry and Culture: The Interface Between Western and Traditional Medicine in the Treatment of Mental Illness, Madeline Molot, Barnard College
The Shifting Roles of Dai Maas: An Intersection of Healthcare and Female Empowerment in Rural Udaipur, Julie Morel, Vassar College
The Jagori Rural Charitable Trust Model: Menstrual Education of Women and Adolescent Girls in The Villages of Rural Dharamsala, Madelon Morford, Emory University
Coral Bleaching and the Effect of Disturbances on the Damselfish Community on Lizard Island, Australia, Alejandra Munoz, Tufts University
“Don’t Talk Like A European”: An Autoethnography Exploring Past and Current Students’ Visions on How to Decolonize Higher Education in South Africa, Ajetha Nadanasabesan, The George Washington University
Life in Purple: An Exploration of Moroccan LGBT+ Identity and Migration, Olivia Leone Nicholas, Whitman College
An Abbreviated Leap: The Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Significance of the China – Pakistan Economic Corridor to the New Silk Road, Emma Nichols, Vanderbilt University
Public Transportation in the Middle East: A Study on the Sustainability and Efficacy of Taxis in Amman and the Future of Public Transportation, Henry Nieberg, Macalester College
Vrai: The Culture of Knockoff Goods in Morocco Their Social Value, Utility, and Context in Contemporary Rabat, Peter Nyberg, Pomona College
Quem Ama Não Mata: Brazilian Feminicide and Odara’s Black Feminist Luta, Jair Oballe, Duke University
Hummingbird Foraging Preference: The Hierarchical Impacts of Color, Position, and Concentration on Visitation Frequency, Erin O'Connor, Colgate University
El Suma Qamaña: La convivencia en relación a la salud según la gente Aymara de Arica, Codpa, y Putre / El Suma Qamaña: Coexistence in relation to health according to the Aymara people of Arica, Codpa, and Putre, Alison Ogawa, Amherst College
Maternity Care: A Case Study at Centro de Parto Normal, Kemi Oladipo, Swarthmore College
Perspectives on Language from Street Produce Vendors in Cape Town: An examination of education, trading, and development in the informal sector, Hannah Oldham, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
La continuidad de los juicios con el nuevo gobierno: El 2 x 1 / The continuity of the judgments with the new government: The 2 x 1, Julie Olesky, Connecticut College
Vulnerability and Resilience: The Farmers of Sagara Village, Nick Olkovsky, Vassar College
Tierra en Revuelta: La Presencia de la Cosmovisión Indígena en las Luchas de Resistencia en la Región de Qoyllurit’i \ Earth in Revolt: The Presence of the Indigenous Worldview in the Struggles of Resistance in The Region of Qoyllurit'i, Maya Pace, Tufts University
Herpetoplogical survey across three distinct habitats in Ankarana National Park: Long-term effects of past land use on species composition in and around the park, Julia Park, Colby College
Aiding Neocolonialism? Moroccan NGOs, International Actors, and Questions of Autonomy in Human Rights Advocacy, Neha Patel, Pomona College
Coral species distribution and percent cover of sessile organisms on protected and non-protected coral reefs in Digir, Buga, Dubbir, and Kanir Kinnidup, Guna Yala, Panama, Sarah Paulson, Wesleyan University
Queer and Shear Moroccan Societal Norms Impact on Queer Women, Catherine Pendry, Elon University
Survey of Invasive Lantana camara at Makirovana-Tsihomanaomby Forest Complex, Eliza Pessereau, Macalester College
La lucha por Kimsakocha: resistencia contra la minería en Azuay, Ecuador \ The struggle for Kimsakocha: resistance against mining in Azuay, Ecuador, Lydia Petroske, Whitman College
Strategies for Environmental Education for Youths and Adults, Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, Samantha Pfeffer, Gettysburg College
Shift in Icelandic Plant Populations Due to Climate Change: Through the Lens of Natural Dyes, Molly Pluenneke, College of Charleston
A Critical Examination of the Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Literature in Nunavut, Canada, Sarah Prentice, University of Colorado Boulder
Los emprendedores tecnológicos en Buenos Aires: Un análisis de la coyuntura actual y oportunidades para el futuro / Technological Entrepreneurs in Buenos Aires: An Analysis of the Present Situation and Opportunities for the Future, Amanda Price, Columbia University
The Perceived Mental Health Effects of China’s One-Child Policy, Avery Rasmussen, University of Vermont
