Advances in Social Sciences and Management

The Smallpox Plague in Tumuku-Kom, North West Region of Cameroon, 1941-1942

Linda Ankiambom — 2025-12-09

During the British colonial rule in Cameroon, the British colonial authority implemented various policies and programs aimed at modernizing this part of their mandate’s infrastructure, economy and healthcare system. Tropical diseases in general and smallpox in particular were significant public health concerns in Africa during the early 20^th century, with outbreaks experienced in several parts of the continent. The smallpox disease was a highly infectious disease with a high mortality rate, particularly among populations with limited access to modern healthcare services and vaccinations. The Kom kingdom, a tribe found in the North west Region of Cameroon was not exempted from this epidermic. The people of Kom were subject to British colonial rule and was influenced by Western culture, education and healthcare practices. The struggle to treat and eradicate this this deadly ailment became a collective effort by both the local and colonial administration within the study time frame. It is based on this backdrop that this study examines the outbreak of the smallpox plague in Kom from 1941 to 1942. This research explores the historical context of the outbreak, the impact on the local population and the responses of the local and the colonial authorities. Through archival research and oral testimonies, this study sheds light on the experience of the Kom people during this period and highlights the significance of the outbreak in the context of Cameroon historiography. This research equally provides valuable insights into the experiences of African communities during a period of significant social, economic and political change.

Customization, Connection, and Control: Reimagining Intimacy in the Age of Artificial Partnership

Maja Jerrentrup — 2025-12-09

This study explores anticipated implications of wide-spread romantic relationships between humans and AI robots. Drawing on an interdisciplinary scientific dialogue, followed by qualitative interviews with media-savvy young adults in Germany, it examines perceptions of intimacy, authenticity, and self-determination in human-AI partnerships. Findings indicate that while participants recognize potential benefits – such as customization, availability, and emotional safety – they also express concerns about authenticity, empathy, and the erosion of interpersonal competence. Notions of “imperfection” and “realness” emerge as central values, suggesting that AI partners, however human-like, remain perceived as ontologically distinct from humans. Gender differences were notable, with female participants emphasizing autonomy and security, and males expressing greater skepticism. Overall, the study highlights the ambivalent interplay between technological idealization and human emotional complexity in shaping future intimate relations.

Impact of Foreign Financial Inflows on Economic Growth of Tanzania

Mohammed Salim Ahmed — 2025-11-06

This study analyses dynamic relationships between foreign financial inflows specifically external debt and foreign aid with economic growth in Tanzania from 1990 to 2024 using Granger causality, Johansen cointegration tests, and a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The unidirectional causality of economic growth to foreign aid according to the Granger causality test indicates that GDP growth enhances the ability of Tanzania to receive foreign aid due to perhaps increased donor confidence. But foreign aid and external debt hardly affect short-run economic growth, suggesting their effects on GDP during the short run are negligible. Support for long-run equilibrium of the macroeconomic variables being considered comes from Johansen cointegration results, warranting the use of VECM for both short- and long-term analysis. VECM results further suggest inefficient use of capital is a bane to short-run GDP growth, whereas foreign aid and external debt remain statistically insignificant in the short run. Sustained foreign aid inflows and their positive response to lagged GDP underscore the role of long-term growth in bringing aid. Moreover, the study finds a high correlation between foreign aid and external debt, with environmental degradation as a leading cause connected to increased debt levels, depicting the complex interplay between economic, financial, and ecological conditions. Robust diagnostic tests establish the validity and reliability of VECM estimates. In conclusion, the findings underscore the significance of policies that are geared towards promoting the efficiency in capital, effective management of debt, foreign aid sustainability, and environmental integration to achieve Tanzania's long-term stability and growth in the economy.

A Study on the Effectiveness of English Drama Acquisition in Middle School Classrooms from the Perspective of English Glocalization: A Case Study of a Bilingual Patriotic Education Club Course

Yujie Su — 2025-11-09

In the process of globalization, English remains an international language, while the international status and influence of Chinese are also increasing with the enhancement of China's economic strength. Strong bilingual proficiency in Chinese and English plays a crucial role in telling China's stories well and effectively communicating China's voice. From the perspective of English glocalization and based on the teaching practice of a bilingual patriotic education club course, this study adopts a combination of classroom tests and questionnaires to explore the acquisition effectiveness of English dramas based on Chinese myths and idioms in middle school classrooms. The research finds that the teaching of English dramas based on Chinese myths and idioms has achieved significant results in middle school classrooms. During the process of rehearsing and performing English dramas, students need to continuously practice pronunciation, intonation, grammar, and other language knowledge, thereby improving their English oral expression and listening comprehension skills, i.e., enhancing their language ability. Presenting traditional Chinese myths and idioms through the form of English drama not only allows students to learn English but also deepens their understanding and identification with excellent traditional Chinese culture, enhancing their national pride and cultural confidence. English drama teaching involves multiple aspects, such as teamwork, role-playing, emotional expression, etc., all of which help to improve students' comprehensive qualities and abilities. The combination of excellent traditional Chinese culture with modern English learning can stimulate students' interest and enthusiasm for learning, making them more actively participate in English learning.

