Society

As ecological crisis and environmental awareness increasingly inform contemporary intellectual and political discourse, growing attention has turned to the role of music in mediating human relationships with nature. This intersection has birthed the field of ecomusicology which examines the entanglements of music, sound, culture, and the environment. But within this expanding body of scholarship, African ecomusicologies remain comparatively underexplored. Positioning itself to address this gap, this study employs a qualitative interpretive approach to critically examine the songs of the West African Ivorian reggae musician Tiken Jah Fakoly. Drawing on postcolonial ecocriticism alongside African cosmologies and ecomusicological frameworks, the analysis identifies three interrelated strategies through which Fakoly’s music articulates African ecomusicologies: environing postcolonial resource resistance that critiques neocolonial extraction and unequal resource politics, environmental witnessing that amplifies ecological urgency, and pan-African renewal that celebrates Africa’s natural and cultural vitality. Positing that these strategies engender Indigenously mediated forms of environmental justice, public consciousness, and sustainable futures, the study tenders that African ecomusicologies cannot be meaningfully theorized without attending to the afterlives of colonialism and the centrality of Indigenous epistemologies. It consequently contributes to African environmental discourse and the affirmation of Indigenous knowledge, while giving greater visibility to African reggae music as a medium of environmental consciousness and mobilization.

This article examines the academic literature on German colonialism in West Africa, focusing on its consequences for the Konkomba and Dagomba peoples of what is now northern Ghana, a dimension of German imperial history that remains critically underresearched relative to Cameroon and coastal Togo. Adopting an Africanist interpretive framework and a historiographical review method that draws on critical narrative synthesis, this article traces how domestic German political pressures, commercial lobbying, naval expansion, and diplomatic manoeuvring converged at the 1884–1885 Berlin Conference to authorise the interior conquest of the Konkomba and Dagomba territories. It finds that this conquest, led inland by explorers and commercial agents following the 1886 Krause expedition and consolidated by Grüner’s Togo-Hinterland expedition, was driven overwhelmingly by economic motives, cash-crop extraction, and trade-route control, rather than by the settler or missionary logics that shaped German colonialism elsewhere. The review identifies a further pattern: while missionary Christianity reshaped religious life along the coast, it made little headway among the Konkomba and Dagomba, who retained indigenous and Islamic religious practices throughout German rule, a divergence attributable to the Dagomba state’s political cohesion and the Konkomba’s decentralised social structure. Finally, the review traces the long-term consequence of the Berlin Conference’s arbitrary partition: the irredentist fracturing of Konkomba communities across the Ghana-Togo border, a legacy that continues to shape ethnic and political tension in the region today.

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) is people’s belief in their ability and capability to perform entrepreneurial tasks for income generation and socio-economic freedom. However, studies on ESE drivers in general and teachers’ and mentors’ leadership styles particularly are lacking. This study borrows ideas from four theories to examine the impact of mentors’ and teachers’ ethical and supportive leadership within technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes on ESE of refugee trainees in South Sudan. The study also examines the mediating role of human resources development (HRD). A cross-sectional research design was adopted with quantitative data collected from 121 refugee trainees under a UNHCR-supported TVET programme. Data was analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that for direct relationships, five dimensions of ESE studied (i.e. developing new products and market opportunities (NPD), building an innovative environment (BIE), initiating investor relationships (IIR), defining core purpose (DCP), and coping with unexpected challenges (CUC)) were all significantly impacted by HRD and teachers’ ethical leadership. Mentors’ ethical leadership (MEL) impacted only the CUC dimension. Although both mentors’ ethical and teachers’ supportive leadership (TSL) styles did not directly impact all ESE dimensions, except BIE, MEL and TSL significantly impacted all ESE dimensions through HRD. This means that HRD performed some strong mediating roles and highlights its importance in ESE. HRD is driven by mentors’ ethical and teachers’ supportive leadership styles. Considering the hurdles confronting refugees, it is unsurprising that HRD and ethical leadership emphasising interpersonal relationships and two-way communications are key direct ESE drivers.

