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 2009
Bodhisattvas in the Pagoda and in the World: Socially Engaged Buddhism in Hue, Rachel Cotterman, Oberlin College
Una Manera de Vida Diferente: Embarazos en Adolescentes y Planificación Familiar en la Zona de Intag, Ecuador, Jennifer Dabrow, Brandeis University
Die Taal is Gans die Volk? Building a Common Afrikaans-Language Identity and Community in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Susan DeMartino, George Washington University
The Impact of Brazil’s Bolsa Familia Program on Food Security in Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, Mario Felipe Dest, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ugandan by Birth, Proud by Circumstance: A Look at Pride and Patriotism in Northern Uganda, Hannah Detig, Illinois Wesleyan University
“It’s A Ripple Effect”: Global Mamas in a Developing Ghana, Mara Dold, Gettysburg College
Ceeb ak Jën: Deconstructing Senegal’s National Plate in Search of Cultural Values, Megan Duffy, Kenyon College
Constructions of Disease in Mayo Village, Rachel Eades, Bates College
An Oriental Christ: A Perfect Condition After the State Was God, Thomas Nathaniel Eaves, Guilford College
Herbs, Qur’an, and Mashetani: Practice, Use, Perception, and Integration of Traditional Medicine in Bodo, Elan Ebeling, University of Oregon
The Legalities and Realities of Emancipation Policies in the Netherlands and Their Associated Welfare State Typologies, Leigh Ellis, American University
Power to the People: Rural Electrification in Uganda, Zachary Ezor, Colby College
Teaching Peace: An Exploration in Youth Peace Building Through Peace Education Programs in Gulu Municipality, Northern Uganda, Julia Firestone, Hampshire College
L’adoption de Bracharia par les Éleveurs Mahafaly : Un Étude du Projet de AVSF Dans la Commune de Betioky, Michelle Fisher, Cornell University
Community, Infant Feeding, and AIDS: Empowerment Evaluation in Rural Eastern Cape, Laura Flamm, Miami University: Oxford Campus
OPACITY: A Socioeconomic Study of Diamond Mining in South-Eastern Cameroon, Steven Fox, University of Richmond
The Story of the Beverage Can: How Cans Are Re-Used and Recycled in the Village of Maun, Emma Frappier, Warren Wilson College
All That You Can’t Leave Behind: Making and Administering Laws in the Select Government Localities of Komenda, Cape Coast, and Accra, Andrew Freeman, Trinity College
The Traditional Wolof Voice: Lessons from a Griot in Pout, Senegal, Lucy French, Washington University in St. Louis
National Parks in China: A New Model for Nature Conservation, Katherine Fritz, New York University
Co-Development in Mali: A Case Study of a Development Phenomenon Exploited by Immigration Policy, Diane Galatowitsch, Tulane University
Changing Dress and Changing Perceptions: A Look at Traditional Muslim Dress in a Small Coastal Town, Maggie Gilligan, Kenyon College
Remembering the Roots: Political Consciousness in the Quilombo Pitanga de Palmares in a Modernizing Society, Matthew Glenn, Pomona College
Consumption as Lifestyle: The Use of Western Lifestyle as a Status Symbol in Multinational Corporations' Advertising in India, Alissa Goddard, Hamilton College
The Transition Movement in Australia: An Analysis of the Progress, Challenges, and Future of Transition Initiatives, Mia Goldwasser, Brandeis University
The Politics of Genetically Modified Organisms: Global Rules, Local Needs, Ximena Gonzalez, The University of Texas at Austin
Churning the Ocean of Milk: The Role of Vocal Composition in Tibetan Buddhist Ritual Music, Gabriel Gordon, Wesleyan University
Campesinos/as Cultivating Soil: Promoting and Adopting Sustainable Agriculture in Jinotega, Nicaragua, Emily Grady, Bates College
Music in Its Social Context: Fiji in a Microcosm, Alexander Greene, St. Michael's College
A Preliminary Linguistic Analysis of Plant Names in Ikpaná (Logba), an Endangered Ghana Togo Mountain Language, Lydia Jewl Green, University of Southern California
Extending the School Day: The Design, Execution and Steps Towards Sustainability of an After-School Program for Young Girls in Kibera, Rebecca Green, Hamilton College
Reserved Women: The Implementation and Efficacy of a Reserved Seat Quota for Women in the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Carolyn Griffiths, Bates College
Playing Past the Troubles: Theatrical Expression in a Post-Conflict Society, Jayce Hafner, Hendrix College
