Reflections on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

The 1998 Belfast Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement (B/GFA), is considered a milestone for brokering peace and moving forward past the period known as the “Troubles” that plagued Northern Ireland for three decades (1961-1994). An overwhelming majority: 71 percent of the electorate in Northern Ireland (81 percent voter turnout) voted yes to the question, “Do you support the Agreement reached in the Multi-Party Talks?” giving the B/GFA and the subsequent legally binding British-Irish Agreement (BIA) strong public support. Since its signing, the B/GFA has been implemented in part. A key component, forming a Northern Ireland Assembly and devolving government from Westminster, has lacked continuity and effectiveness. The Agreement called for a cross-community selection of the Assembly, where unionists and republicans would form the Executive. The party with the most votes would hold the position of “First Minister,” and the party with the most votes representing the other community would fill the “Deputy First Minister” role. Both ministers had to be in place to install a government; however, over the past 25 years, there have been many instances where either one or the other party has refused to form a government, leaving Northern Ireland without a locally elected government. Additionally, the referendum vote in the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (Brexit) has significantly strained the B/GFA. This article will overview and assess the 25+ years of the B/GFA in Northern Ireland, devolution, and the Northern Ireland Assembly. It will then explain some of the issues that surged after Brexit, particularly those that conflict with the statutes set out in the B/GFA. Understanding the issues that concern each of the communities helps contextualize the impasse that has surged in Northern Ireland over the Northern Ireland Protocol and the changing relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit. it analyzes how the structures in Northern Ireland have changed since 1998

Crucial Components Of An English Literacy Curriculum For Moroccan Adults

This research paper examines the lived experiences and expertise of Moroccan teachers of English in teaching English literacy to Moroccan adults. Current research indicates that approximately 33 percent of Moroccan adults are illiterate. While there is research highlighting the need for adult literacy and its benefits, there is a lack of studies on how to develop an effective English literacy curriculum for Moroccan adults. Additionally, existing research underscores the growing importance of English in Morocco and the increasing desire among Moroccans to learn English. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores the crucial components of an English literacy curriculum based on the lived experiences and expertise of eight Moroccan English teachers. The research is grounded in the theoretical framework of andragogy, an adult learning theory, to analyze and interpret its findings. The results emphasize the importance of teaching adult learners the alphabet and helping them distinguish individual letter sounds. Additionally, lessons should incorporate ample time for repetition and purposeful practice. Throughout all stages of instruction, teachers should integrate extensive listening opportunities. The use of pictures and realia is also essential for fostering comprehension. Furthermore, the findings highlight adult learners’ motivations and the critical role of cultural considerations in the classroom

Local Stakeholder Perspectives on Land-use Planning and Development in the Truckee-Tahoe Region of Northern California

Land use decisions dictate land cover, maintaining a critical relationship to climate change mitigation efforts, natural landscape conservation, and development patterns. Land-use planning efforts guide land use decisions. Truckee, California is situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains close to Lake Tahoe, an area with expansive natural resources and recreation opportunities. Development and land-use planning in the Truckee-Tahoe area are therefore closely tied to environmental goals. Through a series of in-depth interviews, this study catalogued concerns of and challenges faced by land use, planning, and development professionals in the Truckee-Tahoe area. Primary concerns recurring for these professionals include community character, environmental impact, housing, fire and hazards, development vision, longevity, and sprawl. While these concerns are often interrelated, each emerged as a distinct topic. Challenges identified by these professionals have been organized into five primary categories; governance, community participation, competing interests, funding and incentives, and intent vs. impact. These concerns and challenges provide a view of local planning and development processes in the Truckee-Tahoe area. While climate change mitigation efforts and natural ecosystem conservation may rely on land-use decisions, land-use decisions must first address the needs of the local community. Increased regional planning focused on climate change and conservation may serve as a useful tool to integrate these broader concerns into local plans. Regardless, in the Truckee-Tahoe area, a focus on the environment is persistent in both the opinions of local actors and in local planning documents; however, progress can be hindered by state laws and the presence of diverse interests

LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER: A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHEFS’ INFLUENCE ON AMERICAN GASTRONOMY

