Socio-political Issues Research Articles

Enacting Reading Comprehension: Using Diverse Literature to Engage Children's Critical, Sociopolitical Knowledge

AbstractThe current climate of K‐12 education in the United States has seen a narrowing of literacy instructional practices, exponential amounts of book bans, and contrived hysteria about liberal indoctrination and Critical Race Theory (CRT). Yet, as the world becomes increasingly connected across difference, and as research increasingly demonstrates that we must engage young children from all backgrounds in discussions about sociopolitical issues, it is urgent that classroom teachers foreground children's experiential knowledge in comprehension instruction. In this article, we address the following question: In three early elementary literacy contexts, how did educators use culturally sustaining practices with diverse children's literature to enact reading comprehension and engage young children in critical, sociopolitical meaning making? Three teacher educators of Color share findings from qualitative studies in the United States Northeast and Southwest that examine this integration with the use of diverse children's literature. The first finding illustrates how teachers utilized book introductions to situate a diverse group of early elementary‐aged students in various sociopolitical issues and engage them in critical readings about texts. The second finding illustrates how a series of after‐school literature circle discussions enabled first‐grade African American children to make meaning dialogically and communally about enslavement. The third finding illustrates how the teacher created space for second‐grade Latinx students to translanguage as they drew on multiple reading comprehension strategies and made sense of immigration. The implications from these studies invite a rethinking of the dominant paradigm of reading comprehension instruction.

Conceptualisations of peace, its benefits, and strategies related to political orientation among Colombians

Political orientation has been shown to affect the opinions of ordinary people when it comes to socio-political issues. In Colombia, 74% of citizens indicated that they did not identify with any political party; however, opinions against and in favour of peace and its processes are characterised by a dynamic of constant tension among citizens, similar to that among the country’s political parties: left, right, and centre. The purpose of the present study was to identify conceptualisations about peace, its benefits, and the strategies to achieve it after the peace agreement signed in 2016 between the government and the FARC guerrilla based on the political orientation reported by the participants. Textual data were analysed using KH-Coder software to identify co-occurrence networks of peace conceptualisations, benefits, and strategies. A total of 346 men and women participated in the study. Results show differences among the conceptualisations of peace and the peacebuilding process among supporters of each political orientation, including apolitical participants, although right-wing participants were the most differentiated. Results are discussed.

The Effect of Perceived Economic Mobility on Support for Corporate Activism

Companies are more frequently taking public stands on controversial and divisive socio-political issues. Thus, researchers have been paying a great amount of attention to the issues surrounding corporate activism such as how and why certain types draw more support from consumers and other stakeholders. The current research contributes to the literature by examining how people’s perception of economic mobility affects their tendency to support corporate activism. In particular, using two studies with different research designs and diverse participants, the current research demonstrates that perception of high (vs. low) economic mobility leads to stronger (vs. weaker) support for corporate activism, and further shows that this effect is mediated by the locus of control. With this nuanced finding, this research provides theoretical and substantive implications and various future research directions.

Terrorism in Nigeria: Exploring the causes and the rise of Boko Haram

Terrorism remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with Boko Haram emerging as one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the region. This article explores the concept of terrorism, its various types, and the unique factors that have contributed to the rise of Boko Haram. By analysing the economic, political, and social dynamics of Nigeria, the article examines the root causes of terrorism in the country. Factors such as religious and cultural diversity, economic stagnation, and deep-rooted political corruption are identified as key drivers that have fuelled Boko Haram’s growth. The inability of Nigeria’s security and justice systems to effectively manage these challenges further exacerbates the problem. Moreover, the article discusses the broader implications of these factors on national stability, social cohesion, and regional security. Boko Haram's rise is not an isolated event but rather a complex interplay of various socio-political and economic issues. Understanding these underlying causes is essential to addressing the terrorist threat in Nigeria. The article concludes by suggesting that a holistic approach, involving both domestic reforms and international cooperation, is necessary to combat terrorism effectively and bring peace to the region

