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 2015
Perceptions of Safety Among Adolescents in Jordanian Host Communities: A Pilot Study Conducted In Housing Communities in Baqa’a and Ramtha, Katie Stevenson, Bates College
The Himalayan Gold Rush The untold consequences of Yartsa gunbu in the Tarap valley, Noah Stone, Middlebury College
Remnants of the American War: An Interactive Documentary, Jacob Sussman, Wesleyan University
An Avian Biological Gradient Across Tropical Dry Lowland Local Habitats at Playa Venao, Los Santos Province, Panama, Abigail Thomas, Stonehill College
Las Luchadoras Inspiradoras: El papel de las mujeres en los movimientos estudiantiles chilenos, Arielle Ticho, University of Northwestern
Marine Animalia Organism Diversity and Reef Condition on Two Reef Sites at Big Creek Beach and Boca del Drago, Bocas del Toro, Panamá, Bri Tiffany, Washington University
“Doce Pasos” en la Dirección Correcta: la adaptación cultural de prácticas terapéuticas en un centro de rehabilitación para hombres ecuatorianos, Jason Tinero, Washington University in St. Louis
Government and Private Primary Schooling in Rural Sikkim: Understanding Perceptions and Problems, Liam Toney, Pomona College
Intercountry Adoption and Child Sponsorship in Vietnam: A Practicum-Based Exploration of a Complex Relationship, Rainah Umlauf, Vassar College
PLACE REIMAGINED, Michelle Unger, Washington University
Water Quality in the Río Pastaza Watershed A comparative study of Ríos Topo, Zuñag, and Pastaza and the impact of the Topo Hydroelectric Project using Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators, Jesse Vega-Perkins, Northwestern University
Habitat selection, behavior, and natural history of the newly described leaf chameleon Brookesia micra (Reptilia, Squamata, Chamaeleontidae; Glaw, Köhler, Townsend & Vences, 2012) on Nosy Hara, Madagascar, Andrew Villeneuve, Bowdoin College
Casa de los Ningunos: un estudio de caso sobre la re-imaginando de “Sumak Qamaña” en un contexto urbano y contemporáneo, Vanessa Voller, Colorado College
Assessment of Coral Health and Fish diversity in the Fringing Reefs of Porvenir Island and Korbisky Island, Guna Yala, Panama, Emily Waddell, Gettysburg College
B-Boy and Buuz: A Study of Mongolian Hip-Hop Culture, Quinn Graham Wallace, Mount Holyoke College
Sembrando el cambio: agroecología cuencana y paradigmas del desarrollo, Erin Walters, Whitman College
Contemporary Challenges of Urban Planning in Amman, Neena Wang, Washington University in St. Louis
A Study on The Multidimensional Effects of Animal Rights and Tourism in Bandia Reserve, Lauren Watwood, Oregon State University
God in Pre- and Post- Genocide Rwanda: Understanding People’s Perspectives, Ben Weinberg, Drake University
Confronting Cultural Challenges for Migrant Healthcare in Switzerland, Rebecca Weiss, Washington University in Saint Louis
The Restoration Process: Lessons from a Community-Based Conservation Initiative in Tunkhel, Mongolia, John Wendt, Colorado State University
El parto humanizado: perspectivas de profesionales en las maternidades públicas de Buenos Aires, Lara Kaplan Westbrook, University of Washington-Seattle
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Sustainable Food Sourcing: Dayutang Village, Hani Rice Terraces, Nina Whittaker, Kenyon College
Why?-abetes: Understanding Diabetes Management in Rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, Kyra Wicklund, Gustavus Adolphus College
Marriage Culture in Tunisia: Post-Independence to Post-Revolution Shifts, Emma Wilder Conover-Crockett, Kenyon College
“I’ve Taken My Own Power”: Insights into women’s empowerment and its effectiveness in different NGOs in Cape Town, Molly Willeford, Illinois Wesleyan University
Magnetic Island marine park zones: Effects of fishing restrictions on predatory reef fish populations, Casey Wilson, Gettysburg College
More Religious and Less Moral: The Changing Face of Religious Coexistence in Ladakh, Henry Wilson-Smith, Stanford University
The Jordanian Attitude Towards the Women’s Quota System, Aida Woldegiorgis, Bucknell University
La vida revivida: Una exploración de la salud, el medio ambiente y la cultura en los procesos de la producción ecológica de Cochabamba, Ethan Wood and Emily Wyler, University of Denver / Cornell College
Historical Perspectives on a National Heroine: R.A. Kartini and the Politics of Memory, Amber Woodward, Macalester College
Changes in Luoshui: How the Outside World Affects Luoshui Village and the Mosuo Culture, Lucy Woychuk-Mlinac, Macalester College
Percepciones de la muerte y la espiritualidad cristiana-aymara entre los proveedores del cuidado a los adultos mayores en Putre, Emma Wright, Duke University
The Challenge of Representing Community: Designing Content in Radio Sagarmatha and Community Radio Madanpokhara, Wesley Wright, Hope College
The Effect of Refugees on Jordanian Identity, Max Yenkin, George Washington University
Mutually Assured Survival: An Analysis of Globalization’s Influence on Nuclear Disarmament, Ryan Zehner, University of Colorado at Boulder
