Author: International Studies Department
Jakarta Immersion Trip – Olivia Foster
My trip to Jakarta was very empowering and eye opening and I am so grateful that I was able to go. I never thought I would be able to experience an immersion experience like this. Both our hosts at Untar and our own USF professors made our experience very welcoming and fun in addition to very informative. We were welcomed with open arms and our Indonesian hosts were the most kind and accommodating people.
As soon as we arrived in bustling Jakarta, we hit the ground running and quickly learned about the customs and culture of the city. We were fed delicious food every hour and were never left hungry, just amazing hospitality all around. The Indonesian hospitality was like no other that I’ve experienced, and I always enjoyed the restaurants and places we went.
The course itself was very engaging and we had something exciting to see and learn about each day. While the schedule was intense, we were able to see such a range of housing and development projects and Jakarta. From public housing and kampungs to luxury business districts, we were able to be on the ground and experience many different environments which I don’t think would have ever been possible outside of this class. I was so humbled by our visit to one of the kampungs that was only accessible by boat. I was both shocked by the living conditions but also amazed at how kind and welcoming the people were. As a group, we were so lucky to be warmly welcomed everywhere we went, people were curious but always so kind.
I felt very lucky to be on the trip and to visit Southeast Asia for the first time. I learned a lot about a new culture and about myself as I navigated an intense schedule and a brand-new place. Overall, I think it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I don’t think I would have ever gone to Jakarta had it not been for this intercession trip. I also learned a lot more about Urban development, a field in which I was not very familiar, so that was a big plus for me. I discovered that I am interested in certain aspects of Urban development such as access to healthcare and resources for women living in urban areas and access to safe living conditions in general. I learned some applicable skills from this course, which is always useful.
Jakarta Immersion Trip – Malou Desplenter
When you tell your friends you’re going on an immersion trip to Jakarta to study urban planning, you’ll be met with a look of surprise on their faces. Nobody goes to Jakarta except to catch a connecting flight to a much more exotic place. Anyway, Jakarta was our final destination. No one had any idea what awaited us, but it’s always nice to be surprised, right?
Looking back at those ten days in Jakarta, it’s safe to say that we all learned a lot about urban planning, Jakarta, San Francisco, societies in general, and ourselves. In the beginning, I found myself appreciating all things that I took for granted: sidewalks, zebra crossings, traffic lights, knives at the table, clean air, etc. After a while, I started appreciating Indonesia’s society much more than I was missing all those other – mostly insignificant – things. There’s a lot to learn from the Indonesians.
First of all, there’s a sense of hospitality that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. Every Indonesian person we met was genuinely happy to see, feed, and help us if needed. This openness made it possible for us to bond with the students and staff of UNTAR (Universitas Tarumanagara) in a very short period of time. Second, tolerance and a sense of community are omnipresent in Jakarta but are sometimes missing in the U.S. I’ve never seen multiple religions or different ways of practicing a particular religion coexist so peacefully. Some people wanted to pray five times a day; they were free to do so. Some people didn’t want to pray at all; they didn’t receive any judgment. And it goes further than religion; people living in illegal settlements (a.k.a. kampungs) are tolerated and considered, and the government is willing to move them better housing or even upgrade their neighborhood. In San Francisco, we try to ignore or even dehumanize the people who can’t afford legal housing, but Jakarta is embracing them as part of the city and tries to go into conversation with them to make their life better and the city more livable. We can learn a thousand more lessons from Indonesia, but instead of me listing them here, I suggest you go and see them for yourself.
Joining this immersion trip was a decision I will never regret or forget. We all gained so much more than just two credit points.