Beyond security failures: The complexities of addressing Boko haram in Nigeria

The fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria highlights the complexities of addressing a multifaceted insurgency that thrives on political, social, and economic dysfunction. This article examines the critical failures in Nigeria’s security and justice systems, which have allowed Boko Haram to flourish despite military interventions. It explores the limitations of a purely military response and underscores the importance of addressing the broader socio-political issues that contribute to terrorism. The article evaluates how government corruption, poor governance, and the lack of accountability within the security apparatus have weakened Nigeria's capacity to combat Boko Haram effectively. Moreover, it considers the role of international stakeholders, including the United States, in supporting Nigeria's counterterrorism efforts, while emphasizing that foreign assistance must align with domestic reforms to be effective. The application of complexity theory is proposed as a framework to understand the interconnected factors contributing to the persistence of Boko Haram. This approach underscores that addressing Boko Haram requires more than just military solutions; it demands addressing economic stagnation, political corruption, and social grievances that fuel the insurgency. The article concludes by recommending a holistic strategy that combines security sector reform, governance improvements, and international cooperation as the path forward for Nigeria.

Should Global Brands Engage in Brand Activism?

Brand activism, taking a stance on current and divisive sociopolitical issues, has emerged as a novel means of expressing a brand's values and engaging with the firm's customer base. Yet, globally, companies lack conclusive guidance on the consequences of taking a stance. This research asks a novel question: Should global brands engage in activism? Using varying activism manipulations (e.g., statements and actions), five studies reveal consumer preference for activist global brands. More importantly, guided by schema change theory, the authors find that the positive brand activism effect is particularly strong for global brands associated with negative brand origin, irrespective of consumers’ prior attitude valence. However, brands with positive origin associations benefit from activism only when consumers’ prior attitude valence is in alignment. The authors also identify the mediating effects of self–brand connection, which has downstream consequences for behavioral intentions. Taken together, this work sheds new light on consumer perceptions of brand activism across cultures, elucidates why consumers prefer global brands that engage in activism, and offers actionable insights for global brand managers.

When employees matter: How employee resource groups and workforce liberalism jointly spur firms to support Pro-LGBTQ legislation

Employees are increasingly vocal about and attentive toward their organizations’ social policies and practices. Scholars have identified two main channels through which employees influence responsible business conduct: (1) employee activists proactively shaping corporate decisions and (2) the prevailing worldviews and attitudes of the workforce, which create normative pressure on appropriate corporate behavior. We propose that these two channels interact to produce high levels of employee influence. To assess this hypothesis, we examined corporate support for the Equality Act, a US congressional bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Our quantitative analysis shows that firms with both LGBTQ employee resource groups and liberal workforces were more likely to endorse the Equality Act. Qualitative methods then allowed us to pinpoint the underlying mechanisms. Thus, our study expands our understanding of what enables employees to advance responsible business conduct and why firms engage in sociopolitical issues.

Metaphor as a Means of Expression in the Media

This article examines the role of metaphor as a means of expressiveness in mass media (MM). It analyzes examples of metaphors from Kyrgyz newspapers, particularly from the publication “Slovo Kyrgyzstana”, emphasizing their emotional impact and ability to create vivid imagery. Based on theoretical approaches to the study of metaphors in media texts, the main functions of metaphorical expressions that contribute to a deeper perception of information are identified. Special attention is given to the role of metaphor in addressing socio-political and economic issues, as well as cultural processes.

Impact of FM Radio on Political Awareness and Engagement among University Students: A Socio-Political Study

This research examines the role of FM radio in shaping the awareness and engagement about politics among university students in Lahore, by focusing on the influence of socio-political aspects. The study purposes to recognize the history of FM radio and its effectiveness to address the socio-political issues. The sample size of 600 students between the ages of 18 and 32 from three private universities of Lahore (University of South Asia, University of Management and Technology, Superior University). The statistics were attained by the technique of purposive sampling; the research finds that FM radio upholds a noteworthy occurrence in spite of the rise of new media. The majority of people listen to FM radio for entertainment, information, education, and development. The findings show that FM radio is an effective medium for raising socio-political awareness and encouraging political connection among youngsters.

Public Theology as a Theology of Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Public Pastoral Care Contribution

The negative impacts of COVID-19, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, political unrest, and natural disasters in sub-Saharan Africa have caused widespread suffering. In light of these crises, many have questioned the relevance of theology in addressing such complex challenges. This article tackles critical questions such as: How can public theology effectively engage with the socio-political and economic issues facing sub-Saharan Africa? What role does public pastoral care play in fostering resilience within these communities? Can theology provide tangible support in the face of widespread suffering, and if so, how? The article argues that public theology offers a resilient framework to guide communities through these difficult times, particularly when integrated with public pastoral care. Public theology can provide hope, support, and a sense of purpose to those affected by engaging both spiritual and social dimensions. The article further explores how public pastoral care, as a practical expression of public theology, can address individuals’ and communities’ emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. Ultimately, it demonstrates that public theology is relevant and essential in fostering resilience and promoting human flourishing in the face of adversity.