Human beings confront recurrent tensions between desire and norm, self-affirmation and self-limitation, and finite existence and transcendent meaning. This article asks how civilizational traditions organize those tensions so that normative life remains both binding and bearable. It defines civilizational order not as the absence of conflict but as the historically transmitted capacity to interpret, regulate, and recover from conflict—that is, as resilience. Using interpretive comparative political philosophy and a bounded psychoanalytic heuristic, the article develops three ideal–typical pathways of moral constraint. Selected Confucian lineages illuminate ritualized internal moralization, in which cultivated agents become bearers and interpreters of norms; a selected Pauline-Augustinian Christian lineage illuminates external relational authority, in which judgment, grace, and repair are organized through a transcendent relation; and a Madhyamaka-inflected Buddhist lineage illuminates decentering, in which attachment to a sovereign self is loosened without eliminating conventional agency or ethical responsibility. The comparison yields three relational propositions: concentrating normative work in one mechanism magnifies its characteristic pathology; resilience may increase when more than one corrective capacity is available; and the political effects of every pathway depend on institutional mediation. Psychoanalysis clarifies the distribution of moral burden but does not diagnose civilizations or reduce religious doctrines to psychic functions. The article’s contribution is to shift comparison from the substantive content of moral doctrines to the structural location, mediation, and psychological operation of moral constraint.

The recent decision of the Haryana Government to introduce sub-categorisation within the Dalit fold is in tune with the electoral promises made during the state assembly election, and just after the Supreme Court decision, which allows such categorisation. This may mark a significant shift in caste politics, as this move is framed as a move to benefit ‘Depressed Scheduled Castes’. This policy reflects an emerging trend in Indian political discourse, in which caste fragmentation is strategically leveraged for electoral consolidation. This paper critically examines the historical, legal, and political dimensions of Scheduled Caste sub-categorisation in Haryana by locating it within broader debates around affirmative action and social justice. Also, it tries to analyse the electoral significance and implications for the Dalit consciousness movement.

This study explores the link between antisocial-themed music and visual media consumption and high school students’ attitudes towards deviant behaviors. A total of 118 students from a predominantly Hispanic rural community in California’s Central Valley participated in a Qualtrics survey about their music and media habits and beliefs about deviant behaviors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to develop three reliable scales: the Negative Music Scale, the Negative Visual Media Scale, and the Deviant Beliefs Scale. Bivariate analyses showed significant correlations between exposure to antisocial-themed music and visual media and acceptance of deviant behaviors. While most students did not consume high levels of antisocial-themed music and media, those who did scored higher on the “Deviant Beliefs Scale.” Engagement in prosocial activities among young people may function as a barrier against the potential harms of excessive antisocial-themed entertainment consumption.

This article examines how Russian academic writing on Latin America changed from the late Soviet period to 2025. It analyzes Russian interpretations of the region rather than Latin America itself, asking how scholarly discourse presents Latin America as evidence of Western decline, non-Western autonomy, and emerging multipolarity. Drawing on critical geopolitics and ontological security theory, the article treats such interpretations as narratives that stabilize Russia’s identity, status, and world role. It also stresses their limits, since Latin American states often pursue pragmatic hedging rather than anti-Western alignment. The study contributes to debates on area studies and knowledge production.

This study examines how individuals negotiate privacy within the expanding logic of surveillance capitalism, drawing on a sociological analysis of digitally diverse social groups in Egypt. Using a descriptive-analytical quantitative design, the study is based on a purposive sample of 420 participants representing different age and educational categories. The findings reveal that social media platforms, search engines, and commercial digital services function as core infrastructures of datafication, systematically extracting behavioral data to enable prediction, profiling, and behavioral influence. While participants demonstrated a moderate to high level of awareness regarding corporate data collection and surveillance practices, this awareness did not translate into meaningful control over personal data. Instead, users reported adopting limited self-protective strategies—such as adjusting privacy settings and restricting application permissions—within structurally constrained digital environments. Ethical concerns related to data commodification, targeted advertising, and the erosion of autonomy emerged as central anxieties across all social groups, with no statistically significant differences by age or educational level. The study argues that privacy awareness alone is insufficient to counter the power asymmetries embedded in surveillance-capitalist infrastructures. By situating users’ experiences within broader debates on datafication, algorithmic governance, and digital power, the study contributes to sociological discussions on privacy, agency, and regulation in contemporary information societies, particularly within under-regulated Global South contexts.

