Social Studies

Reaching the goal of using a language -communication and interaction- is only possible with choosing the most appropriate language devices in both spoken and written genres. There are a plenty of such devices of which discourse markers are paramount. Speakers need to be able to master discourse markers, particularly discourse markers of reformulation, in order to be able to communicate as well as to be recognized as a proficient member of their community. In response to research recommending a more explicit focus on variation among adolescent, this article aims to add to the study of adolescent speech production from a reformulation-centered perspective as well as to add to socio-pragmatic studies. This paper was an attempt to presents the results of analyzing transcriptions of reciprocal oral interaction in a simulated informal context, for Iranian female adolescents, discussing the importance, frequency, and distribution of the different types of reformulation markers (namely paraphrastic and non-paraphrastic) through employing Gülich and Kotschi’s (1995) classification. The analysis revealed no significant differences in employing different types of reformulators. The low frequency of observed reformulation samples revealed that Farsi adolescent speakers are not highly concerned with the use of reformulation markers. They took advantage of a few non-paraphrastic reformulators to clarify their intention. Regarding reformulators of explanation, as a sub category of paraphrastic reformulators, they tended to employ it more in comparison with other subcategories. Accordingly, some suggestions on further research of the present study are proposed.

Based on a well-known saying in the field of language teaching, teaching language is nothing but teaching culture. This study is also another evidence for this saying. In other words, the aim of this study was, in fact, to highlight the role of teaching foreign language culture in language learning and teaching. To conduct the intended purpose, two questionnaires were distributed among the student and teacher participants of the study in Shiraz, Iran. The purpose of using the two questionnaires was to find out first, to what extent teachers and students are aware of the role of foreign culture awareness in language learning and teaching; and second, to what extent does teachers are aware of the strategies and techniques of teaching foreign language culture and how students benefit from it. The study revealed that first, both students and teachers do believe that culture and language are inseparable and second, teachers were able to conduct strategies and techniques of teaching foreign language culture to emphasize it in class. The study also provides a few implications regarding the culture and language teaching.

Stress is an adaptive response, mediated by individual characteristics and/or psychological processes that are a consequence of any external action, situation or event that places special physical and/or psychological demands upon a person. A total of 112 out of 132 rehabilitation counsellors completed occupational stress questionnaire and 13 administrators were interviewed in five counties. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation and percentages) were used to analyse the data. Results of the study revealed that the causes of occupational stress were found to be workload, clients’, organisational and interpersonal demands. The study further revealed that demographic and work characteristics interacted with the causes of occupational stress. This study recommends that regular assessment of occupational stress for preventive measures be done among the respondents.

A study was conducted to assess the impact of the distance education courses on dairy and goat farming on knowledge gained, skills obtained and economic benefits attained by the learners, based on the data collected from 100 respondents randomly selected. A majority of the respondents gained knowledge in credit / insurance (96.50%), housing systems (95.33%), farm economics (83.67%), clean milk production (82.67%), calf rearing (81.67%) and feed and feeding methods (80.33%). The respondents with small herd size (<6.07 cattle units) increased their cattle units by 2.06, while medium farmers (6.07 to 9.10 cattle units) increased farm size by 3.38 cattle and large farmers (>9.10 cattle units) by 5.66 cattle. Further, the small farmer respondents gained a daily average milk yield of 1.64 litres, while medium farmers gained a milk yield of 1.69 litres and large farmers 1.47 litres, with the percentage gain ranging between 48.34 and 66.17. The respondents in small farmer category gained an additional income of Rs.24,637.50 per annum through sale of milk, while medium and large farmers gained Rs.28,554.23 and Rs.53,029.29 per annum, respectively. The per cent gain ranged from 73.38 (medium farmer) to 122.26 (small farmer). There was a highly significant gain in production and income in all categories of farmers with respect to farm size, milk yield, sale of milk, dung and animals and net change in the value of stock.

This research paper was conducted to examine the prospects and part played by traditional rulers in community development with particular reference to Ikono Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. Traditionally, the Ikono people have the paramount ruler who is the head of the traditional rulers in the Local Government, and village heads in the respective villages. The theory used is modernization theory propounded by Max Weber. T the study was carried out in nine (9) towns of Ikono Local Government Area. Based on the analysis of the data collection, the following result emerged, traditional rulers make positive impact in community development programmes in Ikono. There is significant role played by traditional rulers in implementing government policies at grassroots level. Some recommendations were also made to complement the role of traditional rulers in community Development which include; traditional rulership consultative forum and programme management committee should be set up at the local government level. The Local Government Chairman and councilors should be meeting with traditional Rulers during their executive council sessions. Seminars and training programmes like workshop for leaders and development of skills should from time to time be organized to enhance the roles of traditional rulers towards community development.