Daycare, Decision-making, and the Determinants of Health: A Mother-centric Approach to Understanding Childcare and Child Health in Rural Dharamshala, Arielle Rawlings, Williams College
No a la Tala: Percepciones sobre Reforestación en Cochabamba, Bolivia / No to La Tala: Perforations on Reforestation in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Kate Raybon, Macalester College
"Why Can’t We All Get Along:" An analysis of Baka education, and the application of picture books in Baka, Kylie Richmond, Loyola University Chicago
La educación multicultural: enfoques y brechas en cuatro escuelas municipales en Santiago, Chile / Multicultural education: approaches and gaps in four municipal schools in Santiago, Chile, Fiona Riebeling, Yale University
Bridging the Gap from Policy to Practice: Diabetes in Rural Morocco, Zoe H. Robbin, Emory University
Weaving Identity: Stories and Manifestations of Amazigh Carpet Weavers in the Moroccan Village of Tarmilat, Alessandra Roggero, Whittier College
Here There Be Herders: Comparative Archaeological Survey of Bronze Age Monumental Landscapes, Charles Ronkos, Rice University
Evaluating Frameworks for Multilateral Investor-State Dispute Settlement, Danielle Rosenthal, The George Washington University
Hydrology and macroinvertebrates as biological indicators- an integrated study of the Río Zamora Watershed, Loja, Ecuador, Isabel Ryde, Macalester College
The Business of Brandy: The Changing Roles of Women in Apple Brandy Production in Lower Mustang, Nepal, Madeline Sachs, Yale University
DEFINIENDO LA CONCEPCIÓN DE LA SALUD MENTAL Y ESPIRITUAL: La Influencia de la Biomedicina y la Religión Occidental en la Comunidad Mapuche de La Araucanía, Maya Salvio, Smith College
Physical Activity and Movement In the Classroom Setting, Coral Santos, St. Michael's College
Factors that determine civil action in opposition to hydroelectric development along the Chiriquí Viejo River in the Chiriquí province of Panamá, Nora Sawyer, University of Oregon
Solid Waste Management in the Developing World: The Role of Local Government in Kisumu, Kenya, Rachel Schlueter, Boston University
The Role of Young Environmental Activists in Iceland and Furthering Youth Engagement with Environmental Issues, Story Schwantes, Colorado College
The Power Dynamics of Language: An Analysis of the Positionality of Amazigh Language in Morocco, Jessica Schwed, Vassar College
Las condiciones de vida de los usuarios adultos mayores del Hospital Makewe / The living conditions of elderly users of Makewe Hospital, Taylor Selembo, Tulane University
Where Ethnography Breaks Down: The Ethics, Miscommunications, and Failures of My Independent Study Project, Natasha Shannon, University of Richmond
Being Transgender and Seeking Healthcare in the World’s Most Liberal City, Nicole Sharpe, University of Colorado
Avian species and family composition along elevational and disturbance gradients in Santa Fe National Park, Veraguas Province, Panamá, Benjamin Shipley, University of Colorado
Land Insecurity in Gulu, Uganda: A Clash Between Culture and Capitalism, Zachary Slotkin, The George Washington University
The Effect of Warming on Wind Speed and Potential Wind Power in Iceland, Alexei Smith, Hamilton College
Agricultural Responses to Climate Change: A Study of Adaptive Farming Methods in Kizanda Village, Bailey Smith-Helman, Northwestern University
Man and Land: Competing Ontologies, Colonial Legacies, and the Quest for Food Sovereignty, Savannah Smith, Vassar College
Shifting Mental Health from the Back Burner: An Investigation of the Mental Health Treatment Gap, Eva Hanorah Stanton, Columbia University
From the Margins to the Frame: Social Identities and a “pan-Pacific” Moana, Keara Sternberg, Skidmore College
Una exploración del proceso de recuperación frente a desastres y las fuentes de resiliencia en Alimapu, "La Tierra Quemada” / An exploration of the disaster recovery process and sources of resilience in Alimapu, "La Tierra Quemada", Alison Stewart, Washington University
When the Books Hit Back: Perceived Stress in University Students, Henry Stoddard, Tulane University
After the Flood: Fish Farming and Climate Change Adaptation in Chitwan, Nepal, Signe Stroming, Georgetown University
Remembering Negdels: Nostalgia, Memory & Soviet-Era Herding Collectives, Maya Sutton-Smith, Connecticut College
Gender Socialization in Chinese Schools: Teachers, Children and Gender Roles, Connor Swan, Williams College
