Hasil untuk "Social sciences and state - Asia (Asian studies only)"

J. Chambers, M. Loh, B. Lehne et al.

Ryota Saito

This article analyzes the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the diversification of logistics and connectivity in Central Asia from an international political perspective. Due to its landlocked geography and structurally constrained geopolitical environment, logistics diversification constitutes a critical issue for regional actors and represents an important determinant of the foreign policy orientations of Central Asian states. The central research question addressed in this study is whether the war in Ukraine has fundamentally transformed – or has the potential to transform – the region’s existing patterns of logistical connectivity. The findings indicate that while policy-driven efforts to diversify logistics networks and promote the so-called “Middle Corridor” have intensified, these emerging routes are unlikely to replace established transit corridors in the short term. This outcome is largely attributable to the preferences and cost – benefit calculations of corporate actors, who remain the primary agents of logistics flows and exhibit limited interest in the Middle Corridor. Moreover, evidence drawn from open-source materials and field research underscores persistent structural constraints in Central Asia, particularly in terms of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and limited attractiveness for global markets and freight forwarders. Nevertheless, the activation of the Middle Corridor and broader trends toward logistics diversification appear to be advancing in a path-dependent yet increasingly irreversible manner. As such, the gradual diversification of cargo flows and its implications for the foreign economic and political relations of Central Asian states call for sustained medium- to long-term analysis.

Mingxuan Cao

Financial inclusion—broadly defined as the availability and equality of opportunities to access financial services—is widely recognized as critical for fostering economic growth, reducing poverty, and promoting equitable development (Berg, T., Burg, V., Gombović, A., & Puri, M., 2020). Nevertheless, despite global initiatives aimed at expanding financial access, a substantial number of individuals and small businesses, particularly in developing countries, remain excluded from traditional financial systems due to insufficient credit histories and inadequate financial documentation (Demirgüç-Kunt et al., 2022). Central to this issue is information asymmetry, a longstanding theoretical challenge articulated by foundational economic theories, including those of Akerlof (1970) and Stiglitz & Weiss (1981). These indicate how asymmetrical information between borrowers and lenders generates adverse selection and moral hazard, ultimately resulting in credit rationing and the systematic exclusion of otherwise creditworthy but information-poor segments of society.In recent years, the rapid development of financial technology (FinTech) powered by artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally reshaped the possibilities for overcoming informational barriers. Unlike traditional credit assessment methodologies that depend heavily on structured financial data such as credit bureau reports, income verification, and collateral evaluations, emerging AI-driven credit scoring systems incorporate large-scale behavioral data—often termed “digital footprints”—derived from non-traditional sources including smartphone metadata, social media interactions, e-commerce behaviors, and even geolocation patterns (Berg, T., Burg, V., Gombović, A., & Puri, M., 2020). Recent empirical studies have demonstrated that these novel data sources can outperform traditional financial data in predicting loan repayment behavior, thus substantially reducing information asymmetry and enabling lenders to extend financial services to previously underserved groups (Berg et al., 2020). Leading fintech companies such as Tala in the United States (which primarily serves Southern Africa and Southeast Asia) and Sesame Credit in China’s Ant Financial Services Group exemplify the transformative potential of AI-driven financial innovation. Tala, for instance, utilizes machine learning algorithms that analyze smartphone usage patterns to reliably estimate creditworthiness, enabling real-time unsecured loan approvals for individuals with no formal credit histories (Björkegren, D., & Grissen, D., 2019). Similarly, Zhima Credit has leveraged diverse behavioral indicators—ranging from online transaction consistency to social interaction networks—to deliver precise risk assessments, thereby broadening access not only to credit but also to various consumer services (Zhang, Q., & Li, X. 2023). These case studies highlight how digital footprint analytics can be broadly applied to help mitigate adverse selection and significantly reduce financial exclusion.Despite the transformative benefits, the integration of AI into credit assessment systems raises profound ethical and regulatory concerns. Critical issues include the opacity of algorithmic decision-making processes (“black box” models), the potential perpetuation of existing biases and inequalities embedded in historical datasets, and the privacy implications of intensive personal data use (Raghavan, M., Barocas, S., Kleinberg, J., & Levy, K. 2020). For instance, recent research has highlighted the unintended amplification of gender bias in AI-driven financial services, wherein ostensibly neutral algorithms disproportionately disadvantage women due to embedded socio-economic inequalities within training data (Arora & Gupta, 2025). Addressing these challenges requires robust governance frameworks, algorithmic transparency standards, and informed regulatory oversight, such as those advocated by recent developments in the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and emerging algorithmic fairness guidelines (Binns, 2024). Building upon these insights, this paper critically examines the role of AI in bridging information asymmetry within FinTech, with an emphasis on how digital footprints and behavioral analytics are reshaping credit access and financial inclusion. By synthesizing theoretical perspectives on asymmetric information with cutting-edge empirical evidence from recent studies and practical case analyses, this research aims to elucidate both the opportunities and limitations inherent in the AI-enabled transformation of financial decision-making. Furthermore, the paper offers actionable policy recommendations designed to balance technological innovation with ethical responsibility, alongside clearly defined directions for future interdisciplinary research in economics, data science, and regulatory policy.Building on existing theories, this study further incorporates the “Rice Theory” (Talhelm et al., 2014; Dong et al., 2024), which argues that cultural orientations influenced by agricultural practices (particularly rice farming) affect individuals’ social behaviors and cooperative tendencies. Applying this theory to financial technology (FinTech) adoption, we propose that users from collectivist cultural backgrounds—commonly associated with regions historically reliant on rice farming—may exhibit distinct patterns of interaction and acceptance toward digital financial services, thereby influencing the degree of information asymmetry and financial inclusion outcomes within FinTech ecosystems.

