Global Studies Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/6124

Note that prior to Fall Term 2023, the department was known as International Studies.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 111

Open Access
African Migrants in Oregon: Healthcare Preferences and the Importance of Worldviews
(University of Oregon, 2017-09-27) Bikele, Frieda; Galvan, Dennis
Oregon, especially the Portland metro area, has become an important relocation destination for migrants, including many from Africa (Curry, and Al 2010). According to data from the Immigrants and Refugees Community (2011) in Portland, there are more than 15,000 African migrants, and they are the fourth largest immigrant community in the area, which includes representations from over 28 African countries. This study is about migrant’ worldviews and healthcare preferences in Oregon. My study centers on African migrant’s health experiences within a broader context of how sending countries worldviews and health care system informs attitudes and healthcare preferences in Oregon. Focus groups, life histories and survey data were collected over a period of 18 months from participants of 12 countries living in Eugene and Portland, Oregon. The findings indicate that migrants worldviews results from prior socialization processes that shapes Africans and guides their interactions and healthcare preferences in the US healthcare system.
Open Access
Agriculture, Diet, and Empowerment: Understanding the Role of Community Gardens in Improving the Health of Oregon's Urban Latino Community
(University of Oregon, 2013-10-03) Dezendorf, Caroline; Wooten, Stephen
Across the United States, organic gardens are being used to improve community development and develop civic agriculture programs for minority populations, including Latinos. Huerto de la Familia (Family Garden), a community agriculture organization based in Eugene, Oregon, aims to improve the food security and well-being of urban Latino immigrants. This study asks the question: how effective is the organization's Organic Gardening program at improving the mental, physical, and nutritional health of urban Latinos? I analyze how participation in the community gardening program empowers the families involved and provides them access to fresh and culturally appropriate foods. Through active participatory research, semi-structured interviews, and the use of photo journals and receipt collections, this study finds that Huerto de la Familia is beneficial in terms of food justice and improving community integration.
Open Access
Agroecological Transformations in Oregon's Willamette Valley: A Historical and Ethnographic Case Study
(University of Oregon, 2024-01-10) Olson, Tara; Meek, David
This thesis is an evaluation of the constraints and opportunities for agroecological transformation in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, in attempt to find what can be learned from the particularities of this context. Using a historical and ethnographic case study approach, I evaluate the strategies of food systems allies in the Oregon Community Food Systems Network. I explore how agroecology is being translated to contribute to socially just and ecologically sustainable agri-food systems. The case study is situated historically, through the frame of territory, to illuminate the particularities of place that enable and constrain transformation, beginning with settler colonization. Allies are contributing to transformation through a network approach, where they are able to facilitate transformative encounters between the grassroots and the regime, and build trust-based relationships amongst themselves to undo systemic lock-ins.
Open Access
Agroforestry Systems and Food Security in the Sahel: The Case of Toukar, Senegal
(University of Oregon, 2013-10-03) Faye, Jean; Galvan, Dennis
Communities in the Sahel region are confronted with problems such as depletion of soil fertility, food insecurity, and climate change, which exacerbate poverty and malnutrition for the inhabitants. The farmlands in Toukar, Senegal, are rapidly denuded of native trees, mainly Acacia albida, that provide myriad benefits. Agroforestry systems, or the intentional use of trees in croplands, have become a potential vehicle to transform the capacities of subsistence farmers to achieve food security. The purpose of this study is to determine farmers' attitudes about agroforestry, who seems to practice it and support it, who is unsure about its values, and who seems opposed to it. I find that farmers who practice a more intact historic version of the Serer farming system are the most supportive of agroforestry and tend to be wealthier, while people who are seemingly more modern are less likely to adopt it and tend to be poorer.
Open Access
Applicability of the Oregon-based Public and Private Child Welfare Models to Ukraine: A Case Study of the Training Seminars for Ukrainian Officials and Child Welfare Professionals
(University of Oregon, 2009-09) Bogolyubova, Yelena
This study assesses the implementation of Oregon-based child welfare models in Ukraine in the context of the Family For Children (FCP) curriculum. Both trainees' and trainers' perspectives on these issues were surveyed. The assessment shows that the implementation of Oregon-based models needs some adjustment to local socio-economic conditions and current child welfare policies in Ukraine. Nine recommendations have emerged as a result of this study that relate to logistical, organizational, and communicational aspects of the training. None of the recommendations concern the conceptual content of the training, and overall all participants judged the curriculum and training to be very successful.
