Global Journal of Human-Social Science
Lessons to Guide AI Integration Efforts: An Illustrative Narrative of a Teacher Educator in New Zealand
Advances in technology have created the potential for a new era of learning that is both ubiquitous and authentically grounded in real-world contexts. However, there remains a gap between this theoretical potential and the lived experiences of teacher educators (TEs). To help bridge this gap, this study explored a TE’s lived experience. The study used a narrative inquiry approach to examine how the TE integrated technology into teaching and learning, offering insights into a range of pedagogical strategies. The narrative illustrates how the TE designed and implemented a range of pedagogical approaches that modelled effective technology integration, giving student teachers (STs) authentic opportunities to engage in technology-mediated learning aligned with the TPACK framework. Lessons learned, which emphasise the need for ongoing professional development that strengthens both technical competencies and technologyenhanced pedagogical approaches, offer valuable insights into the integration of artificial intelligence in teacher education, a process that is still in its early stages.
Copyright (c) 2026 Authors and Global Journals Private Limited http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The Role of School Libraries in Promoting Access to Supplementary Books
The state school Centro Educa Mais Deborah Correia Lima has Annex II -Mamorana in the rural area, located in the municipality of São Bernardo, MA, which faces an economic deficit and limited access to social and cultural capital. This Annex II is attended by young people from farming families engaged in small-scale subsistence production based on planting and harvesting cassava, corn, and beans, and who are therefore financially disadvantaged. In view of this, the aim of this study is to analyze the development of reading practices in this Annex, taking into account the existence of a school library, the variety of literary genres, whether the environment is used by students, and whether they have a reading mediator. The study also examines how these students come into contact with paradidactic books and the influence of the absence of this cultural asset on broadening their academic horizons. The methodological procedure used for the research was a literature review and fieldwork based on semi-structured interviews, which were qualitative in nature. The results are the absence of a reading area and practices aimed at developing the habit of reading in Annex II -Mamorana.
Concept of Personality Development of Educators in Terms of Culture as Self and Mentoring Movement: Humanistic and Communicative Approaches
Axiology Model of Culture as Self and Mentoring teachers
research function of a teacher development
Individualized Transition Plan in Promoting Inclusion in Education: An Analysis After the Brazilian Law for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities (LBI)
Inclusion has become a priority on the global educational agenda, as demonstrated by the themes addressed in the UN 2030 Agenda, the Brazilian Inclusion Law, and the recent Plano Viver Sem Limites (Living Without Limits Plan) of the Brazilian Federal Government. For this study, we highlight an instrument, as a pedagogical strategy, whose ultimate goal is to enable the entry of the target audience of Special Education into the world of work, the Individualized Transition Plan (PIT). In this sense, we propose a systematic analysis of the literature with the following research question: What are the challenges and best practices for the transition of students with specific needs to adult life? This study is explored based on two milestones: one experienced temporarily in Basic Education, High School, and another legislative, the 2015 LBI. Furthermore, previous research points to significant gaps in the understanding of the functioning and effectiveness of PITs, highlighting the importance of an in-depth analysis of the current state of research. The research used the IRaMuTeQ software for discourse analysis, based on searches in the SCIELO, BVS, Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations and CAPES journals databases, using the descriptors: “School transition plan”, “PIT” and “PEI”. As a result, 16 materials were identified for further analysis and elaboration.
individualized transition plan in education
The Influence of Mother Tongue(s)on the Learning and Teaching of English as a Foreign Language at Three Universities: The Case of Protestant, Kinshasa and Technological/Bel Campus Universities in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Meanings of the Right to Memory and the Right to Forget and the (IN)Understandings of the Brazilian Supreme Court
The present study analyzes the meanings that the Brazilian Constitutional Court attributes to memory and forgetting, as a way of understanding the meanings of the right to memory and the right to be forgotten in Brazilian law. The research problem consists of verifying how the Brazilian Constitutional Court understands the similarities between the right to memory and the right to forget. The study is based on bibliographic research and adopts the phenomenological method in its approach. The study carries out a phenomenological analysis of memory and forgetting, investigates how forgetting can be elaborated in the information society and examines the Brazilian Constitutional Court’s understanding of the right to forget and the right to memory. The study argues that the right to memory is intended to protect political memories, while the right to be forgotten is linked to the protection of personality rights. The research criticizes the position adopted by the Brazilian Constitutional Court, for not having adequately understood the phenomenological dimension of memory and forgetting.
