FWU Journal of Social Sciences

Effect of Pakistan GCC Bilateral Trade Agreement on Pakistani Stock Market: An Event Study Methodology

Mazhar Hussain — 2026-04-13

The goal of this study is to examine the intricate connections between industry-specific capital market responses in a developing country such as Pakistan. In particular, the analysis focuses on the Pakistan–GCC bilateral trade agreement and its impact across different sectors. Using an event study methodology, this article analyzes how the Pakistan-GCC Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) has affected the Pakistani share market. Pakistan's textile, food, and petroleum and oil industries all show positive responses, while other sectors react unfavorably. These findings induced an immediate reaction from chosen Pakistani industries. The positive reactions of the industries are encouraging for the economy as well as for shareholders. Therefore, the Pakistan Stock Exchange was susceptible to this incident. To the best of my knowledge, this paper is unique in a sense that it will assist the stockholders and decision makers of trade policy. Moreover, the sectoral focus of the analysis represents an important contribution. The study also examines the unique context of the Pakistan–GCC relationship, which has received limited attention in the existing literature.

The Influence of Multidimensional Poverty Towards Life Satisfaction

Noorhaslinda Kulub Abdul Rashid — 2026-04-13

Multidimensional poverty encompasses various deprivations that extend beyond income and influence overall well-being among low-income households. This study, anchored in Amartya Sen's Capability Approach, explores the impact of multiple poverty dimensions, namely health, education, living standards, income, religiosity, and digital inclusion, on life satisfaction. This study used a structured questionnaire to collect data from 400 individuals in low-income households in Terengganu. The analysis employed Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4.0. The analysis demonstrates a significant association between life satisfaction and health, education, living standards, religiosity, and digital inclusion. In contrast, income does not exhibit a significant relationship with life satisfaction, indicating that non-monetary capabilities may play a more influential role in determining overall well-being. The study offers empirical insights for policymakers, particularly in designing multidimensional poverty interventions that strengthen household capabilities and enhance life satisfaction.

Financial Technology Adoption and Financial Performance: A Dynamic Panel Analysis of Banking Institutions in ASEAN Countries

Sudirman — 2026-04-13

Institutional Context Mapping in Needs Analysis for Flipped Genre-Based Writing Pedagogy: A Qualitative Inquiry

SADIA ARSHAD — 2026-04-13

This study examines the institutional context that underpins English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers’ readiness for implementing flipped, genre-based writing instruction in Pakistani higher education institutions. Grounded in (Dijk, 2005) Four Levels of Digital Divide: motivational, material, skills, and usage, it employs a qualitative exploratory-descriptive study design to map institutional access, infrastructure, and support structures across twelve universities. Data was collected through an open-ended questionnaire from ESP teachers. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was conducted. Seven key dimensions emerged inductively through thematic analysis: technology infrastructure, policy support, professional development, administrative encouragement, curriculum flexibility, peer collaboration, teacher motivation and initiative. Findings reveal varied levels of institutional preparedness, with significant disparities in professional development opportunities, infrastructural support, and policy orientation towards blended or flipped learning. While some universities show promise in fostering teacher motivation and informal peer support, a lack of contextualised training and integrated digital policy limits the effective adoption of flipped genre-based pedagogy. The study highlights the importance of aligning institutional readiness with teachers’ pedagogical and digital needs and offers recommendations for targeted teacher training, policy formulation, and resource allocation to bridge the digital divide in ESP writing instruction.

The Evolution of Egyptian Religious Thought: From Totemism to Atenism

Ekhlas Al-Eidi — 2026-04-13

This study provides a historical analysis of the significant religions of ancient Egypt. Early Egyptians revered a vast number of deities, and every locality, no matter how small, had its own tutelary deity, and in certain instances, two or more. Consequently, this led to a religious landscape in Egypt that was very diverse, much like the other primitive or natural religions, as will be shown in this paper. The development of religious thinking in ancient Egypt took the form of a sequence of various stages. To comprehend this development, one has to trace its historical development starting with Totemism, which was the first cornerstone of the religion of the ancient people, then the emergence of polytheism with its plurality of divine figures, and finally the religious reform of Akhenaten, which focused on the new deity (Aten). The results show that the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians were cumulative in nature. The different historical periods produced new doctrines that coexisted with the earlier traditions: Totemism coexisted with theology, and polytheism with new monotheistic inclinations. This rich religious text is an expression of the intellectual depth of the ancient Egyptians and the scope of their spiritual imaginations.

The Mediating Effect of Psychological Well-Being on the Relationship Between Ambidextrous Leadership and Workplace Ostracism

MEHMET HAKAN DURUKAN — 2026-04-13

Workplace ostracism (WO) poses a critical challenge for organizations, undermining employee well-being and overall effectiveness. This study examines how ambidextrous leadership (AL), characterized by the balanced use of exploration and exploitation behaviors, reduces WO through the mediating role of psychological well-being. The research is grounded in Leader-Member Exchange theory and Affective Events Theory, which emphasize the relational and emotional dynamics between leaders and employees and provide a foundation for understanding how leadership behaviors influence perceptions of inclusion and well-being. A quantitative research design was employed, drawing on survey data from 325 employees across various industries. Validated scales measuring AL, WO, and PW were administered through an online questionnaire. The results reveal a significant negative relationship between AL and WO, with PW emerging as a partial mediator. This suggests that AL not only directly reduces feelings of exclusion but also indirectly influences ostracism by fostering employee well-being. Overall, the study underscores the importance of AL in creating psychologically supportive work environments and contributes to organizational behavior literature by clarifying the mechanisms through which leadership can mitigate WO and enhance employee well-being.