Open Access
Aprendiendo Juntos y Navegando “New Destinations”: An Ethnographic Evaluation of the Pilas Family Literacy Program
(University of Oregon, 2016-11-21) Wright, Alexandra; Carpenter, Kathie
This thesis uses the framework of a program evaluation to highlight the human experience of participants in a community-based family literacy program in the context of a “New Destination” for Latino immigrants. There is first an extensive discussion of how Latino immigrant communities have changed over time in Oregon and specifically in Lane County, followed by description of the nonprofit organizations that cater to these communities in Lane County, with specific focus on Downtown Languages and their Pilas Family Literacy Program. A selection of literature is reviewed surrounding the themes of the efficacy of program evaluation as a tool, “New Destinations,” the relationship between bilingualism and family in ESL programs, and finally a brief discussion of cultural competency in ESL practices and literacy as human capital. The conclusion of this research contains recommendations for the Pilas Family Literacy Program, as well as other family literacy programs operating in “New Destinations” communities.
Open Access
Assessing the Status of Forces Agreement in Okinawa, Japan
(University of Oregon, 2021-09-13) Fouts, Matthew; Weiss, Anita
The Japanese prefecture of Okinawa is a contradiction. A peaceful, idyllic tourist destination for beachgoers today, in 1945 Okinawans suffered through a four-month battle where hundreds of thousands of civilians died by American bombs, suicide, and at the hands of their Japanese soldier countrymen. For nearly thirty years afterwards, Okinawans used the U.S. dollar as citizens of an occupied territory. Today, Okinawa hosts over seventy percent of the U.S. military in Japan. Incidents in Okinawa between U.S. military personnel and accompanying civilians unsurprisingly become international incidents, testing the U.S.-Japan alliance. This thesis details Okinawa’s history, the violence perpetrated by U.S. military personnel, and the Status of Forces Agreement (“SOFA”) that surrounds and governs Okinawa’s “military base problem.” It suggests jurisdictional reforms in criminal prosecutions and in accident investigations, concluding with proposed changes to the U.S. military criminal justice system to lead to greater accountability for servicemembers accused of sexual violence.
Open Access
The Assessment of Gender Mainstreaming: A Case Study of the Division for the Advancement of Women, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Lao PDR
(University of Oregon, 2014-10-17) Chanphengxay, Souphatta; Carpenter, Kathie
Gender mainstreaming to promote gender equality and include persons with disabilities is important because it can bring a huge impact to the organization and the country. It is not easy to accomplish gender equality as long as there are barriers against women's participation in all spheres. As a result, achieving gender equality is a challenge for not only developed countries but also developing countries. This thesis evaluates the implementation of gender mainstreaming to promote gender equality and the inclusion of persons with disabilities of the Division for the Advancement of Women in Lao PDR. This thesis discovers the perception of gender equality, the barriers that prevent women from achieving gender equality, and the impact of gender equality and lastly examines whether the inclusive approach to include persons with disabilities is implemented in the ministerial organization.
Open Access
Beeing in the Willamette Valley: A Look at Human and Honey Bee Relationships and the Global Currents That Shape Them
(University of Oregon, 2024-01-09) Paone, Taylor; Wooten, Stephen
This thesis explores interspecies relationships between humans and honey bees. Through multispecies ethnographic vignettes, beekeeper-honey bee relationships reveal the ways in which social systems inform interspecies entanglements. The research is grounded in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, and highlights the experiences of eleven beekeepers. Stories highlight how bodies interact within larger landscapes that are dictated by the dominant food system model. The bee hive becomes a meeting place for bodies to interact with, contradict, and reflect, conditions set by global currents.
Open Access
Beyond the Beauty of a Dozen Roses: Implications of Free Trade on Women Workers in Colombia's Cut Flower Industry
(University of Oregon, 2014-09-29) Price, Amy; Yarris, Kristin
Under the prevailing global capitalist model, increased access to the formal economy for women is touted as a panacea to women´s empowerment and gender equality. Despite an unprecedented increase in women's participation in the global workforce and international labor standards, women are often assigned to precarious and exploitative low-wage work with little opportunity for social mobility. This thesis examines the effects of U.S.-Colombia Free Agreement and Labor Action Plan on women workers in Colombia's cut flower export-oriented industry. The impacts of free trade on women are contradictory, and despite hopes for the Labor Action Plan, women in the cut flower industry have seen little improvement in the working conditions and gender inequality. I explore the ways in which women actively resist exploitation and argue that women face powerful structural barriers to collective action under the imperialist and racist order of the capitalist patriarchy enshrined in Free Trade Agreements.