Jakarta Immersion Trip – Liya Yared
Getting the opportunity to study in Jakarta was an amazing experience. Not only did I get the experience of studying with my peers, I also learned so much about the country and people of Indonesia that I know I wouldn’t have gotten to experience on my own. The hospitality is incredible, and the people of Jakarta are so giving and caring. I’ve been to over 20 different countries but felt the most welcoming the minute I arrived here. The food was amazing, the people were kind, the streets were beautiful, and the city was busy with lots of traffic (motorcycles are very commonly used) but also very laid back. A bit of a shocker for me was how many malls are in the city, it’s a very common thing to see malls everywhere (probably one every few streets).
A highlight of mine was going to meet people who make the traditional batik, clothing and we even got to make our own. We were even gifted with our own tool to make the batik, which I thought spoke to the kindness of the people in Jakarta. The excitement each day of trying new things and seeing something new was amazing. It was refreshing to meet other university students and professors and observe conferences and hear lectures from professors at UNTAR. I felt like the issues of globalization in Jakarta could really be compared to New York, San Francisco and globally in general.
Another highlight for me was how supportive everyone in Jakarta is of each other, people of Indonesia live among each other no matter their religion or ethnic background and I think that is amazing. It was refreshing to be in an environment that was laid back and not as stressed as it can be at times in the American lifestyle. It’s important to me that we got to see the different areas in the city like the business districts, the informal living and public housing. I appreciate that we got to see every side of Jakarta and not just a typical tourist view.
There is no rush or stress naturally in the people of Jakarta. This trip left me with the validation in knowing that we all live similarly and go through the same things as people. I’m grateful for this experience and it’s one I will always cherish, I’m grateful for the people we got to meet and classmates I got to bond with and know on a different level during this trip 🙂
Damilola Adesanya in Lagos, Nigeria
This past winter break, I had the privilege of traveling to Lagos, Nigeria to record a documentary for my Capstone Project. My research was focused on police corruption and nonviolent social movements in Nigeria. Before embarking on this journey, I asked myself, “Would this matter ten years from now?”. Because my goal has always been to contribute to something that will have an impact years from now. In Nigeria, police corruption is a common experience daily. It does not discriminate against the poor or the rich. The most common form of police corruption is bribery and abuse of power. While I did not experience this during my time out there, I have family members who have experienced this firsthand. Their personal stories fueled my interest in this phenomenon and I am more than grateful .
Having the privilege to travel and focus my research on this topic has been life-changing. Nothing compares to walking on the ground, and having one-on-one interviews with people whose lives your research impacts the most; from students to teachers, policemen, politicians, and everyday civilians. Hearing these firsthand experiences of police corruption and involvement in the #ENDSARS movement was truly mind-blowing. I was able to gather crucial information that I wouldn’t have found online or in literature. During one of my interviews, you could see the look of shock on my interviewee’s face as I posed questions on police corruption to him. In his words, this research was “too big to carry”. Fortunately, I was not taking on all the load by myself; I had my advisors and the Masters in International Studies Department (MAIS) department.
Moreover, USF is helping me talk about and tackle real issues that matter. It would be a lie if I said this was an easy task. There were many obstacles in the way. Even though it was challenging, it was much needed. This would not have been possible without the support of the Ziegler Fellowship Award from MAIS. Traveling to Nigeria was the right step for my research. I am truly grateful for this life-changing opportunity they gave me. They did more than just pay for my expenses, they paid for an experience; an experience that is truly unforgettable and impactful.
A Meaty Summer in Norway – Paul Wilhite
During this summer, I headed back to the country I grew up in, Norway, at the Centre for
Development and the Environment, for the purpose of conducting research for my capstone
thesis. I have always believed that protecting the planet is key not just to our own selves but to
future generations especially. Many of us agree ideologically that we must do our best as a
global community to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental destruction.
However, perhaps what is more trying than simply believing in something is acting upon it. Meat
consumption has been a topic of discussion for many years now in the environmental community
given the effect it has on methane emissions, deforestation, and food distribution. Even the United Nations is now actively promoting a plant-based diet for these reasons. I, thus, wanted to
develop a better understanding of what motivates us or perhaps more notably, what hinders us
from changing our nutritional habits. I, thus, interviewed a number of researchers in the field of
sustainable development to try to develop a better understanding of the factors involved here.