Copyright (c) 2024 Authors and Global Journals Private Limited http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Beyond Reality: An Integrative Theoretical Framework for Influence Marketing in the Metaverse
This study presents a theoretical model to dissect influence marketing within the metaverse, a burgeoning digital realm revolutionizing consumer-brand dynamics. Addressing the metaverse’s rapid expansion and AI’s role, it scrutinizes the impact of metahumans and virtual influencers on marketing strategies. The framework delves into influence mechanisms, interaction dynamics, and their influence on consumer engagement and brand perception, applying communication, social psychology, and media studies theories to the metaverse’s unique milieu. It investigates how immersion, presence, and interactivity affect marketing success, emphasizing the significance of authenticity and AI-enabled personalization in forging strong consumer-influencer bonds. This research enhances understanding of metaverse marketing, providing insights for strategists and suggesting avenues for future inquiry. By merging AI, metahumans, and virtual influencers in its analysis, the paper sheds light on influence marketing’s future directions, underlining the interplay between technology, societal trends, and consumer behavior, and signifying an advance in marketing strategies for the digital age.
Environmental Sustainability Practices in Large Brazilian Food Companies in Light of the 2030 Agenda Goals
The study aims to identify and discuss practices aimed at environmental sustainability in large Brazilian food companies in light of the 2030 Agenda goals and of the commitments made by the Brazilian Food Industry Association (ABIA) at Rio+20. The survey is of an applied, qualitative, exploratory nature and descriptive design, with documentary data collection anchored in the sustainability reports of sizeable Brazilian food companies selected for the study. Unlike the studies carried out in Brazil and other parts of the world, in this study, management for environmental sustainability was assessed in the light of the goals and targets set out in the 2030 Agenda. The results indicate that there has been progress in the Brazilian Food Industry about the commitments made in favor of sustainable development. Many measures adopted satisfactorily meet the objectives of the 20230 Agenda. However, intensifying of these practices is still necessary so that the industry effectively contributes to achieving a legitimate and acceptable level of sustainable development, especially in a country like Brazil, where the food and agriculture industry compete for space with biomes and sensitive ecosystems the activity economic.
Economic Crises and Pandemics: Mitigating the Effects Through Sustainable Actions and Elements of Competitive Advantage
The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a serious economic crisis in 2020, affecting several sectors of the economy and companies extensively, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). History shows the recurrence of economic crises with global impacts, such as the Great Depression of 1929 and the 2008 subprime crisis, as well as localized impacts, like the 2014 crisis in Brazil. Faced with the potential repetition of similar events in the future and the need to identify risk mitigation strategies for SMEs, this work aims to provide a set of guidelines based on actions related to sustainability and elements of competitive advantage that SMEs can employ to face economic crises or pandemics. Regarding the methodological aspects, this is an exploratory and descriptive research with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through documentary and bibliographical research in the scientific literature, focusing on sustainability actions and competitive advantages employable by SMEs to mitigate risks arising from economic crises and pandemics.
Coordinating Industrial Disaster Rehabilitation: Insights from the Rana Plaza Coordination Cell in Bangladesh
The Rana Plaza collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 24, 2013, marked one of the deadliest industrial disasters in modern history, claiming over 1,100 lives and injuring more than 2,500 workers. This paper critically assesses the role of the Rana Plaza Coordination Cell (RPCC), established by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, in addressing the multifaceted challenges of disaster rehabilitation. Utilizing a qualitative methodology including focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and analysis of secondary documents, this research examines how the RPCC navigated issues of coordination, data verification, emergency relief, and compensation. Findings reveal that despite initial fragmentation, the RPCC played a central role in mitigating information gaps and facilitating victim support through institutional innovations and stakeholder collaboration. The paper recommends institutionalizing such coordination mechanisms for future industrial disasters to ensure timely, equitable, and efficient rehabilitation outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Authors and Global Journals Private Limited http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Climate Changes and Cultural Responses in the Southeastern Kazakhstan during the past 50,000 years
Long Term Shoreline Change Analysis and Forecasting in Kuwait Bay via NDWI and DSAS
Integrating remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) can be applied through shoreline monitoring. Coastal environments undergo both natural and anthropogenic processes that drive shoreline changes, making them highly dynamic systems. Kuwait Bay is characterized by its shallow waters and broad intertidal flats, where the tidal activities, wave action, and sediment transportation influence their morphological changes and contribute to critical socio-economic and environmental impacts. This study aims to quantify, calculate, and analyze the metrics of morphological shoreline changes along Kuwait Bay during and to predict the future shoreline position during 2034 and 2044. Four Landsat sensors (5, 7, 8, and 9) derived from the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform were used for data acquisition. Shoreline changes were analyzed using the DSAS 5.0 extension in ArcMap 10.4, employing metrics such as SCE, NSM, EPR, and LRR, ArcGIS Pro, and Python (ArcPy library) for shoreline extraction and calculating (NDWI). The highest SCE value was 2889.63 m. As for the NSM, the maximum erosion exceeded that of accretion (2432.94 m and 1482.08 m, respectively). The EPR was 78.64 m/y -1 for erosion and 48.09 m/y -1 for accretion.
