The preservation of local languages is critical in conflict-affected regions. Yet, a significant gap exists in comparative analysis exploring how divergent political settlements-post-conflict settlement versus ongoing conflict-shape language preservation strategies and outcomes. This study investigates how the de-securitization of language in Aceh, Indonesia, versus the ongoing language securitization in Patani, Thailand, produces fundamentally different strategies and challenges for revitalization. Employing a comparative case study methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 stakeholders across both regions, performed non-participatory observation, and analyzed policy documents. Our findings reveal that Aceh's formal recognition is undermined by implementation gaps, leading to institutional decay, while Patani's grassroots efforts are constrained by state suspicion, fostering a model of community resilience. The study concludes that the state's political decision to (de)securitize a minority language is the pivotal factor determining whether preservation efforts can achieve sustainable, institutionalized vitality beyond mere survival. This research offers a nuanced model for understanding the state's central role in peacebuilding (SDG 16) through linguistic diversity, providing vital insights for language preservation strategies in other multilingual, conflict-affected regions.

Multiple occurrences of the pandemic have happened throughout human history. In Aceh, the westernmost province of Indonesia, the plague is known as Taeun, from the term Taeun Ijabroek, or the plague that attacks the lowly in dirty, bad clothes. It becomes Taeun Wabasampoh, the plague that attacks anyone, including the king and ulee balang (the local administrators). In November of 1873, a cholera outbreak reached Aceh, brought by the Dutch army. In December of the same year, the death toll reached 150, and 500 others were treated. In 1876, the death toll reached 1,400 as a result of Taeun. In 1947 and 1960s, another smallpox outbreak struck Aceh. This present study uses a qualitative method by using library inquiry with a descriptive analysis approach. Formulating the problem, how could the government's policy help deal with Taeun's outbreak in Aceh? Research indicates that the government's policy on the treatment of pandemics is divided into preventive and curative measures, whether through the medical or non-medical fields. Medical curative is performed by giving standard medicines to patients, while traditional curative is conventionally conducted by giving traditional medicines like herbs. Preventive measures are taken to keep ourselves and the environment clean. Judging from the traditional Acehnese home that offers water pots on the front side of the house next to the main door, providing isolation for the sick, the tulak bala (disaster prevention supplication) ceremony is performed by praying together. Additionally, advertising and vaccinations are used in contemporary preventive measures.

This study aims to examine the communication strategies of Indonesian students in adapting during the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) 2024 program in the United States. The background of this research stems from the challenges participants face in adjusting to a multicultural environment, including language differences, social systems, and cultural expressions. Intercultural communication skills are a key factor in the success of this program. This study employs a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach to understand participants' direct experiences. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with four students who participated in SUSI at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Temple University, Philadelphia. The sample was selected using the convenience sampling method, and data analysis was conducted through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results indicate that participants employed convergence, divergence, and over-accommodation strategies to adapt. Additionally, behavioral changes were observed after returning to Indonesia, such as cultural assimilation and integration. This study enriches the understanding of cultural adaptation in student exchange programs and serves as a reference for further research on the long-term impact of intercultural interactions on participants' identities and communication patterns. The implication of this research for future studies is the need for further exploration regarding the impact of cultural exchange programs on participants' identities and communication patterns in the long term.