The research aims at analyzing current waste management (MW) and coordination system, local regulation and potentials of third parties to participate on WM system. The research found the system and coordination of MW doesn’t properly work. Local regulations on WM has just enacted by one of municipal governments. The research identified innovative project so called “bank sampah” where public involved within. Political will perceived as main factor to accelerate comprehensive WM system. The recommendation of research are to synchronize local regulations on WM, the need to re-formulate the system of coordination and magnifying the participation of third parties on WM. Keywords: local autonomy, local regulation, political will and public involvement

Good governance and human rights are mutually reinforcing. Human rights principles provide a set of values to guide the work of Governments and other political and social actors. They also provide a set of performance standards against which these actors can be held accountable. Moreover, human rights principles inform the content of good governance efforts: they may inform the development of legislative frameworks, policies, programmes, budgetary allocations and other measures. However, without good governance, human rights cannot be respected and protected in a sustainable manner. The implementation of human rights relies on a conducive and enabling environment. This includes appropriate legal frameworks and institutions as well as political, managerial and administrative processes responsible for responding to the rights and needs of the population. Good governance is the exercise of authority through political and institutional processes that are transparent and accountable, and encourage public participation. Whereas human right refers to the standards set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Good governance led by human rights values create avenues for the public to participate in policymaking either through formal institutions or informal consultations. They also establish mechanisms for the inclusion of multiple social groups in decision-making processes. They may encourage civil society and local communities to formulate and express their positions on issues of importance to them. In the realm of delivering State services to the public, good governance reforms further human rights when they improve the State’s capacity to fulfil its responsibility to provide public goods which are essential for the protection of a number of human rights, such as the right to education, health and food. Reform initiatives may include mechanisms of accountability and transparency, culturally sensitive policy tools to ensure that services are accessible and acceptable to all. In context of rule of law, human rights-sensitive good governance initiatives reform legislation and assist institutions ranging from penal systems to courts and parliaments to better implement that legislation. Good governance initiatives may include advocacy for legal reform, public awareness-raising on the national and international legal framework, and capacity-building or reform of institutions. Anti-corruption measures are also part of the good governance framework.

The present study was intended to investigate possible relationships of the development of EFL teachers’ possible selves with teacher efficacy and students’ achievement. Eighty seven teachers selected from different Language Institutes participated in this study and filled in EFL teachers’ Possible Selves Development Questionnaire as well as Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES). The participants were also requested to specify the mean scores of the achievement tests they administered to their students in the previous term. The results of data analysis indicated significant relationships of teachers’ possible selves development with their self-efficacy and students’ achievement. To investigate which components of possible selves might have more predictive power in predicting teacher’s self-efficacy and student’s achievement, regression analysis was run. The four subscales of possible selves – ideal, ought-to, actual, and feared selves- were found to be good predictors of teacher self-efficacy and only three subscales of possible selves including ideal, ought-to, and actual selves were strongly correlated with student’s achievement. We conclude by suggesting that a sense of self-efficacy as well as a concern for students’ achievement should be incorporated into the possible selves of EFL teachers.

The last 15 years of post-conflict activities in Liberia had witnessed series of struggles for sustainable peace and democratic system due to mis-conduct in governance that has become barrier to the peace and security of Liberians. This study examines and analyses issues on post-conflict peacebuilding and democratic governance from1997 to 2012 in Liberia. Internet explorations, magazines, newspaper cut-out, books and journals were the instruments of data collection. Improperly disarmed, demobilised, rehabilitated and reintegrated of the ex-combatants and displaced populations coupled with different scales of human suffering and rights violation, corrupt practices, absence of true democratic governance, sustainable economy plans, etc. were identified as factors that proliferated insecurity across the country. Failure of government to impact democratically on social system metamorphosed into different agitations and protests. Poor visionary and committed leaders were attributed to the parlous state of post-conflict situations to the extent that citizens found it difficult to vote for any candidates due to lack of trust and confidence building. Suggestions for sustainable peace and true democratic practices were proffered.

Knowledge inspires human behaviours and actions and also influences the nature and directions of development. The study of knowledge [sources and contents] technically known as epistemology is traditionally rooted in philosophy. However, this branch of philosophy being bedeviled with much controversy has shredded scholars into various groups and created relationship impasse between them. Consequently, modern direction of development became adversely affected with its emphasis on the material aspect of mankind and nature. This method reduces the spiritual/ metaphysical aspect of mankind and nature to state of triviality in modern development. Thus we suffer personality crisis as we live without knowledge of ourselves and our world. Therefore, this paper betook itself to explore a complementary epistemology based on the spiritual aspect of human nature. This model is couched in Carl Jung’s Psycho-Religious ideality. The paper discovers through Histo-religious and philosophical investigations that the centerpiece of Jung’s epistemology/metaphysics hinges on ‘Collective unconscious. Jung’s epistemology oscillates between psychology, sciences, philosophy, various religious traditions and mythology and he uses the composite knowledge of these disciplines to guide humanity in her desire for holistic knowledge. Against this backdrop, this paper concludes that if Jung’s Psycho-Religious epistemology is explored as a complementary epistemic system for the 21st Century, then humanity would have attained a holistic knowledge of herself and nature and this will reduce the violation of all lives and in consequence facilitates a balanced development.