Post Pandemic City Rethinking Urban Landscapes through Humanized Management
The recent epidemiological events and the associated need for scientific knowledge have increased the number of investigations on the impact of diseases in different areas, but at the level of built scenarios, the problems caused by inadequate infrastructure and urban characteristics in coping with health crises are widespread. Given these issues, the general objective of this research is to assess the application of solutions in the field of humanized management of (post-) pandemic urban landscapes, especially in an international context. A scientometric analysis and a systematic review of secondary sources was conducted in the Lens, Scopus, and Web of Science (WoS) databases, quantifying the results and classifying their characteristics to d elineate the main academic discussions. The literature search yielded a total of 200,032 texts, of which 194 were selected for preliminary analysis after applying filters. This showed that publications on WoS (51.35%) and those with empirical approaches (70.62%) predominate, with Europe (33.51%) being more represented, although the United States (12.89%) published a greater number of articles. The thematic categories of the 149 studies selected for full reading were isolation and social distance (18.79%), effects of pandemics in municipalities (17.45%), open spaces and green areas (13.42%), community experiences (12.08%), smart cities (11.41%), technology and innovation (10.74%), people-centered contexts (8.05%), human rights and public policy (6.71%), and urban design and planning (1.34%). It can be concluded that essential aspects of the last category, relevant to the configuration of humanized landscapes, are still scarcely discussed, which shows that future research should focus on citizens’ participation and the subjectivity of their experiences in urbanized environments.
Agroecology in Metropolitan Regions in Brazil – Socioterritorial and Sociospatial Movements
This article aims to analyze agroecology in metropolitan regions in Brazil, based on the concepts of sociospatial and socio-territorial movements. It also draws parallels regarding the presence of agroecology in different metropolitan regions. Another aspect is to continue evaluating these concepts to understand the dynamics of agroecology. The method relies on primary sources from previous research and secondary sources for data comparison. As concluding considerations, the advancement of agroecology depends on the conquest of land and territory -stemming from socioterritorial movements – and on its spatial dissemination, where socio-spatial movements may have an impact. While socioterritorial movements are necessary for agroecology, they are not sufficient on their own. In this case, the concept of socioterritorial movement is explanatory. The expansion of agroecology in metropolitan regions is driven by the actions of movements, associations, and universities. This is a sociospatial action, such as networks, not merely the presence of socio-spatial movements.
