PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences
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A LACANIAN ETHICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF SUSTAINABLE AI EDUCATION
Full text linkWithin the global agenda of "Sustainable AI and Education," mainstream AI educational systems are predominantly built upon cognitive and behaviorist paradigms. These systems emphasize efficiency, predictability, and immediate feedback, presupposing the learner as a quantifiable and optimizable cognitive subject. However, this technological imagination of a "transparent subject" obscures the fundamental condition of subjective existence revealed by psychoanalysis as early as the beginning of the 20th century—namely, split subjectivity, the insatiability of desire, and the continuous illusion of unconscious processes from structures of meaning. Adopting a Lacanian critical perspective, this paper argues that current AI educational systems, in their attempt to algorithmically satisfy learners' "demands," systematically repress "desire," which constitutes the core dynamism of subjectivity. Lacan emphasizes that the essence of human desire is an eternal pursuit of "lack," rather than a "need" waiting to be fulfilled. When existing AI educational systems operate on learners merely through a cyclical "satisfaction-feedback" pathway, they effectively induce a narcissistic loop akin to the "Imaginary order." This process deprives learners of the opportunity to confront the traumas, unknowns, or gaps of meaning associated with the "Real," thereby obstructing the potential for "symptoms" manifest in the learning process—such as frustration, dissonance, and confusion—to be transformed into creative forces. Based on this analysis, this paper introduces the Lacanian concept of "desire" as a critical entry point for examining the numerous ethical controversies in sustainable AI education. It proposes an ethics of desire for educational practice, positing that AI should not be viewed merely as a technical tool for addressing learners' demands. Instead, it should precisely function as an "Otherness" ethical medium that reveals the structural lack within the subject and guides learners into a dialogue with their own desire. Thus, as an "irreducible heterogeneity" for the learner—that is, an ethical other in the Lacanian sense—AI education can persistently evoke the learner's awareness of the fundamental (lack) inherent in knowledge and the self. This transforms education from an object of technical optimization into a sustainable ethical practice of desire. Within this practice, AI ceases to be a technological tool for narcissistic collusion with the learner and becomes an ethical partner that facilitates the learning subject's continuous transcendence of established cognitive boundaries towards unknown possibilities through the endless dialectic of desire
A LACANIAN ETHICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF SUSTAINABLE AI EDUCATION: Received: 08th December 2025, Revised: 15th December 2025, 16th December 2025, Accepted: 18th December 2025, Date of Publication: 01st January 2026
No full textWithin the global agenda of "Sustainable AI and Education," mainstream AI educational systems are predominantly built upon cognitive and behaviorist paradigms. These systems emphasize efficiency, predictability, and immediate feedback, presupposing the learner as a quantifiable and optimizable cognitive subject. However, this technological imagination of a "transparent subject" obscures the fundamental condition of subjective existence revealed by psychoanalysis as early as the beginning of the 20th century—namely, split subjectivity, the insatiability of desire, and the continuous illusion of unconscious processes from structures of meaning. Adopting a Lacanian critical perspective, this paper argues that current AI educational systems, in their attempt to algorithmically satisfy learners' "demands," systematically repress "desire," which constitutes the core dynamism of subjectivity. Lacan emphasizes that the essence of human desire is an eternal pursuit of "lack," rather than a "need" waiting to be fulfilled. When existing AI educational systems operate on learners merely through a cyclical "satisfaction-feedback" pathway, they effectively induce a narcissistic loop akin to the "Imaginary order." This process deprives learners of the opportunity to confront the traumas, unknowns, or gaps of meaning associated with the "Real," thereby obstructing the potential for "symptoms" manifest in the learning process—such as frustration, dissonance, and confusion—to be transformed into creative forces. Based on this analysis, this paper introduces the Lacanian concept of "desire" as a critical entry point for examining the numerous ethical controversies in sustainable AI education. It proposes an ethics of desire for educational practice, positing that AI should not be viewed merely as a technical tool for addressing learners' demands. Instead, it should precisely function as an "Otherness" ethical medium that reveals the structural lack within the subject and guides learners into a dialogue with their own desire. Thus, as an "irreducible heterogeneity" for the learner—that is, an ethical other in the Lacanian sense—AI education can persistently evoke the learner's awareness of the fundamental (lack) inherent in knowledge and the self. This transforms education from an object of technical optimization into a sustainable ethical practice of desire. Within this practice, AI ceases to be a technological tool for narcissistic collusion with the learner and becomes an ethical partner that facilitates the learning subject's continuous transcendence of established cognitive boundaries towards unknown possibilities through the endless dialectic of desire
