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 2016
UNDERSTANDING PERCEPTIONS OF IDENTITY AND STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT WITH ADOLESCENT AFRO-BRAZILIAN GIRLS, Julia Tremaroli, University of Denver
Actually, Let’s Not Talk About Sex: The Value-Laden Sex Education Received by China’s Young Women, Allyson Tsu, Barnard College
Actually, Let’s Not Talk About Sex: The Value-Laden Sex Education Received by China’s Young Women, Allyson Tsu, Barnard College
Coral Disease in Chumbe Island Coral Park: A baseline survey of the prevalence of coral disease and other afflictions within Chumbe Marine Protected Area, Hannah Turley, University of Virginia
Fish Diversity and Coral Health of Tanzania's Reefs: A comparative study between the Ushongo Village Reef and the Fungu Zinga Reef over time, Della Turque and Corinne Casper, University of Denver
The Road Into the Future of Health Care: The Importance of Addressing Access to Health Facilities in Transportation Infrastructure Investment Decisions, Nicola (Nikki) van den Heever, University of Colorado Boulder
Seagrass Community Change at Three High Risk Ports in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area from 2005 to 2014, Celeste Venolia, Smith College
Queer Connections: Social Media as a Versatile Tool of the Marginalized Moroccan LGBT, Savannah Vickery, Santa Clara University
A Qualitative Investigation on the Effects of the Uttar Pradesh Population Policy on Women who Undergo Sterilization in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, Anna Wadhwani, George Washington University
Intertidal Interactions: Stakeholder Relationships Arising from Kitesurfing in Paje, Zanzibar, Jenna Walczak and Iris Levine, Colgate University & Tufts University
Shelo yigamer l’olam: La construcción de identidades compuestas en la comunidad judía de Iquitos, Perú / Shelo yigamer l'olam: The construction of composite identities in the Jewish community of Iquitos, Peru, Beatrice Waterhouse, Mills College
An Analysis of Opposing Feminist Views of Sex Work: Is it the woman’s choice? In Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Julia Webster, Gordon College
La Visibilización: El Desarrollo del Femicidio como un Problema Social en Argentina Según el Estado y las Organizaciones Civiles, Maggie Wetzel, DePauw Univeristy
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in Rural Maharashtra: a Preventative Approach to Risk Factor Reduction through Lifestyle Interventions, Jess Wiken, University of Puget Sound
Trends in Nectar Concentration and Hummingbird Visitation: Investigating different variables in three flowers of the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest: Guzmania jaramilloi, Gasteranthus quitensis, and Besleria solanoides, Sophie Wolbert, Scripps College
“La guerra de los centavos” y contratos sociales: Los impactos del desarrollo del Sistema Intermodal de Transporte Urbano en Loja, Ecuador / "The war of the cents" and social contracts: The impacts of the development of the Intermodal Urban Transportation System in Loja, Ecuador, Will Yetvin, Carleton College
A Study of Defensive Mechanisms Employed by Two Species of Nudibranchs using Toxicity and Unpalatability Analyses, Sean Youn, Rice University
A Study of Defensive Mechanisms Employed by Two Species of Nudibranchs using Toxicity and Unpalatability Analyses, Sean Youn, Rice University
The Autonomy of Chinese Migrants Despite Structural and Social Determinants, Helen Yu, Duke University
“It’s Not the Pride Parade Model”: Investigating Changes in Queer Activist Practices in Sarajevo after 2008, Matthew Zarenkiewicz, Villanova University
Self Sufficiency in Refugees, Sarah Zayed, Indiana University
Submissions from 2015
Mari et femme, sous Dieu: L’Évangile du genre dans le mariage chrétien camerounais, Allison Aaronson, Tufts University
The Kakawin Sutasoma: A Look at ‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika’ & Perceptions of the Text’s Religious Implications, Hana Aghababian, Gettysburg College
The F Word: An analysis of the perceptions and performance of feminisms amongst five Black, Xhosa women living in Langa, Victoria Chigozie Akah, Columbia University
Bleaching, disease, and colonization: The ecology of coral health in southeastern Nosy Be, Madagascar, Luella Allen-Waller, Swarthmore College
Babies First: Ensuring Proper Infant Nutrition During Emergencies, Abigail M. Alonso, Washington University in Saint Louis
Recursos y servicios disponibles para personas afectadas por el uso de agroquímicos tóxicos en Avia Terai, Chaco, Argentina / Resources and services that are available to people who are affected by the use of toxic agrochemicals in Avia Terai, Chaco, Argentina, David Andersen, Tulane University
Exploring Cape Malay Identity Through the Lens of Food, Allyson Ang, Wellesley College
Barriers to Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Analysis of Women in East Sikkim, India, Emily Applewhite, Occidental College
The Traumatic State of Psychology: An Investigation of the Challenges Psychologists Face When Aiming to Help Trauma Survivors in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Rohan Arcot, Hamilton College
