Sprin Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
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COMPOSITIONAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF DIGITAL PAINTINGS BY MALE SEX OFFENDERS
Full text linkDigital paintings depicting the repercussions of sexual crimes are utilised in this study to investigate the involvement of male sex offenders in Nairobi West Prison. By comparing evaluations according to styles, colour schemes, and themes, the research delves into the viewer's impression of these paintings. Researchers discovered that the more often participants were exposed to the digital paintings, the more positively they were rated. Among the participants, 78.6% had a strong affinity for polychrome schemes, whereas 83.9% preferred surrealist style. Offenders' family-related themes elicited the most intense emotional response from 60% of responders. The possible advantages of active engagement and participation, as well as the ways in which prisoner audiences engage with ready-made art, are enhanced by this research. To improve the viewing experience for inmates, the results stress the significance of interacting with digital paintings
Cultural Revival Among Kikuyu Christians: Impact and Implications in the 21st Century
Full text linkThe Kikuyu people were exposed to Christianity in the year 1900 following the arrival of Reverend McGregor. Subsequently, an overwhelming majority of individuals have adopted Christianity, with more than 90% identifying themselves as Christians. Nevertheless, the amalgamation of Western and Christian cultures throughout history has posed difficulties for the revival of Kikuyu traditional rituals. However, Anglican Christians have observed a revival of Kikuyu cultural traditions in Murang'a County, Kenya, during the twenty-first century. This return signifies a deliberate embrace of traditions that were previously forsaken. The objective of this study is to discover and examine the revived cultural traditions within the Anglican community, such as the reverence of ancestors, the categorization of individuals by age, the act of sacrificing animals, traditional marriage ceremonies, and the use of traditional brew. The study investigates the impact of cultural revival on Kikuyu Christianity through qualitative methodologies, including observation and interviews. The primary findings indicate that cultural revitalization entails both benefits and drawbacks. On one side, it assists in resolving identity challenges and enhances relationships with the community and family. Nevertheless, it also cultivates duplicity, undermines the Christian belief system, and engenders discord within the Christian community. These findings emphasize the necessity for dialogue among Kikuyu Christians to reconcile traditional behaviors with Christian principles. This will promote an authentic African Christianity that embraces Christian values while recognizing and integrating indigenous heritage. This study adds to the current discussion on the relationship between culture and religion in modern African settings by examining the intricacies and impacts of cultural resurgence in Christian communities
Sparks of Platonic Love in Pashto Poetry
Full text linkPlatonic love is a word used by psychologists to describe illusory love and connection. It is typically a one-sided love that revolves around the axis of imagination, with no objective and genuine interaction between the lover and the beloved. Many societies, people, and values, particularly psychologists, refer to this type of love as original and pure love. It is also known as divine love, while the opposite is earthly or bodily love. Plato, the Greek philosopher and thinker, preached a love that was solely spiritual and ideal, with no regard for the body, particularly sexual impulses. The lover and the adored have no relationship and do not make a connection. It is known as Platonic love since Plato cannot be held responsible for its defeat or failure. This love was not previously known as Platonic love, as it is today, but researchers of our time, who studied Plato's norms and values for love, attributed this view of love to him in Pashto poetry. There are several examples of such love, and the purpose of this article is to explore a few of them
Exploring the Relationship between Student Mental Health and Social Trust: A Case Study of Kabul Education University
Full text linkEnsuring mental health is one of the basic issues of any organization. On the other hand, social trust is one of the foundations of social participation between society members. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the role of mental health dimensions in predicting the social trust of Kabul Education University students. The research method was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population included all the male students of Kabul Education University, whose total number reached (2054), and out of them, using Cochran's formula, a sample size of (324) was considered. To select the samples, systematic random sampling and stratified sampling methods were used. Required data were collected using two standardized questionnaires: a general health questionnaire and a social trust questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaires was calculated using the item analysis method and their reliability was calculated using Cronbach's alpha scale, and the alpha coefficient was obtained (0.793) for the questionnaire of general health and (0.803) for the questionnaire of social trust. The questionnaires were sent to (324) people, of whom (311) responded. The collected data were analyzed using one-sample t-test and multiple regression analysis and IBM SPSS 23 statistical software. The results of data analysis showed that; 1) The level of mental health of students is lower than the low level (Q1=2). 2) The prevalence of social trust among students has been obtained slightly lower than average level (Q2=3) with mean of (2.87). 3) Students' mental health in dimensions of "physical symptoms" and "social function" is a positive and significant predictor of their social trust. Therefore, it can be concluded that enhancing the level of mental health of students, especially in terms of "physical symptoms" and "social function" can be a suitable strategy to improve their social trust
Spread of Ideas: The Legacy of Diffusionism School
Full text linkThis comprehensive analysis explores the concept and development of diffusionism throughout the history of anthropology. Diffusionism, a theory that emerged in the early 20th century, posits that cultural elements are assimilated and disseminated throughout multiple nations, leading to transformative shifts in society. The German and British diffusionist schools were the primary institutions that concentrated on the transmission of cultural characteristics across temporal and spatial dimensions. The notion of "culture circles," first proposed by German diffusionism, led by figures like Wilhelm Schmidt and Robert Fritz Craebner, posited that the cultural traits of ancient civilizations spread to the surrounding regions. British diffusionism, spearheaded by Grafton Elliot Smith and V. J. Perry, emphasized Egypt as the birthplace of civilization and attributed cultural advancements to Egyptian origins. Franz Boas, the founder of the US diffusionist school, advocated for a historical-cultural perspective that opposed the idea of linear progress. Boas emphasized the importance of culture as a unified entity shaped by particular historical circumstances and dismissed notions of cultural advancement. Notable American diffusionists include J. Robert Lowie, Edward Sapir, Clark Wissler, and Alfred Louis Kroeber. Kroeber's examination of women's fashion trends and cultural zeniths demonstrates the multifaceted nature of diffusionist analysis. Lowie's study focused on challenging linear evolution ideas and emphasizing the crucial significance of spatial dispersion in understanding cultural events. Wissler concentrated on the biological components of disperse on, whereas Sapir examined how individual personalities shape cultural patterns. While diffusionism is not as common in modern anthropology, it is important for comprehending the intricacies of cultural transmission and societal progress. Diffusionism provides valuable insights into the dynamics of human culture and civilization by examining historical processes, geographic distribution, and cultural interaction
