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 2012
“A Place for the Grassroots”: Examining the Role of Community Participation and Local Governance in Providing Mid-Day Meals in Lucknow District, Uttar Pradesh, Anderson Tuggle, Hamilton College
The Clash of Human Rights Principles and National Security Concerns: The Implications of the Readmission Agreement Between Ukraine and the European Union on the Rights of Unaccompanied Migrant Children, Kateryna Ustymenko, Columbia University
Jordan’s Political Public Sphere: Understanding the Youth’s Awareness and Perceptions of the Constitutional Reforms in the Post-Arab Spring Era, Krista Vendetti, Vassar College
The Current Status of Maternal Health in Samoa: Maternal Health Perspectives According to Professionals and Women, Yesenia Pedro Vicente, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Primero, la verdad”: Un Análisis sobre los Procesos de Construcción Identitaria de los Jóvenes de Villa Tranquila / “First, the Truth”: An Analysis of the Processes of Identity Construction for the Youth of Villa Tranquila, Courtney Weintraub, Lehigh University
The Social and Economic Impact of MPESA on the Lives of Women in the Fishing Industry on Lake Victoria, Danielle White, Stonehill College
“Heaven and Earth” Samoan Indigenous Religion, Christianity, and the Relationship Between the Samoan People and the Environment, Grace Wildermuth, Middlebury College
Mutual Accountability, Mutual Respect: Combatting Social Exclusion With Academic Inclusion for Differently-Abled People at The Kiran Centre in Madhopur, Up, India., Audrey M. Wilson, Tufts University
A Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Ecological Assessment Methods of Mangroves in Southwestern Madagascar, Sondra Winders, Gettysburg College
The Rhetoric of the Modern Hijab., Mihret Woldesemait, Duke University
New Approaches to the Green Revolution: Successes, Failures and New Rice for Africa, Maia S. Woluchem, University of Pittsburgh
Implications for Old-field Restoration: Diversity and abundance of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Soils of Restored York Gum (Eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. loxophleba) Sites vs. Remnants., Jessica Wong, University of Puget Sound
Assessing the Viability of Desalination for Rural Water Supply in Chwaka, Zanzibar, Roy Yu and Daniele Packard
Submissions from 2011
Local Solutions for a Global Problem: The Role of NGOs in Maximizing the Efficacy of Local Government Sanitation Efforts in Rural Maharashtra, Jorge Aceves, Rice University
Men of God Homosexual and Catholic Identity Negotiation, Through Holland‟s Catholic Priests, Kyle Alexander, Fordham University
Creciendo de Nuestras Raíces, Alcanzando el Cielo: Diálogo de Saberes Sobre Educación en la Comunidad de Kajchiri, Amy Grace Austin, University of Colorado At Boulder
The Influence of Local Government and BID Initiatives on CUCA Che Guevara as a Center for Social Inclusion, Tessa Baizer, Washington University in St. Louis
Why Now and What's Next: The February 20th Movement’s Challenge to the State, Marina Balleria, University of Puget Sound
“Los Esfuerzos Escolares en España y el Papel de La Escuelita” - The Scholar Challenges in Spain and the Role of “La Escuelita”, Adriana Barriga, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
No Girls Allowed…: A Study on the Perceptions of Freemasonry and Community in Arusha, TZ., Alex Barton, Bates College
Tattered: Why the Tibetan Carpet Industry of Nepal Is Declining, and How To Mend It, Dustin Becker, The George Washington University
Voluntariado en La Ciudad de Los Niños de Granada - Volunteering at the “Ciudad de Los Niños” of Granada, Lauren Begasse, Providence University
A Habitat and Abundance Study of Octopus cyanea in Southwest Madagascar, Michael Belazis, University of Colorado At Boulder
La Derecha Contemporánea en Chile: su Rol en el Movimiento Estudiantil, Alexandra Jane Bellows, Johns Hopkins University
¡El Machismo Mata! Promoviendo una Masculinidad Libre de Violencia, Olivia Bergman, Wellesley College
The Development, Use and Cultural Context of M-PESA in Costal Kenya, Micah S. Berman, Pomona College
South African Jews and How the History of the Aparthied Has Effected the Community’s Relationship to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Julia Berner-Tobin, Earlham College
Passing the Test: The Transgender Self, Society and Femininity, Allison Bischoff, Washington University in St. Louis
The Language of Action: A Creative Study of Resistance to Slavery From West Africa to the Days Across the Sea, Kali Block-Steele, Skidmore College
A Geologic Guide to the Gokyo Ri Trek: Its Hazards, Nepal’s Hindrances, Allison Bolger