PRO, navegando un nuevo tipo de político: estrategias para atraer votantes / PRO, Navigating a New Type of Politics: Strategies to Attract Votes, Bailey Armstrong, Bulter University
The Social Institution and Inscription of Child Marriage in the Terai Region of Nepal, Alexandra Baer Chan, Columbia University
How We Saved Ourselves: A Look at the Positive Coping Strategies the Orphans of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis Implemented During Bereavement, Gregory Barber, Morehouse College
Analysis of Traditional Medicine in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Jessica Baylor, Lafayette College
I’m Black and I’m Proud… and Female: The Role of Gender and Black Consciousness for Black Female UCT Students in Social Movements in Cape Town., Aaliyah Michele Bell, Colby College
Challenges to Cultural Heritage Interpretation and Preservation at the Falemata’aga, the Museum of Samoa, Elizabeth Bennett, Vassar College
“No somos ratones”: La negociación de disciplina, democracia y derechos en la convivencia escolar Un estudio etnográfico del Liceo Confederación Suiza, Daniel Bergerson, Columbia University
La Bicicultura de Cochabamba: ¿La Bici es de Todos?, Lucy Bergwall, Williams College
The Power of the We: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Attitudes Towards Exercise in a Cato Manor Workout Group, Serena Bernthal-Jones, Carleton College
FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO BREATHE: EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENAL THREATS IN THE SOUTH DURBAN BASIN, Kayleigh Bhangdia, Colgate University
Transracial Adoption in Cape Town, South Africa: The Perspectives of Black Young Adults, Emma Bilodeau, Bates College
Meditating on Mountain Bikes, Sam Bowen, Skidmore College
Tipping Point: A Study of Tourism and Development in Cizhong, Collin Bradley, University of Minnesota
Accord Internship: A South African Ngo’s Approach to Peacekeeping in 2015, Jimmy Bromley, Occidental College
Fighting the Obesity Epidemic: Challenges and Ethics, Grace Brown, Franklin & Marshall College
Sense of Place and The Australian Landscape in Poems and Photographs, Margot Bruder, Colby College
I’m Not A Fishermen, I Don’t Sell Fish, I’m Not Even A Fish: The MicroEconomy of Fish within the Formal and Informal Markets of Mwanza, Austin Brush, Tufts University
Práctica habitual de los médicos del Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Cuidad Autonomía de Buenos Aires, Argentina, en el tratamiento de la otitis media aguda en niños. Enfoque en el uso de antibióticos. /The usual practice of acute otitis media in children by the Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez in the city of Buenos Aires with a focus on the use of antibiotics as treatment, Kali Marie Burkhardt, Oregon State University
Investigating Barriers to Early Cancer Detection for Rural Indian Women: A Qualitative Analysis of Cancer Outreach in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Blair Burnett, University of North Carolina
Youth Perceptions and Engagement with the Moroccan State’s Promotion of Sufism, Katherine Butler-Dines, Georgetown University
The Inspired Shes Podcast: The stories of the Female Voice in Hip Hop, Liz Butler, University of Denver
Abortion in Brazil - Todo mundo faz: An Analysis of Social Movements and Social Support for the Liberalization of Brazil’s Abortion Law in Salvador, Brazil, Maria Camila Caicedo, George Washington University
Coming to Terms with the Limited Body: The Role of Physical Therapy in Improving Self-esteem of Stroke Survivors in Salvador-Bahia, Brazil, Ninghe Cai, Bryn Mawr College
Where the Plains and Hills Collide: Understanding Nepal’s Political Tension Through Tharus in Chitwan, Cameron Calato, University of New Hampshire
Construyendo un mundo sin violencia machista: Los aportes de las organizaciones de mujeres en Nicaragua para transformar la cultura machista y prevenir la violencia, Grace Carballo, University of Southern California
The Role of Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola in the Empowerment and Development of Children from the Community of Alto da Sereia, Mariana Cardona, George Washington University
Witnesses to Revolution, Colleen Cassingham, Northwestern University
El rol del parto mapuche en el mundo de la medicina moderna / THE ROLE OF MAPUCHE BIRTH IN A WORLD OF MODERN MEDICINE, Nita Chai, Macalester College
Tracking the Elephant (Lexodonta africana) Corridor and the Human-Wildlife Conflict in Selela Village, Nicole Chlebek and Laura Stalter, Illinois Wesleyan University / University of Vermont
The Curious Case of Solu Khumbu: A Study of the Effects of Tourism in the Town of Junbesi, Hannah Cho, College of William and Mary
Talking Mirrors: Experiences of Older Transgender Adults and Culturally Competent Mental Healthcare Profes-sionals with Talk Therapy in the Netherlands, Kate Cieplicki, Hamilton College
Deconstructing Unmade Examining the capacity of Ayurveda to address India’s mental health crisis, Cassie Sutten Coats, Brown University
Sexual and Reproductive Health Education for Boys in Kapchorwa, Uganda, Meredith Colleary, Bates College
