Selected Topics in Humanities and Social Sciences Vol. 7

The worldwide feminisation of HIV and AIDS has not left the Caribbean region unscathed. A decade ago, infection rates among West Indian females were 3-6 times higher than those of males. This review seeks to address the crucial and inter-related roles of socio-cultural issues: patriarchy; commercialisation of sex; men who have sex with men; violence; and religious practices; all of which contribute to HIV and AIDS risk in the Caribbean. In so doing, the paper raises awareness of the stark reality of the lives of Caribbean women and the ways in which Caribbean culture disproportionately exposes them to the risk of contracting HIV and AIDS. The paper recommends that further research should be done to address the key socio-cultural elements that negatively influence male-female relationships and their impact on HIV and AIDS risk in the Caribbean.

This study discusses the contents of social and psychological studies about the Patterns and Motives of Elementary School Students in using Social Networks, this study is based on "uses and gratification approach" which is instrumental in studying the impacts of communication. Social networks attracted millions of users, of all ages, all over the world. The study aims to search for the impact of the gender variable on (the pattern, motives, positive and negative impacts) in relation to the children in the elementary schools who are using social networks. The study relies on the descriptive concept, the demographic survey form and the questionnaire, The community of the study consisted of )254(students of both genders, the boys represent 48.8% and 51.2% girls) from public elementary schools, whom were selected from two different schools (Boys only and Girls only). The results revealed there were differences between males and females on the pattern and motives using, as to social positive/negative impacts, the males are more impacted negatively and the females impacted positively by using social networks. This study proposes more in-depth researches and studies that measures the impacts of the internet as to social behavior.

Violence is a global phenomenon resulting in the deaths of more than 1.6 million people each year, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide. No country is untouched by violence; the vast majority of its resistant deaths occur in low to middle income countries, many of which are stricken with internal conflict. Violence against women is more prevalent in two major aspects namely spousal violence and intimate partner violence. Spousal violence refers to violence perpetrated by partners in a marital union. The prime types of violence are physical, emotional and sexual violence. Spousal emotional violence is any act including confinement, verbal assault, humiliation, intimidation, or any other treatment which may diminish the sense of identity, dignity and self-worth. The scars of emotional violence may not be visible to eye, but the effect it has on the victim can be traumatic. As the research regarding the emotional violence between the spouses remains a less travelled path. Moreover, the law recognizes physical and sexual violence as crime against the individual but not the emotional violence. Therefore the present study attempts to focus on emotional violence against married women perpetrated by the spouse. The present study with descriptive and diagnostic design aimed to find the prevalence rate, causes, effect of emotional violence, help seeking behaviours and the association between spousal emotional violence and, selected demographic variables with an aid of interview schedule administered among 208 married women through purposive sampling technique in Coimbatore, the Manchester of South India. The study findings denote that 100% sample women are prone to spousal emotional violence due to various reasons like difficulties at work, financial problems for the spouse, unready food, drinking habit etc. Majority of the women do not seek any help to get rid of emotional violence.

The goal of this study was to investigate two research hypotheses.; H1: The English subject teachers at selected national secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, used coercive (COE) and coaching (COA) leadership approaches to lead their students, and H2: In selected national secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, there is a significant relationship between English subject teachers' leadership styles practices and students' AP/AE. The findings revealed that leadership style practices, mainly COA except COE, influence academic press/emphasis (AP/AE). Surprisingly, there is strong evidence that almost all English subject teachers from all three selected schools understudy did not exhibit COE leadership style, despite COA being the most influential predictor. They will most likely try to avoid practicing COE leadership style because it will create reinforcement patterns among the students. As a result, Bass and Riggio [1] defined COE leadership style as a lack of leadership.

When single-polar world changes, the integration procedures, which defines the whole process of the regionalization take special importance. The regional integration becomes an inalienable part of the evolution.

This article analyses the content, types and different types of classification of the regional-level integration, which exist in doctrine, formulates classification and stages of the integration procedures dependent to the scopes of the cooperation, researches the tendencies of the «new regionalism » and presents an original concept of establishment of international regional law as a branch of international law at the present stage of social development. The legal system is constantly being updated with new branches and sub-branches of law, institutions, and norms, which makes it more efficient overall. The study of integrational processes in the conditions of development of geopolitical competitiveness, active formation of new regional economic, social, and military-political spaces, demands mobilization of not only political, social, and economic resources, but also legal. A complex analysis of integrational processes within the framework of current regional formations allowed the author to determine a number of signs such as fusion and interconnection of national interests, which ensures balance of national interests of the member-states of regional formation on one hand, and the interests of the regional formation itself on the other. The author substantiates the conclusion that creation and functionality of such regional formations is impossible without presence of international regional law, the element of which can possess certain level of autonomy with regards to both, national law of the member-states, as well as the international law.

The issue over natural law vs. positivist law has gotten a lot of attention. Through the use of challenging instances, Ronald Dworkin shows the limitations of positivist law. This argument is enhanced when we combine Martin Luther King Jr.'s interpretation with the voluntarist natural law tradition, as well as Lon Fuller's "procedural view" and application of the "principles of legality."

