
An integral part of all Dragons’ programs is the Independent Study Projects (or ISPs for short). ISPs allow each student to go in-depth and pursue a topic of interest that they are passionate about. This can connect to a hobby of yours back home, or it could be something that you’ve never explored before.
The iteam has been busy brainstorming potential topics that integrate well in our itinerary, reflect the multiple facets of the country, and are connected with local cultures, identities, and current issues. Take a look at the list below as a starting point, and also feel free to dream up your own ideas.
This should NOT be a research assignment primarily pursued through books, articles, or the internet, which you could do at home. Instead, this should be an experiential, hand-on, interactive project tailored to you and your interests. Of course it can include some limited internet or book research, but should primarily be interactive.
Steps to take now:
1) Before getting too specific or reading the below list, first brainstorm big-picture topics that you are interested in, like: religion (Islam), women’s issues, development, migration, tourism, etc. Then, start to narrow down your interest to answer a specific question. Actually, the most successful projects are often very specific. Topics that are too broad are usually not successful.
2) Look through the below list, do some initial research in books or online, and narrow your interests to three or four possible specific topics. Once we get in country the instructors will talk to you about your topics and help you decide on the topic you want to pursue.
3) For most projects, you will be connected with a local mentor who will demonstrate or teach you the topic. However, some projects can be more independently directed, for example, phographing the rural and urban divide in Morocco. For that type of ISP, you may not have a local mentor, so you will need to be a lot more organized and self-directed.
Religion & Philosophy
Environment/Wildlife
Education
Family
Politics
Arts
Population, Gender and Social Issues
History
Development
Health and Sports
Culture
Language