Treatment Accessibility for Co-Infected IDUs in China: A Likelihood for HIV, an Improbability for Hepatitis C, Jessica Collins, University of Washington
Working With Locals to Restore Biodiversity to a Rubber Dominated Landscape, Francis Commercon, Colorado State University
La relación entre el desamparo y la salud: El caso del Campamento Japón en Santiago, Chile, Chaveli Concepción, Emory University
How South Africa’s Collective Memory of the ANC’s Armed Struggle Has Shaped Political Allegiances and National Identity in Modern South Africa, Will Corvin, Northwestern University
European Policies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: A Comparative Study, Alison Council, George Washington University
La búsqueda de una agenda en común: Una mirada feminista a las organizaciones LGBTI en Nicaragua, Rachel Crane, Macalester College
Fair Trade or Fake Trade? Specialty Coffee Certifications and Development in Uganda, Eliza Cummings, Smith College
The Politics of Social Entrepreneurship in Cameroon, Aaron Danowski, Gonzaga University
The adequacy of programs in NSW in supporting vulnerable households to transition to renewable energy, Madison Dell, University of Vermont
Sustaining Development in Brazil’s Informal Settlements: Linking Policy, Theory, and Action A Case Study of Vila Velha, Jessica Depies, Boston University
El Crecimiento de China y su Vinculaciones con la Industria de Soja en la Argentina / Chinese Growth and its Connections with the Argentinian Soy Industry, Anita Desai, Swarthmore College
Exploring Gender-Based Violence Management in Nairobi, Kirsten Dimovitz, George Washington University
Audience vs. Art: The Plight of the Contemporary Bengali Filmmaker, Gabriel Doss, Wesleyan University
La Casa Patria Grande “Presidente Néstor Carlos Kirchner”: el sueño de la unidad latinoamericana / The Casa Patria Grande “Presidente Néstor Carlos Kirchner”: The Dream of Latin American Unity, Ana Dougherty, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Marginalidad y oportunidad: El caso del Vergel Alto y las políticas habitacionales en Chile, Ellie Driscoll, Brandeis University
Waste Management and Environmental Initiatives in Accra, Ghana, Aoife Genevieve Duna, Middlebury College
The Effectiveness of Political Quotas in Representing Rwandan Citizens, Sarah Duncan, Hamilton College
Human Rights at the Border: European-Union—Moroccan Relations in the Wake of the 2013 Migratory Policy, Anashua Dutta, Georgetown University
Youth Narratives of the Conflict in Northern Uganda, Ellen Eichelberger, College of Charleston
“Komt Een Vrouw Bij De Dokter”: Do Healthcare Systems For Women Affect Self-Perception of Sexuality in the NL & US?, Haley Eicher, Colgate University
Ulaanbaatar’s Ger District Issues: Changes and Attitudes, David Engel, Gettysburg College
The Impact of Vaccine Hesitancy on the Polio Vaccine in South Asia, Leah Everist, University of North Carolina
A Dysfunctional Triangle An analysis of America’s relations with Israel and their impact on the current nuclear accord with Iran, Andrew Falacci, George Washington University
Mind within the Body The Presence and Importance of Mental Health Within Traditional Tibetan Medicine, Reta Flynt, University of San Francisco
Impact of Invasive Species Datura arborea on Plant Species Richness In the West Usambara Mountains, Megan Foley, Villanova University
El Grano Milagroso y su Lado Oscuro: Un estudio sobre la demanda de la quinua y sus efectos en los sistemas de producción de la comunidad de Cabana, Jacob Frankel, Carleton College
Tunisia’s Young Islamists: Religious or Revolutionary Zealots?, Sawyer French, George Washington University
Vamos creciendo La educación bilingüe e intercultural en Ecuador: Lecciones de Peguche, Imbabura, Samantha Friedlander, University of Pennsylvania
Curandera, Partera, Bush Doctor, Luna Olavarría Gallegos, Ithaca College
Storytelling as Self-Empowerment: A Case Study of AVEGA Beneficiaries in Post-Genocide Rwanda, Lauren Garretson, Elon University
From Private to Public Women’s Cooperatives and the Construction of a Public Sphere, Cecilia Garza, Brown University
Herbs, Home Medicine, and Self-Reliance: A Study on the Current Status of Traditional Home Medicine in Idukki District, Kerala, Richard Gaunt, Ithaca College
Comparative Study of Terrestrial Arthropod Diversity in Primary and Re-planted Pine Forest in a Community Forest at Andasibe, Madagascar, Tyler George, Mira Kelly-Fair, and Andrea Wade, Oregon State University, Mount Holyoke, The College of Wooster
The Dichotomy Between Colonial Heritage and National Identity in the Senegalese Education System, Kyra Ghosh, Pitzer College
Extractivist Agribusiness Model: Analysis of social resistances emerging in response to the extractivist agribusiness model: a case study of the Industrial Belt of Gran Rosario, Alexa González, University of San Francisco
A Resistance, Remembered? Remembrance, Commemoration and the Parallel System In Prishtina, Kosovo, Conner Gordon, DePauw University
TAMING THE TEESTA: EXPLORING THE HOLISTIC EFFECTS OF HYDROELECTRIC DAM DEVELOPMENT ON THE TEESTA RIVER THROUGH DOCUMENTARY FILM, Taylor Graham, Ithaca College