Open Access
Beyond the Fields: Dialogical Analysis of Latino Migrant Students’ Cultural Identity Narratives at Oregon Migrant Education Program
(University of Oregon, 2018-04-10) Burbano, Laura; Carpenter, Kathie
Among the children of immigrants in the United States, the children of migrant farmworkers are at significant risk of not finishing high school. These children deal with challenging socioeconomic conditions specific to their migratory lifestyle and living situations, which negatively impact their schooling experience. Migrant families' cultural diversity plays a significant role in the adjustment and integration of migrant students in schools as they transition into a host educational community. Conflicts between migrant families and schools sometimes occur because of cultural differences regarding the characteristics of interpersonal relationships, standards of behavior, students' cultural identity, and the objectives of education. This qualitative study examines cultural aspects that Latino migrant students describe as part of their cultural identity, including their experiences as migrants and participants in Oregon Migrant Education Program. The aim is to illustrate the cultural elements that Latino migrant students consider when making academic or professional choices after high school.
Open Access
Body and Gender Politics in Post-Revolution Tunisia (2010-2018)
(University of Oregon, 2019-04-30) Samti, Farah; Weiss, Anita
Focusing on the context of post-uprising Tunisia and using a gender lens, I explore gender and body politics through embodied social protest. I examine the post-uprising constitutional and decision-making processes as well as discursive representations in the Constitution and the role of protesting and legitimacy in shaping institutional tools and mechanisms. I draw attention to the status of women and the LGBTQI++ community as well as vulnerable individuals and their role in social change during the country’s democratic transition by analyzing narratives and discourses around protesting and bodily rights and themes such as legibility/illegibility. I complement my analysis with three qualitative, in-depth interviews with three Tunisian activists; I also reflect on my personal experience as a former reporter and student-activist during and post uprisings. I conclude that the emergence of new forms of mobilization and discourses create unique possibilities to negotiate power and gender norms
Open Access
Boundless: Conservation and Development on the Southern African Frontier
(University of Oregon, 2011-12) Lauermann, Paul David
This thesis interrogates the transfrontier conservation areas (TFCA) program of southern Africa. Promoted since the mid-1990s as the solution to the vexing problems of environmental degradation and rural development in the region, these cross-border projects have attracted a broad coalition of supporters including public and private donor groups, regional politicians, and the international conservation community. Though a large academic literature surrounds the program, a holistic understanding of its development--and an accounting of its success--has yet to emerge. This thesis seeks to rectify this by probing the nature and structure of transfrontier discourse, positing the program's success as directly born of its appeal to a triad of interests composed of donors, national politicians, and the regional conservation community. Further, it is argued that the heavy marketing of the program as a "win-win" scenario for conservation and development has effectively displaced once popular community-based narratives/approaches.
Open Access
Breaking Down the Walls: Fostering Opportunity and Dignity Amongst Refugee Women and Girls Through Sport
(University of Oregon, 2021-11-23) Gerken, Kimberly; Weiss, Dr. Anita
Sports for Development and Peace (SDP) refers to the intentional use of sports in the pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This thesis primarily centers on three SDP Goals: #3, Good Health and Well-Being; #5, Gender Equality; and #16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Through a series of semi-structured interviews with SDP organizations located in various parts of the world, I have identified common barriers and challenges to including female refugees into sports programs and propose strategies to overcoming these barriers. This thesis situates sports in the context of International Development and details the significance of women in sport through the lens of gender equality and empowerment. It suggests that empowerment surrounds ideas of opportunity and agency, discusses the critical distinction between gender equality versus equity in sports, and highlights that a critical component of sports programming with refugee populations is dignity.
Open Access
Building Bridges and Breaking Down Barriers: First Food Knowledge Transmission of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
(University of Oregon, 2022-02-18) Caudill, Lydia; Meek, David
Through semi-structured interviews with CTUIR community members, I assessed the current spectrum of relationships that exists between CTUIR community members and their First Foods. Furthermore, I identify two categories of resources and opportunities of First Food knowledge transmission that these individuals have previously used and are drawn to: independent and interdependent. This assessment utilized Tuck et al.’s (2014) land education theoretical framework to provide the lens with which to structure questions and analysis. I argue that where a CTUIR community members falls along a spectrum of closeness in relationships with land and community is the highest indicator not only of their current relationship with First Foods but also the education and outreach opportunities they are drawn to. I conclude that First Food knowledge transmission practices would benefit from additional attention given to 1) the definition of First Foods and 2) further understanding of inclusion or exclusion among CTUIR community members.
Open Access
Caregiving in pandemic times: Perspectives from women heads of transnational households in rural Mexico
(University of Oregon, 2022-10-04) Pedraza, Alejandra; Yarris, Kristin
This thesis explores how women heads of transnational households in one rural Mexican village in Querétaro, Mexico experienced the COVID-19 pandemic vis-à-vis their gendered family roles. From June 2021 to February 2022, I conducted remote semi-structured interviews with twenty-five mothers actively receiving remittances to understand how the pandemic and related outcomes have manifested with their caregiving roles that already expand upon their husbands’ labor migration. Situating my findings in the literature on the social science of migration, I argue that the social conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic have intertwined with the social conditions of migration to compound caregiving responsibilities for the women in my study. In turn, the tremendous caregiving burden women in my study bore throughout the pandemic had detrimental consequences on their mental health. I situate the distress the women in my study experienced throughout the pandemic as an outcome of the distress associated with transnational family life that intertwined with the caregiving burden they were expected to provide throughout the pandemic and the social conditions of the pandemic they were subjected to. Ultimately, I show how various axes of marginalization directly shaped their lived experience throughout the pandemic.