Adolescence is characterised by storms and stress. Family, teachers, peers, and environmental factors all have a role in adolescent social and emotional development. The purpose of this study is to learn how adolescents perceive the socio-emotional climate of their school environment. Improvement in school environment motivates the student to acquire higher moral values and academics performance. A total of 300 adolescents in the 8th and 9th grades participated in the study. The sample includes 150 students (75 boys and 75 girls) from government schools and 150 students (75 boys and 75 girls) from private schools. The socio-emotional school atmosphere was assessed using the Socio-emotional School Climate Inventory. The majority of respondents rated their school atmosphere as good to extremely favourable, according to the findings. Compared to respondents from government schools, respondents from private schools had a superior view of the social and socio-emotional atmosphere of their institutions. Government schools were thought to have a superior emotional atmosphere.

Case study refers to intensive investigation of case highlighting different dimension. In this present study the case was admitted in a reputed de-addiction/rehabilitations center, Kolkata, India. This case study implies a retrospective archival approach. Case history was taken thoroughly and psychological tests were administered to corroborate findings with case history. Amal was admitted in the centre with the chief complaints of consuming alcohol which hampers his physical, emotional, occupational and social life. The criteria for alcohol intoxication include drinking and significant maladaptive behavioural changes - such as inappropriate aggressive behaviour, mood labiality, impaired judgment in family and occupational spheres shortly after alcohol consumption. He denies of his problems and often becomes defensive. Detection of alcoholism in this particular case was done by CAGE Test. The person is suffering from ‘Psychoactive Substance Abuse Disorder’ associated with secondary depression. Considering case history, behaviour and findings of test it implied he has psychopathology. He has undergone therapeutic intervention. Cognitive behaviour therapy was provided to him to strengthen his mental equilibrium.

This work assesses the relationship between religious liberty and freedom of speech in the United States constitutional context. Using the federal case of Cochran V. City of Atlanta as a Springbroad, the work argues that the recent trend of subsuming religious liberty under a broader freedom of expressive speech risks reducing the protections afforded the right of religious liberty. 

Classroom is a place where students participate in various topics either directly or indirectly as participants or spectators. During these classroom encounters, their socio-cultural identities are profoundly influenced. There has been very little attention paid to the link between classroom interactions and pupils' socio-cultural identity construction. This paper attempts to build a perspective and empirical framework for investigating the link between classroom interactions and their impact on construction of socio-cultural identity of students. It is argued that this can be enquired into with the help of ‘critical discourse analysis’ theory provided by ‘Norman Fairclough’. The purpose of this article is to understand the need for a new critical framework for studying the relationship between classroom interactions and the construction of students' socio-cultural identities. Fairclough's theory views language as a social tool for hegemonic control, and thus his framework provides a valuable perspective in investigating classroom interactions from a critical standpoint.

It is deeply regretted to realize that quite a number of masters and doctoral students divorce academia. The main question the study addressed is: who is the focus of blame? The supervisor or the supervisee or both? Resources indicate that education starts at home and the only habit to form is the habit of forming no habit. The purpose of this study was to investigate the various problems associated with the unpleasant supervisory relationship between the supervisor and the supervisee, and to address these problems with the view to recommending solutions and/or suggestions for a pleasant supervisory relationship. A range of data collection and analysis were employed in this study. A narrative case study design within the qualitative approach was employed/adopted to investigate the problems encountered by supervisors, masters and doctoral students at a purposively selected university. Subjects for this study participated because of their frustration. The sample size of subjects consisted of 10 participants (three supervisors, four masters’ students and three doctoral students) in different stages of their research projects. The use of purposive selection for the interviewees was based on the need to have only participants who have problems with their supervisors, and supervisors who have problems with their supervisees. The interviewees were purposively selected through the assistance of informants. During my association with them, they corroborated my data on their experiences and problems encountered during the supervision process. The primary sources for data collection were informal and unstructured interviews. Secondary sources include books, journals and theses. The results have demonstrated that some supervisors are constructively destructive. They take a responsibility to be a privilege and some students lack commitment, dedication and determination. But when comparing the problems encountered, supervisees seem to encounter more problems as compared to their supervisors. In answering the question: who is the focus of blame? The investigation has shown that both the supervisors and the supervisees are responsible for the unpleasant relationship. In this article, the compatibilities and incompatibilities will be discussed.

The purpose of study to gain the comprehensive understanding of the emotional intelligence and self-regulation in early years of life. Early years are important for the emotional intelligence development and self-regulation of young children because of rapid brain development. Early years are time of pretending, blending fact and fiction and learning to think of world using language. There is specific attainment of mainly three components of emotional intelligence during early years of development such as expression, knowledge and regulation of emotions. They have abilities to express social and self-conscious emotions as well as recognize the emotions of other people. Self-regulation has a foundational role in promoting wellbeing across the lifespan, including physical, emotional, social, and economic health and educational achievement. Early harmonious, stimulated and enriched environment serve as driving force for the development of emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills in young children. The reactions and instructions of parents and teachers to emotions of young children are the main socialization tools that enhance the emotional intelligence and skills of self-regulation in young children.

