International Journal of Global Community

Determinants of Social Capital and Its Role on the Social and Economic Outcomes: Household Level Study, the Case of South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia

Abrham Molla, Getabalew Cheru, Serke Tilahun — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:21:44 +0700

Social capital encompasses the connections, relationships, and norms that support cooperation and collaboration within a community. Scholars emphasize that social capital is essential for encouraging civic participation, promoting community development, and improving overall well-being. This study examines the determinants of social capital and its role in influencing the socio-economic outcomes of rural households in Ethiopia. It identifies unique dimensions of social capital, such as social networks, trust, reciprocity, and informal group participation, and evaluates their impact on the social and economic indicators among rural households. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating descriptive and inferential analyses. Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 204 rural households across three woredas in South Wollo, Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics were used to explore socio-economic roles, while logistic regression assessed determinants of participation in social capital dimensions. The study reveals that social capital significantly influences the social and economic outcomes of rural Ethiopia. The findings underscore the importance of social capital in reducing transaction costs, promoting resource sharing, facilitating community development, and addressing rural poverty. Notably, factors such as family size, gender, and homeownership positively influence households’ participation in social capital, while employment status and ethno-religious diversity have a negative impact. The study concludes that strengthening social ties within rural communities is vital for promoting social stability and economic prosperity. It recommends that community leaders and policymakers enhance social capital as a pathway to sustainable development.

Exploring The Root Causes and Operational Tactics of Sea Piracy Against Fisherman in Indonesia

Mokhamad Saiful Farisin — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:55:19 +0700

Piracy remains a significant issue in global maritime security, particularly in strategic seas that are crucial for international trade. Previous research highlighted that fishing vessels rank as the second most common target of piracy, following cargo ships. In Indonesia, piracy targeting fishermen continues to be a growing concern, with both economic and social implications for coastal communities. This research aims to understand the underlying causes and operational strategies of piracy targeting fishermen in Indonesia, focusing on the structural factors that drive these crimes and the methods employed by perpetrators. Using qualitative methods, this study applies the Model of Condition and Model of Operation from William and Godson to analyze the situation. The findings reveal that weak state governance, characterized by low law enforcement and insufficient prosecution, is a key determinant in the proliferation of piracy. The Model of Operations further explains how opportunities, motivations, and resources drive individuals to engage in piracy. Economic desperation, lack of viable employment, and exploitation of local knowledge are critical factors, with perpetrators often originating from the same communities as their victims. This study underscores that piracy against fishermen is not only a legal issue but also a social and economic problem, exacerbated by ineffective legal frameworks and socio-economic disparities. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, integrating legal reform, socio-economic development, and stronger enforcement mechanisms to mitigate piracy’s root causes.

Ethical Integration of Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge Systems for a Sustainable Mitigation of Environmental and Climate Change Challenges

Armstrong Chanda, Alfred Kapepe — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:36:37 +0700

This study aims to bridge the ethical gap in integrating indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and scientific knowledge systems (WSK) to enable sustainable mitigation of environmental and climate change challenges. Indigenous knowledge and belief systems have been used to guide nature conservation in sub-Saharan Africa for many years. Traditional knowledge is passed down from generation to generation, leading to resource management practices that promote environmental protection and sustainable development. Many indigenous communities in Asia, Australia and Africa just as globally have developed conservation plans that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and community participation to protect habitats, animals, and ecosystems. However, there are ethical issues surrounding the integration of IKS and WSK that may weaken efforts to combat environmental and climate change challenges. To analyze many case studies from Asia, Australia, and sub-Saharan Africa (including Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Ivory Coast, and Zambia) that have investigated the integration of IKS and WSK for environmental and climate change mitigation, this study used a qualitative research method through the combination of document and content analyses. The study uses consequentialism and utilitarianism as environmental ethics theories to guide the integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge systems for sustainable mitigation strategies. Ethical issues encountered during the integration include proprietary rights for IKS, distortion and loss of traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs, and unequal recognition of IKS. The study advocates for broad and meaningful participation of indigenous and local knowledge in the international assessment process to promote effective environmental and climate change initiatives across diverse knowledge systems and perspectives.