Las Secuelas Psicológicas y las Necesidades en Salud Mental Para las Víctimas de la Dictadura: Una Mirada Crítica a los Servicios de PRAIS, Kate Hails, Hamilton College
Creating a Culture of Accountability: The Prosecution of Gender Crimes in the ICTY, Alice Hansen, University of Colorado
Pisco por la Razon o la Fuerza El Debate Entre Perú y Chile Sobre la Denominacion de Origen del Pisco, y sus Implicaciones., Courtney Harrell, University of Virginia
The Expression of Power in Mughal Architecture, Arielle Hein, University of Colorado at Boulder
The Secrets and History of the Madaniyya Sufi of Ksibet al-Mediouni, Tunisia, Ryan Heisler, Brandeis University
Flamenco y Género: ¿Amigos o Enemigos? = Gender in Flamenco: Friends or Enemies?, Maya Hislop, Williams College
Voz de los Internos: Atención de salud en el recinto penal en Arica, Chile, Lily Hoffman, New York University
Globalization’s Impact on Identity Through Billboard Advertisements, Sarah Hogan, Dickinson College
Mitigating the Impact of AIDS on a Rural Community: Observations of the inner workings of a rural non-governmental organization, Kara Huselton, Boston College
Sex Trafficking: Social Constructions and Stereotypes of Recovery in Viet Nam, Linh Huynh, Northwestern University
La Ciada de la Industria Salmonera y las Consequences, Kyla Jacobs, Colby College
Dublin’s Forgotten: The Transition From ‘Separated Children’ to ‘Aged-Out Minors’ Through Policy, Media, and Organizational Support., Meghan Jaird, St. Michael's College
Green Dharma: Clearing the Pollution of Our Minds to Save the Environment, Richard Dale Jenkinson IV, Middlebury College
An Assessment of How Land Use and Productivity Has Changed in Villages Surrounding Mazumbai in the West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania: Specifically the Original Tea Plot Allocations Received by Members of the Sagara Group in 1991, Abby Jensen, The College of Wooster
Shifting Focus: Redefining the Goals of Sea Turtle Consumption and Protection in Bali, Audrey Jensen, Bates College
Cultural Tourism in Botswana and the Sexaxa Cultural Village: A Case Study, Rachel Jones, College of William and Mary
Behavioral Application in Wildlife Photography: Developing a Foundation in Ecological and Behavioral Characteristics of the Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey (Procolobus kirkii) as it Applies to the Development Exhibition Photography, Matthew Jorgensen, Cornell University
Weaving and Scheming: Adventures on Planet Mosuo, Melissa Judson, University of California: Los Angeles
The Body as Text: The Construction of Contemporary Gender Within a Queer Context in Salvador, Bahia, Tigist Kassahun, Pomona College
Zoran Djindjic Remembered: The Formation of Collective Memories, Rebecca Gabrielle Porath Katz, Vassar College
A Multidisciplinary Approach on Swiss Organic Food and Agriculture, Jae In Kim, Washington University in St. Louis
Early-Life Rituals and Mother Identities: Ways in Which Hindu Women Are Viewed in the Context of Traditional Ritual Practices, Kidecia King, Hamilton College
L’Abandon de l’Excision au Sénégal d’ici 2015: Une Analyse de la Collaboration Entre l’ONG Tostan et le Ministère de la Famille, Karen Kirk, Davidson College
Alienation in Acholiland: War, Privatization, and Land Displacement in Northern Uganda, Nicole Kligerman, Macalester College
Visualizing Tagore: A Visual Study of Rabindranth Tagore's Writings and Philosophies, Galen Koch, Skidmore College
La Historia y la Educación: El Fomento de una Identidad Nacional, Mira Kohl, Macalester College
Controlling the Dengue Mosquito (Aedes aegypti): Assessment of the Effects of Metofluthrin, a Novel Vapor-Active Pyrethroid, on Mosquito Behavior in a Modeled Domestic Setting., Randy Kring, Bowdoin College
The Amphibian and Reptile Diversity of Tràm Chim National Park, Đống Tháp Province, Việt Nam, Alex Krohn, Oberlin College
The Realities and Effectiveness of Ecotourism Operations on Moreton Island, Yoshihiko Kubota, Hamilton College
Intervención Gubernamental en Barrios Pobres: El Caso de Quiero mi Barrio en la Población Modelo Comuna de San Ramón Providencia de Santiago, Sara Kushner, Occidental College
“For They Shall Inherit the Earth”: Seeking Solutions for Durban’s Street Children, Allison La Fave, Harvard University
L’identité Dans la Musique Occitane : La Conservation de l’Art Pour Exprimer la Culture = Identity in Occitan Music : Expressions of Culture Through the Preservation of Art, Christina Lambert, Wheaton College
El Rol de la Partera en la Provincia de Parinacota, Liana Langdon-Embry, Brandeis University
