Students have an ever-increasing menu to consider when gaining publishing experience as undergraduates. Future teachers and anyone hoping to deepen their cross-cultural credentials may publish a CultureGuide, a teaching unit on a country they have lived in and studied.
Seeking the academic feather in their cap, students may submit to journals—sponsored by Kennedy Center academic programs and other campus partners—such as Sigma (political and international affairs), Studia Antiqua (Ancient Near Eastern studies), Claremont Undergraduate Research Conference Proceedings (European studies), the Rice Papers (Asian studies), Inquiry (journal of cross-cultural research from field studies), or the Journal of International Organization Studies (practitioners in international organizations).
“The rate of unemployment in Duncan Village is very high, estimated at more than 50 percent. Poverty is rampant and, as a consequence, crime rates are very high. Streets are crowded with people, including those seeking shebeens, a high-transmission area where alcoholic beverages are sold out of households. Young children often play in the streets during times when they are supposed to be at school.” —Amy Smart, “Uniform of Hope: Reciprocity and Volunteerism in East London’s High Transmission Area Project,” Inquiry, fall 2010
“The economy is a major problem facing Europe, and, in addition to declining birth rates, the population is growing older and living longer than ever. The expected lifespan has risen dramatically all over Europe in recent years, contributing to the stress on the economy and society as a whole. The problem is especially daunting for youth who will have to cope with supporting a continually aging population without the hope of someone doing the same for them in the future.” —Lauren Soelberg “The Upside Down Pyramid: Declining Populations Mean a Demographic Crisis for Europe,” Sigma, fall 2010
“Research performed at the Saint Andrew Placement Center in Iaşi, Romania suggests that children with disabilities and/or institutionalized behaviors reacted to interactive singing, interactive instrument playing, and rhythmic activities such as dancing, by forming stronger emotional, social, and physical connections. These deeper forms of engagement seemed to be exemplified through increased interactivity, forming a relationship with a caregiver, increased oral expression and communication, and motor movement responses.” —Branda Quintana, “Interactive Musical Activities in the context of a Romanian Orphanage,” Inquiry, fall 2010
“Christianity is capable of promoting communalism differently than Buddhism. As each denomination varies in focus on individual versus group, each lies somewhere along a spectrum. Despite critiques of Christian individuality, Immaculate Conception Catholic parish unifies communities through its emphasis on communal worship. And this occurs despite individual variations in musical preference, language, geography, or economic situation, proving the potential of Catholicism to promote communal ubuntu values.” —Jordan Layton, “A Case for Christian Communalism: Overcoming Individualism and Racial Segregation in a South African Catholic Parish,” Inquiry, fall 2010
“The close tie between history and identity remained an important aspect of the verein’s [“altes haus”] goals, because it solidified the positive reinforcements the verein provided the community. . . . The restored home will have displays that show the origin of things and how life used to be, like “where cheese comes from,” as Juliane said, and she emphasized the importance of remembering. It became apparent that origin and history have a particular significance, and the construction of the house deliberately paid homage to tradition and historic identity. Traditional construction techniques, with the help of modern machines, kept the traditional and historic sentiment during construction. Restoring the historic corner was restoring a part of Lütte’s history while also making it relevant for modern times. The reinvention of the house kept a piece of past common history and created a landmark that will be a part of the future. VAH was not reinventing the wheel but giving it a modern function so that it remained relevant.” —Taylor Merkley, “Windmills and Walls: The Stabilizing Effect of Social Clubs in Brandenburg,” Inquiry, fall 2010