Trends and topics: Characterizing echo chambers’ topological stability and in-group attitudes

Nowadays, online debates focusing on a wide spectrum of topics are often characterized by clashes of polarized communities, each fiercely supporting a specific stance. Such debates are sometimes fueled by the presence of echo chambers, insulated systems whose users’ opinions are exacerbated due to the effect of repetition and by the active exclusion of opposite views. This paper offers a framework to explore how echo chambers evolve through time, considering their users’ interaction patterns and the content/attitude they convey while addressing specific controversial issues. The framework is then tested on three Reddit case studies focused on sociopolitical issues (gun control, American politics, and minority discrimination) during the first two years and a half of Donald Trump’s presidency and on an X/Twitter dataset involving BLM discussion tied to the EURO 2020 football championship. Analytical results unveil that polarized users will likely keep their affiliation to echo chambers in time. Moreover, we observed that the attitudes conveyed by Reddit users who joined risky epistemic enclaves are characterized by a slight inclination toward a more negative or neutral attitude when discussing particularly sensitive issues (e.g., fascism, school shootings, or police violence) while X/Twitter ones often tend to express more positive feelings w.r.t. those involved into less polarized communities.

Understanding reaction to corporate activism: The moderating role of polarization.

In our polarized societies, more companies are taking a stand on divisive sociopolitical issues. However, given the mixed findings from previous studies, it remains unclear whether Corporate Activism (CA) is more likely to hurt or help a company's performance and reputation, or shape the public's attitudes toward the sociopolitical issue involved. To better understand the impact of CA in polarized societies, it is valuable to study moderating factors, especially those linked to polarization. A meta-analysis of 72 scholarly works is conducted to examine the impact of CA on various outcomes (e.g. ads and social media engagement, cognitive and attitudinal reactions, public's intentions and actions, emotional reactions, social and ethical engagement, workplace, and employee perceptions) and the role of moderators (a sociopolitical issue's political leaning and controversy level, political orientation of the target audience, key demographics). The analysis reveals a positive, albeit small, effect size (0.085 [95% CI (0.0542, 0.1158)]) with the most impact on two outcomes: cognitive and attitudinal reactions, and emotional reactions. It further reveals that companies adopting liberal-leaning CAs elicit more favorable responses than those adopting conservative CAs and that liberals respond positively to CA, while conservatives are more neutral. However, when there is alignment between the CA's political leaning and the audience's political orientation, conservatives have a stronger positive response than liberals. Also, younger audiences view CA more positively. Finally, per national culture, while power distance and individualism positively moderate the reaction to CA, uncertainty avoidance has a negative effect.

The Impact of Postcolonial Literature on Critical Thinking and Identity Formation among Pakistani Students

The magic of literature can resuscitate brains and rebuild communities. Books can introduce us to new worlds, help us question our convictions and engage in a more profound communication with people & ourselves through the book pages. This research, while using the qualitative method by conducting interviews with literature students and applying thematic analysis, focuses on Post-Colonial literature and its influence on critical thinking and identity formation among Pakistani students. Overall, we found that reading postcolonial literature improves critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of socio-political issues, as well as influences cultural identity and personal connections. This study identifies the urgent need to incorporate post-colonial reading material into syllabi in order to encourage critical thinking, cultural sensitivity and social responsibility among students. Postcolonial literature can offer transformative power to create a more just and fair world through a transformed self.