The implementation of the Sabang Free-Trade Zone (FTZ) has implications for the increasing distribution of illegal cigarettes in the mainland areas of Aceh. It exacerbates state financial losses, community health problems, and the workload on customs to conduct control and supervision. This qualitative study aims to explore how the Free-Trade Zone in Sabang was managed as an instrument for political concession in the Aceh conflict and its quota decision mechanism on illegal cigarettes. Using a grounded qualitative research design, we conducted 12 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders. Four important findings are reflected in this study. First, the management of the Sabang-Free Trade Zone is highly influenced by political aspects and a lack of managerial competence. Second, there is a dilemmatic perspective of the conflicting parties regarding the Sabang FTZ. Third, the quota mechanism related to the distribution of imported cigarettes is not regulated and merely relies on importers’ requests. Lastly, the control and supervision system at the Sabang FTZ is weak. These findings are expected to serve as the foundation for policy recommendations and lessons on the illegal cigarette trade in Indonesia and other post-conflict countries, as well as free trade zones in neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Teachers’ practices and beliefs about instructional media are crucial in teaching English, as they can motivate students’ enthusiasm if teachers use them engagingly. Despite their importance, teachers’ practices and beliefs regarding instructional media in Islamic secondary schools in Indonesia have received less attention. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how teachers used instructional media and their beliefs towards employing it to teach English. We gathered information from two female English teachers at selected Islamic junior high schools in Aceh, Indonesia through observations and interviews. The results revealed that teachers utilized photos, whiteboards, overhead projectors, and flashcards to teach English. In their English foreign language classrooms, they used instructional media to facilitate students’ learning by explaining the materials, and giving exercises. Teachers believed that instructional media could help boost students’ interest, facilitate the learning process, and promote the achievement of teaching and learning objectives. They specified that curriculum and topic lessons are essential factors to consider when selecting instructional media for teaching English. They alleged that students’ feedback, participation in seminars or workshops, self-discovery, and new curricula could all have an impact on their beliefs. Future research should look into potentially more comprehensive accounts of teachers’ practices and beliefs about instructional media in varied secondary school contexts as well as how engaged students in more interactive classroom activities.

In the era of disruption, digital literacy is a must in the communication process, particularly for students or santri in schools and madrassas. As one of the most active social media users, Madrasah and Dayah students must understand the difference between trustworthy and fake news (hoaxes) that has been mixed in cyberspace, susceptible news that has the potential to affect the realm of law and religious extremism. The digital literacy assistance targets Aliyah students in four popular boarding schools in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar regency, with a focus on debunking fake news. This paper employs participatory learning and action (PLA) as a technique for assisting school-aged children. In practice, it was discovered that Aliyah students have a limited understanding of digital literacy, particularly in relation to factors that contribute to the suppression of fake news. It is anticipated that the results make a significant contribution to socialization efforts and targeted campaigns to raise awareness of digital literacy among elementary and secondary school-aged children, as well as its incorporation into the curriculum.

This qualitative study examines the names of 100 local and independent businesses to study the linguistic diversity and features of the linguistic landscape in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The names here refer to those written in specific languages used in Aceh (Indonesian, Acehnese, English, Arabic, and other indigenous languages spoken in the province). The data was collected from five main roads, capturing the shop names for analysis. The results show that English is the dominant language choice, composing a majority of 45% of signage, showing the influence of globalization and the desire for international appeal. While English appears to convey prestige, some businesses blend it with Indonesian or Acehnese, connecting with local culture and engaging diverse audiences. This deliberate language choice reflects a commitment to cultural preservation and authentic customer experiences. Meanwhile, diverse linguistic combinations, emphasizing global influences, cultural preservation, and strategic branding, were also revealed. The most prevalent linguistic structure of signs is product+X (57%), which highlights product types, followed by place+X (14%) which emphasizes regional or cultural identity. In addition, a name/person’s name+X establishes a personalized connection (6%). Finally, in language markers, shop names reveal globalization’s prevalence and demonstrate efforts to convey a global image. The revitalization marker reflects the commitment to the Acehnese language and cultural pride. Identity markers, which include place, name, abbreviation, product, plant name, and brand, establish trust, familiarity, and resonance, creating a dynamic linguistic and cultural landscape where businesses steer global influences and local heritage to connect authentically with customers. To conclude, shop names in Banda Aceh illustrate a vibrant linguistic and cultural environment where businesses use global influences and local heritage to create meaningful bonds with customers.

