Academy of Global Studies

The Journey of Non-Being: Child Marriage to Widowhood in Rural India

This capstone evaluates how societal mores, economic conditions, and religious influences perpetuate culture inherently discriminatory towards women. Along with identifying a causal link between the suffering of child brides and widows, the capstone highlights the lack of gender sensitivity in rural India to encourages thedevaluation of women, who inevitably embark on an inexorable journey towards non-being.

Visit Ananya's Capstone Website

The Broken Health and Social Conditions of Post-Soviet Individualism

In my capstone, I explore the broken health and social conditions of Post-Soviet individualism. This basically means that, in my paper, I researched how Russia's society has changed from the governmental transition from Communism to federalism and how that change affected various aspects of Russian culture. These various aspects are about the health (HIV/AIDS) and social (LGBTQ+ and Religion) parts of Russian culture, and although there are several other effects I could talk about, I selected a few that piqued my interest the most and seemed most pertinent to my paper. I chose to learn about this topic becasue a lot of political, societal, and environmental events that happen in Russian history are not really talked about, or is not common knowledge with the public. I found this interesting becasue Russia is such a big country with so much history to explore, and I wanted to shine a light on how people have certain opinions regarding Russia but no real understanding to back up those opinions. 

Visit Audra's Capstone Website

Trafficking and Tourism in Brazil

This capstone outlines the problems caused by trafficking in Brazil and their relationship with the tourism industry. Specifically, it recognizes how extreme poverty, lack of education and job training promotes unhealthy relationships between traffickers and the poorest and most disadvantaged girls in Brazil. Furthermore, the current rapid grow of the travel industry demands stricter laws and stronger
enforcement, regardless of the negative consequences caused to the financial health of tourism.

Visit sophie kate's Capstone Website

Social Reforms in Argentina: NiUnaMenos on Femicide

This capstone explores the nature of a late 20 th century reform movement – NiUnaMenos. Specifically, it draws attention to efforts in Argentine to resolve anti-feminist activities and shows how NiUnaMenos has worked to bring more widespread awareness to the complex issues of gender inequality. Additionally, it seeks to inform the reader of the dangerous machismo culture found in Argentina today.

Visit samantha's Capstone Website

Domestic Violence Against Women in Nigeria

In my capstone, I explore the broken health and social conditions of Post-Soviet individualism. This basically means that, in my paper, I researched how Russia's society has changed from the governmental transition from Communism to federalism and how that change affected various aspects of Russian culture. These various aspects are about the health (HIV/AIDS) and social (LGBTQ+ and Religion) parts of Russian culture, and although there are several other effects I could talk about, I selected a few that piqued my interest the most and seemed most pertinent to my paper. I chose to learn about this topic becasue a lot of political, societal, and environmental events that happen in Russian history are not really talked about, or is not common knowledge with the public. I found this interesting becasue Russia is such a big country with so much history to explore, and I wanted to shine a light on how people have certain opinions regarding Russia but no real understanding to back up those opinions. 

Visit Anna Catherine's
Capstone Website

The New Caste System: Gender Discrimination Strategies in Rural India

Despite  substantial  legislation  to  mitigate  the  effects  of discrimination  based  on  categories  such  as  castes,  India’s gender discrimination issue persists as a major inhibitor of women’s  economic  and  social  progress  in  rural  societies.  This  paper  methodically  investigates  the  strategies  by  which gender discrimination manifests in rural India and utilizes this information  to  offer  explanations  why  particular  attempts  to promote upward female mobility in these areas have failed. The research   presented   in   this   paper   suggests   that   potential solutions to reduce gender discrimination and advance the role of women in rural Indian society must include a combination of government,  media,  and  private  initiatives  that  focus  on changing  community  perspectives  and  ensuring  community investment in greater gender equality.

Visit Shivani's Capstone Website

Developing a Sustainable Water Provision Network in South Sudan

This paper surveys the current water provision system, or lack thereof, in South Sudan and attempt to present a viable method of improving it sufficiently to meet the need of South Sudanese  citizens.  This  paper  examines  the  present  political  and  economic  plight  of  South  Sudan  and  its  ramifications  for  the   development   of   infrastructure.   It   then   illustrates   the   challenges  specific  to  developing  water  provision  systems  in  largely    rural    nations    through    both    general    economic    frameworks and evaluations of specific case studies. Finally, it presents    a    comprehensive    infrastructure    plan    targeted    specifically   toward   South   Sudan   from   the   viewpoints   of   hydrogeology, demographics, economics, and politics. 

Visit Sohum's Capstone Website

Middle Class Education for Girls to Eradicate Poverty in West Africa

The challenges that face West Africa are numerous- disease, poverty, conflict, political policy, economic problems- at times seem insurmountable to the majority of citizens who wish to ascend into the middle class. Until steps to invest in the economy, specifically benefitting the lower classes, create a united force against violence/terrorism and corruption in the region, to make education and opportunity available for all, this poverty will continue. All these begin with the increased investment of the education of young girls in this region.

Visit katie's
Capstone Website

Child Labor: The Chocolate Industry in the Ivory Coast

Child labor is caused in underdeveloped countries by a struggling economy. Yet it is perpetuated by a helpless population in great poverty with a weak infrastructure. If a stable and growing economy could be put in place, the need for child labor would lessen. 

Visit Josephine's Capstone Website

The Crisis of Sub-Saharan Africa: The Depletion of Food Resources

My capstone illuminates the urgent problems associated with food scarcity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Investigated causes include rapid population growth, reduced acreage of arable land, declining crop yields, government corruption, and a declining standing of living. Potential solutions are explored and briefly considered. My conclusion founds on The 2016 Global Hunger Index:  Getting  to  Zero  Hunger  by  2030 that predicts an alarming crisis without help from international agencies and regional governmental institutions.  

Visit christina's
Capstone Website

LGBT Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa and Uganda

This capstone highlights the causes of discriminatory laws and policies against the LGBT community in Uganda and Sub Saharan African countries. Furthermore, this capstone explores in which ways Uganda acts as a model for homophobia incited attacks, harassment, and criminalization of the LGBT community. While only 35% of African countries have legalized homosexuality, Uganda and Sub Saharan Africa are significant to increasing acceptance. This capstone concludes that Uganda can learn from those African nations, as the Ugandan government needs to remove extremist influences and protect the rights of the Ugandan LGBT community.

Visit rachel's
Capstone Website

Domestic Violence in Chad

It is the purpose of this paper to examine the state of violence inflected upon women through domestic violence in the African country of Chad.  In the effort to state, clearly, the cause of violence against women, my argument pays considerable attention to the ongoing civil war in Chad and neighboring Sudan. The capstone concludes by proposing education for girls and women as a solution with great potential. Education opens horizons to opportunities women deserve but too often denied. 

Visit Anna Clare's
Capstone Website

Domestic Violence Against Women in Pakistan

In my capstone, I explore the broken health and social conditions of Post-Soviet individualism. This basically means that, in my paper, I researched how Russia's society has changed from the governmental transition from Communism to federalism and how that change affected various aspects of Russian culture. These various aspects are about the health (HIV/AIDS) and social (LGBTQ+ and Religion) parts of Russian culture, and although there are several other effects I could talk about, I selected a few that piqued my interest the most and seemed most pertinent to my paper. I chose to learn about this topic becasue a lot of political, societal, and environmental events that happen in Russian history are not really talked about, or is not common knowledge with the public. I found this interesting becasue Russia is such a big country with so much history to explore, and I wanted to shine a light on how people have certain opinions regarding Russia but no real understanding to back up those opinions. 

Visit Mia's
Capstone Website