Reimagining Laal Ded: Mysticism, Peace, and Women’s Agency in Kashmir
The traditional manner of theorising peace diplomacy has generally been a very androcentric practice. Theoretical paradigms that privilege state sovereignty, strategic rationality and militarised performance, and are products of masculinised processes have always been central to imagining the cartography of peace diplomacy. Feminist epistemological interventions in the spaces of International Relations (IR) and decolonial scholarship expose how these existing androcentric frameworks silence the vernacular epistemologies of reconciliation which are grounded in affect, ethics and spirituality. This paper re-reads Laal Ded (Lalleshwari), the fourteenth-century Kashmiri mystic-philosopher, as an early practitioner of what may be termed affective diplomacy—a mode of peace-making that operates through moral suasion, empathy, and relational ethics. Situated at the confluence of Shaivite and Sufi thought, Laal Ded’s vakhs constitute a non-hegemonic discourse of coexistence that continues to animate women’s peace initiatives in contemporary, militarised Kashmir. This paper draws upon feminist IR (Tickner 1992; Enloe 2014), decolonial epistemology (Mignolo 2011; de Sousa Santos 2014), and phenomenologies of mysticism (Irigaray 2001; Braidotti 2011), to argue that Laal Ded’s philosophy innately performs an epistemic disobedience to both patriarchy and the colonial knowledge production. Laal Ded’s re-conceptualisation of truth as an embodied awareness anticipates the decolonial frameworks of conflict transformation that privileges care over coercion. This analysis demonstrates that her legacy endures not just as cultural memory but as an operative philosophy guiding women in their attempts at vernacular peacebuilding across contemporary Kashmir. Acknowledging Laal Ded as a theorist of peace expands the geography of diplomatic thought beyond the confines of State and State defined boundaries and reiterates the relevance of the feminine, mystical and local as the legitimate terrains of international ethics.
The Ambiguity in Terminology Use of Asylum and Refuge in the Latin American and Caribbean Region
It seems that humans migrating from one place to another is an increasing phenomenon nowadays. Particularly, there are those who migrate involuntarily within the region or to other continents due to widespread and systematic violence as in Central American countries, or the acute crisis in countries of the region, such as Venezuela and Nicaragua, which are currently facing serious internal crisis. Another factor that contributes to migration is climate change, among others; however, the most serious reason nowadays is the armed conflict in Syria, which has resulted in more than five million international refugees. We are now living a human tragedy that exceeds the magnitude of the wars from the past. This has resulted in the frequent use of legal terms for international protection in the region, such as asylum and refuge. They are both used indistinctly, often in a vague and even confusing way, especially in the Latin American and Caribbean region. In fact, we see that in Latin America and the Caribbean (depending on the country or regional regulation) both terms are inaccurately used in internal legislations, sometimes referred to as synonyms. Such indistinct use is incorrect, as we will try to demonstrate in this work. Finally, as a conclusion, we will detail our proposals for terminology unification and differentiation of both legal protection concepts. For that matter, we have analyzed different Latin American regulations and regional legislations, such as the Brazil Plan of Action, and have stressed their inaccuracies. Furthermore, we have introduced two Advisory Opinions (AO) of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. First, we have AO-21/14, which is the case of Pacheco Tineo family vs. the Plurinational State of Bolivia, dated November 25, 2013, about an alleged inaccuracy committed by two organisms while trying to define asylum when it was a refuge case. Second, we have AO-28/18 upon the request of the Republic of Ecuador, where the Inter-American Court of Human Rights tried to conceptualize and differentiate both terms through an inclusive and enlightening classification of each of them.
Short Methods Note: Operationalising Agency and Uncertainty in a Peace and Conflict Studies Research Project – Sri Lanka
esearching questions of peace with justice, within environments that restrain researcher agency, and which evoke uncertainty, requires the adoption of long-term perspectives and a good dose of patience. From the restrictions placed upon the researcher by external institutional structures to the relationships established between researcher and participants during data collection, agency and uncertainty remain factors in post-positivist scientific projects. Critical and contemplative analysis of the data, and importantly of the structures, within which knowledge is acquired as well as a preparedness for processual adjustments over time, help to underpin research trajectories. In my own experience, these factors demand not only a cautious restraint, by way of the researcher’s own framing of process, but elevated commitments to the principle of ‘do no harm’, the recognition of the positionality between researcher and participants, the acknowledgement and mitigation of bias and action to promote researcher and participant agency. Researchers themselves should acknowledge the limits by which their methodologies are constrained; and how, by modifying methods and observing limits, transparency and accountability are enhanced, participation and subjectivity substantiated, and bias and harm mitigated.
