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
Guide Accreditation in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area: A Study of the Practices, Attitudes, and Concerns of Small Tourism Operators, Nora Vogel, Wesleyan University
‘These Things Are Simply Very Difficult’: An Exploration of the Existence of and the Relationship Between Sectarianism and Racism in Present-Day Northern Ireland, Coreen Walsh, Point Loma Nazarene University
The Legend of the Almas: A Comparative and Critical Analysis, Nathan Wenzel, George Washington University
Relájate y Disfruta: Lecciones de una Vida Musical y Temporal en el Zaidín = Relax and Enjoy: Lessons about a Temporal Musical Life in Zaidin, Granada, Laura Westman, George Washington University
A New Kind of Middle Man: Looking at Fair Trade in Nepal, Julia Wilber, Hamilton College
Doctors and Imams: Investigating the Integrated Schools of Mombasa, Kenya, Beth Ann Williams, Wake Forest University
The Ties That Bind: Urban Migration, Family Networks, and Cultural Change in Modern Mongolia, Christopher R. Williams, Indiana University
Vietnamese Resistence Mentality, Michael Williams, Hamilton College
The Significance of Music Education in the Primary Curriculum, Mina Won, George Washington University
El Desarrollo Sostenible: Las Aplicaciones de un Sendero Ecológico y una Farmacia Verde al Progreso Ambiental de Pucará, Ecuador, Matthew Woods, Kenyon College
Creating a Category V: Conservation Perceptions and Cultural Changes in the Anjozorobe-Angavo Forest Corridor, Kate Wright, DePauw University
El Carácter Militar de los Carabineros y Cómo Influye su Relación con el País, Joseph Francis Wyer, Occidental College
The Material Remains of World War II on Viti Levu: A Historical Archaeological Inventory, Allison Young, The College of Wooster
Submissions from 2008
Les Modes de Gardes et les Mères Modernes : La Conciliation de Vie Professionnelle et de Vie Familiale à Toulouse, France = Day Care Centers, Baby-Sitters and the Modern Mother: The Equilibrium Between One’s Professional and Family Life in Toulouse, France, Millan AbiNader, Bowdoin College
Conceptions of Wilderness in Tasmania, Sam Adels, Macalester College
Institution Building in the Non-Profit Sector Working as a Fundraising Consultant at a Rehabilitation Center for Children With Disabilities in Lira, Uganda, Crystal Alburger, Beloit College
Hinchinbrook Area Boater’s Opinions Of and Compliance With Dugong Conservation Initiatives, Matilda Andersson, Hamilton College
Bringing Peace Home: Experiences of Graduates of the Peace Camps Run by the Center for Peacebuilding in Sanski Most, Bosnia and Herzegovina., Becca Asaki, Long Island University
Paradigms and Perceptions: A Chronology and Analysis of the Events of the Chan-75 Hydroelectric Project and the Roles and Relationships of Participants, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Jessica Barber, Oberlin College
Second Generation, Not Second Class: How Role Models Can Help Second-Generation Muslim Youth Form Positive Hybrid Identities, Lindsay Bayham, Duke University
Ejijiky: Une Etude d’une Petite Communauté au Sud de Madagascar et sa Dépendance sur la Mer, Julia Beaty, Smith College
O Movimento dos Atingidos Pela Barragem de Tucuruí: Uma História Oral, Susan Beaty, Brown University
Finding Balance and Identity: Second and Third Generation Immigrants in the Netherlands, Alexis Beveridge, Lafayette College
Revitalizing the Human Spirit Together: A Case Study of Movimento de Saúde Mental Comunitária do Bom Jardim in Bom Jardim, Fortaleza, Ceará, Ana Bonilla, Occidental College
Yupanchis: La Matemática Inca y su Incorporación a la Clase, Yonit Bousany, Brandeis University
An Assessment of Housing Decisions Among Shabia Residents, Allison Bream, Northwestern University
Surviving the War, Surviving the Peace: Supporting Women Survivors of War-Rape and Domestic Violence in Medica Zenica, Zoë Brennan-Krohn, Brown University
Taming the Mind: Current Mental Health Treatments and Obstacles to Expanding the Western-Model in a Tibetan Exile Community, Dylan Brock, New York University
Visiones de Pertenencia: Comunidad Tras las Palabras de Personas Mapuche, Marissa Brodney, Columbia University
Vertical Distribution of Spiders (Araneae) on a Tropical Island, Eric Brown, Bates College
The Path of the Arrow: The Evolution of Mongolian National Archery, Eric X. Brownstein, Wheaton College - Norton