Bushra Farrukh, Saima Masoom Ali

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of gender identity (i.e., being male or female) and employment status on the self-esteem of adults residing in Hyderabad city. For this purpose, 400 individuals aged 18 to 60 years were selected, including an unequal number of employed and unemployed men and women, so that the results could be compared appropriately during the analysis. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), an internationally recognized psychological scale, was used to assess the self-esteem level of these individuals. The data obtained were analyzed using the "Independent Samples T-test" to detect any significant difference in self-esteem scores between different groups. The results of the analysis revealed that there was no significant or statistically significant difference in self-esteem scores between employed men and women (p = .539). Similarly, there was no significant difference in self-esteem between unemployed men and women (p = .909). Overall, when all men and all women were compared, the mean score for men was slightly higher, but this difference was also statistically insignificant (p = .013). This means that gender or employment status in general does not have a profound effect on self-esteem. However, when the responses to individual questions were analyzed in detail, an interesting aspect emerged: unemployed men complained of feeling “useless” more intensely than women on one specific question (item 9). This suggests that, although there may be no difference in overall scores, certain emotional responses, especially negative feelings such as feeling useless, may be more intense in men. Such responses are likely linked to social pressures, cultural traditions, and the responsibilities associated with employment, which affect men more. Overall, the findings of this study highlight the fact that self-esteem is not a simple or one-dimensional concept but a complex and multifaceted psychological state, influenced not only by gender or job status but also by a number of deeper psychological, social, personal and cultural factors. Therefore, in the context of South Asian societies like Hyderabad, there is a need for culturally sensitive and gender-aware mental health interventions that can help improve individuals’ self-esteem by taking into account these hidden and deeper factors.

Qi Xu

Abstract This paper employs two methods: a fixed effects model and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to analyze the survey experiment data on mate preference from Chinese General Social Survey in 2021. The study reveals that while the conclusions of both methods were consistent, QCA proves more advantageous in capturing the complexity in mate preferences. Specifically, the influence of mate selection conditions on mate selection decisions is not isolated but bound together, leading to configurational features in nature. In addition, acceptance and rejection decisions are affected by different causal mechanisms, and regression analysis cannot capture the asymmetry of this causal relationship. QCA and regression models are well-suited for analyzing different causal questions; it is only through the complementary use of both methods that a synergistic effect can be achieved.