This study aims to empirically assess adultism as a cultural belief among adult populations of Spain (n = 2014) and Portugal (n = 1024). Two panel surveys were conducted to represent adults aged 18 and above in both countries, and an ad hoc instrument was developed to measure adultist beliefs. The results revealed high levels of agreement with adultist statements in both countries. Variables such as age, being male, and having a lower level of education were found to be associated with adultism. Other variables such as conservative political orientation, high self-esteem, and low institutional trust can significantly explain the endorsement of adultist beliefs.

This study examines the interaction between traditional governance practices and the adoption of China-aided digital governance systems in Ghana through the lens of the technology acceptance model (TAM). It investigates whether these systems displace established governance structures or promote conformity through integration, with attention to administrative efficiency, transparency, and sociocultural implications. Employing a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design, the study draws on survey data from 173 Ghanaian public sector workers and citizens, complemented by qualitative interviews with eight purposively selected key informants, including government officials, local government representatives, traditional rulers, and academics with expertise in digital governance. Descriptive statistical analysis and correlation analysis examine respondent perceptions across key constructs, including perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), ease of use overall (EOU), and behavioural intention to use (BIU), interpreted as an indicator of adoption intention rather than a direct measure of displacement or conformity. Findings reveal a hybrid governance dynamic: digital governance enhances efficiency and transparency while coexisting with traditional institutions. Descriptive findings show strong intention to adopt and high perceived usability, while qualitative evidence points to improvements in information access and bureaucratic processes, alongside anxieties about data security, sovereignty, and long-term dependence on foreign technology. Despite high perceived usability, traditional governance remains central to social cohesion, particularly in rural communities. The study concludes that structured coexistence rather than wholesale displacement or uncritical conformity characterises Ghana’s digital governance landscape, and that a hybrid governance model offers the most sustainable pathway forward.

The project system is an important policy tool to fill the regulatory vacuum of environmental protection in rural China. Using an in-depth case study, this article examines how the project system operates as a functional substitute for infrastructural power in rural environmental governance. The analysis reveals that the state resorts to the project system as a substitute mode of governance. This substitution operates through three interrelated mechanisms: (1) strategic site selection that prioritizes demonstration potential over environmental need; (2) managed mobilization that orchestrates compliance through persuasion and spectacle; and (3) goal displacement and fiscal triage. While projects can temporarily fill the rural regulatory vacuum, they may also constrain long-term capacity-building by prioritizing political visibility over systematic institutional development, distorting resource allocation, and marginalizing public participation. This study extends the infrastructural/despotic power framework to rural environmental governance in China and advances the theoretical understanding of state adaptation under capacity constraints.

How do modern states that claim universal citizenship continue to produce unequal forms of political belonging? This article addresses this question through the case of antisemitism in Iran. It argues that antisemitism operates not only as rhetoric or ideology, but also as a recurring mechanism through which political boundaries are drawn and maintained. The analysis traces how racialized distinctions between “Aryan” and “Semitic” populations, developed in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Iranian nationalist thought, were not abandoned after the 1979 revolution. Instead, they were reworked within the Islamic Republic through the language of Shiʿi political theology. As a result, earlier racial classifications and religious forms of authority now reinforce one another in shaping who belongs and on what terms. The article examines official rhetoric, public statements, and political texts to show how Jews are repeatedly positioned as a moral and political “other.” It demonstrates that antisemitism in Iran is not incidental or reducible to geopolitics, but forms part of a broader mode of rule in which religious legitimacy and national identity are closely intertwined. To capture this configuration, the article develops the concept of ethno-theocratic racialized sovereignty: a form of political order in which sacralized authority and historically rooted racial narratives, articulated through theological arguments, jointly structure hierarchical membership. The Iranian case illustrates how modern states can formally uphold universal citizenship while sustaining enduring patterns of exclusion through institutionalized classifications.