Addressing the Crisis of Orphaned and Abandoned Children in Bamako, Jennifer Campbell, Sarah Lawrence College
‘THE CORE RESOURCE’ The Role of Informal Caretakers of the Mentally Ill as Seen in Uganda, Dana Carroll, Northwestern University
Imported Religious Sartorial Markers and the Beard: Perceptions and Politics in Morocco, Rachel Charlesworth, Lehigh University
The 2008 Municipal Elections According to Nicaraguan Women: Nihilism, Hope, and Pragmatism, Teresa Cheng, University of Southern California
American Influence in Spain Through Television, Dominic Corsello, Loyola Marymount University
Study of a Self-Assessment System for the Ecotourism Group in Curuçá: Accounting for Tourist Opinions While Maintaining Initial Goals, Karina Hope Costa, Vassar College
Reviving Ancient Traditions: A New Approach to the Emancipation of Malian Women, Claire Crowley, University of San Francisco
Atravesando la Amazonía: Carreteras, Desarrollo, & el Camino del Desastre, Olivia De Lancie, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A Concentrated Look at HIV/AIDS: Transmission to Low Risk Women Through Intravenous Drug Users and Female Sex Workers in Da Nang City, Vietnam, Danielle A. DePeau, Stonehill College
Hlavní Nádraží: Past, Present, and Future, Laura Dillon, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
“Left in the Forest and Forgotten” Land Policy and the Plight of the Benet, Anne Dirkse, St. John's College
“Multi-Track Diplomacy” Through Enhancing Interreligious Understanding: A Case Study in Abrahamic Trialogue Between Jordanian and American Students, Nick Doctor, University of Tulsa
Beach Fales: Sustainable Eco-Tourism and Cultural Preservation in Samoa: A Case Study of Beach Fales in Manase, Savai’i, Rachel Dolgin, University of Vermont
Mangily : La Vie en Mieux Une Exploration des Effets du Développement et le Tourisme Communautaire sur le Village de Mangily, Madagascar, Breanna Draxler, Gustavus Adolphus College
Hambre Cero and its Impact on the Holistic Health of its Female Beneficiaries, Chelsea Duttweiler, Emory University
The International Market, Globalization and NAFTA: If Food Is Life, Why Have We Allowed It to Become So Dirty?, Abigail Dym, Mount Holyoke College
Past Meets Present: History Education in Northern Ireland, Will Ehrenfeld, Tufts University
Diary of the Hijab, Monica Ek, University of Redlands
Sit Like a Bell: Sound and the Body in Tibetan Buddhism, Christopher Elford, Southwestern University
Aquatic and Terrestrial Habitat Use of the Australian Freshwater Turtle, Chelodina expansa, Ellyn Ercolano, Bucknell University
Waste Management Education in Samoa: A Collection of Case Studies on Present Issues, Kathy Feeney, Swarthmore College
Tibetan Medicine: Carving a Niche in the Modern Medical and Scientific Community, Devon Marie Fitzgerald, Kenyon College
La Lucha por una Comunidad Sustentable Los Campesinos Tonocote de Breayoj: Manejo de Recursos, Desarrollo y Elecciones, David Flannelly, College of Wooster
The Blame Game: Water and Sanitation in Kampala’s Urban Slums, Noelle A. Fogg, Wellesley College
Fiji’s Relationship with India: The Answer to or the Source of Fiji’s Problems?, Julia Fogleman, Duke University
Growing Up Gay in a “Tolerant” Society, John Frank, University of Richmond
Give Life Without Losing Life: The Casa Materna of Matagalpa and the Struggle to Prevent Maternal Death, Lily Emiko Friedman, Brown University
The Exchange at Halesi: A Sacred Place and a Societal Context, Ethan Gohen, Brandeis University
The Moving Landscape: Perspectives on Place, Emily Goughary, Hamilton College
A Portrait of Perseverance: A Glimpse Into the Life of One Family in Edehara, Tunisia, Kathryn Graves Tindell, Butler University
Fighting the Man: A Case Study of the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign, Allison Grill, Skidmore College
Global Advertising and its Implications on the Concept of Spatial Identity: A Case Study of Urban Billboard Advertising in Tunis, Kristen Hackett, Connecticut College
Sex Education in Amsterdam: What They Do and Why They Choose to Do It., Coral E. Hackler, Fort Lewis College
L’Augmentation des Associations Dans « l’État Providence », Sara Haj-Hassan, Rhodes College
The Integration of Traditional and Western Medicine In Ngaoundéré, Cameroon, Alison Hardy, Wesleyan University
Emotional Expression: Poems and Pacific Voices, Anna Lane Harmless, DePauw University
The Interplay of Peace, Justice, and Logic: Bali-Bawock as a Case Study for Inter-Ethnic Land Disputes, Masumi Hayashi-Smith, Brown University