The politics of distraction in English-medium higher education across three global settings: a collaborative autoethnography

ABSTRACT English-medium instruction (EMI) is on the rise around the world due to globalization, internationalization and neoliberal ideologies which equate English with social capital, prestige, and success in the labour market. While many EMI policies aim to equip students with English as a ‘lingua academia’, produce ‘neoliberal subjects’ and compete in university ranking systems, such policies often overlook larger sociolinguistic, sociohistorical, and sociopolitical issues at play. This article shares findings from a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) involving the three authors as participants, who are based in three global contexts: Australia, Bangladesh, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Upon analysis of a series of dialogues amongst the authors, ‘policy distractions’ in EMI higher education were identified which resulted in the sidelining of critical issues related to native-speakerism, translingual discrimination and precarious conditions of students’ translingual practice, (lack of) choice around the medium of instruction, and the postcolonial legacy of unequal Englishes. The paper ends with suggestions for ways in which current EMI policies can be unpacked and disrupted to address larger and more pressing issues connected with complexities and intersections of social and linguistic justice.

Multimodal Discourse Features in Selected Nigerian Political Cartoons

Political cartoons in Nigerian society serve as tools for political commentary and social critique. This research investigates the socio-political impact of visual and linguistic strategies in selected Nigerian political cartoons, addressing a significant gap in the existing literature concerning the role of visual media in political discourse. Despite the prevalent use of political cartoons in Nigerian media, there has been limited scholarly attention to how these cartoons utilise visual and linguistic elements to critique socio-political disputes. This study aims to bridge this gap by employing Kress and van Leeuwen’s Grammar of Visual Design and Roland Barthes’ Semiotic Theory to analyse seven selected political cartoons. The study's primary aim is to explore how these cartoons communicate complex political realities and influence public perception. The objectives include identifying the visual and linguistic strategies used in the cartoons, examining the socio-political issues they address, and evaluating their impact on public discourse. The findings reveal that Nigerian political cartoons employ a sophisticated blend of visual and linguistic strategies to convey powerful socio-political messages. The analysis demonstrates that these cartoons effectively highlight issues such as corruption, economic hardship, political neglect, and the disparity between the ruling elites and the suffering masses. The study also found that these cartoons effectively depict the disparity between the ruling elites and the suffering masses, employing salience, framing, modality, denotation, connotation, and myth to engage and challenge public perception. The research underscores the significance of political cartoons as tools for socio-political engagement and discourse, demonstrating their role in reflecting and shaping public opinion on critical national issues. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of political cartoons as a medium for socio-political engagement and discourse in Nigeria. It highlights the critical role of visual semiotics in political commentary and the necessity for further research into the impact of visual media on public opinion and political accountability.

Gender Wealth Gap in the USA’s Afrobeats Scene

The United States has been a space for global musical transnational encounters among African-descended peoples, with various artists collaborating. These collaborations have blossomed with the advent of Afrobeats—a loose term describing the contemporary transatlantic sound of popular African music. Although there are male and female Afrobeats performers on the African continent, this cultural exchange occurs more often between male artists and U.S. musicians. Because male artists are mostly invited for live performances, their visibility puts them in a position to perform with and collaborate with U.S. artists. As a result, male artists get nominations for global awards such as the Grammys and accumulate more wealth. For female artists, the result is less visibility and wealth. Using Tiwa Savage and Burna Boy—two Afrobeats giants—as case studies, this essay examines the factors that limit Tiwa, a female performer, from achieving the same wealth as her male counterpart, Burna Boy. Specifically, this study analyzes the sonic and semiotic representations in their popular music videos, Tiwa’s “Koroba” and Burna Boy’s “On the Low,” to understand why Burna Boy might have the edge over Tiwa. Their music and career trajectories shed light on how capitalism and sociopolitical issues, including colorism, might contribute to the gender wealth disparities between male and female Afrobeats performers.

Participatory Online News Expertise and Credibility: A Study on Visual Citizen in TikTok bikini.bottom.news

TikTok already has the power to spread news apart from providing entertainment content. The emergence of TikTok is very massive and is used by many groups. TikTok brings a novelty with its content which is not only entertaining like lots of challenge videos and also often informative because many news channels have started to use TikTok as their media platform. One of them is the Bikini Bottom News TikTok account which actively reports the latest information on both socio-political issues and issues of international celebrities. The expertise of journalists and the credibility of TikTok, which started as an entertainment platform, come into question when we talk about news. This study analyzes the expertise and credibility of participatory online news in the visual community or citizens. Using case studies by conducting literature reviews and discussions with informants who have the same background, namely students regarding the bikini.bottom.news account, the authors obtain data that the TikTok platform, especially on the bikini.bottom.news account has two acceptances, which are considered to have met the skill requirements of a journalist to be trusted for the credibility of the news content and are considered not in accordance with the provisions of the expertise of a journalist and the content is considered not credible.