Responsibility to Protect, with the Example of Kosovo Case

Arfi — 2025-11-12

The purpose of this article is to to provide insights into the complexities of international law, diplomacy where R2P plays an important role in responding to many international crises such as war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. The reason of writing this article is to emphasize the role of R2P which is to allow the individual to explore many critical humanitarian issues and contribute to discussions on protecting vulnerable populations. This article helps every individual to understand the role of R2P that is an interdisciplinary topic that includes fields such as political science, sociology, ethics, and history and that is why offers many opportunities for scholarly inquiry, research and theoretical analysis contributing to academic understanding and knowledge production. This concept contributes by making efforts to promote awareness and support for the principle among civil society, organizations, and the general public. The article has an importance because by raising the awareness of R2P and its implications everyone can contribute to efforts to prevent mass atrocities and promote human rights globally. The methods that are used for wrıtıng this article are many resources from internet such as online books, journals, newspapers and official websites.

Identity Construction in the Digital Age: The Impact of Social Media on American Cultural Dynamics

Anne Nathalie Jouvencia Agossi Aguessy — 2025-11-17

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have significantly influenced identity formation and cultural change in the United States. This study examines the role of these platforms in shaping personal and collective identities, particularly among adolescents and adults. It also explores their contribution to social movements such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘Me Too’. The research investigates the impact of social media on American youth culture, consumer behavior, and political engagement. Data were collected through content analysis and interviews, focusing on user self-presentation and its influence on social and cultural experiences. The findings suggest that while social media enables self-expression, it also creates pressures to conform to idealized identities. This study highlights the complex relationship between identity construction and the cultural influence of social media, providing insights into its broader implications for American society.

Factors Influencing Persistence Toward Graduation of Generation Z African American Male Students in Higher Education

Sharendra L. Evans-McClendon — 2025-11-19

This study explored the lived experiences of first-generation African American male Generation Z students and the factors that influenced their persistence toward graduation at two southern colleges. Using a qualitative research design grounded in Tinto’s student integration theory, the study sought to understand how pre-college characteristics, institutional experiences, and academic and social integration shaped the educational journeys of these students. Eighteen participants were interviewed, offering rich narratives that revealed both challenges and sources of resilience. Key themes that emerged included the importance of family expectations, financial and academic support, mentorship, a strong sense of belonging, and teacher-student interactions. Participants also emphasized the role of technology as a critical tool for academic success and connection. The findings indicated that institutional agents such as faculty, staff, and support services played a vital role in fostering persistence by creating affirming environments and addressing students’ academic, financial, and emotional needs. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on student persistence by centering the voices of a historically marginalized group whose educational outcomes are often overlooked. The results have implications for higher education policy, institutional practice, and future research aimed at improving retention and graduation rates among first-generation African American male students.

Migration and Border Management System in Ghana: The Contribution of Ghana Immigration Service

Appiah Dwomoh — 2025-11-24

Migration and border management remain central to Ghana’s national security, human mobility, and development discourse. As a key institution mandated to regulate and facilitate migration, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) plays a critical role in safeguarding territorial integrity while promoting lawful and humane mobility. This paper examines the evolving relationship between migration governance and border management in Ghana, focusing on the contribution of the GIS within the broader national and regional migration architecture. Drawing on recent policy developments, including the GIS Strategic Plan (2023–2029), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development’s (ICMPD) Strengthening Border Security in Ghana Project (2023), and the 2021 Population and Housing Census Thematic Report on Migration, the paper analyses the institutional, legal, and operational frameworks that shape border management. It identifies persistent challenges such as porous borders, resource constraints, and coordination gaps among agencies, and proposes reforms anchored in technology, inter-agency collaboration, and regional cooperation. The study concludes that strengthening migration governance and border management requires not only enhanced GIS capacity but also integrated policy frameworks aligned with ECOWAS and AU protocols on mobility and security.