The Making and Re-making of Dolpo Identity: A Case Study of Do-Tarap, Lin Zhu, Sarah Lawrence College
Ouch, That Hurts: Childbirth-Related Pain Management and the Inappropriate Replacement of Traditional Obstetrical Knowledge in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India, Sabrina Zionts, Wellesley College
Submissions from 2014
Comparison of Coral Reef Health: Lokobe National Park and Tanikely National Park, Northwest Madagascar, Kailani Acosta, Brown University
Modern Portraits of Childbirth in Exile in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala: A Melding of Tradition and Innovation, Luna Adler, Barnard College
Cape Town on The Eve of The 2014 Elections: 12 Narratives on Political Efficacy and The Post-Apartheid Presidency From Langa and Stellenbosch, Richard Ahne, Claremont Mckenna College
New Study of Altitude and Butterfly Diversity Evaluation of butterfly diversity in La Hesperia and influence of altitude on diversity, Savannah Artusi, University of Virginia
Fuera de la Casa En Búsqueda de Espacios para Mujeres Jóvenes en Matagalpa / Outside the House Search Spaces for Young Women in Matagalpa, Brenna Bailey, Whitman College
A Strategic Alliance: An Exploration of Israeli-Russian Relations, Megan Bailey, DePauw University
Government Efforts and Personal Opinion Explain the Medicalization of Pregnancy and Childbirth Through Time in Lower Mustang, Nepal, Ruth Baker, Bates College
Don’t Diss the Reninjaza: A Case for Integrating Traditional Birthing Attendants into the Allopathic System to Improve Prenatal Health in Rural Madagascar, Shenna Bannish, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara: An Internal Pilgrimage to Universal Peace and Compassion, Meghan Barwick, Lehigh University
La Brigada Ramona Parra; Muralismo y Cambio Social en Chile / La Brigada Ramona Parra ; Muralismo and Social Change in Chile, Sarah Baumann, Rhodes College
How to Plan a Birthday Party: An Allopathy Enthusiast's Guide to Integrating the Values of Traditional Medicine into Childbirth, Emily Baumgaertner, George Washington University
Mama Nyani: A Study of the Correlation of Behaviors and Habitat in Papio Anubis, Madison Beran, University of Colorado At Boulder
Bioremediation of Polluted Zanzibar Seawater: The Nutrient and Bacterial Bioextraction Potential of Native Seaweeds and Bivalves, Katie Bergman, Wake Forest University
A Mixed Bag: The Inter-Religious Marriage Experience in Bali, Chelsea Bhajan, Washington University in St. Louis
Hip Hop Highways: Mapping Complex Identities through Moroccan Rap, Anisha Bhat, Pomona College
Educational Music: the role of music education, combined with the ideology of the popular education movement, in the development of the agency of children from Villa 21/24, Laurel Bingman, Rice University
Is the Smartphone Smart in Kathmandu?, Seth Bird, Trinity College
La Isla del Sol, Courtney K. Blackmer-Raynolds, Colorado College
Women's Health and Abortion Culture in China: Policy, Perception and Practice , Naomi Bouchard, Johns Hopkins University
Identity Crisis: Making Sense of Post-Apartheid Relationships Between Whiteness and Antiracism, Justin Bradshaw, Brandeis University
Exploring the Preservation of Pastoralism and the Natural World in Western Mongolia , Josephine Brownell, Colorado College
Violence Against Women and Machismo A research study of how Machismo justifies cases of violence against women and the psychological process that influence women to remain in abusive relationships in the city of Fortaleza, Rosa Cabrera, University of Colorado
The Invading Fly: Innovative Pest Management Solutions for Control of Bactrocera Invadens in Pemba, Zanzibar, McCall Calvert and Lindsay Gucker, University of Colorado At Boulder / Beloit College
Imagined Communities: Changing Markets and the Implications for 21st Century Mali China Migration, Mamasa Camara, Spelman College
Breaking Barriers: The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Obesity among Women in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Christina Camoriano, Santa Clara University
Implementando la Educación Sexual Integral en el Conurbano: Interpretaciones, Practicas, y Dificultades de los Docentes de la ESI en la Escuela Secundaria / Implementing Integral Sexual Education in Grand Buenos Aires: Interpretations, Practices, and Difficulties of High School Sexual Education Teachers, Alexcia Chambers, College of William
Examining predation as a possible means of controlling Crown-of- Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) outbreaks on reefs around Lizard Island, Australia, Amanda Chan, Swarthmore College
Politics of Health: the 2013 Integration Policy’s Effect on Immigrant Access to Care, Amy Chang, Yale University
The Conceptualization of “Environmentalism” in Sagara, Emma Chapman, George Washington University
Ecosystem Services in the Wet Tropics: A Literature Review and Economic Valuation, Alyson Cheney, Connecticut College