In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Indonesian government must take anticipatory steps to fight against global infections increasingly unsettling the public. Many media have highlighted the government's way of dealing with the pandemics, such as providing the latest news and information related to Covid-19. In this light, this study aims to identify the rhetorical appeals used in Indonesian government statements in times of Covid-19 pandemics and describe how those rhetorical appeals used by Indonesian government public addresses from The Jakarta Post online edition from March until December 2020. This study is expected to look at how texts and practices during the pandemic and its panic were in line with the Indonesian government to support their case. The result of this study can be used as a reference for the lecturers who want to help their students understand texts and their practices in online media. In addition, this study is expected to add new content to the study of rhetoric and discourse analysis and how the language of the pandemic is represented in the media.

This study investigated types of speaking problems faced by students in English presentations and their strategies to overcome such problems. This was a mixed-method study, in which data were collected using a set of questionnaire and interviews. A purposive sampling technique was used to select students in the academic year of 2017 at the Department of English Language Education, Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. In addition, this study employed descriptive statistics to analyze the questionnaire data, and Miles’ data analysis approach to analyze interview data. The results reveal that the students encountered both linguistic and non-linguistic problems in their English presentations. Linguistic problems include incorrect grammar, lack of vocabulary, and inaccurate pronunciation. Meanwhile, non-linguistic problems include fear of making mistakes, nervousness, shyness, lack of confidence and motivation, and hesitation in using the mother tongue. To overcome these problems, students used several strategies, such as being physically and mentally well-prepared, memorizing the materials, and rehearsing the presentation materials. Furthermore, they also used other strategies, such as preparing notes and making minimal eye contact in their presentations. The result of this study is expected to offer a practical yet realistic reflection and anticipative coping strategies for English lecturers to address students’ problems in EFL speaking classrooms.

Women's leadership is gaining more recognition in the public eye, particularly in professional leadership roles within educational institutions. Despite facing challenges such as seniority, local customs, and societal perceptions, these obstacles do not deter women from their leadership roles in educational institutions. In fact, they strive to create better opportunities for future leadership. The challenges faced by female school principals are often influenced by the prevailing patriarchal culture in society and community life. This research employs a qualitative method with a gender analysis approach. The findings reveal that challenges related to seniority and local customs are dominant issues for female school principals in Aceh. Seniority comes into play when younger school principals are perceived as inexperienced leaders by their senior counterparts, even if they possess the necessary competencies for the role. On the other hand, local customs are influenced by the presence of teachers who are local residents in the school. Additionally, dealing with policy dualism in private schools and collaboration with committees presents straightforward challenges for school principals, influenced by the research location, student backgrounds, and school status. The strategies offered by school principals involve continuous engagement, fostering better collaboration, and early consultation with relevant stakeholders. These efforts have helped ease tensions and lead to more effective solutions for overcoming these challenges.

Progressive Education (PE) aims to promote students' active participation and involvement in the learning process. PE strongly supports learner-centered instruction (LCI), enabling students to be active participants rather than passive recipients of knowledge. Nevertheless, the LCI has not yet gained popularity in the Indonesian school settings, particularly in Modern Islamic Boarding Schools. This enables us to do research on the potential and obstacles of implementing the LCI as required by Progressive Education in Islamic boarding schools. Data for this qualitative study was gathered through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews and an online communication with 24 teachers from Islamic Boarding Schools in the province of Aceh. The findings indicate that although worries about the issues of the LCI are still arising, the teachers involved in this research believe that the LCI has promising prospects in the near future. The finding also found that although the LCI is considered an efficient method for facilitating optimal learning, it is deemed to be less successful in some courses.

This research explored the impact of the Grammarly application on students’ writing performance and perceptions, particularly during the thesis writing stage. Writing is a complex cognitive process requiring strategic planning, organization, grammar, and vocabulary skills. The study focused on students majoring in English Language Education at Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, specifically those in their ninth semester from the 2018 cohort. A purposive sample of 42 students, all at the thesis writing stage and users of Grammarly, was selected from a total of 127. Additionally, three lecturers, serving as thesis supervisors, were randomly selected for interviews from a pool of 20. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, using survey questionnaires and interviews for data collection. Results indicated that Grammarly was a beneficial tool for students, significantly aiding in thesis writing and reducing the time spent on checking grammatical errors. The surveys revealed unanimous student agreement on Grammarly’s positive impact on their writing process. Interviews with lecturers supported this, noting an improvement in the quality of theses written by students who used Grammarly. This study underscored the effectiveness of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) tools like Grammarly in enhancing students’ writing skills and outcomes.

