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Review – Imagined Homeland: Dominica’s Literary Geographies aims to digitally plot significant historical locations referenced in Dominican literature

Project
Imagined Homeland: Dominica’s Literary Geographies

Project Director
Schuyler Esprit, Create Caribbean Research Institute

Project URL

https://web.archive.org/web/20220706120655/https://dominicadh.org/homeland/

Project Reviewer
Gianna Depina

I chose this project as it related to mine in various ways. Overall, this project aimed to contextualize the literary history of Dominica exploring the sociopolitical contexts that influenced the islands literature.

You may be asking questions like: What does she mean Dominica/Dominican? Are we talking about the Dominican Republic? I have never heard of Dominica! Which were all things I used to ask myself when I first met a Woman from Dominica. Similarly to Cape Verde, which is what my project is about, not many have ever heard of Dominica.

Similar to Cape Verde, Dominica is apart of an archipelago in the Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela. The purpose and goals of this study is to deepen the understanding to literature while touching a bit on culture of Dominica.

This project was facilitated by a student done by individuals interning with the Create Caribbean Research institute. This methodology is also similar to mine, by gathering data from novels, ArcGIS and interview based data. Overall, this offers a rich exploration of Dominica’s literary geography. Passage also helps get rid of stigmas placed in “under developed” countries like Dominica, and help others see that these countries are also innovative and make a postive difference in history, along wit modern day society. This paper also elevates the benefits that DH has provided for these countries. The outreach granted through these technologies can facilitate growth within these intellectual communities within the Caribbean and others, along with creating unity.

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REVIEW: The Factors Affecting Vaccine Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa

Project

Factors Affecting Vaccine Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa

Project Director

Emilia Blechschmidt

Faculty Advisors

Carrie Pirmann

Claire Cahoon

Project URL

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ebfde8e27c5c42339afad23295731bed

Project Reviewer

Jackline Masetu

Project Overview

The Factors Affecting Vaccine Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa project is a digital humanities research that investigates the factors affecting vaccine distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa. The project starts by introducing the importance of vaccinating the world and emphasizes on the  number of deaths averted due to vaccinating. Vaccine inequality is one of the concerns that the author of the research brings to focus the inequality of vaccine distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa. The major issues discussed in this research  are that high-income nations should provide vaccines to low and middle income countries for ethical and financial reasons, immunization reduces the need for expensive medical care and stops the spread  of new strains. The research indicates that population health improves global economic output. Problems affecting vaccine distribution are highlighted and the feasible solutions to these problems. There are organizations that are responsible for the distribution of vaccines in Sub-Saharan Africa and the countries affiliation with the different organizations influences accessibility to vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic created a huge wave in the health sector and the world in general thus the research analyzes the COVID vaccine distribution worldwide. The results of this analysis was that only 0.1% of Africa got access to the vaccine. There is an emphasis and direct comparison between economic capacity of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa and

Project Review

The introduction of the project provides a strong foundation by highlighting the significance of vaccines in preventing deaths and the challenges that hinder global vaccination efforts. The statistics provided effectively underscore the gravity of the issue, setting the stage for the study’s exploration of factors influencing vaccine distribution in sub-Saharan Africa. The section on moral and economic reasons for global vaccination is well-articulated. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of global health and economies, making a compelling case for high-income countries to support vaccination efforts in low- and middle-income countries. The benefits of vaccination, such as preventing outbreaks, saving on treatment costs, and boosting economic productivity, are clearly presented. The discussion on vaccine inequality is critical and timely, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistics contrasting vaccine distribution between Europe and Africa starkly illustrate the disparities. This section effectively highlights the urgent need to address these inequalities to prevent wastage and ensure equitable access to vaccines. The section on how it works  outlines the reliance of low-income countries on vaccine donations and the challenges they face in distribution. It provides a clear overview of the logistical hurdles, such as unreliable supply chains and transportation issues, setting up the subsequent discussion on potential solutions. The identification of problems and corresponding solutions is well-structured. The solutions proposed are practical and address the root causes of the issues identified The selection of GAVI-eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa for the study is appropriate given their low Gross National Income. The examination of historical campaigns, like polio eradication efforts and COVID-19 vaccination goals, provides valuable context. The acknowledgment of methodology issues is an important aspect of the project. The call for a more quantitative approach to factor analysis and the consideration of additional factors, such as epidemic history and advertising extent, indicates a reflective and thorough approach to the research. The conclusion succinctly reiterates the importance of vaccination for public health and economic stability. The emphasis on the need for systemic changes and culturally appropriate strategies reflects an understanding of the complexities involved in vaccine distribution. This section effectively ties together the findings and proposed solutions, emphasizing the urgency of improving vaccine distribution in sub-Saharan Africa. The project is comprehensive and well-organized, addressing a critical global health issue with clarity and depth. The images used in the project are clear and well contextualized. I think for better understanding as one reads through the project, the numbers references to the lines where certain things have been discussed should be given more description on what is their purpose otherwise the project is accessible to most of the audience.

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Week 1 Insights

From the beginning of my journey at Bucknell, I wanted to conduct research. I’ve explored various research programs and got my feet wet, but I was most interested in the Digital Scholarship Summer Research Fellowship program because I wanted to conduct research and create something with real-world implications. This program helped provide the perfect medium for this. I was also excited about the opportunity to learn from our wonderful program facilitators, Carrie Pirmann and Claire Cahoon, as well as work in a research cohort with fellows on various projects. So far, the experience has been amazing, and I am thrilled to pursue this academic journey alongside such wonderful and thoughtful people. I have already learned so much from and alongside my fellow researchers and am eager to see how this summer unfolds.

My project focuses on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the criminal justice system. I am still refining the primary focus of my project, but I hope to study how the pandemic has changed the justice system by analyzing arrest and incarceration rates, COVID-19 spread rates, and approaches to incarceration. I aim to specifically focus on Pennsylvania, but I may also compare it with New Jersey. Through this, I hope to answer what some of the lasting effects of the pandemic on the justice system have been. The pandemic was a lived experience for us all, and it fascinates me how society has almost glanced over it as we returned to normal. The truth is, the pandemic was life-changing for many. I myself experienced much instability and even moved to Pennsylvania before enrolling at Bucknell. I’ve always been interested in law and justice, but my experiences throughout the pandemic made me realize how much it changed the world on a structural level. Like many other systems, the criminal justice system was not equipped to handle something like COVID-19. During the pandemic, the justice system faced numerous challenges, from addressing overpopulation during a contagious outbreak to long delays and the total closure of in-person courtrooms, which changed and affected the lives of so many people.

Through the fellowship, I hope to learn more about the digital humanities and the various tools I can use to conduct and enhance my research. By the end of the program, I aim to have produced impactful research that sheds light on the intersection of COVID-19 and the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania. I hope this can help identify best practices and areas for improvement, improving understanding of the state-level impact and providing valuable insights for those striving to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 within the criminal justice system.

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Malika Ali

Malika Ali ‘26 is an International Relations & Classics double major with an intended minor in Arabic. She grew up in Carteret, NJ, but moved around during the COVID-19 pandemic before settling in Lewisburg, PA. Malika is very interested in law and justice and hopes to eventually attend law school after graduating Bucknell. She is specifically interested in public policy and criminal justice.

Her project focuses on studying the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the criminal justice system. Specifically, she aims to analyze how the pandemic led to changes in prosecution rates, arrests, and incarcerations, highlighting inequities that arose such as increased risk of exposure, reduced access to legal representation, and overcrowding. Additionally, her research considers the impact of social movements like Black Lives Matter and the heightened media coverage of police brutality, which also influenced changes in law enforcement and procedures.