The central research question I started with was this: To what extent is the Norwegian
public educated on the environmental impact of meat consumption and how can public policy
help people be more informed? I have always believed that public education is key to how we
conduct our lives and to our habits. Although I had originally set out to conduct interviews with
the Norwegian public, it was brought to light to me that this may be difficult given the unusually
large sample I would need to represent all of Norway. So, I instead decided to interview the
‘experts’ on this issue. The researchers in this graduate program are not just highly acclaimed in
their fields but some of them have done extensive research about meat consumption and how it
interacts with Norwegian culture. One of the questions I wanted to be answered was how gender
attitudes play a role. To help exemplify this, one of the researchers I interviewed had written an
acclaimed academic paper on the implementation of Meatless Monday in the Norwegian Armed
Forces and how attitudes toward what it is to be strong and masculine played a crucial role here.
Another interesting topic that came up was that of Norwegian exceptionalism. Many of
the citizens in Norway have a tendency to believe that everything Norwegian is somehow better
whether it be their hot dogs, their oil, or the way they produce their meat. These conversations
are not just broadly speaking intellectually interesting but they help give us an understanding of
the sociocultural factors involved that might hinder us from changing our habits. By challenging
these customs and norms, we can indeed fundamentally alter how we interact with these issues.
I am excited to get started on the journey of writing my thesis and would like to thank all
of the MAIS faculty I have interacted with for their continued support and guidance including
but not limited to Lucia Cantero, who was immensely helpful in helping to guide me through our
Research & Project Design class and as my initial advisor; Nora Fisher, whom I was a research
assistant to in this past year and who taught me about Turkish foreign affairs; and John Zarobell,
who was kind enough to agree to take over as my advisor following Cantero’s departure from the
program. I would also like to extend my thanks to the faculty at the Centre for Development and
the Environment, with special thanks to Arve Hansen, who was exceedingly helpful not only in
providing a place for me to do research there but in his valuable insights as my informal advisor
in Norway. Finally, I would like to thank the Ziegler Fund, who helped make this trip happen. I
am deeply appreciative of everyone who has helped me in this process including my friends and
family. I am very excited to embark on the last half of my journey at the University of San
Francisco and to help fulfill the university’s mission to “Change the World From Here.”
Internship at Catholic Charities Atlanta – Adrian Laudani
My time with Catholic Charities Atlanta (CCA) was exactly what I needed for the summer between years 1 and 2 of MAIS. For my internship, I worked with the Refugee Resettlement team at CCA, the team with which I served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps 3 years prior. Having returned to school with a focus on refugee resettlement, I have been able to bridge the practical and academic pieces of this delicate field. Moreso, returning to an office that I was already familiar with allowed me to make the most of the time there, jumping right back into the swing of things.
During my time, I assisted with rectifying financial records and case files. The crucial piece of this is that these were cases received during the fall of 2021, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. With an immense influx of Afghan refugees, caseworkers and other office staff were challenged with the need to constantly be of support for incoming refugees, while the arrival never seemed to slow down. Every family arrived with different needs, and it seemed to be a true juggling act of how to best provide the quality services that families were in need of. This demonstrates one of the challenges within this field, which is how to best support families upon arrival, when they are faced with many demands including the need to learn a new language, culture, and way of life. This is by no means an easy feat, which is why it takes a team effort to support families during this initial arrival period.
The team at CCA is made up of social workers, after school programmers, case managers, community developers, and further. As important as it has been to conduct my research this summer, what I value most is being able to share what I have learned over the years with those around me. No matter how long I’ve been connected to this work, I find myself constantly learning new things. I’m grateful for the ability to dive deeper into the field I am so passionate about, and I’m hopeful for what will be produced as a result of these experiences.
