FWU Journal of Social Sciences

Analyzing Post-2010 China-US Defense Expenditures: Uncovering the New Arms Race

2024-05-14T05:14:43+00:00

The New Arms Race encapsulates a dynamic geopolitical competition

characterized by escalating military capabilities and strategic posturing

between the U.S and China. Amidst the intensifying Sino-US arms race, the

objective of this research is to examine the trends and patterns of Sino-US

defense spending’s (2010-2022) to analyze the evolving military competition's

strategic, economic and social implications, contributing to the discourse on

global security and stability. Data from reputable sources like SIPRI, IISS, plus

official budget reports and defense White-Paper’s inform the analysis. Using a

mix-method approach, quantitative data is descriptively presented to highlight

trends, patterns, and significant changes over time. Plus, qualitative analysis is

conducted to interpret the implications of these expenses, drawing on

International Relation’s theories and expert opinions to assess how shifts in

military spending influences power dynamics, alliances, and conflicts? The

results show that, the global military expenditures surpassed $2240 billion.

China's defense spending has seen a 29-year consecutive increase, while the

US maintains its top spender status, propelled by ongoing modernization

efforts and diverse geopolitical strategies. This study is Grounded in the

"Security Dilemma" framework, assumes that potential enemies would view a

country's attempts to strengthen its security as a threat, setting off a cycle of

action and reaction that deepens mutual suspicions and contributes to the

potential for an arms race. Due to the Sino-US ongoing military modernization

plans and diverse geopolitical strategies, it is suggested that this tendency will

persist in the foreseeable future.

Instrument Construction and Exploration of Students' Collaboration Skills Based on the Summated Rating Scale

2024-07-01T07:32:07+00:00

One of the essential 21st-century skills that students must possess is the ability to

collaborate. However, profiling students' collaboration skills is challenging

without valid and reliable instruments. Therefore, this research aims to map the

profile of students' collaboration skills using valid and reliable instruments. This

study is descriptive-explorative research with a quantitative approach. The

research sample included 900 Islamic Senior High School/Madrasah Aliyah

students, with 150 students participating in the instrument trials and 750 serving

as the primary sample in this study. The results indicate that the collaboration

ability instrument is valid and reliable, as demonstrated by a loading factor

value > 0.5, T-Value > 1.96, RMSEA 0.00 < 0.08, RMR 0.043, Std. RMR 0.040,

GFI 0.95, AGFI 0.87, NNFI 0.97, CFI 0.98, IFI 0.98, RFI 0.97, PNFI 0.85, and a

composite reliability coefficient CR=0.909 from the second-order confirmatory

factor analysis. The findings show that students' collaboration skills are moderate,

with an average score of 26.4, which falls within the medium category. The

distribution of students' abilities is as follows: 347 students (46.3%) are classified

as having moderate abilities, 207 students (27.6%) as having high skills, and 196

students (26.1%) as having low skills. Based on these results, teachers and

stakeholders are encouraged to enhance students' collaboration skills through

student-centred learning approaches, such as project-based learning, which can

provide students with opportunities to engage and practice working together

actively in the learning process.

Prisons as Pathways to Rehabilitation or Criminality? A Case of Haripur Jail

2024-09-04T05:33:24+00:00

This research investigated the function of Pakistani jails, namely the Haripur

Central Jail located in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa area, in the process of

reintegrating ex-offenders. Semi-structured questionnaires and interviews were

used in this study to collect data both qualitatively and quantitatively. The sample

was N = 222 prisoners, including convicted individuals, prison employees,

probation officials, and former convicts, participated in screening interviews.

NVivo 12 was used for data analysis by employing a methodical approach to

random sampling. The study found that in addition to moving prisons, prison

officials needed a great deal of information, tools, and facilities. The study also

showed that there was a lack of proper government and public assistance, as well

as the necessity for uniform written laws controlling the reintegration of ex-

offenders, particularly for those accused of offenses connected to terrorism. The

study concluded that the only way to improve the prison's ability to rehabilitate

inmates is to implement systemic reforms to the institution.

CEO Optimism, Accounting Conservatism and Earnings Management of Listed Manufacturing Firms: Evidence from Asian Emerging Economies

2024-06-25T09:13:10+00:00

It is pertinent to understand how CEO optimism and accounting conservatism

influence earnings management to verify the reliability and accuracy of financial

reporting. The motivation behind this research comes from the possible

implications for financial transparency, regulatory oversight, and investor trust

while focusing on the usefulness of corporate governance. The research explores

the influence of CEO optimism and accounting conservatism on earnings

management within Asian emerging economies, analyzing data from listed

manufacturing firms between 2010 and 2022. The study finds a negative

correlation between accounting conservatism and earnings management while

CEO optimism positively correlates with earnings management. These findings

imply that conditional conservatism diminishes the possibility for management

to inflate earnings. However, CEO optimism increases the likelihood of a firm's

earnings management. This research ought to offer a thorough understanding of

accounting conservatism and CEO optimism and the effect that these factors

have on earnings management from the context of Asian emerging economies.