Banda Aceh is the provincial capital of Aceh and has been declared as an economic mobility and education center. This period was marked by the establishment of several public and private schools, as well as public and private universities. Education is a process of learning that aims to develop a generation to be more reliable and capable. Facilities and infrastructure are critical components of education. An essential educational facility for both students and educators is the library. As a public institution, the library must comply with applicable rules and regulations namely UU No. 25 of 2009. The purpose of this study is to establish public services at the UIN Ar-Raniry and USK libraries. This research employs a qualitative approach. The findings indicated that the two libraries were extremely capable of providing services to these public institutions. Numerous supporting aspects contribute to the creation of satisfactory service. Additionally, there are various obstacles to the implementation of public services. Minor errors that occur in each institution are a constant source of progress that must be developed over time. This study concludes that public services provided to UIN Ar-Raniry and USK libraries have begun to show results in compliance with UU No. 25 of 2009. However, further efforts are required on the side of the library's internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the implementation of future services sincerely achieves the law's standardization

Literasi digital adalah sebuah keniscaayaan dalam proses komunikasi di era disrupsi, khususnya bagi kalangan pelajar atau santri di sekolah dan madrasah. Sebagai salah satu pemgguna sosial media yang paling aktif, santri di madrasah dan dayah perlu memahami mana berita yang benar dan bohong (hoax) yang sudah bercampur di dunia maya, terlebih berita sensitif yang berpotensi ke ranah hukum dan radikalisme dalam beragama. Pendampingan literasi digital ini ditujukan kepada santri aliyah di empat Pondok Pesantren favorit di Kota Banda Aceh dan Kabupaten Aceh Besar dengan fokus penangkalan berita bohong (hoax). Adapun metodologi yang digunakan dalam tulisan ini adalah dengan menggunakan participatory learning and action (PLA) sebagai metode dalam pendampingan anak usia sekolah. Dalam pelaksanaannya, ditemukan bahwa santri aliyah masih minim sekali kesadaran literasi digital khususnya terkait beberapa hal yang berkontribusi kepada penangkalan berita bohong. Hasil dari pendampingan ini diharapkan bisa memberikan kontribusi penting bagi upaya sosialisasi dan kampanye yang lebih terarah terhadap upaya peningkatan kesadaran literasi digital bagi anak usia sekolah, baik dasar maupun menengah, termasuk integrasinya kedalam kurikulum.

This research investigates the dominant rhetorical/ discursive strategies in the British mainstream news media regarding their reports on Ukrainian refugees in the United Kingdom (UK). While news media have negatively constructed the non-European refugees, as previous studies have revealed, this research is unique because it specifically focuses on European refugees as its research sample. The ultimate objective was to demonstrate how the news media in the UK portrayed the incoming Ukrainian refugees on British soil. The data were 40 Ukrainian-refugee-related news reports published in four mainstream news media in the UK from March until July 2022. The data was then analysed by using Wodak’s Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), consisting of six analytical categories: Referential, Predication, Argumentation (Topoi), Perspectivisation, Mitigation, and Intensification (Reisigl Wodak, 2008). The research found that regardless of their ideologies, all four news media consistently employed the discursive strategies of humanization and individualization and pervasively established a positive argumentative strategy on Ukrainian refugees. These dominant strategies depict a positive representation of Ukrainian refugees. Moreover, despite the overall negative picture of third-world refugees in British news media, the finding of this research is distinctive from the previous ones, showing that the British news media actively constructed the Ukrainian refugees positively and sympathetically. It is argued that the news media’s ideological stance of Eurocentrism and biased racial values played a decisive role in framing the pictures of European/Ukrainian and non-European refugees in their reports.

