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 2013
Balancing Conservation and Development: A Case Study of Economic Efficiency in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, Louisa Dunwiddie and R.Turner Shaw, Claremont Mckenna College / George Washington University
La Vulnerabilidad de la Tercera edad en Desastres Naturales: Un Estudio de la Inundación en La Plata, Argentina el 2 de abril de 2013 = The vulnerability of the elderly during natural disasters: A study of the flooding in La Plata, Argentina on April 2nd, 2013, Katelyn Dutton, Barnard College
Femininity, Dependency, and Patriarchy: The Marginalization of Women With Japanese Encephalitis and Neurological Sequelae in the Northern Terai Region of Uttar Pradesh, Katherine Ehrenreich, Macalester College
Transmission of Traditional Agricultural Knowledge: Intergenerational or International? Examining Youth’s Involvement in Agriculture, Georgia Elgar, University of New Hampshire Durham
“hariyo ban Nepalko dhan” (“Nepal’s Wealth is the Green Forest”): The People’s Participation in Structuring Sustainable Development through Community Forestry, Natasha Eulberg, Gettysburg College
Mas Que EL Apoyo Academico: La Educacion no formal y el Programa Servicio Pais Educacion, Leah Ewald, Hope College
What Really Matters: A Triangular Study of Gender Roles and Standards of Beauty in Cameroon Through the Lens of Television Advertisements, Deborwah Faulk, Spelman College
Effects of Ocean Acidification on the Behavior of Two Marine Invertebrates: A Study of Predator-prey Responses of the Molluscs Conus Marmoreus and Strombus Luhuanus at Elevated-CO2 Conditions, Jennifer Fields, Pitzer College
Vision 2035 and the Kribi Deep Seaport: An analysis of the Economic Impacts for Cameroon, Charlotte Fisken, Pomona College
William Hodges and Thomas Daniell: Picturesque Representations of “Hindoostan”, Nathaniel Fitch, Gettysburg College
Tibetan Women Tailors: Sewing a Community of Tibetan Women Tailors, Charlotte Fleming, Williams College
A Case Study of Rural Finance Self-Help Groups in Uganda and Their Impact on Poverty Alleviation and Development, Rebecca Flynn, University of Notre Dame
The Social Lives of Pots and Potters in the Kathmandu Valley, Briana Foley, Reed College
Integrating Music into Samoan Primary Schools: Teachers’ Perceptions and Potential Benefits, Jennifer Fortin, Saint Michael’s College
An Autoethnographic Exploration of Holistic Wellness Through Three Paradigms of Wellness; Western Medicine, Traditional African Healing, and Herbalism., Alison Frankel, Tulane University
Most 81/82: An Artistic Demonstration Against the Dehumanization of Society, Hope Fried, Smith College
Desde Basura, una Cultura: El sitio Samarina, La Libertad, Ecuador, Alexandra Friedl, University of the South
The Modern Opinions Regarding Polygamy of Married Men and Women in Dakar, Hannah Fried-Tanzer, George Washington University
Access to Capital in Dakar: An Analysis of Microfinance, Michael Furlane, Tulane University
Living Openly: 2 Narratives of Black and White Lesbians Living in Cape Town, Rebecca Gant, Franklin & Marshall College
The Art of Controlling a Meteorological Event: Responsibility of the Government and Perspectives of the People Regarding Flooding in the City of Buenos Aires, Jennifer Giffels, Providence College
Poverty, Wealth, and How Traditional Medicine Would Benefit the United States, Becky Darin Goldberg, Tufts University
Even Flowers Bloom on Unmarked Graves: Stories of Disappeared South Africans, Willa Goldberg, St. Edward's University
Through Women’s Eyes The Development of Lijiang and Nakhi Cultural Change, Wyatt Gordon, Skidmore College
Written Journalism in Vietnam, Conor Grant, Middlebury College
The Need for a More Stable Cacao Industry, Lauren Griffith, Siena College
Examining the Effectiveness of the Millennium Villages Project Through the Health and Education Sectors: A Case Study in Ruhiira, Uganda, Meixi Guo, Vanderbilt University
Headlines in Rhyme: A Case Study on Le Journal Rappé as an Agent of Senegalese Sociopolitical Change, Jessica Hackel, Boston University
Los Efectos de La Educación Intercultural Bilingüe en la Ciudad de Cusco, Lilly Hacker, Warren Wilson College
HIV/AIDS in Yunnan Province: A Study of Stigma and Support, Sofia Haile, Macalester College
Modernization and Its Effects in Loma Bonita: A Leap from Historical Subsistence Agriculture into the Precarious Commercial Market, Piper Halpin, University of Colorado At Boulder
Twenty Years Later: Perceptions and Understandings of Democracy in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, Jennifer Hamilton, George Washington University
An Evaluation of Potential Management Options for the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) Population in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar, Rebecca Hamilton, Rollins College
Land Law, Land Rights, and Land Reform in Vietnam: A Deeper Look into “Land Grabbing” for Public and Private Development, Kaitlin Hansen, Northwestern University