The tourism industry as one of the world's fastest growing, has become a new economic growth point in Guangdong, plays a more and more important role in the economic, cultural life in the province. Tourism infrastructure is an important supporting facility for the development of folk tourism. Folk tourism is a high level of cultural tourism, has become one of the important content of tourist behavior and tourism development. The "Nianli" is a unique folk activity in the west of Guangdong province, especially in Zhanjiang and Maoming. It’s a case of a year, every year to a fixed time (It usually begins on the second day of the first lunar month), scope of folk culture activities .It is usually held independently in the village (or temple). It integrates religious ceremonies and folk festivals. This paper is based on the development of "Nianli" folk tourism in western Guangdong, in order to find out the deficiencies in the development of folk tourism, in-depth excavation of the cultural connotation of folklore activities in western Guangdong, and furthermore puts forward measures for the development of religious folklore tourism products.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how some key variables influence and mediate the academic performance of SHS students in Ghana's Ashanti Mampong Municipality. The data was collected via questionnaires and descriptive and correlational research techniques were applied. A multi-stage sampling technique yielded a sample size of 571 pupils. The findings of the study established father’s education, mother’s education, the child’s academic ambition and the child’s effort as the associates of academic performance. The data also demonstrated that academic achievement is mostly influenced by the mother's education, sex of the child, the child's academic ambition, and the child's effort. The results failed to reject the null hypothesis once more. Based on these findings, it was suggested that educational stakeholders must instil high academic ambition in students, and that parents should ensure that a significant portion of their children's time is spent on their books, and that they should be prepared to help their children when the going gets tough.

Volunteering contributes to youth development although the process of how changes occur in the youth has not been clearly defined. The research focuses on a volunteering case study, namely Mei Xian Team, where college students from urban universities spend time in rural China to help with teaching in the remote villages. From in-depth interviews, focus group, and observation, the research explores how the volunteering experience changing the attitude, behaviour, and socialisation.

Young volunteers developed their personalities during their journey of helping rural children with limited resource. Youth development is enhanced in the volunteering process by interaction, conflict resolution, and socialisation. There were diverse modes of personal and interpersonal interactions among the research informants. These volunteer tourists manifested how their travel experience led to personal shifts and socialisation of youth travellers.

Cognizant of the crucial reality on employee turnover particularly in private HEI’s, this research paper delved into the trends and perspectives of the 31 participants who underwent the exit interview. The study investigated on some variables that may have contributed to the phenomenon. Results of the study served as inputs for the organization in mitigating its occurrences, improve job satisfaction, and increase retention rate. Primarily, it considered the participants’ personal profile, and information about resignation; their “greatest satisfaction” and “greatest problem” in the organization; their recommendations on how to lessen employee turnover; and how to improve university’s practices along human resource. The results showed that the turnover rate was high on the Basic Education Unit. Turnover happened during the first three (3) years of service, and usually among the university’s own graduates. Regardless of profile variables, the reasons for resignation included the following: professional growth; better job opportunity, get employed in the government; and practical reasons that embrace the family. As to their plans, it is to work in a government unit and to go abroad. In terms of level of job satisfaction, it revealed that regardless of profile variables, the participants were generally satisfied. The participants’ greatest satisfaction included 19 factors, foremost of these are acquisition of skills that are job and personal-related. On the other hand, there were 23 greatest problems evolved which include office procedures, salary, and workload/load assignment. To promote employee retention, at least 24 measures were recommended. These include strengthening SPUP’s best practices.

The literature has shown a strong correlation between victimization and violence. Victimization and violence often continue for women while in custody, as they may suffer sexual and physical abuse from interpersonal relationships they have formed in prison, from conflict with other residents, and from custody officers. As the majority of treatment programs for violence and the associated research have been focused on men, it is vital that services are also oriented to the needs of women who perpetrate violence. Beyond Violence (BV) was developed to fill the gap in violence prevention programming for justice-involved women with histories of violence victimization and perpetration. This current study builds upon the previous research on BV by employing an experimental design to rigorously assess the impact of the peer-facilitated model of the BV program on mental health and anger/aggression among women in prison. Women volunteered for the intervention and the study. Participants were randomized to either the 20-session BV condition or to a waitlist control (WC) condition. All 145 participants were asked to complete a pre-intervention (Time 1) and post-intervention (Time 2) survey that included validated measures to assess for depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger/aggression, and emotional dysregulation. Preliminary analyses of the background characteristics and pre-intervention outcome scores showed no significant differences between the groups at Time 1, indicating that randomization was successful. Separate ANCOVAs were run for 13 outcomes measured using the pre-test scores from study participants as the covariate and group assignment as the independent variable. Hypotheses were predominantly supported, and findings showed that the BV participants had significant reductions in the majority of the outcome measures at the post-intervention assessment when compared to the WC participants. Future research should continue to explore the advantages of peer-facilitated program models and should incorporate post-release outcomes to assess change over time.