Journal of Research in Social Sciences

The Concept of Political Success: Reflections on Leftist Politics of Sindh

2025-06-04T04:26:07+05:00

Success in politics plays a crucial role in today’s democratic societies. A political party is considered successful when it wins elections and assumes control of the government. The primary factors that determine political success generally include the party's voter base, organizational strength, cohesive narrative, political vision, resource mobilization, and policies that resonate with the socio-economic and religious context of the country. Left-wing parties in Sindh struggled with these critical components, failing to meet the established standards of political success. This paper examines the concept of political success through a critical study of Sindh’s leftist parties, utilizing qualitative methods and scholarly sources. Thie key findings of this paper demonstrate that left-wing parties fail to meet essential benchmarks of political success, including organizational structure, popular narrative, and electoral performance, leading to their irreversible decline

Drug Abuse Among Youths In Eswatini: Causes And Possible Intervention Strategies

2025-06-04T17:54:26+05:00

The escalating prevalence of drug abuse among youths in Eswatini poses a significant threat to development, education, and public health, reflecting broader trends in Southern Africa. Despite increased attention on the rising prevalence of drug abuse in Africa, limited qualitative research captures the lived experiences and contextual factors of drug abuse among youths in Eswatini. To address this gap, this research explored the determinants of drug abuse among youths, identified drug types, and informed context-specific prevention strategies. A phenomenological approach, grounded in the interpretivist paradigm, was adopted to enhance the appreciation of participants’ multiple realities. Semi-structured interviews with youths and a focus group discussion with parents were conducted for data collection. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed individual, home, school, sociocultural, and environmental factors as determinants of drug abuse. Notably, the study identified Lea and Rocky as emerging drugs of concern. Parental inclusion illuminated holistic insights into home and societal influences in multilevel interventions. Findings propose targeted training and education, community-based interventions, and national-level initiatives. Conclusively, drug abuse is multifaceted, which is critical for stakeholders designing Eswatini context-specific interventions

From Parliament to Public Square: The Normalization of Hate Speech in Pakistani Political Discourse

2025-06-17T06:36:10+05:00

The current study examines how hate speech has become more commonplace in Pakistani political discourse, following its development from National Assembly sessions to the Senate and beyond. The media serves as a conduit for this hate speech, amplifying and digitally spreading it throughout the populace. The research highlights important discursive techniques such heterogeneity, fear appeals, religious and ethnic marginalization, and abusive labeling using a strictly qualitative approach that combines critical discourse analysis of parliamentary debates and social media content. The findings also reveal a recurring pattern: political celebrities use hate speech in their speeches to criminalize opponents and to create an atmosphere of excitement, and media outlets further magnify these stories, captivating the public and encouraging them to use the rhetoric in political contexts. The study also points to the normalization of hostility in public encounters and the perilous deterioration of democratic planning. This study is a valuable addition to Pakistan's political literature since it makes recommendations such as the implementation of strong restrictive frameworks, media literacy initiatives, and a collective sincerity from stakeholders to encourage an honorable and thorough discussion of Pakistan's political picture.

Rethinking the Dynamics of Bilateral Trade Between Pakistan and India Under Modi’s Regime: Implications for the Regional Political Economy of South Asia

2025-06-12T03:15:30+05:00

This paper examines the tendency of bilateral trade between Pakistan and India during the tenure of Prime Minister Modi. Mutual relations between the two states have taken a new turn since Modi became the Prime Minister of India in 2014. In the first phase, bilateral trade relations were cordial due to surprise visits from both sides. In the second phase, the pattern of trade fluctuated with gradual increases and decreases, reflecting the dynamic geopolitical climate. Nonetheless, in the third phase, trade was suspended by Pakistan due to the revocation of Article 35-A. The reinstallation of Modi is once again a clear indication that trade talks will not be taken seriously, despite continuous efforts from the Pakistani side. Similarly, this study also sheds light on South Asia's challenges due to the weak and zilch bilateral economic relations between Pakistan and India. Against this backdrop, the central theme of the paper circles around the impacts of modi-nomics on the bilateral relations between Pakistan and India. The current study is significant for academics, politicians, policymakers, and political economists to know how the mutual hostility between Pakistan and India has reshaped the region's economic relations and has made South Asia the least-integrated region of the world.

Regional Cooperation and SCO: Analyzing China’s Role in Regional Integration

2025-05-19T09:30:08+05:00

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a transcontinental intergovernmental alliance, serves as a critical regional body across Eurasia. It was originally established to address border disputes among China, Central Asian states, and Russia. China’s active engagement in the SCO reflects a broader shift in its foreign policy toward fostering regional integration, emphasizing political dialogue, security, and economic interdependence under the principles of the “Shanghai Spirit.” Although the SCO has strengthened regional security and expanded its membership, various challenges persist, including conflicting national interests and rivalries among member states—particularly between India and Pakistan, and between China and India. Despite these challenges, the SCO remains a cornerstone of China’s strategy to promote a multipolar world order, counter Western dominance, and reinvigorate its regional and global influence through peaceful multilateral engagement. This research aims to examine China’s evolving role within the SCO, highlighting its transition from a cautious participant to a leading force driving counterterrorism efforts, economic cooperation through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and regional stability.