"Let It Come From the People”: Exploring Decentralization, Participatory Processes, and Community Empowerment in Western, Rural Uganda, Rachel Harmon, Cornell University
How far would you go with him?: Interethnic Romantic and Sexual Encounters and Relations among Men in the Dutch Context, Dillon C. Harvey, Brandeis University
Where No Man Has Gone Before: A Critical Roadmap for the Use of Drones in Targeted Killing, Valerie Heinmets, Fordham University
The Adjudication of Kenya’s 2013 Election: Public Perception, Judicial Politics, and Institutional Legitimacy, Charles Herman, Pomona College
Las Multiplicidades de Salud Integral: Medicina Plural, Medicina Holística, Louise Highleyman, Brown University
Effective and Sustainable Programs of Change: A Case Study of Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-G), Kristen Hochreiter, University of Pittsburgh
The ‘Boonies: Effects of Habitat on the Behavior of Papio Anubis Outside of Lake Manyara National Park in Mto wa Mbu, Tanzania, Madison Hoeninghausen, Emory University
Pregnant with Parasites: Assessing Parasitic Infections in Pregnant Women of the Kwale District, Christina Hopkins Hopkins
From Exquisite to Extinct: Linguistic Human Rights in the Tibetan Diaspora || Tibetan Pragmatics, Standardization Ethics and Obligatory Bilingualism, Camille Zora Inge, Barnard College
"It's About the Way You Fold Your Underwear": Dutch Interracial Relationships in the Colonial Context, Sarah Iverson, Smith College
Socio-Cultural Barriers to Family Planning Access, Aasha Jackson, Brown University
Traditional Healing in Madagascar: A Study of a Tandroy Ombiasa and his Methods of Healing, Haleemah Jackson, Smith College
Ndank-Ndank: How Governmental Health Organizations Can Take Their First Step to Help Other’s Take Their First Step: A Case Study of a Prosthetics and Orthotics Rehabilitation Center in Dakar, Senegal, Sarah Jacobi, Oregon State University
Mujeres Mozonteñas: Liderazgo, Tierra e Identidad en el Pueblo Indígena de Mozonte, Nueva Segovia, Karla Jiménez, Columbia University
Stories of the Stars: The History and Folklore of Tibetan Ethnoastronomy, Mara Johnson-Groh, Gustavus Adolphus College
Los Colores de la edad, Kerry Johnson, University of Vermont
Nunca han visitado, no han vivido Ecoturismo comunitario: una Alternativa Sostenible y Constitucional de desarrollo en la zona de Intag, Jenny Johnston, Middlebury College
Poaching as a threat to biodiversity and a barrier to sustainable development in Western Uganda: A Case Study of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Kibale National Park, and Surrounding Areas, Madeleine Torraca Jones, University of Denver
Abundancia y Diversidad de Las Mariposas en Los Senderos Del Parque Natural Metropolitano., Erin Josephitis, Rollins College
Integrated Health Care Systems: A Holistic Approach to Medicine, Tatiana Kaehler, Whitman College
Public Perceptions on Family Planning and Birth Spacing in the Cultural and Religious Context of Senegal: A Case Study in Dakar, Senegal, Heidi Kahle, Rice University
Recuperando el cuarto punto de la chacana: La Universidad Aymara “Tupak Katari” y la descolonización de desarrollo, Rebecca Kane, Macalester College
Reaching Millennium Development Goal Target 5.A.: Progress Towards Improving Maternal Health, Christina Kang, Scripps College
An Ethical Analysis of Incentives as “Nudges” Toward Better Health Outcomes: A Case Study of Seva Mandir’s Immunization Program in Rural Udaipur, Julika Kaplan, Rice University
“La Voz de los Sin Voz:” Teatro Político en Los movimientos Sociales Chilenos 1973-2013, Dan Katz-Zeiger, Tufts University
Dipo Rites and Women’s Health: Tradition Empowering Krobo Female Identity and Reproductive Health in Manya-Krobo, Nina Kearin, Goucher College
La Realidad de Comercio Justo: una Investigación de las Fallas y los éxitos del Sistema en el Valle de la Convención, Perú, desde la Perspectiva de los Productores, Katy Keisling, Scripps College
Challenges to Compliance with International Humanitarian Law in the Context of Contemporary Warfare, Morgan Kelley, University of Texas at Austin
Fa’amatala Lau Tala: Samoan Pregnancy and Childbirth Narratives, Elsa Kendall, Beloit College
Large-Scale Urban Planning, Culture & Environment: A Case Study in Saigon South Urban Area, John Kennedy, Hamilton College
La situación de las cataratas en la ciudad de Buenos Aires: un estudio de caso en el Hospital Ramos Mejía / The situation of cataracts in the city of Buenos Aires: a case study in Ramos Mejía Hospital, Katie Elizabeth Kessler, Wofford College
Jordanian University Student’s Attitudes and Perceptions on Mental Health, Amira Khablein, Gonzaga University
An Evaluation of Environmental Education Programs on Pemba Island, Lindsay Kingston, Middlebury College
Going Green and Staying Sustainable: Community Based Tree-Planting Projects in Mongolia, Rachel Klassen, Humboldt State University