Patriarchy, Power and Prostitution in Lahore’s Red-Light District: A Feminist Study of Fouzia Saeed’s Taboo

2024-06-25T06:58:50+00:00

In her 2002 book Taboo: The Hidden Culture of Red Light Area, Fouzia Saeed

explains how patriarchal norms in Pakistani society rigidly categorise women into

‘pure’ and ‘polluted’, shaping perceptions of prostitution and human trafficking.

This article argues that patriarchy has its roots in materiality, and plays an

indispensable role in pushing many women into the dreadful practice of

prostitution or trafficking for sexual slavery through the structural and

institutional flaws threaded within Pakistani culture. Women in Pakistan yet also

have internalised the deep-rooted patriarchal ideologies and sexism that lead to a

holistic understanding of what this patriarchal culture entails. Focusing on Heera

Mandi – Lahore’s traditional red light district as depicted in Saeed’s ethnographic

book, this textual cum descriptive analysis contributes to unveil the dilemmas of

women engaged in prostitution who are constantly under threat from patriarchy

and other institutions. While unfolding men formulated cultural norms through

radical feminist analysis of Taboo, this article concludes that the patriarchal

metamorphosing of women into valueless commodities perpetuates the practice of

prostitution and trafficking in Heera Mandi. The study also suggests that, to

eliminate female inferiority, feminist activism in Pakistan requires measures to

restructure patriarchy together with consciousness-raising and political education

of women in all respect.

Beyond GARCH: Intraday insights into the exchange rate and stock price volatility dynamics in Borsa Istanbul sectors

2024-07-22T06:07:27+00:00

This study investigated the impact of exchange rate volatility on sectoral stock

volatility by employing the intraday volatility measure directly calculated from the

original data, using daily data from 27 Borsa Istanbul sectors between April 29,

2003, and April 25, 2023. In the literature, GARCH models are commonly used to

study the volatility spillovers between exchange rates and stock prices, typically

using aggregate data. However, the GARCH family models provide inefficient and

biased estimates if they are misspecified. Moreover, using aggregate-level data may

lead to biased and misleading conclusions. The research used intraday volatility

measures to overcome the shortcomings of GARCH models. The ordinary least

squares (OLS), GARCH (1,1) methods, and Garman and Klass (1980) volatility

estimator are used. The empirical results showed that the estimates from each

method vary significantly, and these disparities in the results might be due to

misspecification in GARCH (1,1) models. The intraday volatility model estimation

results showed that although stock price volatilities in all sectors are positively and

significantly affected by exchange rate volatility, their magnitudes vary

significantly. Taken together, this implies the presence of vast heterogeneities in

the responses of sectoral stock price volatilities to exchange rate volatility. The

results encourage policymakers to pay special attention to these heterogeneities to

prevent capital flights and underinvestment. Additionally, the findings assist

investors in making more effective decisions by helping them adapt their

investment strategies to factor in exchange rate fluctuations and mitigate the impact

of unexpected events in the exchange rate marke

Exploring Teachers' Perspectives on Utilizing Local Resources to Address Substance Abuse within Schools

2024-07-01T08:32:29+00:00

The purpose of this study was to identify the conceptual foundations that

underlie school teachers' preferences for the utilization of personal resources

to address the problem of substance abuse at the school level. Also, it was

examined whether there is a relationship between the school teachers’

perceived approaches with their gender, school type, and socioeconomic

status. The participants in the study consisted of school teachers working in

secondary schools located in four densely populated districts of Karachi,

Pakistan. The research was conducted using a mixed-method methodology.

Data were collected by using semi-structured interviews through personal

visits. A qualitative analysis method was used to find out the perceptions of

school teachers regarding their preferred approach to deal the issue of drug

abuse. In addition, a quantitative analysis was performed to ascertain the

relationship, if any, between participants' demographics and their preferred

approach. The results show that the school teachers selected effective

strategies to address this issue at the school level within their means,

including emotional competence, psychological competence, religion, and

monitoring.

The The International Legal Framework Governing the Protection of Cultural Heritage

2024-04-24T06:57:31+00:00

The study delves deeply into the historical contexts of the countries involved,

examining how the idea of cultural heritage and its protection under

international law has changed through the years and in various social,

economic, and political climates. When preserving cultural assets under

public international law, we also consider the humanitarian aspect of this

phenomenon. The study examines whether people and groups limit a state's

power to act beyond limitations imposed by other states and international

organizations. This research further examines the role of international

human rights laws in this setting, the preservation of the individual's

connection to cultural products, and whether or not an individual becomes a

significant player in international law. The study's findings provide

conclusive evidence of the pivotal catalytic role that UNESCO and similar

international organizations play in the worldwide preservation of cultural

heritage. UNESCO is the principal venue for monitoring whether or not

states are adhering to international protection principles. Whether or not

UNESCO can be effective without ratification processes for cultural

preservation has to be investigated more deeply. The study's findings

indicate that protecting cultural assets involves a wide range of aspects,

including the rights and responsibilities of governments and the rights of

cultures. In addition, our research suggests that the ever-evolving

international legal system can improve its framework, which is relevant to

preserving cultural treasures.