The recently described anti-fossil fuel norms (AFFNs) have come conspicuously late in the day, given the compelling society-wide knowledge of climate change dating back to the 1980s. In a revival-with-a-twist of Ungar’s global warming as a social problem (1992), this article analyses the 1988–1989 historical press, tracking the AFFN’s origins, here called the anti-fossil fuel sentiment (AFFS) and its temporal construction. It examines other conflicting fears under the economics of public attention and space for non-fossil future imaginaries, thus for AFFS’s emergence. The article works with Factiva, MAXQDA, and analytical lenses of temporalities. It concludes that the fear of nuclear weapons helped construct the climate change threat. In contrast, the ambiguous yet loud debate on nuclear power, together with a lack of political alternatives (future imaginaries), partly constrained the AFFS. The political representations failed to offer alternative options and instead promoted the narrative of old-ways protectionism. While this may seem unsurprising from today’s perspective, the paper reveals the climate debate before it became firmly established, mapping a crossroads that offered other possible avenues. Findings show obstacles to successful AFFNs that researchers continue to identify today.

This study examines the experiences of Black continental African immigrants in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, with particular attention to the factors shaping their decisions to relocate elsewhere in the country. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion with Black African immigrants, immigration officers, settlement workers, an immigration consultant, an international student advisor, and community advocates, the study explores how economic, social, and racial dynamics influence mobility decisions. Findings indicate that limited employment opportunities, career advancement, and the search for stronger compatriot communities are the primary drivers of relocation. For some participants, PEI also functions as an initial foothold from which they pursue wider opportunities elsewhere in Canada. Two retirement cases further suggest that life-course transitions, family proximity, transnational ties, and ease of travel may shape later-life mobility. Although participants reported subtle and overt racism, most maintained generally positive perceptions of the Island. The study identifies anti-Black African racism as a context-specific articulation of anti-Black racism associated with accent, cultural difference, perceived foreignness, and the devaluation of foreign credentials. Racism was rarely identified as the immediate reason for relocation, but it shaped the broader opportunity structure within which mobility decisions were made. By highlighting migration as a fluid and adaptive process, the study contributes to scholarship on immigrant retention, racialization, and secondary migration in smaller Canadian societies.

Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis transformasi pembelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial (IPS) berbasis deep learning dalam mendukung pencapaian Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan (Sustainable Development Goals/SDGs). Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kajian literatur (systematic literature review) dengan menganalisis artikel ilmiah bereputasi yang dipublikasikan pada rentang tahun 2015–2026 melalui tahapan identifikasi, seleksi, evaluasi, dan sintesis literatur berdasarkan pedoman PRISMA serta dianalisis menggunakan teknik analisis tematik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran berbasis deep learning dalam IPS tidak hanya dimaknai sebagai pemanfaatan teknologi, tetapi juga sebagai pendekatan pedagogis yang menekankan pemahaman mendalam, berpikir kritis, reflektif, serta keterkaitan dengan konteks kehidupan nyata. Implementasi pendekatan ini terbukti mampu meningkatkan keterampilan abad ke-21, seperti kemampuan berpikir kritis, pemecahan masalah, kolaborasi, dan kesadaran sosial peserta didik, serta berkontribusi signifikan terhadap pencapaian SDGs, khususnya pendidikan berkualitas (SDG 4), kesadaran lingkungan (SDG 13), dan penguatan nilai keadilan sosial (SDG 16). Namun demikian, implementasi pembelajaran IPS berbasis deep learning masih menghadapi tantangan berupa keterbatasan kompetensi guru, rendahnya literasi digital, serta belum optimalnya integrasi antara pendekatan pedagogis dan teknologi. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan pengembangan model pembelajaran IPS berbasis deep learning yang kontekstual, integratif dengan nilai-nilai SDGs dan kearifan lokal, serta didukung oleh peningkatan kapasitas guru dan kebijakan pendidikan yang adaptif. Kata kunci: pembelajaran IPS, deep learning, SDGs, kajian literatur, pendidikan berkelanjutan