Sijia Du, Wenhong Zhang

Abstract Parental concerted cultivation has been proven useful in understanding social and cultural reproduction in Western countries; however, its impact on educational outcomes in other societies remains underexplored. Using data from the China Education Panel Survey, this study investigates how concerted cultivation—theorized by Lareau—shapes academic performance (grades in Chinese, mathematics, and English) among Chinese middle school students. Employing item response theory models, we construct a robust measure of concerted cultivation and rigorously estimate its association with academic outcomes. Our analysis reveals a nonlinear relationship: parental concerted cultivation positively affects academic performance up to a certain point, beyond which excessive engagement is associated with diminishing returns. We also find that concerted cultivation practices are closely tied to parental social, cultural and political resources. Notably, the nonlinear effects exhibit stratification, disproportionately disadvantaging students from lower-class and less-educated families. These findings advance the understanding of the intricate dynamics of cultural reproduction and mobility within the current Chinese context.

Shuo Chen, B. Xie

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese immigration to the U.S. and institutionalized discrimination against Chinese immigrants in U.S. society. This study examines the impact of institutional discrimination on the assimilation of Chinese immigrants by exploiting the passage of the Act and the state-level variation in the intensity of discrimination, measured by the voting outcomes of the Act and the number of anti-Chinese incidents. The difference-in-differences estimates show that discrimination substantially slowed the labor market assimilation of Chinese immigrants in the Exclusion Era (1882–1943) and that Chinese immigrants responded to discrimination by investing in human capital, improving English skills, and increasingly adopting Americanized names. The triple difference estimates show that these effects are significantly stronger in states with higher support rates of the Act or greater numbers of anti-Chinese incidents. These findings are not driven by the selection in migration and fertility. ∗We thank Joshua Angrist, Shihe Fu, James Heckman, Wei Huang, Cong Liu, Xin Meng, Yang Song, participants of China Econometric Society Meeting, International Symposium of Quantitative History, Asian Historical Economics Conference, Workshop on Family and Labor Economics, International Labor Symposium,History andDevelopmentWorkshop, seminars at FudanUniversity, XiamenUniversity, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and Jinan University for valuable comments. We thank Xiao Han and Jiaxin Lei for their excellent research assistance. We thank Lijun Liu, Hao Xiong and Yajing Song for assistance on the U.S. laws. Shuo Chen thanks the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71933002) and the Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 2017-01-07-00-07-E00002). Bin Xie thanks the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71904063) and the 111 Project of China (No. B18026). We alone are responsible for any remaining errors. †Email: cs@fudan.edu.cn. Address: School of Economics, Fuxing Building, 600 Guoquan Road, Shanghai, China, 200433. ‡Email: xiebinecon@outlook.com. Address: Institute for Economic and Social Research, Zhonghui Building, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, China, 510632.

A. Krayer, Seema Kulhari, V. Sharma et al.

Background: Evidence regarding the experience and perceptions of police personnel with suicide in South Asia is limited. This study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of suicide among police personnel in an Indian state. The focus was on explanations of and reasons for suicide. Methods: We conducted 20 qualitative interviews in 2021 with police of different ranks, guided by a topic guide. The reflexive thematic analysis approach was supported by the use of NVivo 12, a qualitative software package. Results: We explore three intersecting key themes around suicide in the police force, including: (1) the stressful police environment; (2) expectations of mental strength; and (3) police image and help-seeking. We discuss the tensions between these themes and how to address the challenges of supporting police personnel. Conclusions: To support and improve police personnel’s mental well-being training and support are needed but also broader changes at the organisational level. These need to take social and historical factors into account. An increased level of suicide and mental health literacy will not only benefit the police force but also the general public, and it would be very timely with recent changes in the Indian mental health and suicide policy context.

