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Glen Gullickson ‘07, Martin Kielmanowicz ‘07, Peter Olivier ‘07
Class Polarization and the Future of Venezuelan Democracy
This research project put Glen, Martin and Peter on the ground in Caracas during
a moment of tremendous political significance, both for Venezuela as well as
the broader region. The day after they landed, President Chavez announced the
nationalization of the nation’s largest telecommunications company, CANTV, as
well as the energy sector. Their research put them into contact with a broad range
of people, from leading intellectuals to average citizens, and took them from some
of the most affluent neighborhoods in Caracas to the poorest. Venezuela is a society
on the crux of political and social transformation; this research project has enabled
Martin, Glen and Peter to witness these transformations in a way that secondary
source research cannot.
Elizabeth Hammond ‘07
The Long-term Psychological Effects of Trauma and the Recovering Mental Health System of
Bosnia- Herzegovina
After the war in the 1990s, 60 percent of the health infrastructure of Bosnia and Herzegovina was
destroyed, yet mental health disorders skyrocketed in the aftermath of the violence. This research
explored the long-term psychological effects of trauma and how the mental health system is
currently coping with those effects. Through interviews with Bosnian health workers and politicians,
Liz discovered that this issue is extraordinarily complex. Recovery from mental health disorders
is intimately linked to the social, economic and political recovery of Bosnia. Currently, the problems
with the health care system result from unemployment and economic instability as well as lack of
cooperation in the government between parties. While the effects of war trauma are still evident
in mental health patients, the issue is so pervasive and so intermingled with the stress of daily life
that war trauma cannot be treated in isolation. This research was conducted as a chapter in her
senior honors thesis in psychology.
Samuel James ‘09
Lagos, Nigeria: The Megacity Crisis
Six hundred thousand people pour into Lagos from the Nigerian countryside
and West Africa each year. With a population of roughly 17 million, Lagos
is currently growing faster than any of the world’s megacities. By 2015, it
is projected that Lagos will rank behind Tokyo and Mumbai as the third
largest city in the world. Lagos epitomizes the modern megacity both in
terms of its vast population growth and dire living situation. For many
people moving to Lagos, the city represents an exciting opportunity for
economic success. However, most newcomers are greeted only by the
harsh realities of the deteriorating urban landscape. The rapid population growth of Lagos has not been matched by
the provision of social and economic infrastructure such as housing, healthcare facilities, schools, roads, transportation,
water, solid waste disposal and drainage facilities. Formal employment is scarce, disease is rampant, and pollution is
omnipresent. In Lagos, Sam interviewed social and economic rights NGOs, health policy NGOs, the Lagos State Ministry
of Physical Planning and Urban Development, journalists, slum community leaders and professors. This research was
conducted as part of the Synaptic Scholars program.
Maya Karwande ‘09
Domestic War Crime Prosecutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Perceptions of Justice and International Involvement
Through her research, Maya concluded that war crimes are the central issue in Bosnian society, and they need to be
Institute for Global Leadership, Tufts University 21