Graffiti en Managua: Una Expresión Democrática de la Juventud Nicaragüense, Katie LaRoque, Mount Holyoke College
“There are Beasts!” The Relationship Between Humans and Elephants in Xishuangbanna, Hannah Larson, Bowdoin College
Monkeying Around: Spatial Differences in Riverine Habitat Utilization by Vervets, Sykes, and Baboons, Sondra Lavigne, Harvard University
Grey to Green: The Wolf as Culture and Profit in Mongolia and the Importance of Its Survival, Samuel LeGrys, Goucher College
Redrawing the Walls: Street Art in Belgrade, Emily Levitt, Washington University in St.Louis
Rising Buddhism in Vietnam, H. Rebecca Lockwood, Hartwick College
Pomacea Canaliculata in Tram Chim National Park: An Examination of the Golden Apple Snail within Local Vegetation Populations, Justin Loiseau, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Perceptions of Microfinance in Cameroon: A Case Study of UNICS, Yaoundé, Ian Long, Vassar College
Comparative Medinas: Complexity and Contradiction in Tourist Spaces in Tunisia, Maxwell E. Loos, Macalester College
Street Culture of Mombasa: Are the Survivors Really Surviving?, Danny Low, Pomona College
La Calidad del Agua Potable en Arica, con Respecto a la Salud, Emily Lubell, University of Vermont
“The Womb People” : Detection, Treatment, And Prevention Of Cervical Cancer With The Khayelitsha Cervical Cancer Screening Project In Khayelitsha, South Africa, Kirsten Lynch, Brown University
“I Didn’t Feel Like Living”: The Prevalence, Perceptions, and Prevention of HIV/AIDS Among Tibetan Refugees in Kathmandu, Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver, Wesleyan University
The Beauty of Arabic Script: Tracing the Artistic Significance of the Arabic Letter in Morocco, Sarah C. Malin, Northwestern University
Sponges on Chumbe Island, Emily Marshall, University of Richmond
Moving On From the War: The Factors That Influence Contemporary Perceptions of Former Enemies, Erin Martin, Beloit College
Public Health Ethics: Establishing “Durable Solutions” Within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Nigeria, Tiffany T. Mason, Yale University
Selective Filtration in the Tropical Marine Sponge Rhopaloeides Odorabile: Impacts of Elevated Seawater Temperature on Feeding Behavior, Andrew Massaro, University of Richmond
Lessons From CIdeCI Las Casas : The Potential for Non-Directive Learning Spaces in the United States, Gideon Mausner, Yale University
The Role and Potential of Businesswomen in Morocco’s Civil Society, Teresa Mbagaya, Yale University
How to Build a Health Clinic: Disease Burden, Health Seeking Behavior and Clinic Structures in the Kibera Slums, Samuel McGowan, Brown University
“Voter Sans Voter?”: A Study of Voter Participation in Bamako, Samantha McLean, George Washington University
Survey of Anthropogenic Vegetation Changes on Uzi and Vundwe Islands: A Study on Deforestation and Its Implications for People and Wildlife, Lindley Mease, Stanford University
Know Your Enemy: Tibetan Perceptions of and Approaches to Chinese Studies in Exile, Katherine Mechling, Wesleyan University
Learning the Kora in Two Senegalese Contexts: As a Tradition vs. As a Religion, Emily Merkert, Alfred University
India’s Role in Mongolia’s Third Neighbor Policy, Brandon Joseph Miliate, University of Southern California
A Sociological Analysis of Crimes of Honor: Examining the Effects of Higher Education on the Concepts of Honor and Notions of Gender Equality in Jordan, Alex Miller, Illinois Wesleyan University
Dwog Paco: Tackling the Challenges of Reintegrating Ex-LRA in Kitgum District, Takako Mino, Claremont McKenna College
Integrating Identities: Negotiating the Religious Lives of Homosexual Christians in the Netherlands, Scott Mitchell, University of Notre Dame
Vital Correspondence: Analyzing Local and International Media Coverage of Armed Conflict, Marissa Moran, The George Washington University
Mental Health in Mali: An Analysis of the Expression of Major Depressive Disorder Across Different Cultures, Ashley Morris, Emory University
The Economic and Social Development of the Moroccan Sahara: An Analysis of the Development of the Southern Provinces in the Context of Morocco’s Political Future, Rohini Muralidharan, Brown University
Diagnostique sur la Santé des Récifs Coralliens à Nosy Tanikely et la Baie d’Ambanoro, Chelsea Nahill, Colby College
The Cost of Progress: Failed Development and Community Response on Pulau Serangan, Julia Nakad, Oberlin College