Meme Culture as Folk Art: Digital Vernacular Creativity and Community Formation

Kamran Zaib — 2026-04-13

This study examines how platform infrastructures, algorithmic visibility structures, and commercial logics reshape folkloric practices in digital meme communities. It investigates whether these communities reflect traditional folklore transposed online or represent algorithmically constituted cultural formations with transformed dynamics. Using a digital ethnographic approach, the research participants were 342 members of Reddit, Twitter, and TikTok who actively participate in meme culture. Data were gathered through online surveys, a contextual meme-evaluation task using 480 trending memes, and semi-structured interviews with 72 participants. Quantitative data were analysed using MANOVA and logistic regression, while qualitative data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory and thematic coding. Findings show that platforms actively shape cultural authority, aesthetic conventions, and community autonomy, with creators deploying strategies such as aesthetic gatekeeping, platform migration, and ironic subversion. The study theorizes platform-mediated folk culture as a hybrid system where community validation, algorithmic amplification and reflexive meta-cultural awareness transform traditional folkloric mechanisms under commercially extractive conditions.

Belief, History and Machines: How Religious Traditions Shape Students’ Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence

Valery Okulich-Kazarin — 2026-04-13

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly entered the social sphere, including higher education. However, not all cultures perceive it in the same way. This comparative empirical study analyzes how students from two religiously homogeneous countries: Uzbekistan (predominantly Muslim) and Poland (predominantly Catholic) perceive AI in general and as a learning tool. Unlike most studies that focus on technical access or digital literacy, this paper examines the perception of AI from the perspective of historically shaped religious and cultural traditions after the collapse of the Soviet system. The study put forward and tested a research meta-hypothesis: historically shaped cultural and religious traditions should have a statistically significant effect on the perception of Artificial Intelligence by students from Muslim and Catholic countries. We used a standardized Likert-scale survey. The sample consisted of 439 undergraduate students (not majoring in IT). Professional and gender biases were excluded to focus on cultural and religious variables. The z-test at the 90% confidence level was used to test the four key hypotheses. The results showed that students from Uzbekistan have a significantly more positive attitude towards AI than students from Poland. This difference in perception applies to AI both in general and in the educational context. This difference reflects stable ideas about knowledge, traditions and technological progress. The obtained results have theoretical implications and practical significance.

Emerging Trends in Sportswomen’s Visual Representation in Pakistani Newspapers

Aamna Anwar — 2026-04-13

In Pakistan, women's sports face significant marginalization, as the realm of athletics is predominantly viewed as a male domain, relegating women to the status of unwelcome participants. As a result, women face restrictions in engaging in sports, stemming from societal and cultural limitations that render their participation a source of social stigma. This study aims to explore the sociological ramifications of the diverse reporting strategies employed by sports journalists in their coverage of women’s sporting events in the Dawn and The Nation newspapers. Dyer's semiotic model provides the theoretical framework for the analysis conducted in this study regarding the visual representation of sportswomen in selected Pakistani newspapers. The data consists of thirty one pictures analyzed under five themes. The research has revealed that by highlighting the athletic prowess of sportswomen, both newspapers have effectively contested traditional feminine norms and stereotypes. The cultural and social assumptions have been critically examined and contested by Pakistani newspapers through the commendable representation of sportswomen. The research advocates for the cultivation of a sports media environment that accurately depicts the professional journeys of sportswomen, which could significantly contribute to reshaping societal views on women's sports.

The The Evolution of Higher Religious Education in Turkiye: Historical Continuities, Contemporary Challenges, and Prospects for Reform

Süleyman Gümrükçüoglu — 2026-04-13

The Unveiling the Relationship between Self-Esteem and Listening Comprehension of Iraqi EFL University Students

Ala'a Ismael Challob Ala'a Ismael Challob — 2026-04-13

Although previous studies have successfully established generalizable evidence related to the relationship between EFL undergraduate students’ self-esteem and their listening comprehension, they often fail to explore the lived, nuanced experiences of learners related to the factors resulted from students’ self-esteem that influence EFL undergraduate students’ listening comprehension. Accordingly, the current study provides a contribution not only in quantifying the correlation between the two targeted variables but also delves into the qualitative "how" and "why" behind it. The current study aims at identifying and investigating the relationship between EFL university students’ self-esteem and their listening comprehension. The study also explores the factors that cultivate students’ performance in listening comprehension as they are resulted from their self-esteem. The sample of the study is represented by 80 EFL university students who were randomly selected from the Department of English-College of Education for Humanities- University of Anbar. A mixed modes explanatory correlational design was used aided by a self-esteem questionnaire, a listening comprehension test, and a semi-structured interview to gather information. Quantitative and qualitative analysis procedures were used to analyse the collected data. The findings found a statistically significant correlation between EFL university students' self-esteem and their performance in listening comprehension. As evidenced by the positive Pearson correlation coefficient between the two variables. Besides, the interview findings were also in consistent with the quantitative results as they revealed that certain factors helped in promoting students’ performance in listening comprehension due to their high level of self-esteem. These factors are; self-esteem cultivates students’ motivation and self-confidence, increases mental readiness, helps students overcome listening anxiety, and helps students’ avoid boredom and impatience.

Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026): Spring

Fwu journal — 2026-04-13

Full Issue: Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026): Spring