United Nations and Women’s Rights: A Historical Analysis of CEDAW
Full text linkThe problem of discrimination against women is pervasive. Peripheralization of women increased with time and was considered as normal in the culture ruled by males. Gender equality and justice based on the individuality of women was not the concern of international human rights legislations in the outset. Establishment of the United Nations as a champion of equality acts as a light to the proponents of equality and gender justice to struggle against the prevailing prejudice against women. With enshrining equality between sexes in its Charter, the United Nations enacted various policies and programmes pertaining to women. Over the years UN made various attempts to minimise the prejudice against women and to give equal opportunity to them. The most major success of the United Nations in this area was the adoption of the “Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women” (CEDAW) in 1979. The present paper traces the historical journey of CEDAW with analysing the initiatives taken by United Nations for the promotion and protection of women’s rights. The adoption of the CEDAW was most significant success and a key step in the United Nations' mission to end discrimination against women. The Convention addresses the hole caused by the non-recognition of women's individuality. It compensates for the international human rights law's failure to include non-state actors within its reach. CEDAW is an international agreement that defines worldwide norms and the internationally acknowledged ideal of gender equality
Beyond Violence and Justice: The Transformative Role of Counselling for Survivors of Domestic Violence
Full text linkCounselling service is essential for healing the emotional and psychological trauma of survivors of domestic violence (SDV). For this reason, the study explored the views of participants of the study on the transformative role of counselling for SDV. The instrumental case study was adopted. A theoretical sample was used to purposively select 23 participants which were made up of three officials of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), two counsellors and 18 SDVs. An interview guide was used to collect the data. The data was analysed using Open and selective coding and thematic content analysis. The findings indicated that counselling plays a transformative role for SDV through the use of counselling skills and techniques to heal psychological and emotional pain. Based on the findings, it is recommended that a counselling unit should be set up at all regional offices of DOVVSU, to provide counselling services to SDV for psychological and emotional recovery
The Impact of Feedback on Vocabulary Improvement in Speaking Skills among Afghan EFL Learners
Full text linkImproving one’s vocabulary skill is really important for advancing English language proficiency. Hence, this study was conducted by two lecturers from the English Department of the Education Faculty at Balkh University. Its intention is to determine how providing feedback helps Afghan EFL learners improve their vocabulary in speaking. To gather reliable data, we conducted an online survey by distributing an online questionnaire to our seventh-semester female students. These students were enrolled in the English Department of the Education Faculty at Balkh University. We sent the questionnaire to 20 students, which was designed using a four-point Likert Scale with options ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree, consisting of 13 items. The questionnaire was crafted to gauge students' perceptions of the feedback they receive and how it contributes to their vocabulary improvement in speaking. After collecting the data, we analyzed it using basic descriptive statistics. The results indicate that students prefer receiving feedback from their teachers and are keen to identify their mistakes and enhance their vocabulary. While some students expressed interest in receiving feedback during speaking activities, others were opposed to it, as they believed that receiving feedback during speaking could be detrimental and lead to hesitation
Institutional Arrangement for Urban Forest Management in Ghana: Assessing the Role of the Local Communities and Youths
Full text linkSustainable management and conservation of urban forests are becoming increasingly important to achieve urban sustainability, thus requiring a unified stakeholder collaboration at different levels. Local communities and youth play essential roles in sustainable urban forest management. This study analyzed the institutional arrangement for urban forest management in Ghana and the involvement of local communities and youth. The research involved an in-depth analysis of environmental institutions in Ghana and used qualitative methods to explore community and youth roles in urban forest management. Findings revealed a lack of a specific institution spearheading urban forest management, leading to overlapping responsibilities and administrative conflicts. Despite their potential, local communities and youth are often excluded from urban forest planning and management, resulting in decreased ownership and misuse of urban forests. Recommendations include assigning clear roles to responsible institutions, designating a specific urban forest management body, and adopting a youth-focused participatory approach for effective management
MEDIA AND HATE SPEECH: A DISCURSIVE STUDY OF HATE SPEECH ON NAIRALAND FORUM
Full text linkDigital communication has dominated a major space in our everyday discourses; reflecting how we create, organize, conduct, and express our identities in everyday activities. This study entails the discursive study of hate speech on the Nairaland forum. This study is hinged on Van Dijk's Socio-Cognitive theory (2016) and Ruth Wodak's (2009) Discursive Strategies. The data for this study comprises twenty-eight (28) participants' comments extracted from Nairaland. Findings revealed that commenters of hate discourse on Nairaland used five discursive strategies which include nominalization, predication, argumentation, perspectivization, and intensification to produce their hateful comments on the forum. Strategic devices used include nominals, appositions, relative clauses, pronouns, predicative adjectives, metaphors, giving reasons, questioning, and hyperbole. The study also revealed that ethnic, political party, and religious affinities are the major triggers of hate comments on Nairaland. Thus, the study recommended that technology experts should be engaged to design features, using information derived from language experts to block or filter hate comments on social media platforms. Also, standard laws should be established to curb the menace of hate speech on social media platforms in Nigeria