O Negro e O Poder: The significance of social support and positive Black identity formation through an Afro-Brazilian politico-cultural organization in Salvador, Bahia, Ninar Taha, University of Virginia
El estudio del viejismo en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires desde la perspectiva de los adultos mayores con diferentes coberturas de salud \ The Study of Ageism in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires from the Perspective of Older Adults with Different Health Coverage, Tara Tardino, Cornell University
Community Management and Governance of COMATSA-Sud New Protected Area (Ambalamanasy II Commune), Allison Tennant, Amherst College
“Uno es Palestino por el orgullo” Palestinian Assimilation and Identity in Nicaragua., Eric Thornton, Kenyon College
Agrarian Reform in Sumber Klampok, Emma Trainor, University of Vermont
Investigating geothermally-sourced H2S pollution in the Reykjavík area: a case study of early March 2017., Shawnee Traylor, Columbia University
An Ethnobotanical Examination of Traditional Medicine in Ngezi Forest Reserve, Tyler Tsang, Siena College
Motivations and Obstacles on the Long Walk to Integration: Determinants of Six Cape Town Chinese Immigrants’ Political Participation, Yawen Tsao, Smith College
Impacts of Migration on Mosuo Cultural Identity: A case study of the Mosuo People in Lijiang, Isabel Ullmann, University of California, Berkeley
Creating Safe Spaces in a Homonormative Society: A Study of The Hang-Out 010, Taryn Urban, Bucknell University
ABC or AEI: A Comparison of Approaches to Early Childhood Education in Samoa, Sofia Valbuena, Villanova University
The Economic Legacies of Lingering Colonialism: A Case Study in Identity and Multiculturalism in Northern Morocco and the Spanish Enclaves, Jeremy Vale, Colby College
Kali Gandaki: The Road from Lower Mustang to a Global Food Market, Austin Van Wart, University of Wisconsin- Madison
Digital Diplomacy and Its Effect on International Relations, Bridget Verrekia, Gettysburg College
Neoliberalismo & Pensamiento Crítico: Relaciones entre la Educación Popular y sistemas actuales chilenos / Neoliberalism & Critical Thinking: Relations between Popular Education and current Chilean systems, Sarah Wagner, Amherst College
The Tribulations of Moroccan Child Laborers: A Forced Existence and Loss of Innocence, David Wien-Kandil, University of Mary Washington
Geopolitical Relations: Uganda’s Role in the Development of the River Nile, Jordan Williams, The George Washington University
Russia's Northern Rook: Nord Stream 2 on the European Energy Chessboard, David E. Wilson, The College of Wooster
Optimized Organic Waste Treatment System An assessment of composting and biogas potential at Santos Organics, Abbie Winter, Bucknell University
Essential Newborn Care during Humanitarian Crises: Integration of Low-Cost Interventions, Athena Wong, Cornell University
Las ofrendas a la tierra en un mundo global \ Offerings to land in a global world, Alison Wuensch, University of San Francisco
Shaped by Changing Space: Exploring Gender and the Discourse of Empowerment in Sikles, Nepal, Rachel Yanover, Wesleyan University
The Latex Journey: A Narrative Approach to Exploring Condom Use, Stigma, and Education from the Perspective of Women in Masxha, Kylie Yocum, Tulane University
Development of a Wild Infant Woolly Monkey Social interactions, time allocation and behavior of a wild Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii infant and her mother, Saba Zewdie, Whitman College
Submissions from 2016
Both a Borrower and a Lender Be: A Look at the Local Economy and Credit Culture in the Tarap Valley in Dolpa, Nepal, Alexa Adams, Bates College
The Impact of Religion and Culture on Coparenting in Morocco, Corrine Ahrabi-Nejad, George Washington University
Epigeal fauna of Bosque Protector Cerro Candelaria, Justine Albers, Swarthmore College
Los factores influyentes en las perspectivas de aborto de los estudiantes universitarios en Santiago, Chile: desde lo conservador a lo contrario, Victoria Albert, Washington University in St. Louis
Protecting the Right to Life of the Internally Displaced: An Examination of Encampment and Its Effects on the Communities in Unyama and Koro Sub-Counties in Gulu District, Northern Uganda, Ashley Alessandra, George Washington University
Democratization in the Arab World: A Moroccan case study of Culture, Religion, and Governance, Marwah Al-Jilani, Oregon State University