Open Access
Challenges of Smallholder Farmers in Jamaica: Bridging Perspectives in Agriculture Development
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Matheson, Joel; Wooten, Stephen
Smallholder farmers constitute a vital component of agricultural systems globally, playing a pivotal role in ensuring food security. This thesis delves into critical issues surrounding agricultural development in Jamaica, focusing on the role of government, education, access to resources, and perspectives on climate change. By foregrounding local viewpoints, this research contributes to the broader discourse in development studies, emphasizing the necessity for inclusive and context-sensitive approaches. Adopting a critical development perspective, this study aims to elucidate power dynamics and structural complexities hindering development efforts. Conducted as a case study in Jamaica, this research seeks to address several key questions. Firstly, it examines the primary challenges confronting smallholder farmers at the local level. Secondly, it explores the involvement of Development Actors in assisting these farmers on a global scale. Lastly, it investigates the alignment of views between smallholder farmers and Development Actors regarding challenges and solutions. Qualitative methods, including 17 semi-structured interviews (11 with smallholder farmers and 6 with Development Actors), were employed to gather data. Analysis revealed a notable gap in the literature pertaining to Small Island Developing States, particularly regarding the limited inclusion of smallholder farmer voices in decision-making processes related to agricultural development. Key themes emerged from the analysis, highlighting a disconnect between the perspectives of smallholder farmers and Development Actors. While both groups acknowledge challenges, disparities exist in their perceived solutions. Effective communication and collaboration between global and local stakeholders are underscored as crucial for addressing these disparities. In the context of Jamaica, recommendations include enhancing the messaging and outreach of Development Actors to better serve the needs of smallholder farmers.
Open Access
Child Labor in Asia: Challenges and Responses of the International Labour Organization in Thailand and India
(University of Oregon, 2008-06) Okusa, Maki, 1976-
Child labor is an important global concern. Among 317 million children who are engaged in any type of labor around the world, Asia harbors the largest number of child workers. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has focused on and worked toward the global elimination of child labor, especially its worst forms. Child labor is a complex problem which needs comprehensive approaches in policy implication, education and economic development. The ILO has worked closely with governments to establish and revise policies related to child labor and to implement child labor programs. This study addresses current child labor trends in Asia and the challenges and responses ofthe ILO through analyzing its operations in Thailand and India. It examines various steps to eliminate child labor taken by the ILO and other organizations and suggests ways the ILO could be more effective in its efforts to eliminate child labor in Asia.
Open Access
Community Cultivators: Community Gardens and Refugees in Portland, Oregon
(University of Oregon, 2018-09-06) Ulrich, Nicolette; Wooten, Stephen
This thesis explores the relationship between community gardens in Portland, Oregon, and the refugee integration process. Using interviews and observations of a community garden in southeast Portland, the research explores the actors and organizations working with refugees in community gardens all over the city. The most prominent actors in the community garden networks are referred to as Community Cultivators. These individuals are refugees and also strongly tied to organizations and institutions in Portland. It is through these social networks that Community Cultivators are able to build bridges between their refugee communities and Portland-based organizations, fostering integration. This research also explores how integration happens in the community gardens in Portland and why community gardens are able to foster these relationships. The foundational framework used in this research is Alison Ager and Alistar Strang’s (2008) Indicators of Integration, which is adapted for the unique process of refugee integration through community gardens engagement.
Open Access
Contemporary Displacement Patterns and Responses: Haitians at the U.S.-Mexico Border
(University of Oregon, 2018-09-06) Garcia Millan, Brenda; Yarris, Kristin
Contemporary population displacement trends are impacting cities located in developing countries in unprecedented ways. This scenario is reflected in the Mexican border town of Tijuana, which from May 2016 to January of 2017, experienced the massive arrival of Haitians seeking asylum in the United States. My thesis addresses the Haitians’ patterns of displacement and the actors involved in their migratory processes including governmental and non-governmental authorities in Mexico and the United States. Because of the complexity of displacement today, I argue that in order to comprehend patterns and responses to displacement, it is necessary to use a multi-scalar global perspective that addresses the relationship between time and space as well as the relationship between politics and power. Furthermore, I argue that the Haitians' arrival to the U.S.-Mexico border is an illustration of crisis migration, which views displacement as the result of a combination of social, political, economic, and environmental crises.