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POWER DISTANCE AND COMPULSIVE PERCEPTION OF CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR: MEDIATING EFFECT OF SUPERVISOR-SUBORDINATE GUANXI, MODERATING EFFECT OF WORKPLACE CLIMATE
Full text linkThis study examines the relationship between power distance and compulsive perception of citizenship behavior from the perspective of social exchange theory, with supervisor-subordinate guanxi as the mediating effect and workplace climate as the moderating effect. A quantitative research method was used to collect data through a questionnaire survey, and the target population was employees of various industrial enterprises in Taiwan. This study found that power distance and supervisor-subordinate guanxi significantly related to compulsive perception of citizenship behavior, indicating that compulsive perception of citizenship behavior is not only affected by power distance, but also by supervisor-subordinate guanxi. The results of this study have important implications for human resource management practices, especially in compulsive perception of citizenship behavior. The study suggests that companies should promote informal communication and interaction between supervisors and employees, such as dinner parties, in order to reduce the negative impact of compulsive perception of citizenship behavior by reducing power distance
BEYOND BORDERS: THE LEGACY OF INDIAN MINIATURE PAINTINGS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM
Full text link"Beyond Borders: The Legacy of Indian Miniature Paintings in the British Museum" explores the journey of Indian miniature paintings from their origins in the courts of Indian rulers to their placement in one of the world's foremost museums. This paper examines the cultural, historical, and artistic value of these paintings, shedding light on their role in shaping global perceptions of Indian art. By analysing select pieces in the British Museum's collection, this study reflects on the legacy and continuing influence of Indian miniature art in contemporary museum practices. By exhibiting these paintings, the British Museum provides a platform for audiences to engage with Indian cultural history. This encourages a broader understanding of Indian traditions, religious iconography, and historical events, while highlighting the unique visual language of Indian miniatures
THE NATION IN TURMOIL: A POST-COLONIAL CRITIQUE OF SOUTH AFRICAN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
Full text linkThere seems to be little research that has been done to investigate cartoons from a literary criticism point of view. Cartoons have been given attention mostly in discipline like semiotics as compared to other scholarly perspectives. The aim of this article is to attempt to bridge this gap by observing cartoons through the post-colonial approach as a literary theory. The study adopts systematic visuo-textual analysis as a qualitative research technique since cartoons are the primary sources of data collection and analysis. Through the application of the post-colonial theory, the findings demonstrate that there are depicted socio-cultural, socio-economic, and political issues in Mngadi’s editorial cartoons. These include gender-based violence, identity crisis and immorality, difficult economic living conditions, unemployment, racism, corruption, and leadership concerns in government. This article is significant because it contributes to the scholarship of the cartoon genre in the South African indigenous languages, which has not been given sufficient attention. It provides a different perspective of analysing cartoons by adopting the post-colonial theory as a literary theory. Since cartoons are predominately approached through other approaches like semiotics, this article attempts to demonstrate that this genre can also be examined through literary criticism approaches such the post-colonial theory. This will demonstrate how broad this theory is. While the theory is generally employed to scrutinise prose genres mostly, an attempt is made to show that it can also be valuable in the analysis of editorial cartoons
RELIGIOSITY RELATED TO LIFE SATISFACTION, LOCUS OF CONTROL AND DEFENSE MECHANISMS
Full text linkThe proportion of non-religious individuals has been increasing rapidly over the last decade. Consequently, the interest in knowing whether there are any distinct psychological differences between those who believe in the creator and those who do not is also growing. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association between religiosity and life satisfaction, locus of control, and defense mechanisms, and the differences between religious and non-religious individuals in terms of these factors. In this paper, data were collected from 90 non-religious individuals (atheists, and agnostics) by using snowball sampling, and 110 religious individuals (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian) by using purposive sampling and choosing them according to their self-identified religions. It was found that religiosity is positively correlated with life satisfaction, external locus of control, and mature defense styles, and negatively correlated with neurotic defense styles. Moreover, religious participants scored significantly high on life satisfaction, external locus of control, and mature defense styles than non-religious individuals, and non-religious participants scored significantly high on neurotic defense styles than religious individuals. Though this paper can give an outlook of the answers to our present questions, but further research should be done, including the data of the degree of religious involvement of religious individuals for a clear outcome
SLEEP ON MONEY? A TAM-BASED STUDY ON THE ADOPTION INTENTION OF OPEN BANKING IN TAIWAN
Full text linkAlthough Taiwan has promoted Open Banking policies and technologies, the penetration of these services remains relatively low. Understanding the factors that influence adoption intention is crucial to developing more user-oriented services. While prior research on Open Banking has primarily focused on technical feasibility and regulatory frameworks, studies from the consumer perspective are still limited. This study applies the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and incorporates perceived risk as an external factor to examine what drives or inhibits Open Banking adoption among Taiwanese consumers. A total of 290 valid responses were collected via an online survey. Path analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that most of the core TAM constructs exhibit significantly positive correlations, supporting the model’s explanatory power. Among six dimensions of perceived risk, only Psychological Risk exhibits significant negative influence, suggesting that lack of confidence or not align with user habit may reduce adoption intention. The findings provide practical implications for both supervisors and financial institutions. Enhancing consumer education and improving user experience (UX) design will help alleviate concerns and build trust, thereby advancing wider adoption of Open Banking services.
 
JAPAN’S AGING SOCIETY: POLICY, LESSON AND THE SILVER ECONOMY
Full text linkThis paper examines policies and lessons learned from Japan’s aging society and the potential of the silver economy. Through documentary research, the findings indicate that Japan’s population is aging more rapidly than in other countries, having transitioned into an aging society since the 1970s and subsequently into a super-aged society—the oldest in the world. This demographic shift has significant economic and social implications. In response, Japan has implemented various policies and preparations to address its aging population. These aging strategies are proactive and effective initiatives undertaken by both the public and private sectors. Public healthcare systems, including medical treatment, pension insurance, and home care services, have been established and continuously improved. The aging society has led to a reduction in the number of young workers, a decline in personal income tax revenue, and an increase in government expenditure on elderly welfare. The growing elderly population in Japan is reshaping the economy and consumption patterns. Both governmental sectors and private businesses are developing products, innovations, and services tailored to elderly individuals, known as the silver economy. This trend is not confined to Japan; other countries can also benefit from Japan’s aging society
POLICY FAILURE, POLICY-IMPLEMENTATION GAP AND POLICY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Full text linkThere is an increasing awareness that policies do not succeed or fail on their own merits. Within complex messy systems, it is unclear how best to ensure effective policy design and implementation. However, rather than just let policies drift into full or even partial failure, governments are now beginning to take an interest in ways in which the policy process – especially the implementation phase – can be strengthened and supported. This article contributes to the debate in three ways: by unpicking the key factors behind policy failure; by exploring different approaches to policy support; and by identifying key messages for policy practitioner
CAN THE COLLAPSE OF THE TRADE SYSTEM UNDER THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION BE PREVENTED?
Full text linkThe World Trade Organization (WTO) was formed as a much-needed organization that will deal with trade issues and form binding rules for international trade. But today, in many discussions, the question is raised, is the WTO still relevant? The rules-based multilateral trading system has been around for so long that countries, companies, and consumers largely take it for granted. These rules are essential for ensuring trust in a stable and predictable trading environment. The aim of the research is to determine the extent to which the existing system of global trade regulation has collapsed and to what extent it is possible to recover, modernize and make it functional for the needs of WTO member countries. We will pay attention to the various interests of powerful and rich countries, emerging economies, large and small countries, as well as poor and underdeveloped countries. In the analysis, we take into account the pros and cons of maintaining the current WTO system, as well as the proposals for reform and sustainable development of this international organization. We will give a critical review of international trade regulation through the WTO system, which is currently changing and trying to justify its status and results. The current state of the WTO is a matter of general interest and it is important that all member countries engage in recovery, regardless of the issues and how different their views are. This paper should contribute to the ongoing discourse and provide materials for the future discussions on the topic of WTO survival and reform.