Investment Opportunities in Solar-Powered Lighting for Small Rural Shops in Zanzibar, Alexander Cheston, Bowdoin College
Livelihood Strategies of People in the Himalayan Region of Nepal: A Study in the Villages of Eastern Manang, Prashanta Chhetri, Lehigh University
La cesárea y el parto natural: las opiniones de profesionales de la salud en la provincia de Buenos Aires / Cesarean section and natural birth: the opinions of health provinces in the province of Buenos Aires, Jacqueline Chipkin, Duke University
Desigualdad en El Contexto Público: El Rol de Neoliberalismo en la Educación, Harper Cleves, Vassar College
Palm Reading: Predicting the Future of Four Threatened Palm Species at Pointe À Larrée, Eastern Madagascar, Eva Colberg, College of William and Mary
Seven Women Speak: Perceptions of Economic Empowerment Opportunities Among Diverse Women in Four Different Cape Town Communities Today, Shanna Cole, George Washington University
La atención de mujeres con complicaciones post-aborto en un hospital público del Partido de La Matanza: la perspectiva de los profesionales de la salud / The perspective of health professionals on the quality oftreatment for women with complications post-abortion ina public hospital in La Matanza, Hannah Collins, Tufts University
Barriers to Successful Cervical Cancer Screening in Rural Kwazulu-Natal, Cato Manor, and Cape Town, Amanda Comai, Colgate University
A Disjointed Effort: An Analysis of Government and Non-Governmental Actors’ Coordination of Reintegration Programs in Northern Uganda, Nicole Compton, George Washington University
Media For the Masses the Usage Patterns and Social Consequences of a Mobile-Phone Based Citizen Journalism Platform in Madhya-Pradesh , Sarah Corsa, Occidental College
Improving Social Resilience in Response to Climate Change in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait, Katie Costantini, Williams College
Men and Feminism: The Art of Negotiation, Emma Craig, Stonehill College
Traveling Through Space: A Look at the Evolution of Transportation in Vietnam and its Implications, Joe Crook, Brandeis University
Land Rights Among Subsistence Farmers: An Examination of Madagascar’s Land Reform and Prevailing Systems of Land Tenure in Betafo, Taylor Crowl, Vassar College
Hoping for Help: The Organizational Response to Street Children in Tangier, Stefanie Cruz, University of Houston
Comparative Analysis of Family Planning Use and Attitudes in Urban versus Rural Madagascar, Gwendolyn Cummings, University of Oregon
The Status of Coastal Birds on Uzi Island: A Coastal Survey of Birds and Their Interactions with Fishermen and Seaweed Farmers, Anna Curtis-Heald, Connecticut College
The Significance of Comunidade Sabiaguaba within the Developing City of Fortaleza, CE, Katherine Davis, University of Colorado
Social Media & Revolution: The Importance of the Internet in Tunisia’s Uprising, Aamna Dhillon, New College of Florida
The Complicated ‘Colours’ of Rhythm: A Study of Capetonian’s Battle for Identity through the Hip Hop Movement in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Joseph Thomas Dover, University of Colorado
El Significado Cultural del Parto: Perspectivas de Mujeres Mapuche, Erin Drake, Trinity University
El trabajo de enfermería: la percepción de las enfermeras y enfermeros de acerca de su profesión en Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Amy Dushkin, Brandeis University
¿PÉRDIDA O PERSISTENCIA? La cultura andina y los efectos de la influencia evangélica en las dos comunidades indígenas peruanas de Patacancha y Rumira Sondormayo., Hannah Eby, Illinois Wesleyan University
¿Cómo amigos comparten la salud? Las redes sociales y factores de riesgo. / How do friends share health? Social networks and risk factors., Joanna Emerson, Tufts University
Population, Progeny and Power: Analyzing Population Growth, Family Planning and the Factors that Contribute to High Child Bearing Rates in Kizanda Village, Tanzania, Jade Enright, Colby College
A Crude Awakening: The Relationship Between Petroleum Exploration and Environmental Conservation in Western Uganda, Kristina Ericson, Global College of Long Island University
Tabasará Libre: A Case Study of Development and Indigenous Rights, Katharine Evans, Wesleyan College
To Assimilate or Integrate? The Narratives of Eight Black Students at Historically White Universities in the Western Cape: Can Education be Seen as Oppression or Privilege?, Mari Faines, Colgate University
Traditional, Transitional, and Contemporary Approaches to Textile Printing in Ghana, Le’Ecia Farmer, Evergreen State College
Memoirs of a Mother: Life between an Islamic fantasy, Cultural Patriarchy, and the Startling Reality., Nicole Fauster, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
ནང་པ Inside Self & Other : An interdisciplinary discussion on “Enemy” in the Tibetan Exiled Community, Mallory Feldman, Tufts University
Obama Suka Nasi Goreng! American Foreign Policy and Cultural Affinity with Indonesia, Mario Feola, Tufts University