Previous interpretation of QS. al-Anbiya’ ayat 7 states that this verse is the argument that the messenger is only from men. However, it turns out that the word rijāl in QS. al-Anbiya’ ayat 7 there are indications of the meaning of women which is correlated with rijāl in other verses in the Koran. This shows that there are differences in interpreting interpretations depending on the interpreter's period. This study aims to examine the historical meaning, historical significance, and contemporary dynamic significance of QS. al-Anbiya’ ayat 7 to find relevant and progressive meanings to the present. This research was assessed using qualitative methods. literature review comes from data sources related to research with the ma'nā cum magzā approach theory. This theory was chosen because it has a structured and comprehensive work tool in offering interpretations of the Koran, because it has united classical science with multidisciplinary knowledge. This research got the result that QS. al-Anbiya’ ayat 7 actually does not focus on the issue of apostolic identity, but this verse indicates a connection with the statement of the Quraysh who doubted the Prophet Muhammad SAW as a messenger, then, in terms of historical significance, the message of the verse is an affirmation that the Prophet Muhammad SAW receiving revelation and in terms of contemporary dynamic significance reveals the importance of having competence in preaching which includes several strategies to approach aspects of sociology, psychology, culture and the wise command to ask scientific professionals who are experts in their fields.

Motivation is a crucial concept for being successful in learning. Highly motivated students will do their best in learning any subject. This quantitative study aimed to investigate the predominant type of motivation among Gayonese students and their level of motivation to study English at the Department of English Language Education, Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. The research samples were 33 students from batch 2014 to batch 2018 from the Department of English Language Education from Gayo highland Districts (Central Aceh, Gayo Lues, and Bener Meriah Districts). The random sampling technique was used to select participants with close-ended questionnaires as the data collection instrument. The results showed that the overall intrinsic motivation score was greater than the extrinsic one (4.21 ˃ 3.05). As a result, the implication of this study requires teachers to boost students’ extrinsic motivation to increase their academic achievement in studying English at the university.

Cases of sexual violence against children in Aceh are increasingly worrying. The data collected from SIMFONI-PPA of the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection recorded that in 2021 there were 5,463 cases of violence against children nationally. The impacts felt by the victims of sexual violence who needed psychological assistance included hatred, revenge, rebellion, and trauma. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the communication patterns used by the facilitators at the Protection of Women and Children of Aceh Province in handling child victims of sexual violence and the obstacles faced in the assistance process. By using a qualitative and phenomenological approach, the study collected the data through in-depth interviews and documentation. The researcher interviewed two lawyers, two counsellors, and one psychologist. At the same time, documentation data was acquired from records and relevant documents in the UPTD PPA Aceh office. The results of the study revealed that there were two patterns of communication used by the facilitators of UPTD. Psychologists and counsellors used primary communication patterns through verbal and non-verbal communication simultaneously. On the other hand, lawyers used a circular communication pattern by having more communication with the victims’ families. Moreover, the obstacles experienced by the facilitators included requiring extra approaches and assistance for child victims with special needs. Other obstacles include frequent threats and terror, the dysfunction of the safe house for victims who needed temporary shelter, and the unavailability of a special treatment section or room in the hospital for victims of sexual violence.

This study examined the use of humour in EFL classrooms in Islamic higher education in Indonesia. It intends to find out whether Indonesian EFL teacher educators used humour as pedagogy and how they used it. Using a narrative inquiry method, it involved 25 EFL students undertaking English Writing courses working in groups of two or three members to write descriptive texts on the humorous moments in their classroom process. Nine of them were purposively selected for analysis using humour theories and removed the rest because of not humorous moments. It revealed that the teacher educators used various kinds of humour in EFL classrooms, such as humorous comments, lecturers’ humorous life stories, puns, and teasing students. However, most were unrelated to the course materials they taught and did not reflect Islamic values. In conclusion, this study has provided insights into humour used in the Indonesian Islamic higher education, which is crucial for academics to pay attention to using humour, such as not harming students.