The Influence of Family Structure on Women’s Role in Agriculture in Two Distinct Societies of Southwest China, Audrey Boochever, Cornell University
Effects of Coral Stressing on the Feeding Preferences of the Coral Predator, Acanthaster Planci, Harriet Booth, Brown University
By the Pricking of My Thumbs, Something Wicked This Way Comes: Omani Perceptions of the Supernatural, Jennifer L. Borger, Gettysburg College
Predators of Enashiva: A Survey of Occurrence & Distribution, Adrienne Fisk Bowles, Colby College
A Long Road Home: Housing Rights in South Africa’s Informal Settlement, Joe Slovo, Kaitlyn Bowles, Tufts University
Above the Mukpa: The Shifting Ground of Khumbu's Sacred Geography, Noah Brautigam, Middlebury College
Yongzhi Village: An Example for Sustainable Tourism and Development in Deqin County, Kiersten Brown, University of Colorado At Boulder
El Perro de Monte de Sechura: Su Relación con el Bosque Seco Tropical y la Gente de la Región Central de Manabí, Julian O. Buffam, Connecticut College
Sientes la Pista - Hip-Hop and Hopes of Q'omer Llajta/Hip Hop K'Ayma, Sebastian Buffa, Northwestern University
The Substance and Style of Len Dong: Healing, Transformation, and Aesthetic in Spirit Possession Rituals of Hue, Lauren Cardenas, Swarthmore College
Una Desconstrucción y Análisis de Centros del SENAME: Las Perspectivas y Experiencias de los Jóvenes, Gema Cardona, Mills College
An Assessment of Icthyofauna and Artisanal Fishing From the Port of Pedregal in the Golfo de Chiriquí., Kathleen A. Carey, University of Connecticut
Temporal Comparisons of Avifauna in Enashiva Nature Refuge, Tanzania An Examination of Species Richness and Abundance, the Effects of the Onset of the Short Rainy Season, and the Migrant Communities Present, Taran Catania, Wesleyan University
“Los Huaynos Me Recuerdan a Mi Tierra”: La Música Radial de Cusco y la Formación de Identidades Migrantes”, Violet Cavicchi, Vassar College
The Challenges of Balancing Careers and Family Life Facing College Women in Jordan, Anna Chang, Tulane University
Arte Implica Pensamiento: La Plástica Como Instrumento Para el Desarrollo de Pensamiento Crítico en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Erin Christie, Mount Holyoke College
The Impact of QMM on Social Relations in Fort-Dauphin, Christopher B. Collier, University of Georgia
El Manejo de Recursos Marinos en el Área de Yandub-Narganá, Kuna Yala: Estrategias, Objetivos y Dificultades, Hannah Marie Colton, Duke University
What is the Value of a Sea Turtle?: A Case Study of the Conservation Ethics of Sea Turtle Fishermen in the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, Alicia Conte, University of Colorado at Boulder
Performance Measurement and Improvement at FINCA Uganda, Aaron Cowans, Indiana University Bloomington Campus
Photography and Poetry in Children’s Literature: An Illustrated Journey Through Environment and Place, Hannah Crews, St. Edward's University
Constructing Cidadania: Shifting Visions of Citizenship in the MST settlement Assentamento 25 de Maio in Ceará, Brazil, Alexis Victoria Cruzzavala, Yale University
#reformjo: Jordanian Tweets for Social Reform, Megan Daily, Washington and Lee University
Differentiating the Vulnerability of Kothis and Hijras to HIV/AIDS: A Case Study of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Poonam Daryani, Scripps College
Acholi Clan, Ethnic, and National Identities in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda: A Case Study in Koch Goma Sub-County, Nwoya District, David L. Davenport, University of Richmond
Seaweed Farmer Education: Is it Enough to Sustain the Industry? Analyzing the Status of Stakeholder Investment in Muungoni and Jambiani, Unguja, Erika Davis, North Carolina State University
This Land Is Our Land: The Ngöbe Stuggle for Land, Fran del Rosario, Univeristy of Richmond
Il Faut Manger: A Study of Women’s Body Image and Obesity in Mali, Jennifer Denike, Duke University
CAP Centre : L’Epicerie Sociale, Ana de Pina, Providence College
Youth Dating Culture in Urban Vietnam: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences, Alexa DiFiore, Washington University in St. Louis
“Mind the Gap” Addressing the Gap Between Health Care Policy & Health Care Reality in Madagascar & the Way Forward Integrating Traditional Medicine & Ethical Reform Within Health Care, Laura Dillon, University of Vermont
Effective, Efficient Health Care Reform The United States and Swiss Health Care Systems: A Comparative Analysis What Can the U.S. Learn From the Swiss Experience?, Rebecca Dittrich, Cornell University
Psychosocial Problems of Refugees: Understanding and Addressing Needs, Catherine Doren, Wesleyan University