This study examines the inter-ethnic interactions among the Sasak, Balinese, and Samawa communities in Lunyuk Subdistrict, Sumbawa, to understand how social harmony is maintained amidst cultural and religious diversity. The research is significant as it sheds light on practical strategies for fostering coexistence in rural multicultural settings, contributing novel insights into community resilience and interdependence. The study aims to identify the forms of social interaction across economic, agricultural, and cultural domains while addressing the challenges posed by differences in language, customs, and religion. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through non-participant observations, semi-structured interviews with 15 informants, and documentation. The analysis was conducted using data triangulation to ensure validity and reliability. The findings reveal that trading, agricultural collaboration, and cultural events are vital avenues for strengthening inter-ethnic relationships. Key challenges include linguistic barriers and differing cultural practices, which are mitigated through mutual respect, empathy, and effective communication. The study highlights the importance of adaptive strategies in sustaining harmony and provides a model for addressing diversity-related challenges in similar settings. These insights have implications for community development and policy- making in multicultural societies, promoting inclusivity and cohesion in both rural and urban contexts. Keywords: Bali ethnic group; Culture diversity, Social interactions, Sasak ethnic group, Samawa ethic group.

This study investigates the role of women entrepreneurs in financial reporting practices among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, over a ten-year period from 2014 to 2024. Grounded in Stewardship Theory (Donaldson & Davis, 1991) and augmented by Islamic financial ethics, this research employs a descriptive qualitative approach supplemented by longitudinal secondary data obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) of Mataram City and the Mataram City Cooperative and SME Office. The study systematically examines three dimensions: (1) the quantitative growth trajectory of women-led MSMEs across the decade, (2) the comparative quality of financial reporting between women- and men-managed enterprises, and (3) the mediating influence of local socio-cultural values—particularly the Sasak concept of 'amanah' (trustworthiness)—on financial accountability behavior. Findings reveal a statistically significant increase of 45% in women's formal participation in the MSME sector, with women-managed enterprises demonstrating superior consistency in daily transaction recording, budget separation, and cash flow management. However, a persistent digital financial literacy gap impedes full adoption of government-mandated accounting tools such as SI APIK. The study concludes that culturally embedded stewardship values substantially reinforce women's financial discipline, representing an underexplored nexus between Islamic moral economy and SME governance. Practical implications are proposed for local government policy on gendered financial literacy interventions. Kata kunci: Women Entrepreneurs; Financial Reporting; MSMEs; Stewardship Theory; Mataram City; Islamic Business Ethics; Digital Financial Literacy; Gender and Accounting

Community welfare is a primary development goal emphasized in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indonesia’s RPJPN. However, disparities in welfare persist in regions such as West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), which consistently ranks below the national average in indicators such as poverty, education, and health. This condition underscores the need for data-driven approaches to understand regional characteristics and develop more targeted policies. This study aims to clustering Cities/Regencies in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province based on people's welfare indicators. These indicators are indicators of people's welfare that represent aspects of population, health, education, employment, level and pattern of consumption, poverty and housing. The objects of observation are all Cities/Regencies in the province of NTB consisting of 10 Cities/Regencies, namely Bima City, Central Lombok Regency, East Lombok Regency, North Lombok Regency, West Lombok Regency, Mataram City, Sumbawa Regency, West Sumbawa Regency, Dompu Regency and Bima Regency. The data collection method used is the documentation method, which is obtained from the publication of Central Statistics Agency of NTB for 2022. The data analysis technique used in this study is quantitative data analysis using cluster analysis. The cluster analysis method used is the agglomerative hierarchical technique consisting of average linkage, single linkage, complete linkage, centroid, median and wards method. Based on the analysis that has been carried out, it is known that the grouping of Cities/Regencies in the NTB Province showed various clusters of each method. The optimal group is obtained by using Davies-Bouldin Index value consists of 5 clusters using average linkage, single linkage, centroid and median method; six Regencies joined in cluster 1 which are West Lombok, Central Lombok, East Lombok, Sumbawa, Dompu and Bima, West Sumbawa Regency in cluster 2, North Lombok Regency in cluster 3, Mataram City in cluster 4 and Bima City in cluster 5. The grouping results are expected to be input to the Government to plan strategic programs according to the different characteristics of each cluster to improve the welfare of the people of NTB. Keywords: Clustering; Welfare; Indicator; Cluster Analysis; Agglomerative Hierarchical