Journal of Research in Social Sciences

Meta-Analysis Study: Expectations of 21st Century Teaching from Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs

Huma Kausar — 2024-07-16

This study aims to investigate the expectations of 21st-century teaching from pre-service teacher education programs and to analyze the contemporary status of pre-service teacher education programs in developing 21st-century teaching skills among prospective teachers. The meta-analysis method was used to analyze previously conducted studies in the context of 21st-century teaching. The findings reveal that, to some extent, pre-service teacher education programs contribute to developing the 21^st-century teaching skills by imparting theoretical knowledge, but there is a gap in the application of theory and pedagogical practices. Consequently, there is a pressing need to reconsider the pre-service teacher education programs to inculcate the essential teaching skills for 21^st-century, such as collaborative learning, reflective thinking, social and emotional competencies, adaptive skills, communication skills, creativity and entrepreneurship skills, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and ICT skills for teaching and social networking.

Civilizations at Odds: The Persistent Conflict Between Israel and Palestine

Maria Mansab — 2024-07-16

The question whether the issues in the Middle East stem from a clash of values or from Western imperialist intervention has long been a subject of scholarly discourse. This article posits around the discourse of ‘clash of civilizations’, which is an endeavor to uphold Western hegemony in the Middle East. Furthermore, it contends the narrative, that it functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy, exacerbating ongoing conflicts within the region. A complex interplay of factors encompassing ethnic, national, historical, and religious shapes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The degree to which religion influences non-religious players, the identities of conflicting parties, the practical issues at hand, the relevant legislation, and their attitudes are not well acknowledged. This paper explains why West uses a distorted portrayal of conflicting civilizations as a powerful political tool and the risk of this narrative becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy that reshapes modern politics.

Cyber Security Threats to Iran and its Countermeasures: Defensive and Offensive Cyber Strategies

Syed Qandil Abbas — 2024-07-16

Iran's convoluted geopolitical status, its centrality to locale-specific wars, plus the shifting balance of the global order make cyber security a key issue worldwide in addition to traditional security challenges. Iran is an appealing target for cyber enemies due to its numerous security vulnerabilities, which include ransomware infection, scams, as well as complicated malware. Iran has taken a flexible stance, via collaboration, authorized, and intellectual tactics to counter these concerns. Forming cyber security teams, utilizing the latest innovations, and hiring competent employees are all examples of efforts in cyber defense. Legislative structures are essential for bringing criminals before the law and discouraging unlawful behaviour, but the dynamic nature of cyber threats makes it difficult to update rules. The goal is to keep information security and safety measures under check. The identification and mitigation of cyber dangers necessitate collaboration with various nations, global organizations, and corporations. Iran's cyberspace involvement shapes societal sentiment and upholds the will of the people, with both advantageous and hazardous repercussions. To bolster its application and balance its powerful adversaries, it employs cyber assaults in conjunction with conventional asymmetrical combat strategies. What is Iran's main cyber security concerns and challenges, and how is Iran addressing as well as tackling them, is the question that this study aims to answer.

Confidence as a Buffer Against Covid-19 Stigma: Enhancing Employee Engagement Among Recovered Individuals

Fatima Ashraf — 2024-07-16

Post-pandemic times have brought the challenge of declined, yet continued Covid-19 cases among the working Pakistani workforce. Social stigma related with Covid-19 and deteriorated employee engagement in such individuals is plausible. As employee engagement is an important indicator of individual and organizational success, elucidating factors that enhance the possible damaged engagement among socially stigmatized Covid-19 individuals remains an enigma for managers and practitioners. Drawing on the Social Determination Theory, (SDT) the present study hypothesizes that employee engagement in Covid-19 recovered, socially stigmatized working individuals is buffered by (employee) confidence. Several earlier studies that have probed into antecedents of employee engagement have largely focused on work-related aspects, while social aspects including social stigmatization and buffering mechanisms that underlie these effects have been overlooked. To address these literature gaps, this study investigates employee engagement as an outcome of Covid-19 related stigma and also investigates confidence as a moderator of the Covid-19 related stigma–employee engagement relationship. Employing a correlational framework using purposive sampling, data were obtained from 133 working individuals who had been tested positive with Covid-19 in public and private hospitals and health centers of Pakistan during November 2022 till March 2024, had completely recovered and joined their professional lives. Results confirmed study hypotheses, suggesting that stigma related to Covid-19 damages employee engagement, and that confidence is a moderator of this relationship. Such individuals and their managers need to collaboratively work in order to reduce effects of this social stigma and undo its negative effects on employee engagement. Theoretical and practical implication, future research suggestions are also offered at the end.

The Over-Politicization of Russian Battlefield Strategy in Ukraine

Julian Schofield — 2024-07-16

The extant literature lavishes its focus on understanding Russia’s motivation for starting a war against Ukraine and on the broader question of the role of technology in determining the outcome of war. This article, however, undertakes a comprehensive examination of the relatively ignored yet important aspect of adapting military strategy during the war through Russian experience. It demonstrates that the Russian strategists have shown adequate appreciation for the principle of adaptation in formulating military strategy. To this effect, it identifies and explains three distinct sequential adaptations in the Russian military strategy during the ongoing Ukrainian war. The analysis, conducted with thoroughness and rigor, demonstrates that the Russian armed forces made a relatively quicker transition from the show of force to offense to defense. It also delves into the factors that drove these adaptations. This research has implications for both theory and policy. On the theoretical side, it reinforces the organic relationship between strategy and war. On the policy side, it highlights the importance of adapting military strategy to contain and limit the scope of war.