Kelly Cruchett in Cape Town, South Africa
Considering how difficult international travel has been during the pandemic, I am so incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to travel to Cape Town, South Africa to pursue my fieldwork. The Rue W. Ziegler Fellowship played such a large role in getting me there. I was not only able to gather much more in-depth interviews, participant observation and survey data that will go towards my thesis, but I was able to do so while interning with a human rights organization that is dear to my heart, Africa Unite (AU). This was my third time in Cape Town since first studying abroad there as an undergraduate at USF in 2019, when my interest in xenophobic violence and the role of migrant storytelling was first sparked while volunteering part-time with Africa Unite. Needless to say, coming back to now pursue research in this topic with the same organization was quite the full circle moment. Apart from sentimentality, however, coming back to an organization I had already built trust and connections with allowed me to hit the ground running when it came to my thesis.
On the first day I stepped into the office, I was able to sit down with organization director Zoe Nkongolo (a.k.a. “Papa Zoe”) and discussed how we could make the most out of these three months. Almost immediately, in addition to helping launch the organization’s new youth radio podcast, my primary role in partnership with the organization’s School Club Program was to plan and organize the annual Anti-Xenophobia School Summit. Due to covid restrictions at the time, this was a virtual event that showcased the four stories of young foreign nationals who discussed their experiences with migration and xenophobia in South Africa. This event and the subsequent surveys filled out by participants have become the central focus of analysis in my thesis which looks into the role that migrant storytelling plays in efforts to combat xenophobia in South Africa.
This sort of planning and coordination would have been nearly impossible to accomplish if I were in the United States and I highly doubt that I would have been given the same degree of responsibility by the organization if that had been the case. I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to travel to the area of my study and get on the ground perspectives of an international issue that I am so passionate about. Because if this funding, I was able to put a spotlight on the lived experiences of those who have been marginalized by xenophobia and xenophobic violence and look forward to further analyzing how the amplification of these stories can serve as catalysts for lasting social change.
Internship at the Ignatian Solidarity Network – Chad Baron
Interning at the Ignatian Solidarity Network was an incredible experience that helped me engage deeper with my research interests and strengthened various skills. In the winter of my first year in the MAIS program, I came across an article outlining the affinities between Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ most recent encyclical, and Degrowth. In the article, the author described points of agreement and how the two can benefit from each other if intentionally brought into deeper conversation. The article notes at the end that more research must be done to highlight how Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and Degrowth can better engage with each other, and I decided to make this the core of my thesis.
I connected with Brenna, the Director of Education for Justice and Environmental Initiatives, to discuss environmental advocacy and CST in Fall, 2020, and she invited me to engage in some of their work to gain experience. After assisting them with environmental programming in the winter, I asked if an internship would be possible and ISN welcomed me. Over the course of three weeks in Cleveland, at their headquarters, I assisted Brenna further with their environmental advocacy programming to galvanize greater climate action, especially at Jesuit institutions across the country. For example, we developed a social media campaign to be released in July 2021 that addresses the connection plastic consumption has with environmental and racial justice. Additionally, I wrote a piece for ISN that explores this issue further. I spent time generating reflection material to be utilized by high schools and universities that explores CST and justice. A particular project I worked on that I was not expecting was analyzing data collected that explored diversity, equity, and inclusion issues at various levels of the education system. It was an insightful project that shed light on justice issues outside of environmental advocacy.
I was relating everything I encountered during the internship back to my thesis, if possible, and my thesis has benefitted from it. ISN made a point of connecting me with prominent thinkers who explore Catholic Social Teaching on socio-economics and environmental justice, and many of these thinkers offered to stay in touch. Hopefully, as the thesis takes shape, they can offer insights that will strengthen my work.
I thank the Ignatian Solidarity Network for their hospitality, guidance, and willingness to host me for three weeks. And I am especially thankful for the Rue W. Ziegler Fellowship for making it possible.
International Studies at USF 