S. Ashtari, Farshid Rahimi-Bashar, L. Karimi et al.

Carmen Grau Vila

La presente investigación indaga en el sistema japonés de gestión de desastres, configurado y actualizado a lo largo de la historia al compás de los múltiples eventos registrados en el territorio­—terremotos, tsunamis, erupciones volcánicas, tifones o fuertes lluvias— para determinar qué elementos y acciones conforman la resiliencia del país y el papel que desempeñan los ciudadanos en este proceso, en especial las mujeres. A través del desastre se examina la respuesta nacional, regional y local de las comunidades japonesas damnificadas, analizando el rol activo de las mujeres en la prevención, respuesta, evacuación y reconstrucción, desde el Gran Terremoto de Kanto de 1923 hasta la actualidad. De enfoque histórico-social, este estudio incluye trabajo de campo en veinte comunidades de Tohoku reconstruidas tras el triple desastre de 2011, combinando fuentes documentales de archivo, oficiales y privadas con fuentes orales, a partir de entrevistas a testimonios, supervivientes y líderes involucrados en la gestión del desastre.

Yongnam Kim, Kevin Kester, S. Han

Azmukhanova Aiman Makhsotоvna

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Honorary Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences of Kazakhstan, Honorary Head of the Department of al-Farabi KazNU, Director of the Republican Center for the Study of Traditional Civilizations of Central Asia Talas Omarbekuly Omarbekov (1948-2021) left a brilliant mark on the scientific and social life of the Republic.T. Omarbekov was one of the first Kazakh scientists to turn to the study of the so-called «blank page» in the national history at the beginning of independence. On the basis of previously unknown 139А.М. Азмұханова Turkic Studies Journal 2 (2022) 130-140archival documents and new methodological approaches, he managed to convey to the general public the truth about the tragic events of the period of forced collectivization and anti-Soviet uprisings. The study of the causes and consequences of the great famine of 1932-1933 in the Kazakh steppe takes a special place among his scientific works.The next direction of scientific research of T. Omarbekov were the problems related to ancient and medieval history of Kazakhstan. He made a great contribution to the research of the history of the origin of the Kazakh people, the emergence and formation of its statehood. Thanks to the enormous efforts he made when he was at the head of the historical research center «Alash», the basic monographs «History of Kazakh clans and tribes», «Ethnic history of Kazakhs», «Kazakh statehood: the history of kaganates, ulus and khanates», «Kazakh khans» and others were published. T. Omarbekov devoted the last decade of his life to the study of the ethnic history of the Turkic peoples of the Great Steppe. He headed several research projects in this direction and later was the head of the Republican Center for the Study of Traditional Civilizations of Central Asia. As a result of the fruitful work of the team of the scientific institution headed by him, he managed to publish the monograph «History of the Civilization of the Nomads of Central Asia», a collection of essays «Questions of the History of Traditional Civilization in Central Asia», a four-volume textbook «History of Kazakhstan», as well as several teaching aids.T. Omarbekov combined the qualities the qualities of a remarkable historian, a talented publicist and a public figure, which is reflected in his active cooperation with the media and numerous publications in journals. The scientist’s works were published not only in Kazakhstan, but also in foreign research journals.T. Omarbekov was an excellent mentor and managed to establish his own scientific school. Under his guidance, 7 Doctors of science and 34 Candidates of science defended their dissertations, as well as about a dozen PhDs in the field of history.