“Mirroring” the World Versus “World-Making”: The Crisis of Ethics in Indian Mental Health Systems

In the context of neoliberalism and increasing globalization, technocratization, and scientification of mental health care, people suffering from socio-politico-economic problems ranging from poverty to structural violence are often transmogrified into “patients” with mental health problems to be “treated” with psychopharmaceuticals and individualized psychological therapies. Drawing from three socio-political issues India witnessed in the past 3 years, concerning three marginalized sections, namely, farmers, LGBTQIA+ people, and migrant workers, I illustrate the silence of mainstream mental health disciplines in India on sheer instances of structural violence and social suffering. Deflection of attention from human rights violations by mainstream mental health systems raises critical questions about the ethics and politics of mental health disciplines. The social, political, and material contexts that are central to lived experiences are almost always unaccounted in mental health academia, research, and practice. Engaging people with lived experiences advances equity by breaking down power dynamics, establishing collaborative decision-making, and improving equitable outcomes. Thus, knowledge production in mental health becomes irrelevant to political action and transformative policies that are crucial for positive mental health outcomes. By ignoring and thus implicitly sanctioning discriminatory, exploitive neoliberal architecture, mental health systems maintain the very upstream factors that cultivate and sustain mental distress. In this way, mainstream mental health practice in India fails to undertakeworld-making, raising deeper questions in public mental health ethics.

Act as you preach! Authentic brand purpose versus “woke washing’s” impact on brand credibility: The moderating role of cause involvement and consumer skepticism

An increasing number of brands are taking a stance on current socio-political issues such as climate change, racism, and LGBTQ discrimination, thereby adopting a purpose-driven branding approach. However, not all measures taken are authentic, with certain brands running the risk of being accused of “woke washing.” This experimental-based study, involving 278 participants and focusing on anti-racism, investigates whether the approach taken (authentic, woke washing, or neutral) impacts brand credibility. The results indicate that an authentic brand purpose positively affects brand credibility, whereas woke washing has a negative impact compared to a neutral approach. Furthermore, cause involvement and consumer skepticism moderate the relationship between the brand’s purpose-driven approach and brand credibility. Greater cause involvement and/or consumer skepticism result in a more favorable assessment of brands with an authentic purpose-driven approach and a more negative perception of woke washing brands. This highlights the importance of brands aligning their actions with their stated values – that is, acting as they preach.

A Study of Sculptures Reveals Hindu-Buddhist Religious Harmony in Nepal

In a multi-religious country like Nepal, religious harmony is essential for sustaining peace and calmness. Religious discord in society may result if religious concord is not addressed. Even though Nepal is a secular country with a Hindu majority, Buddhists remain crucial and inseparable elements of Nepalese society. They have lived in religious harmony in Nepal. During the period, there were no religious riots or tensions between Hindus and Buddhists. According to the Principle of Religious concord, when two cultures meet and interact, religious ideas will be exchanged, with the dominant culture prevailing. Harmony in cultures and customs evolved in Nepal for a variety of reasons. Because of their social acceptance and respect in society, Buddhists have become a vital part of it. Buddhism is seen as a component of Hindu philosophy by Hindus, and vice versa. In recent years, however, they have sought to differentiate themselves by religiously violating decades of peace and harmony. Nepal, a country with diverse religious traditions, has faced occasional tensions between different groups, including Hindu-Muslim, Buddhist-Hindu relations, Christian minorities, indigenous beliefs, and political dimensions. These tensions are often linked to socio-political issues, competition over religious sites, and accusations of proselytization or conversion activities. Recently in Nepalganj, Muslims disturbed Hindus during Deepawali and Hindu disturbed in tajia procession. The purpose of this research is to examine the critical factors that contribute to religious harmony in a multi-faith society, as well as the reflection of religious harmony in Nepali sculptures. An in-depth interview and library research technique are used to investigate the topic of religious harmony. The goal of this article is to examine the underlying factors that lead to religious harmony in a multi-religious community, as well as its reflection in Nepali sculptures. This study also looks at the elements that influence harmony in the setting of Nepali sculptures. As a result, the conversation strives to foster long-term religious harmony between Nepal's Hindu and Buddhist religious communities. The findings may motivate them to keep strong connections.