La Religión y los Discursos del Progreso en el Valle del Colca, Eric Hirsch, Columbia University
Smarter Mothers, Healthy Children, Smaller Families: A Look at the Impact of Women’s Education on Family Planning Decisions in the Sultanate of Oman, Kerala Hise, University of Puget Sound
Molding Memory: An Analysis of the Relationship between Representations of Candomblé in Public Places of Memory and the Afro-Brazilian Community, Lauren Hobby, Williams College
Samoa’s Tree of Life: A Study of the Roles of Coconut Products in the Samoan Economy, Past and Present, Dale Hoff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Las Canastas Solidarias: Construyendo una Comercialización Directa con los Productores, Un Análisis de los Métodos Usados Para Realizar Este Objetivo, Caitlin Howe, Pomona College
The Stallion's Mane: The Next Generation of Horses in Mongolia, Amanda Hund, Carleton College
Educating the Forgotten: Non-Formal Education in Urban Kampala, Eleanor Huntington, University of Notre Dame
An Assessment of Subsidy Removal Effects on and Future Sustainability for Livestock Sector of in the Northern Jordanian Badia, Christopher Jetter, Hope College
The Next Generation: A Case Study of Roman Catholic Youth in Suva, Michelle Johnson, St. Michael's College
Teaching the War: What the Vietnamese Government Wants Students to Learn About the American-Vietnam War, Alex Joseph, Wellesley College
El Plan Agua Bosque: Impactos Sociales y Ambiéntales de las Hidroeléctricas Comunitarias Propuestas en Intag, Jonathan Kadish, Pomona College
The Role of Zoos in Creating a Conservation Ethic in Visitors, Elean Kazarov, Washington University in St Louis
Traditions in Transition: A Musical Perspective in a Changing, Developing Samoa, Colin Kiley, University of Oregon
The Complexity of Re-Evaluating Antiretroviral Therapy Eligibility Guidelines for HIV/AIDS Patients in Uganda, Jennifer Klein, Washington University in St Louis
Cancer Control: A Comparison for Progress, Stephanie Lachapelle, Stonehill College
Renewable Energy and Agriculture: Promoting Biogas in the Rural Communities of the Lashihai Wetland Nature Reserve, Amanda Lee, Clark University
El Legado de Al-Andalus en la Gastronomía Granadina y la Influencia Actual (The Legacy of Al-Andalus in the Gastronomy of Granada), Elizabeth Leibinger, Williams College
‘Everything is for Him’: Mothers of Autistics as Agents of Social Change at Casa da Esperança, Alexandra Levin, George Washington University
Present-Tense Tradition: The Conflict Over Commodification in Sauraha, Nepal, William Litton, Brown University
Development in Morocco: Re-Examining the Effect of Remittance Flows, Tom Lochery, George Washington University
An Enduring Scourge: The Evolution of Trafficking in Women for Forced Prostitution in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Elizabeth Longino, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kilombo do Kioiô: The Use of an Artesanato Program as a Program of Social Justice, Anna Losacano, Carleton College
Heifer Tanzania’s Alternate Training Methods: A Study Comparing the Dairy Cow Husbandry Practices of Farmers Trained in Their Villages by Project Supervisors to Those of Farmers Trained by the Liti Tengeru Animal Husbandry Training Center, Ciara Lowery, Lehigh University
Surgeons and Bureaucrats: An Interactive Research Experience at the World Health Organization, Hannah Lust, Brandeis University
Le Développement de Perceptions: Une Etude sur les Opinions Concernant les Zones Franches à Madagascar, Victoria Mallett, Guilford College
Como Mujer…Yo Decido: El Derecho de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva en Mujeres Aymara de Putre, Chile, Alice Manos, Oberlin College
La Cuisine Renouvelable Une Evaluation de l’Utilisation du Foyer Solaire et de l’Epargne de Combustibles Dans la Région d’Ejeda, Andrew March, University of Colorado at Boulder
Phoenix or Phantom: Residents and Sarajevo’s Post-War Changes, Katherine Marple-Cantrell, Columbia University
Fighting the System From Within: CMPIO and Education Reform, Anna Marshall, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Options for Rural Sustainable Development: An Examination of Solar Energy in Morocco, Wynne McAuley, Occidental College
Human Mobility Through Closed Borders: The Impact of Morocco’s European and Algerian Relations on Sub-Saharan Immigration, Caitryn McCallum, University of Virginia