William O'Brien First-Year Research Prizes

In my FYS: Gender, Visual Arts, and Film in South and West Asia with Professor Basu, we were looking at how gender issues are expressed using visual arts and films. We started by understanding the concept of gender and how it was portrayed using arts and films specific to South Asia. These countries include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and others. For my research paper I chose a film titled ‘’India’s Daughter’’ which was made in 2015 by a British filmmaker Leslee Udwin in response to a gang rape and murder of a college student in 2012. I chose the film due to the fact that it was banned by the Indian government. My research paper titled “Between Advocacy and Controversy: A Critical Evaluation of India's Daughter” focuses on how the film created a huge debate concerning the purpose of the film. Positioned at the intersection of advocacy and controversy, the film raises urgent questions about rape culture, sexual violence and women's rights in India while simultaneously attracting critics for its framing and narrative choices. By analyzing the film through feminist, anthropological and media studies, the research showcases how the film functions as both a powerful tool of advocacy for women's rights and justice and as a controversial product that risks reinforcing stereotypes about India. I concluded that, India's Daughter embodies both advocacy and controversy by not only raising awareness but also the critiques it came with hence showing how advocacy and controversy are inseparable.

“My First Year Seminar: International Politics was heavily focused on applying International Relations (IR) theories to analyze real-world crises. While studying the three main theories of IR, particularly Realism, I began to question their capacity to fully explain complex political realities, given their masculinist assumptions and foundations. In my final research project, I explored these limitations by using Afghanistan as a case study to examine the Taliban’s 2021 return to power and the regime’s gendered repression of women. Using Realist theory, I analyzed how the Taliban consolidated authority after the U.S. withdrawal and exploited their power by imposing strict laws, especially those targeting women. However, Realism’s state-centric and power-oriented lens overlooks systemic gender-based violence and excludes marginalized voices. To address this gap, I applied different Feminist IR theories, which reinterpret the Taliban’s policies not as cultural inevitabilities but as structural mechanisms of authoritarian rule. My research critiques the reliance on mainstream theories such as Realism in policy analysis, arguing that without feminist approaches, peace becomes unattainable. This dual-theoretical analysis also aims to show the importance of utilizing critical theories and including diverse perspectives in decision making to guide the world toward stability and sustainable peace."

“In my First-Year Seminar; Monsters and Myth, I explore how different cultures shape ideals of heroism through mythology, focusing on Greek and Indian traditions. My research paper: "To Die Young, To Die a Hero: A Comparative Study of Abhimanyu in The Mahabharata and Achilles in The Iliad", examines how the deaths of young heroes reflect the core values of their societies. Growing up in Indonesia, I was immersed in stories from The Mahabharata, performed in traditional wayang puppetry, which sparked my interest in how myths communicate cultural ideals. In my research, I analyze the tragic yet heroic deaths of Abhimanyu and Achilles, showing how each reflects a distinct cultural framework: Abhimanyu embodies dharma, selflessly fulfilling his duty to family and society. While Achilles exemplifies kleos, pursuing personal glory that ensures his immortal fame. While doing my research, I also found intriguing similarities in how both cultures honor courage and sacrifice, alongside clear differences in how heroism is defined and celebrated. This comparative study not only deepens our understanding of ancient conceptions but also illuminates the philosophies that shaped their civilizations. Their respective deaths reveal profound cultural distinctions in what it means to be young and what it means to be a hero.”

“In my First-Year Seminar, Selling Out: Exploring Music, we examined how commercial success, cultural expectations, and artistic integrity intersect through the concepts of “selling out” and authenticity. When developing my topic, I became particularly interested in how these ideas are applied to Black women in the music industry, which led me to focus my paper on Beyoncé’s 2016 performance of “Formation.” This performance offered a compelling lens to explore how changes in image, sound, and political messaging are often celebrated when made by some artists but criticized or deemed inauthentic when made by others. One of the challenges I encountered was analyzing the performance’s visual and lyrical elements while situating them within broader historical and cultural narratives about Black artists. I am most proud of how I connected media reception, scholarly perspectives, and industry patterns to argue that Beyoncé’s “Formation” was both a bold act of self-definition and a direct challenge to the systemic policing of Black artistry. Ultimately, I concluded that “Formation” celebrates Black identity while also revealing how the music industry and its audiences shape notions of authenticity.”

“We often assume that global business success depends on strategy, capital, or innovation, but what if the real make-or-break factor is something hidden beneath the surface? Why does McDonald’s serve paneer in India but sausage McMuffins in the U.S.? Why did the Daimler-Chrysler merger, once expected to generate billions, collapse in failure? What if one's humor is highly offensive to the other? Or when saying “yes” means “I heard you,” not “I agree”? In my First-Year Seminar research project, I examined how deep-rooted cultural assumptions about authority, respect, and communication, what Hofstede calls “power distance”, can undermine even the best-planned global ventures. Through case studies, cross-cultural theory, and my personal reflection of growing up in a Nepali culture, I argue that companies must create a unique “third culture”, a shared space that bridges these divides, if they want to thrive in a truly global world.”

"In my First-Year Seminar, The Science of Attraction and Relationships, we examined the psychology and sexual strategies of individuals in intimate relationships, as well as some of the key characteristics that people look for in others. However, I thought it would be interesting to use a more biological point of view on understanding sexual attraction, specifically from the female perspective. Although sexual attraction is the driving force behind how we as humans choose partners, or whom to sexually engage and reproduce with, current research shows that ovulation may be an additional force to explain why females think and feel differently about certain male mates during stages of their hormonal cycle. I found that hormonal fluctuations around ovulation can uniquely impact relationship dynamics by increasing extra-pair desires, or the attraction for other people outside of one's closed relationship, due to the evolutionarily programmed hunt for good genes. These hormonal shifts can also, however, reinforce attraction for long-term partners, dependent on physical attractiveness and overall genetic fitness for reproduction. This area of research may help us to further understand how evolution shapes mating behavior, as well as the biology behind psychological choices, allowing females a greater capacity to recognize and understand their own attractions and desires."

“Renowned Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish once said; "If the olive trees knew the hands that planted them, their oil would become tears". Throughout the research process of my FYS final paper, I repeatedly stumbled across this quote, leading me to look further into olive trees and their importance to Palestinian identity, as well as the cultural and environmental impacts of the Israeli occupation. In my paper, "Clinging to Roots: Olive Trees as Symbols of Resistance and Environmental Violence in Palestine", I explore how olive trees reveal intricate ties between identity, land, and resistance, and how eco-politics have reshaped livelihoods. The Israeli occupation has transformed the olive tree into both a target of environmental violence and a source of Palestinian resistance. With lifespans of up to 500 years, olive trees are representative of the roots that Palestinian people have had in that land, many of which are now being uprooted, taking both livelihoods and centuries of history with them. Although my paper focuses mainly on past events, Palestine today remains a victim of (environmental) violence, which requires our global attention and action.”