Soul Medicine: The Role of Traditional Senegalese Music in a Therapeutic Context, Alexa K. Dorris, Denison University
Validating the Culture of Agriculture: Farmers Groups and Organic Agriculture Mitigating Rural to Urban Migration in Bhutan, Emma Dosch, Allegheny College
Hchouma Alik!: A Look at the Evolution of Hchouma in Contemporary Moroccan Society, Eden Dotan, Skidmore College
Monitoring Nesting Trends and Hatchling Success of the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Population on Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Taylor Dunbar, Franklin & Marshall College
Rural Futures: How Can Agricultural Development Lead to a High Quality of Life?, Jessie Ebersole, Middlebury College
Herbs and Healers of the North: Medicine, Practices and Philosophies in Islamic and Traditional Healing in Northern Ghana, Renee Edwards, Babson College
Assessing Mental Health Care for Iraqi Refugees in Jordan Looking to New Solutions for the Future, Hannah B. Egan, Villanova University
Rising Food Prices in Kenya: How the Government and Its Citizens Are Coping, or Not, Teresa Eilers, Occidental College
尼西黑陶: A Study of Tibetan Black Pottery, Catherine Elliott, Bates College
The Perfect Storm: How Pro-Abortion Activists in the Netherlands Incite Social Change From International Waters, Julia Ellis‐Kahana, Brown University
Counting Cailloux, Multiplying Mambos: An Analysis of Mathematics Education in Cameroonian Primary Schools, Rachel Elzinga, Hope College
R-E-S-P-E-C-T Expectations, Perceptions, and Influences on Moroccan Etiquette, Christina Ermilio, Wesleyan University
Fight or Flight: The Situation of the Young and Jobless in Morocco, Anduriña Espinoza, George Washington University
Correcting 60 Years of Development Failure: The Potential of Scaling Up in Addressing Development Ineffectiveness, Jossif Ezekilov, George Washington University
“It’s Just Not That Simple:” Territory and Politics at Girdwood Park, Kyra Fallon, Gettysburg College
Infectious Disease as a Security Threat, With Particular Application to the Migration Context, Marielena Faria, George Washington University
Buscando el Agua El Papel del Agua en la Histora, las Vidas Cotidianas, y la Educación de la Gente de Lomas de San Jacinto, Sabrina Faubert, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
La Integración de Gimnasios al Aire Libre y el Desarrollo Local, Emily Feenstra, Carnegie Mellon University
¡Edúcame! Violencia, Autoridad e Identidad en el Movimiento Studiantil Actual, Aila Ferguson, Occidental College
The Believer, the Traveler and the Storyteller, Natasha Field-Rahman, Sarah Lawrence College
Sostenibilidad y Autogestión en Programas de Seguridad Alimentaria en Nicaragua, Katherine Finnegan, University of Southern California
The Aders’s Duikers (Cephalophus adersi) of Mnemba Island, Zanzibar: A Study of the Behavior and Diet of a Critically Endangered Species, Aviva Fiske, Bowdoin College
Alliances et Cultures: Cap Nord, Stacey Fitzpatrick, Colorado State University
Tree Plantation Expansion: Impacts on Rural Communities in the Central North of Tasmania, Kyla Flaten, Whitman College
The Barzakh of Flamenco: Tracing the Spirituality, Locality and Musicality of Flamenco From South of the Strait of Gibraltar, Tania Flores, Occidental College
The Rise of the Last Woman: An Analysis of Women’s Independence in 21st Century Rajasthan, Anita C. Foster, Spelman University
How Do Religion and Belief Systems Influence Traditional Medicine and Health Care in Madagascar?, Whitney Franklin, University of Texas at Austin
A Study of Sponge Aquaculture in Jambiani: Is Shallow Farming Feasible?, Sarah Friday, University of Richmond
Assessment of International Efforts to Protect the Rights of Unaccompanied Minors, Kyla Gaines, Spelman University
Cost of the Connoisseur’s Cup: Power Dynamics in a Tea Factory’s Conversion to Organic Production, Karen Gardner, Bard College
Nomadic Knowledge of the Yak: A Case Study in the Khangai Mountains, Mongolia, Jesse Geary, Macalester College
Fair and Lovely: Standards of Beauty, Globalization, and the Modern Indian Woman, Rebecca Gelles, Carleton College
The Role of Information in Enabling Community Response to Mining Threats in Palmares II, Christine Gerbode, Rice University
White-Washed: The “Conservation” of the Physical and Metaphysical States of Ghanaian Slave Castle-Dungeons and Forts, Britney D. Ghee, Rice University
Claiming MANASLU: The Agency of a Rural Community in Nepal’s Developing Mountain Tourism Industry, Sierra Gladfelter, Temple University
La Revolución Teatral: Las Concientizadas, las Empoderadas, las Liberadas en el Teatro Feminista Nicaragüense, Isela Xitlali Gómez, Macalester College
Moms Behind Bars: Motherhood in Eshowe Correctional Center, IndiAna Gowland, Macalester College