Cyber Diplomacy in Africa: The Role of the African Union in Shaping Regional and Global Cyber Norm
Cyberspace has rapidly emerged as a critical arena for international diplomacy, requiring the necessity for diplomats to redefine and adapt foreign-policy relations practices and strategies. With the rise of cyber threats, including hacking, cyber-warfare, and cyber-attacks, the growing need of cyber diplomacy has become particularly urgent. The African Union has taken important steps to integrate cyber issues into its broader diplomatic agenda, positioning itself as a key actor and player in regional and global cyber governance. This article thus analyses the African Unions’ (AU) role in shaping the continent’s cyber diplomacy, and its narrative grounded in the English School’s distinction between international society and world society. It focuses on its efforts to create regional norms, and also collaborate with other international bodies. The paper globally argues that cyber diplomacy sits, not only, at the intersection of these two social orders, but the AU, together with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and national institutions must institutionalize diplomatic capacities to translate continental norms into operational resilience. Building on normative analysis and empirical evidence, the paper tries to define cyber diplomacy and distinguishes it from e diplomacy; traces the institutional emergence of cyber diplomacy in AU processes and selected member states; maps gaps between AU instruments (Malabo Convention, AU digital/ data agendas) and national practice; and proposes an operational AU cyber diplomacy agenda.
The Art of Governing in Justus Lipsius Politica: Methodological Analysis and Political Leader Training
This article analyses the introductory and supplementary texts (known as paratexts) in Justus Lipsius’ edition of Politica, with the aim of better understanding how he organises his work and the ideas he proposes about the education and formation of a ruler. Specific biographical details about Lipsius, which are discussed in the article, play an important role in contextualising the text within its historical and intellectual background. The article also examines how he employs a writing technique known as cento (which consists of assembling quotations from other authors) as a key element in constructing his political argument. Particular attention is paid to the frequency and manner in which Lipsius incorporates excerpts from the Roman historian Tacitus, as well as how he sets out principles of good government through these paratexts. Ultimately, the article shows how these elements come together to provide an overall picture of Lipsius’ political thought.
Does Digital Financial Inclusion Affect Economic Development and the Environment differently? Evidence from India Using Robust Least Square Model
This study employs a Robust Least Squares Regression model to examine the effects of digital financial inclusion (FI) on economic development and environmental quality in India from 2004 to 2023. The study focuses on how better access to financial resources through digital financial inclusion is essential for both economic growth and poverty reduction. The positive relationship between GDP and digital financial inclusion is emphasized in this research, supported by strong statistical evidence, including a high R-squared value that shows the independent variables significantly influence GDP variability. The study also examines the potential environmental impacts of increased financial inclusion, noting that while it may stimulate economic growth, it may also lead to increased pollution and energy consumption.
Human Recourses for Social Change: Promoting Women’s Empowerment Through Solidarity Economy Models in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Women’s economic participation in fragile and conflict-affected contexts remains one of the most pressing development challenges of our time. In Afghanistan, the erosion of rights and restrictions on women’s mobility since 2021 have drastically reduced access to employment and livelihoods, while in Pakistan, entrenched structural barriers continue to confine many women to informal or unpaid work. Against this backdrop, solidarity economy models cooperatives, mutual aid networks, community finance schemes, and social enterprises offer alternative pathways to income generation, collective protection, and social recognition. This article explores how such models can promote women’s empowerment in Afghanistan and Pakistan when approached through the lens of human resources for social change. Drawing on recent literature and reports (2024-2025), the study conceptualizes HR not as a narrow administrative function but as a strategic set of practices participatory governance, peer-to-peer training, leadership development, and collective accountability that can institutionalize inclusion and equity within solidarity-based organizations. Comparative evidence shows that while Afghan women increasingly rely on community-led initiatives to sustain livelihoods under restrictive regimes, Pakistani women benefit from somewhat more enabling legal and institutional frameworks yet continue to face significant gender gaps. In both contexts, solidarity economy initiatives have enabled women to diversify income, build selfconfidence, and gain decision-making power, though sustainability challenges persist due to limited financing, market access, and policy support.
Credit Card Interest Rate Regulation in Brazil Behavioral Biases Present in the Market and Possible Impacts
O presente estudo analisa as implicações econômicas e comportamentais associadas à regulação das taxas de juros no mercado de cartões de crédito no Brasil, com foco na recente regulamentação que estabeleceu limites para juros e encargos financeiros em operações de crédito rotativo e parcelado. A pesquisa contextualiza a importância dos cartões de crédito como meio de pagamento, destacando o impacto das altas taxas de juros e inadimplência no sistema financeiro. A análise abrange fatores estruturais, como o custo do crédito e os vieses comportamentais que influenciam as decisões dos consumidores e empresas, discutindo os possíveis efeitos da regulação, incluindo mudanças nas estratégias dos emissores, redução da oferta de crédito e o papel do parcelamento sem juros no consumo. O trabalho também propõe reflexões sobre educação financeira e incentivos ao uso consciente do crédito como ferramentas para uma inclusão financeira mais sustentável.
