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While falling prices at the gas pump may be a boon for everyday consumers, fluctuations in the price of gasoline can have very real consequences for nations such as Russia, the second largest exporter of oil in the world. Muhammad Najib ’18, along with Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics Onur Sapci, is this summer attempting to assess the impacts that falling oil prices have had and will continue to have upon the Russia’s economy, politics and macroeconomic policy decisions.

Though the human eye processes hundreds of different shades and tones every day, color may not be a subject that is often considered by the average individual. Art major Lily Anne Johnston ’16, however is exploring color theory this summer in order to paint a vivid picture of the Upstate New York area’s regional color history through an Emerson Foundation grant.

Over the past several years Cuba has seen many changes. Since Raúl Castro assumed the Cuban presidency in 2008, he has introduced a number of economic reforms that have removed many commercial restrictions and lessened government control. This has resulted in a growing private sector and a rise in Cuban self-employed entrepreneurs.

Elana Van Arnam ’17 is pursuing research into one of Spain’s most commonly misunderstood monarchs: Juana I of Castile. Popularly known as “Juana la Loca,” or Juana the Mad, the Queen is one of the most iconic figures in early-modern Spanish history.  Van Arnam’s summer research is funded through an Emerson Summer Collaborative Research Award and is being directed by Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies Xavier Tubau.

As more and more contemporary scholars begin to reevaluate the roles of female characters in foundational ancient texts, Grace Berg ’16 is this summer assessing scholarly reactions to reimaginings of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey through an Emerson Summer Collaborative Research Award.  Berg’s project is titled Penelope and Her Odyssey: A Reception Study, and her adviser is Barbara Gold, the Edward North Professor and chair of Classics.

When you think of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet’s soliloquy “to be, or not to be” is probably the first thing that comes to mind. This scene is just one well-known example of the power of monologues. Monologues, whether in a 17th-century play or a recent movie, have a special power to delve into the mind of characters and connect with audiences. This summer, Kelsey Crane ’17 is exploring the particular power of monologues, working with Professor of Theatre Craig Latrell under an Emerson Summer Research grant.

John Rufo ’16 is taking poetry beyond the personal and into the political this summer with an Emerson project titled “Hybrid Forms, Hybrid Voices: A Creative Study of Contemporary Political Poetics.”

This summer, Marquis Palmer ’18 is exploring conceptual frameworks with the potential to contribute to the recent #BlackLivesMatter movement, focusing primarily on an unexpected and popularly misunderstood school of thought — anarchism. His research is an Emerson project under the direction of John Stewart Kennedy Professor of Philosophy Richard Werner.

Classic mythology originated thousands of years ago, yet it still resonates with audiences today. With an Emerson Foundation grant, Rachel Beamish ’16 is examining adaptations of classical and Egyptian mythology within modern young adult novels. She is working with Professor of Africana Studies and Classics Shelley Haley to examine how contemporary novels adapt classical mythology to 21st century American culture.

Paula Ortiz ’18 is taking a shot this summer at an endeavor many professional filmmakers never undertake, let alone rising undergraduate sophomores: crafting a documentary. Ortiz is pursuing this project, titled Textile Patterns and Social Structure: Recapturing the Artistic, Historic and Cultural Legacy of Otavalo, with funding from an Emerson Summer Collaborative Research Award and Visiting Professor of Art History Scott MacDonald as her advisor.