Culture as a Backdrop to Language: Idioms and Mindset

A. Hovhannisyan — 2025-11-25

Idioms are the unpredictable elements of language, often confusing both speakers and linguists. They are expressions whose meanings go beyond the literal definitions of their individual words, making them tricky to understand and use correctly. Defined as fixed groups of words with a special, often figurative meaning, idioms are treated as single linguistic units. They are stable in form, regularly reproduced in speech or writing, and cannot usually be altered without losing their meaning. The richness of a language also becomes palpable when we take a close look at the idioms, since idioms are first and foremost associated with cultural mindset. It’s a well acknowledged fact that idioms frequently reference shared cultural practices, historical events, or beliefs that may not be immediately recognizable outside that culture. The relationship between idioms and culture is profound, as idioms often carry embedded cultural values. They offer insight into the values and worldview of a particular culture, and thus studying idioms is essential for understanding not just language, but the cultural context from which it originates. Translating idioms can feel like solving a puzzle, but with pieces from different places and languages. Idioms are tricky because they don’t always make sense when you translate them directly. They often have hidden meanings or funny cultural references that don’t work in another language. The paper reports research findings, from cross-cultural study of food idioms through the lens of translation. The paper also seeks to underline the pivotal role of translator as mediators between the two different cultures.

Community Colleges and the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement

Carol White — 2025-11-24

This study examines the practices of U.S. community (two-year) colleges earning the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. Community colleges are not widely represented in the Elective Classification. In keeping with each state’s charge of workforce and economic development and training, community colleges focus on teaching as compared to four-year universities conducting research. Using thematic analysis, the study found four themes across the 26 colleges earning the prestigious designation from 2006-2024. The study documents the practices of institutionalized service-learning and community engagement at community colleges achieving the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement and interprets the findings through a conceptual framework of Institutional Logics focusing on Bureaucratic/State and Market Logics as key obstacles to expanded participation by the colleges. A much-needed future research agenda on service-learning and community engagement within the two-year college sector is proposed framed in Institutional Logics.

Route or Root?: Towards the Creation of the Third Space in Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers

Yvonne Iden Kana Ngwa — 2025-12-09

In the the present global context, the international flow of human beings from one nation to another in search of greener pastures has attained unprecedented proportions. And both creative writers and literary critics have respectively captured this reality and critiqued it in their works over time, highlighting the contours of this phenomenon that is characterised by ambivalence. Communities and individuals succumb to the flux of change, yet they feel the need to militate for cultural preservation. This paper attempts to investigate immigrants’ predicament as they are torn between the home and host countries in Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers. The paper hinges on the hypothetical premise that Mbue’s migrant characters in Behold the Dreamers create a Third Space as a route of escape from the tensions they experience as they are torn between the changes brought about by globalisation, and the desire to remain rooted in their culture. Postcolonial theory is handy as the frame of analysis of Mbue’s novel as it sheds light on characters’ dilemma and these characters’ efforts at creating the Third Space through negotiation, subversion, transgression and resistance. Mbue’s choice to make her characters come back to Cameroon as heterotopia is evidence that the characters’ dystopic perception of Cameroon is corrected, a suggestion that the millions of Cameroonians in the diaspora and those that are still leaving the country today to find an utopia elsewhere can come back home, or stay home, and create their eldorado here.

The Contribution of ADR Schemes in Ghana’s Adjudicating Landscape

Appiah Dwomoh — 2025-12-09

Alternative Dispute Resolution has become an integral part of the adjudication landscape in Ghana, reconfiguring the scope of the justice delivery system in Ghana and bringing it into the fold of best practice at the international level. Globally, ADR is known for advancing timely, cost-effective, and relationship-saving alternatives for disputants outside the courts. Ghana’s adoption of ADR has been influenced by both international influences through the instruments of UNCITRAL and the New York Convention, as well as customary traditions that are based on principles of consensus in community dispute resolution. At the regional level, a culture of ADR has been promoted through ECOWAS and continental initiatives as an instrument of peacebuilding and commerce. Ghana domesticated these ideals through the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2010 (Act 798), and through the Judicial Service’s Court Connected ADR programme, which began as a pilot in 2005 and expanded thereafter. Concomitantly, these initiatives have yielded measurable dividends: court referrals to mediation and arbitration have reduced trial times for many civil and commercial matters; customary arbitration continues to resolve land and family disputes at the community level. A number of arbitrations involving state and corporate actors have revealed both the promise and fiscal risk associated with arbitration. While successes have been recorded relative to case diversion and user satisfaction, Ghana’s ADR ecology remains beset with challenges relating to consistency in enforcement, public awareness, and mediator capacity. Improved training, public education, investment in ADR institutions, and streamlined enforcement are recommended to consolidate ADR’s role in justice delivery and national development.