Overcoming Environmental Injustices: An analysis of citizen assemblies’ fight against open-pit mining in Bariloche and Esquel, Sara Kleinkopf, Whitman College
The Stigmatization of Disabilities in Africa and the Developmental Effects, Kelsey Koszela, University of Texas at Austin
Religion, Rehabilitation and Political Participation of Sex Workers in Kampala, Rachael Krishnan, University of Notre Dame
Mangrove Species Identification on Uzi Island, Zanzibar Archipelago, Mariah Kuitse, Illinois Institute of Technology
“Papa, should I tell you what I think of this exhibition, I would cry.” An Analysis of Visitor Impression Books at the Bosnian Historical Museum in Sarajevo, Amanda Lawnicki, Beloit College
Más allá de las fronteras: Pasos hacia la educación intercultural basados en la experiencia con alumnos migrantes en 6 escuelas primarias en Buenos Aires, Argentina y Santiago, Chile, Kendra Layton, Georgetown University
Bhikshunis and Breaking Barriers: The Changing Status of Women in Monastic Life, McKenna LeClear, University of Tulsa
Traditional Boat Building: An Intersection of Zanzibar’s Culture and Environment, Eric Levenson, Bowdoin College
Las Raíces de la Deforestación en el Departamento Pando, Jeremy Levine-Drizin, Macalester College
Nurturing the Whole Body: The Benefits of Supplementing Tuberculosis Chemotherapy with Traditional Chinese Medical Practices, Rachel Levine, Bates College
¿“El Pueblo, presidente”?: Ejemplos de Poder Ciudadana en el Municipio de San Ramón, Matagalpa, Maura Lewandowski, Emory University
Development Narratives: How Rwandans Perceive, Re-Make, and Re-Imagine Themselves Within and Without Government Development Programs, Katy Lindquist, Colby College
Comercialización contra Capitalización: nuevas visiones de desarrollo en la lucha por la tierra en la Puna, Katherine Luke, University of Pittsburgh
Agua para Todos: Water Access Issues and Responses in Northeast Brazil, Jason Machado, Pomona College
Oxen and Elephants: An Examination of Approaches to Enlightenment and Dialogue Between Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Alexander Macmillan, Middlebury College
Comparison Study of Fish Species Richness of Two Mangrove Forests on Misali Island: Eastern (Extractive) v. Western (CORE) Mangrove Forests, Spencer M. Mallette, St. Michael's College
Deforestación en El Corredor de Sangay- Llanaganates, Ecuador: Un Análisis con GPS y Satélite, Joel Mandella, Macalester College
Are You Man Enough? A Look at the Attitudes of Young Male Professionals on Notions of Masculinity and Male Gender Norms in Modern India, Sanggeet Mithra Manirajah, Scripps College
Adding Injustice to Injury - Health Perceptions, Plurality, and Power in the Ongoing Bhopal Disaster, Ruth Markwardt, Colorado College
Sexual Education for Youth in Rwanda: A Case Study of Methods, Effectiveness, and Response at the Kimisagara One Stop Youth Center, Leslie Massicotte, Earlham College
A Woolly Monkey Travel Guide: An Assessment of the Foraging Patterns Among Lagothrix Poeppigii on Sumak Allpa Island, Ecuador, Adrienne Mathis, Davidson College
A Silent Killer of India’s Women: Investigating the Barriers To Adequate Tuberculosis Treatment and Diagnosis for Women in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Evonne McArthur, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Everyone Counts : Une Enquête sur le Recensement Général de la Population de Madagascar, Charlotte McDonald, Yale University
Shaping Young Women for the Future: A Case Study of a South African Girls’ School, Colleen McGeehan, Columbia University
“For All the Women You Are”: National Identity, Gender, and Tradition/Modernity in Indian Women’s Magazines, Dana McLachlin, University of Richmond
Upload Complete Syncing the Thunder Dragon: An Analysis of Bhutanese Media and its Influences on a Changing Culture, Brian McQueen, St. Michael's College
Elle doit s’épanouir: The Women’s Entrepreneurial Program and Women’s Empowerment in Dschang, Melanie Meisenheimer, Gettysburg College
Interpretaciones Entretejidas de Justicia: Estudio de caso de los talleristas bolivianos en Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rebecca Mendoza, University of Oregon
An Integrated Research Approach to the Development of Fungal Isolates as Bioherbicides for the Control of Woody Weeds, Patrick Mershon, Kenyon College
The Teaching of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and it’s Lasting Implications on the African Diaspora, Mara Meyers, University of Michigan
El estigma de la depresión y cómo está influenciado por la percepción de la enfermedad en Santiago, Chile, Elena Michaels
Viendo de Camino a Casa: La Construcción de la Identidad Transnacional en la Comunidad Libanesa de Buenos Aires = Looking Homeward: The Construction of Transnational Identity in the Lebanese Community of Buenos Aires, Lindsay Miller, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill