PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences
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CLIMATE JUSTICE, SYMBOLIC REPAIR, AND ETHICAL INTERVENTION THROUGH NARRATIVE AND COMMUNAL HEALING
Full text linkThis paper explores how gendered rituals and testimonial practices function as idioms of survival in climate-stressed regions of Kenya—specifically Turkana, Samburu, and Kwale. These regions were selected for their distinct ecological vulnerabilities, ritual traditions, and gendered survival grammars: Turkana’s drought mourning rites, Samburu’s age-set cosmologies, and Kwale’s matrilineal forest rituals offer plural idioms of symbolic repair. Framed by the theme “Climate justice, symbolic repair, and ethical intervention through narrative and communal healing,” the study introduces the concept of idioms of survival to theorize ritual and testimony as embodied archives of climate memory and moral economies of care. Drawing on a braided methodology—participatory narrative ethnography, ritual mapping, and idiomatic prompt design—the paper examines how mourning, fertility, initiation, and ecological testimony encode ethical responses to climate disruption.
The study pursues three core objectives:
To document and analyze gendered rituals as symbolic technologies of survival
To expand testimonial justice into ecological and gendered domains
To propose culturally attuned frameworks for climate ethics and adaptation
Through case studies and dialogic analysis, the findings reveal how rituals and testimonies offer alternative logics of resilience—ones that challenge technocratic policy and foreground plural cosmologies. The paper contributes to African feminist thought, ritual studies, and climate ethics, while offering practitioner models for ritual-informed programming and policy design. Ultimately, it calls for a reimagining of climate justice—one that listens to the idioms that sustain life
SCHRÖDINGER'S PLOT, REVISITED: QUANTUM INDETERMINACY AND NON-DETERMINISTIC NARRATIVE IN CONTEMPORARY SCIENCE FICTION: Received: 17th November 2025, Revised: 02nd December 2025, 03rd December 2025, Accepted: 05th December 2025, Date of Publication: 08th December 2025
No full textThe enduring interplay between scientific paradigms and literary expression continues to shape our understanding of reality and narrative. While classical literary analysis often presupposes deterministic plot trajectories and clear causal chains, the revolutionary insights of quantum mechanics have introduced fundamental indeterminacy into our understanding of the universe. This paper argues that the conceptual framework of quantum indeterminacy, as initially explored in Modernist "quantum poetics" by figures like Daniel Albright, has profoundly influenced the non-deterministic plot progression and ambiguous narrative closure characteristic of contemporary science fiction, particularly in narratives featuring highly autonomous artificial intelligence. Drawing on the philosophical implications of quantum theory, as articulated by thinkers like Carlo Rovelli and Slavoj Žižek, this study has analyzed how select works of contemporary science fiction particularly the trending Murderbot Diaries construct plots that resist singular, predictable outcomes, mirroring the inherent probabilistic nature of quantum reality. By examining the manifestation of quantum indeterminacy in narrative structure, this paper seeks to illuminate the sophisticated engagement of modern science fiction with cutting-edge scientific and philosophical thought, contributing to the interdisciplinary dialogue between literature and science
IMPROVİNG THE CAPACİTİES OF TRAVEL AGENCİES WİTH PRODUCT AND MARKET DİVERSİFİCATİON STRATEGİES
Full text linkThere are various studies in the literature that point out the importance of product and market diversification for destinations and tourism businesses. However, there are limited studies on the obstacles that tourism businesses face during product and market diversification. Therefore, the research has attempted to reveal what these obstacles are through data collected from travel agencies and their stakeholders using the interview technique. It has been determined that the barriers to the product and market diversification processes of businesses are specialization, lack of operational experience, lack of qualified personnel, possible operational costs and insufficient public support. In order to eliminate the aforementioned barriers within the scope of the research, suggestions have been developed for travel agencies and stakeholders who have an impact on their activities
THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIETAL MARKETING IN SERVICE BUSINESSES: ORIGINS, TRANSFORMATIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES (1970-2023)
Full text linkThe aim of this article is to retrace the paradigm changes in the evolution of marketing theory through four periods that led to the emergence of societal marketing, as well as the causes behind these changes. Our work is based on an in-depth literature review and theoretical analysis founded on the work of P. Kotler and G. Zaltman (1971), which contributed to the reconceptualization of the concept of societal marketing. We then examine the factors that have favored the successful implementation of societal marketing in service companies, such as closer relationships with customers, win-win strategies for all, and a focus on relational trust. This analysis is inspired by the work of Grönroos (2007) on interactive service models, where transparent communication and customer experience reinforce consumer loyalty and commitment. Finally, we focus on future prospects that could completely revolutionize societal marketing and enable its consensual, gradual and widespread acceptance within service companies, which is not yet the case today. Despite notable advances, only a small minority of companies are implementing the principles of societal marketing. However, changing consumer behavior, the rise of artificial intelligence, increased competition and a growing number of brands for a limited demand, as well as existing regulations, have obliged many companies to prioritize customer loyalty strategies. These factors will increase the pressure on companies to meet societal marketing standards
THE INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCE: REPRESENTATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND RECONCILIATION IN CANADIAN URBAN SPACE
Full text linkUrban indigenous spaces may be characterized by tangible and intangible cultural phenomena including art and architecture. Following Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Report in 2015, Canadian municipalities have pursued various paths toward inclusion of Indigenous voices in city planning. This paper examines manifestations of Indigenous cultural presence in the city of Edmonton, home to the second largest and growing urban Indigenous population in the country. In the development of a mature postcolonial civic identity, both formal and informal interventions into public space can support transformative, dialogic, cross-cultural encounters. But do civic investments in visible and discursive media promote or undermine genuine representational sovereignty and reconciliation in the ongoing context of Indigenous struggles for social and economic equity? The discussion is situated in an analytical framework including the right to the city, biopolitics and media ecology. Indigenous presence in public art and urban spaces are discussed with reference to both sanctioned or sponsored and informal, transient public art, murals, graffiti and constructions in everyday space and on sacred ground in the city. It concludes with analysis of a new, award-winning multi-media “Indigenous Experience” installation in the city’s touristic heritage park in the context of the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Report of almost ten years ago
THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL LABOR AND WORD-OF-MOUTH
Full text linkEmotional labor plays a crucial role in creating customer perceptions and behaviors in the service industry. This study examines the mediating effect of customer experience on the relationship between emotional labor and word-of-mouth (WOM). Drawing on theoretical frameworks related to emotional labor and customer experience, we propose that frontline employees' emotional efforts influence customer perceptions, which in turn affect their willingness to engage in WOM. This study used PLS (a partial least squares technique), questionnaires were distributed online, and a total of 250 valid questionnaires were collected using convenient sampling, targeting people who have been to retail, catering, or hotel industries within three months. Our findings reveal that customer experience mediates the relationship between deep acting on WOM, highlighting the importance of managing customer interactions effectively. These insights provide valuable implications for service management and marketing strategies aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction and positive WOM
DEVELOPMENT OF TOOLS AND SAMPLE GROUPS FOR SURVEYS: A CASE STUDY OF PUBLIC MEDIA IN THAILAND IN EVALUATING ACCESS AND THE ROLE OF PUBLIC MEDIA
Full text linkThis survey research outlines the development of tools, the determination of sample groups for data collection in surveys, the monitoring of media access, and the public’s opinion regarding the role of public media. The tools used in the survey include the following: (1) A survey form for evaluating media access and the role of public media; and (2) Interview guidelines for specific groups. All tools were quality-checked, tested, and refined over three rounds to ensure they were suitable for tracking surveys and monitoring. The sample group for the survey in this research consists of a total of 8,695 people age 15 or over, residing in five regions of Thailand: Bangkok and vicinity, Central Region, Northern Region, Northeastern Region, and Southern Region. The sample includes members of the general population who consume public media, as well as specific groups such as the Voiceless group, Civic Citizen group, and Opinion Leader group. The process of developing the tools and defining sample groups underwent rigorous academic procedures, including three rounds of pre-tests and real-world testing over the course of one year. Results from these tests were reviewed, compared, and adjusted to create a reliable tool for evaluating media access and the role of public media in the third round. After developing the tools and defining the sample groups for the survey, and after real-world testing, a summary and proposal for a tracking survey framework for Thai public media are also presented.
 
CO-BUILDING: THE EXCHANGE NETWORK OF BRICKS AND RELATED BUILDING TECHNOLOGY AROUND DUTCH FORMOSA (1624-1662)
Full text linkThe formation of buildings is not only based on design theories but also relies heavily on the extensive construction networks behind them, which is especially true and often more complex under the colonial system of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Asia. This study focuses on the sources and transportation of brick materials, as well as the dissemination of brickmaking and bricklaying techniques, during the construction of key fortifications in Dutch Formosa. By analyzing brick quantity records in VOC’s Taiwan-related documents, such as the De Dagregisters van het Kasteel Zeelandia (Diary of Castle Zeelandia), the research reconstructs the timeline of brick imports from the southeast China coastal area to Tayouan (now Anping, Tainan). It also infers the local brick production capacity in Saccam (now downtown Tainan) based on the scale of Fort and City Zeelandia. In addition, historical records reveal that bricks were exported from Tayouan to other settlements in Taiwan, as well as to Hirado, Japan. As VOC power and territorial control expanded in Taiwan, brickmaking techniques spread to places like Wankan and Tamsui, primarily under the control of Chinese immigrants who managed brick burning and masonry work. Meanwhile, fortifications construction during this period featured the use of Dutch cross-bond masonry, a technique still visible in the remains of Castle Zeelandia. This study situates these developments within the framework of “co-colonization,” highlighting the interconnected exchange networks that went beyond mere commodity trade and uncovering a fusion of building traditions between colonizers and the colonized
IN THE ERA OF GIG ECONOMY: ARE UBER DRIVERS CONTACTORS OR EMPLOYEES?
Full text linkThe evolving dynamics of the employment relationship highlight inherent power imbalances between employers and employees, often leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation. This paper explores the intersection of technological advancements and workers’ rights, focusing on app-based gig economy platforms like Uber. By classifying drivers as independent contractors, Uber denies them essential employee benefits such as minimum wages, sick leave, and redundancy protections. The paper evaluates the implications of this classification through a comparative analysis of international legal initiatives, including the reclassification of Uber drivers as workers in the UK, legislative measures in U.S. states like California and New York, and a collective bargaining agreement in Denmark. These cases demonstrate varying approaches to safeguarding gig workers’ rights amidst modern technological challenges. The paper further examines the potential applicability of these legal frameworks to Australia, addressing local legislative contexts and the gig economy's impact on fair employment standards. Drawing lessons from global precedents, this research proposes effective strategies to ensure equitable treatment of Uber drivers in Australia
SCREENING POST-COLONIALISM AND RED SCARE ABOUT THE 1950S MALAYAN EMERGENCY IN “THE 7TH DAWN” (1964)
Full text linkThe goal of my paper is to examine the movie “The 7th Dawn (1964)”, directed by British filmmaker Lewis Gilbert (1920-2018) and distributed by United Artists. Based on the novel The Durian Tree (1960) by Australian writer Michael Keon (1918-2006), the film is set during Malaysia's process of independence from Britain in the 1950s. I argue that “The 7th Dawn (1964)” displays sympathies for the peaceful methods of opposing colonialism, stigmatization for the repressive methods of the British but, at the same time, emphasize the existence of the widespread belief in various Western European countries and in USA that independence movements in Southeast Asia were actually a way of creating a communist system in that part of the worl