Community Action for Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Some Lessons for Kerala and Tamil Nadu from around the world
Climate change is markedly intensifying the challenges associated with urban heat, especially within rapidly growing Indian cities such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This study critically examines community action as a pivotal mechanism driving climate change mitigation and sustainable urban development. Leveraging an integrated analysis of both global and local case studies, it delves into the multifaceted impacts of rising urban heat. Particular focus is placed on health risks linked to elevated nocturnal temperatures, exacerbation of the urban heat island effect, and heightened vulnerability among marginalized populations. Employing a robust mixed-methods methodology encompassing literature review, case studies, and stakeholder interviews, the research identifies critical gaps in climate data accessibility, policy harmonization, and community inclusiveness. Findings substantiate the effectiveness of localized, community-driven initiatives in amplifying resilience and adaptive capacity. The study culminates with tangible recommendations emphasizing multi-sector collaboration, enhanced climate modelling, and inclusive frameworks necessary to safeguard vulnerable urban residents amid escalating climate threats.
Do Remittances from International Migrants Improve Access to Healthcare for Households in Cameroon?
The purpose of this article is to highlight the role played by remittances from international migrants in access to healthcare for Cameroonian households. It uses the instrumental variables approach to address the endogeneity problem associated with the migrant remittances variable. Using data from the fourth Cameroonian household survey (ECAM 4), the results obtained with the instrumental variables method (IV-2SLS) converge with those obtained using the generalised method of moments (GMM) and highlight the dual role played by remittances in access to healthcare. On the one hand, they show that households receiving these transfers change their choice of healthcare facilities in favour of private healthcare units. On the other hand, these results more generally show that remittances enable households to meet their basic needs and thus change their position according to Engel’s law (1857). Thus, public authorities should improve the incentive framework for these transfers, not only to combat monetary poverty but also to improve life expectancy and reduce mortality rates.
Educational Aspirations and Inequality: Determinants of High School Students’ Intentions to Pursue Higher Education Across Selected Countries
Educational aspirations shape students’ life trajectories yet remain unequally distributed across socioeconomic and family contexts. This article investigates determinants of high-school students’ intentions to pursue higher education using 2022 PISA data. A multinomial logit model estimates the effects of individual, family, school, and regional factors across ten countries, covering developed and developing contexts. Students with greater cultural and socioeconomic capital, higher academic performance, stronger family and school support, and clearer vocational goals are more likely to aspire to higher education. Crossnational differences reflect institutional, cultural, and economic variation, with notable contrasts between Latin American countries, Finland, and South Korea. Grounded in Human Capital and Social Reproduction theories, the study advances understanding of how structural inequalities and individual expectations interact in shaping educational aspirations. These findings underscore the importance of targeted public policies and early interventions to ensure social origin does not determine educational opportunities.
The Concept of Bakthi (Devotion) as Advocated By Abirami Bhattar in the Abirami Anthati Composed by him – A Conspectus Research Paper Pertaining to Indian Philosophy.
In this research work the 101 verses composed by Abirami Bhattar of Abirami Anthati has been taken up to explore the possibility of picturizing the concept of bakthi enunciated by Bhattar. Care has been taken not to compare with other works thereby it enables the reader to fully engage themselves and revel in the bliss of bakthi (devotion) as contemplated by Bhattar though to some extent the Bakthi Movement of India, definition of bakthi and a brief history of Bhattar bas been discussed in the beginning of the research work. As a whole this research endeavor would open up avenues for greater discussion on the ancient concept of bakthi greatly underlie in the Indian Philosophy.