This Capstone project examines the historical impact of African American chefs on American gastronomy, highlighting their substantial contributions to the nation\u27s culinary heritage from 1619 to 2024. By employing Jessica B. Harris\u27s book High on the Hog as a foundation, the research identifies a critical gap in existing study abroad programs: the Black diaspora within the United States. The proposed four-week educational program aims to immerse participants in African American culinary heritage across four culturally rich cities: Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois, and Oakland, California. With a community cultural wealth framework, the program integrates historical research, hands-on culinary experiences, and community engagement to validate and celebrate the resilience and creativity inherent in African American food practices. Through a literature review, interviews with African American chefs, and an extensive needs assessment, the Capstone outlines a curriculum that emphasizes African American foodways\u27 historical, cultural, and social dimensions, thus fostering a deeper understanding of their impact on broader U.S. food culture. This culminating project seeks to promote inclusivity and representation in U.S.-based education abroad programs while addressing historical narratives that have traditionally marginalized African American culinary contributions

From Larvae to Livelihoods: Examining the Realities of Black Soldier Fly Farming in Malawi

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae offer a cost-effective, nutrient-rich alternative to synthetic fertilizers and conventional feed inputs such as soy, fishmeal, and maize bran in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, where smallholder farmers grapple with declining soil fertility, high input prices, chronic food insecurity, and livestock nutritional challenges, BSF farming is emerging as a promising circular agricultural innovation. Despite its technical promise, the social, economic, and ecological realities of BSF adoption remain underexplored.This study investigates the early implementation of BSF farming in Malawi through the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, focusing on farmer experiences, challenges, and the social and structural processes shaping uptake of the practice. Data were collected through 10 key informant interviews and 60 semi-structured surveys with current, former, or prospective BSF farmers. Qualitative analysis, descriptive insights, and logistic regression models were used to examine the barriers to entry, drivers of sustained adoption, and overall livelihood strategies emerging from BSF engagement. Findings suggest that integrating BSF farming into livestock systems and selling BSF products were the most common livelihood pathways, often pursued in tandem. Income support and technical training emerged as significant predictors of sustained adoption, while challenges related to start-up capital access, feedstock shortages, technical knowledge gaps, and uncertain market linkages persist. These findings highlight the need for material support and capacity-building interventions to enable equitable and scalable livelihoods through BSF farming. Interview insights further emphasize the importance of strengthening farmer networks, expanding market access, and harnessing government support to fully realize BSF’s potential with Malawi’s evolving agricultural landscape

Instrumentalizing Aid: U.S. Foreign Policy, Civil Society, and Democracy Prevention in Morocco

This paper examines the implications of the United States’ withdrawal of USAID development funding from Morocco, analyzing how this decision reflects broader U.S. foreign policy priorities and impacts the viability of Moroccan civil society organizations. Despite official rhetoric centered on democracy promotion and human rights, U.S. policy in Morocco has consistently privileged strategic and regional interests—particularly military cooperation and counterterrorism—over long-term democratic development. Using interviews with Moroccan NGO staff, along with analysis of USAID history, policy documents, and secondary scholarship, this study demonstrates how the loss of USAID funding may disrupt civil society networks, undermine sustainable development programs, and narrow the operational space for NGOs engaged in rights-based advocacy. This research builds on Jason Brownlee’s theory of “democracy prevention.” It contributes to broader critiques of Western aid regimes in the MENA region, arguing that U.S. engagement in Morocco has been instrumental in maintaining authoritarian governance under the guise of reform. By tracing the material and political consequences of aid withdrawal, the study reveals the tensions inherent in donor-state relationships. It raises critical questions about the future of civil society under conditions of shrinking international support, which has been overhauled entirely under the current U.S. administration. The conclusions demonstrate the need to reassess foreign aid frameworks that claim to support democratization while enabling regimes to constrain local actors and limit political transformation. U.S. aid to Morocco helped to entrench authoritarianism through a relationship of leverage and linkage not based on human rights, but the undoing of USAID will only further exacerbate the already existent challenges faced by civil society organizations in opposition to regime policy. The findings in this paper suggest that under the Trump administration, democratization efforts continue on a path of marked de-prioritization as strategic interests increasingly eclipsed even the rhetorical support for political reform

How Effective is Hawaiʻs\u27s Sunscreen Ban? Tourism Impact on the Health of Kauaʻi\u27s Coral Reefs