Philippine University Students’ Exposure To Political Promotion On Tiktok and Their Political Participation

Leianne Zyra Calderon, Khristel Joy Tabladillo, Karla Auria Galeon — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 09:45:44 +0700

The use of the Internet has become the main source of political efficacy and participation, enhancing awareness about voting and campaigning. With Media Dependency and Social Cognitive Theories as frameworks, this study intended to know the relationship between Filipino university students’ exposure to political promotion on TikTok, and their political participation during the 2022 Philippine National Election. This study considered the self-report of a total of 300 respondents with a quantitative research design, specifically correlational research method, to analyze the data. The findings show that the respondents had a moderate amount of exposure to political promotion content on TikTok. The study puts forward that TikTok is influential in affecting respondents’ understanding and awareness of political information because exposure showed a significant positive relationship with knowledge of politics. Additionally, this study observed a significant positive correlation between respondents’ exposure and their attitude towards politics-related activities. Similarly, exposure and behavior established a positive and significant relationship. The respondents’ amount of exposure was enough to create subsequent media effects on the cognitive, attitude, and behavior of the respondents towards political-related information and activities, despite only registering at a moderate level. Because knowledge and exposure had a positive relationship, it resulted in a subsequent positive effect. According to the knowledge-attitude-behavior model, knowledge is essential for effecting changes in behavior and attitude. This study highlights the significance of new media, particularly TikTok, on Filipino university students’ political engagement. It also draws attention to other aspects, like culture, that may have an impact on their political participation.

Strategic Defense Considerations in the Relocation of Indonesia's National Capital

Yusep Ginanjar — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 08:28:50 +0700

This study examines the defense strategy associated with the relocation of Indonesia's National Capital (IKN) to East Kalimantan. The capital relocation decision is driven by the objective of realizing Vision 2045, which aims to transform Indonesia into a developed nation, establish a capital with a robust national identity, and transition the development focus from a Java-centric model to an Indonesia-centric approach. Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology, this research analyzes both traditional security risks arising from IKN’s proximity to international borders and emerging non-traditional threats, particularly those in cyberspace. The findings reveal that in the context of Society 5.0, hybrid threats, including cyber warfare, pose significant vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to strengthen its defense capabilities. Moreover, the study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a specialized Military District Command (KODIM) Nusantara and implementing a multi-layered defense strategy to protect the new capital from both conventional and non-conventional threats. This research enhances the understanding of how the relocation of a capital city necessitates the development of a comprehensive security framework that integrates territorial defense with technological security, while prioritizing robust cybersecurity infrastructure, regional collaboration, and continuous investment in national defense to address evolving security challenges.

Teachers' Perceptions on Fostering Inclusive School Culture for Students with Disabilities

Tesaka Zegeye, Alemayehu Teklemariam , Tilahun Achaw — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Despite ongoing efforts to promote inclusive education in Ethiopia, fostering a culture of inclusivity for students with disabilities (SWDs) in primary schools remains a significant challenge. This study examined the level of inclusivity of school culture for SWDs in Addis Ababa, as perceived by teachers. Utilizing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, data were collected through a survey questionnaire and focus group discussions (FGD). A proportional sample of 324 teachers from primary schools participated in the survey, while 72 teachers were purposefully selected for the FGDs. Results indicated a significant gap in the sense of school community-building efforts to support the inclusion of SWDs (M = 2.889, SD = 0.3099, t = -6.437, p <.050), despite an encouraging foundation in establishing inclusive values (M = 3.065, SD =.2685, t = 4.386, p <.050). Overall, teachers’ perception of fostering inclusive school culture (ISC) for students with mild impairments was moderate (M = 2.977, SD = 0.2298, t = -1.777, p =.077). However, a significant challenge persists in fostering ISC for all students, particularly those with moderate and severe impairments. The results of the FGDs corroborated this finding. These findings underscore the critical role of school community engagement in fostering ISC for all students, particularly those with moderate and severe impairments. Policymakers and stakeholders must prioritize initiatives that strengthen the creation of inclusive school cultures that support inclusive practices for all students.