Epics and Science: A Research Portfolio (Parts 1–4 + Festival Essays)
This research portfolio, Epics and Science: Mahakavya Parts 1–4, examines the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranic texts, and Nepali festival traditions as repositories of encoded scientific knowledge. Rather than treating them as mythological or purely devotional, the work analyzes their narratives through the lens of modern biology, genetics, neuroscience, energy science, and sociology. Part 1 explores reproductive technologies, genetic manipulation, test-tube births, and surveillance concepts in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, showing their parallels with sperm donation, IVF, cloning, and telecommunication. Part 2 reinterprets the Samudra Manthan as a metaphor for energy generation, chemical synthesis, and early biochemical experimentation, alongside Daksha’s yajna (organ transplantation) and Jalandhar (cloning). Part 3 investigates physiological experiments encoded in Lakshman’s 14 years of wakefulness, Kumbhakarna’s failed sleep-cycle experiment, and ascetic fasting practices, connecting them with modern chronobiology and metabolic science. Part 4 analyzes Anusuya’s transformation, Ashtavakra’s prenatal cognition, and the symbolism of lunar energy in Shiva traditions. It highlights “brain incarnation” — the continuity of consciousness beyond the physical body — as the ultimate hypothesis, bridging ancient spiritual inquiry with modern neuroscience. The portfolio also extends into Nepali cultural practices such as Teej, Rishi Panchami, and Janai Purnima, demonstrating how festivals preserved survival codes, nutrition science, and socio-biological balance across centuries. Overall, this interdisciplinary work proposes that epics and festivals were not primitive myths, but deliberate vehicles of research — embedding scientific experimentation within symbolic narratives to protect, transmit, and inspire across generations. By decoding these texts, modern science may rediscover forgotten hypotheses and open new directions in consciousness studies, biology, and human survival.
Enhancing Prison Safety and Discipline: The Role of Dynamic Security Strategies at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, Kenya
Dynamic security is a relatively new strategy in treatment of offenders and management of penal institutions. It involves inculcation of positive staff-prisoner relationships and ensuring that the staff are aware of what is going on within the prison walls through application of up to standard surveillance techniques and open communication. However, despite its introduction in Kenyan prisons, its impact on inmates’ discipline and safe custody remains underexplored. A study was therefore conducted at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison to ascertain its impact on inmates’ discipline and safe custody among others. Guided by the rehabilitation theory of punishment, which emphasizes reform and reintegration, the descriptive survey research targeted the prisons staff and prisoners at the facility who were both selected through probability and non-probability sampling techniques and data collected from 193 participants by use of questionnaires and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics were used in analysing quantitative data while qualitative data were thematically analysed. The study established that the majority of both prisoners and staff reported improvements in safe custody and reductions in disciplinary cases following the implementation of Dynamic Security measures. However, it was revealed that implementation of dynamic security faces behavioural barriers and resource constraints among others. The study concluded that dynamic security is central to the attainment of imprisonment goals at the institution and recommended its progressive implementation in all corrections facilities in Kenya.
Industrial Activities and Pollution of the Ebrié Lagoon in the Autonomous District of Abidjan in Ivory Coast
Pollution of the watercourse of Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Cost, is a major phenomenon affecting the aquatic ecosystem, biodiversity and the health of the population. Although industry contributes to the city’s economic growth, it is a major factor in the pollution of the Lagune Ébrié. This article shows the impact of industrial activities on water quality by identifying the main cause of pollution and analyzing the consequences. The article also proposes a solution to reduce this problem and ensure better management of water resources in Abidjan.
Social Media and Life Partner Selection Behaviour among Undergraduate Students Unsure about who to Date in a Public University in Ghana
Background: Ghana was home to 7.95 million social media user identities in January 2025 which is equivalent to 22.9% of the total population at the start of 2025. So far, from June 2024 – June 2025, the dominant platform was Facebook (39.44%) followed by YouTube (13.2%), then, Pinterest (10.68%), and the least was LinkedIn 1.46%. Objective: In view of this, the current study aimed to investigate how social media influence life partner selection behaviour among undergraduate students unsure about who to date in a public university in Ghana. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive design was employed for the study and made used of interpretivists worldview. Data were solicited from ten (10) participants age between 18 and 24years old who voluntarily own out to share their views. The choice of the study population was supported by saturation theory. Interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA) was used to analyse the data. Results: The study found that participants experienced varied forms of social media influence on their life partner selection behaviour which often stem from confusion, erratic decisionmaking, social pressure, boundary erosion, physical appearance, social status, popularity, and lifestyle portrayals on social media. Conclusion: Parents should endeavour to restrict their wards from navigating social media platforms in order for them to have a sound mind to think about who to choose as a life partner. Also, participants must uphold the virtue of conscientiousness in order to desist from navigating social media platforms in their life and should not depend solely on social media to select a life partner.