This study seeks to determine whether the level of human-impact, and in particular sunscreen use, influences the health of coral reefs on the island of Kauaʻi. Six paired sites in different regions of Kauaʻi were identified, each having a human-impacted site and an isolated counterpart site. By obtaining quantitative data on the coral reef at each site using 25-meter video transects, the overall health of the reef was assessed by measuring live coral cover, coral species abundance, prevalence of coral bleaching, and fish abundance. The level of human-impact in the form of number of people present and type of sunscreen used was obtained through structured interviews with beachgoers. One site (Nōmilu, isolated, West) was unable to be surveyed so two pairs of study sites were analyzed. There was no significant difference in the percentage of live coral cover between the human-impacted and isolated sites; there was significantly higher live coral cover at Anini (human-impacted, North) and Prince Kuhio (isolated, South) when compared with their counterpart paired study sites. Only at Prince Kuhio were sun protection choices fully reef-safe (defined as using mineral sunscreen or no sunscreen). All other sites had between 15% - 33% of beachgoers using sunscreen with banned chemical UV filters (oxybenzone and/or octinoxate). Residents of Kauaʻi not only chose reef-safe sun protection significantly more than visitors to the island but also tended to have stronger opinions on the use of reef-safe sunscreen in the Archipelago. The prevalence of visitors without knowledge of the harm their non reef-safe sun protection choices could cause to coral reefs is concerning and an issue which must be addressed. The correlations found in this study showing that there is both chemical sunscreen use and coral degradation at Anini as well as “reef-safe” sun protection use and healthier coral at Prince Kuhio shows that further research is needed to assess the level of damage to corals that chemical sunscreens are causing in Kauaʻi. It is recommended to continue this research with water sampling to determine concentration of UV filters in Kauaʻi’s waters It is also recommended to commence visitor education and sunscreen checkpoints at the Lihue airport to raise awareness of the harm chemical sunscreens with oxybenzone and/or octinoxate cause to coral reefs and decrease as much as possible the chemical sunscreens brought by visitors to the island

Shimmering Mirage or a Promised Land? Climate Change, Agriculture, and Internal Migration in Sabha, Jordan

Given the rapidly shifting climate, high vulnerability, and low adaptability to climate related changes that rural areas face, this study highlights the complex relationship between climate change -- especially water scarcity -- agriculture, and internal migration in rural Jordan. I predict that if water scarcity is present and climate changes are occurring, they will undercut the rural agriculture sector which could contribute to rural out-migration. To study this relationship, I conducted a case study in Sabha, a small rural community in the Northern Badia of Jordan. Data was gathered by engaging in semi-structured interviews with current community members in Sabha and migrants who are now living in Amman. The information gathered in these interviews was supplemented by scholarly literature and government reports when applicable. My findings indicate that while water scarcity is present and climate changes are occurring in Sabha and that these factors are impacting farmers, they have not led to significant migration from the community. This is likely due to a combination of factors in Sabha including its agricultural history, the unique demographic of farmers there, existing social structures, and a strong connection to the community and the land itself. This research should prove beneficial for scholars studying climate migration and understating how climate changes impact agriculture in rural communities. Climate change, water, water scarcity, agriculture, migration, Jordan, rural economie

Qualitative Tools to Enhance Data Analysis from Diverse Sources of International Education Policy in Order to Create a More Perfect Evaluation Toolset

Abstract This project proposes a new protocol for implementing meta-synthesis as a research tool. Meta-synthesis allows researchers to combine data sets from multiple sources that appear unconnected; it allows data sets to be extracted from multiple domains and knowledge banks that present as being unable to be combined or cross-transferable. This project presents a protocol designed to guide meta-synthesis which was used to extract critical relevant data from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to inclusive education and inclusive work and rehabilitation policies and practices. The project shows with deliverables how, with this data in hand, newly aggregated extracted data can be modeled and turned into evaluation tools for use by researchers and policy makers. Keywords: meta-synthesis, meta-analysis, methodology, disability, inclusion

Bridging Cultures Beyond Borders: An Experiential Education Program for Exploring Third Places in Global and Local Contexts

While experiential education has gained popularity in recent years, options for experiential education opportunities unrelated to an international internship or service-learning program are relatively limited. Furthermore, opportunities to learn through engaging with third places in both one’s home community and host community are quite limited. The following proposed program aims to fill this gap by focusing on immersion in third places in one’s home community and the host community of Madrid, Spain. This program is also designed to address the need for experiential education that goes beyond traditional structures, offering students the chance to engage deeply with their environments. It encompasses critical reflection through multiple modalities, and it has been designed so that students can learn through discovery, interaction, and self-exploration. Qualitative data gathered from interviews with professionals currently working in the field of experiential education inform the program’s design, including the role of reflection activities and third places in the program design, as well as potential benefits and challenges to implementing the program. The proposed program provides an innovative, concrete example of an immersive and engaging experiential education program which adds to the field of experiential education and can expand a provider’s program offerings. Keywords: Experiential education, engaged learning, third places, critical reflectio