The Digital Uprising: Palestinian Activism in the Cyber Colonial Era

2024-05-20T06:58:27+00:00

This study investigated the evolution and effect of Palestinian digital

activism within the setting of cyber colonialism, accentuating the

extraordinary capability of digital platforms for political resistance. The

ascent of digital media has introduced another time of for Palestinians,

empowering them to conquer physical and political hindrances forced by the

Israeli occupation. This examination dug into the essential utilization of

social media and other internet-based platforms by Palestinians to document

human rights abuses, mobilize global support, and challenge dominant

narratives. It likewise inspected the double-edged nature of digital

technologies, which act as devices for both empowerment and surveillance.

Through happy examination, contextual investigations, and meetings with

activists, the review features successes and challenges of Palestinian digital

activism. The discoveries highlight the meaning of digital spaces in molding

worldwide discernment and encouraging fortitude, while additionally

uncovering the tireless dangers of restriction and cyber reconnaissance. The

paper concluded with proposals for improving the adequacy of digital

activism and recommended future examination bearings to additionally

grasp its effect on the Palestinian struggle for self-determination

From Earnings to Occupations: Understanding Intergenerational Mobility in Turkey

2024-08-26T07:50:34+00:00

The studies analyzing intergenerational economic mobility have been rather

scarce for developing countries due to unavailability of longitudinal datasets. This

study uses data from Survey of Income and Living Condition (SILC) from 2006-

2021, obtained from Turkish Statistical Institute to analyze the intergenerational

income and occupational mobility in Turkey. Besides measuring the dynamics of

income and occupational mobility across generations, we also analyze how does

the association of children socioeconomic outcome with their family background

vary at different career levels of children. Our findings reveal that the association

with parents income is much higher for daughters as compared to sons suggesting

daughters outcomes are more explained by their family socioeconomic status.

Regarding the association of children’ outcome with family status at different

career stage, the relationship is stronger when children are at the mid-career level.

The Bayesian methodology and Pseudo-panel fixed effect model has been

employed to estimate intergenerational income elasticity and for the rest of the

analysis, Bayesian methodology has been utilized. Our finding also reveals higher

intergenerational occupational persistence among children in higher income

families while children from disadvantaged families have higher probability of

switching career upon receiving good education and income perspective.

Keywords: intergenerational income/occupation mobility, inequalities, household

income, Bayesian modeling

JEL Classification : J62, D1, D3, C11

For the fair earning distribution, one’s wage should not be determined based on family background. The

studies analyzing transfers of economic outcomes across generations focuses on why inequalities exist and the

extent of it. Intergenerational economic mobility is a crucial element in the fair distribution of opportunities. Many

studies are available focused on intergenerational economic mobility and its various aspects for many countries

mostly, developed economies. However, Turkey still lacks such studies to understand the share of inequalities

caused due to the transfers of economic/social outcomes across generations.

The research targeted on the transfer of socioeconomic status across generations are to understand the

dynamics and factors affecting economic mobilities, to eradicate economic inequalities, and to promote welfare

and equality. Higher intergenerational immobility shows persistence of socio-economic status across generations

which is caused due to unequal opportunities and disproportion family resources instead of differences in

individuals’ effort and diligence: higher intergenerational economic persistence could indicate poor allocation of

human capital resources. The children coming from disadvantaged family backgrounds might perceive the odds of

being successful/ jumping up on the ladder of socio-economic class are caused against them and that could result

in the less cooperation in the society (Mogstad & Torsvik, 2023).

Intergenerational income earning elasticity (IGE) is the most frequently metric used to assess the

association between children' and fathers’ income and other economic opportunities. However, the studies using

IGE for the analysis of IGM has mostly been done for developed countries (Solon, 2002), (Chetty, Hendren, Kline,

Saez, 2014a), (Chetty, Hendren, Kline, & Saez, 2014), (Cervini-Plá, 2015), (Corak et al., 2014)). Most of this

literature targeted the developed economies; developing economies have been ignored so far mainly because of the

unavailability of the data required to examine intergenerational economic mobility and its dynamics.

Ethical Dilemmas: A Perspective from Pakistan Higher Education Institutions

2024-07-18T05:08:05+00:00

Employees' deviant behavior has become a serious concern for

employers as it puts organizational productivity at stake. The current

study examined the existing unethical and immoral practices in the

higher education faculty from the perspective of management. In order

to achieve this goal, the study determined how faculty members'

attitudes and perceptions towards moral standards and codes of

conduct in Pakistan's higher education institutions manifest themselves

in their actions while at work. Purposive sampling was used in

combination with participant observation to conduct 19 interviews

with the management of Pakistan's top universities, adhering to the

qualitative tradition. As analytical techniques, pattern matching and

cross-case analysis were applied. The findings revealed several

intentional deviant behaviors that harm the work quality of academics.

It is therefore important to address all such issues to preserve the

quality of higher education

Full ISSUE : Fall 2024, Vol. 18. No.3

2024-10-03T04:56:42+00:00

Full ISSUE : Fall 2024, Vol. 18. No.3