B. King

As marine resource management fields continue to move toward more inclusive and collaborative processes, it is important to also examine the value of promoting the diverse perspectives of scientists and managers from different backgrounds throughout the decision‐making process. An important objective of diversity initiatives is to acknowledge the value of diversity while providing opportunities to increase the representation of diverse communities in professional settings. However, focusing on diversity only at the surface can potentially overshadow benefits existing at a deeper level. This study used a mental model approach to explore the potential value of racial/ethnic and gender diversity in marine and fisheries science professions from a cognitive deep‐level diversity perspective. The study included 112 participants across gender, who self‐identified as one of the following racial/ethnic social identity groups: Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, Multiracial, White, Asian/Asian American or /Pacific Islander, American Indian or/ Alaska Natives. Results revealed differences in how members of underrepresented groups and white men incorporated concepts associated with diversity into their mental models and distinctions in how racial/ethnic and gender social identity groups organized similar concepts within their mental model structures. These findings on diverse perspectives related to marine resources management across social identity groups, highlight the value of understanding diversity beyond just a numerical or surface level and the utility of incorporating deep‐level diversity in the management and decision‐making process.

Yuchen Yang

Abstract In recent years, cosplay has gained global visibility as a performing art in which fans dress up as fictional characters from anime, comics/manga, or games. Although scholars contend that cosplay exemplifies gender performativity and may even offer a new heuristic for understanding social interactions in general, they rarely examine how gender is performed in cosplay. Taking together the production of culture perspective and interactionist theories of gender, I detail how cosplay participants project gendered sensibilities through conventionalized body movements and modifications. Contrary to the prevailing focus on individual cosplayers, I demonstrate how makeup artists, photographers, and photo editors all contribute to the success of gender play in cosplay. Contrary to simplistic accounts of donning hyper-masculinity/hyper-femininity, I argue that cosplay participants’ pursuit of authenticity makes singular orientation to sex category insufficient and demands a version of masculinity/femininity that also attends to the character’s personality. Situated in the art worlds of cosplay’s production and evaluation, my findings invite scholars to consider the collaboration between cosplayers and their supporting crew as a conceptual heuristic that attunes our attention to the collective accomplishment of gender embodiment, whose multi-authorship is often obscured.

Bo Chen, Jan Vrhovski

The second special issue on logic in the Asian Studies journal, this special issue will be one of first such issues focusing on development of research on logic in contemporary China (PRC) published in English in a Western scholarly journal. Moreover, the great majority of the contributions collected in this issue were authored by the leading Chinese researchers in the relevant subfields of logic, from philosophers of logic to established experts in branches of logic such as mathematical logic, inductive logic and so on.

Marcos Andrés Sala Ivars

Las investigaciones histórico-artísticas sobre armamento japonés aparecen en el archipiélago nipón en el siglo XVIII, y más concretamente, los estudios sobre sus monturas, a mediados del XIX. En Occidente tendremos que esperar a principios del siglo XX para ver publicados los primeros trabajos de rigor académico. Sin embargo, el mundo de los estudios hispánicos sobre la materia apenas ha comenzado a caminar. No es sino en la última década, cuando se han realizado un mayor número de publicaciones, tanto de ámbito científico, como divulgativo sobre este tema. En el caso de España, contamos con tesis leídas, así como publicaciones y comunicaciones en congresos nacionales e internacionales auspiciados por diferentes universidades. Esto augura un auspicioso futuro para la investigación de armamento japonés en España, fomentando un mayor intercambio de conocimiento en la apertura de nuevos frentes de estudios japoneses disponibles en la lengua común de los países hispanoparlantes.  

H. Abbas, M. Sajjad, K. Hussain

Covid-19 has caused not only a worldwide health crisis but also triggered issues on social, economic, legal and political fronts in novel embodiments. Already rampant online hate-speech against migrants, foreign workers and victims of xenophobia has taken new dimensions. Since outbreak of Covid-19 outside Chinese borders, there are numerous reported incidents, which continue to take place, around the world where people of Asian descent have been targeted by hate-mongers, hurled at racial slurs and, at mild scale, refused entry into hotels and restaurants being labelled as carriers of virus – generally a phenomenon described as ‘Sinophobia’ denoting hate towards Chinese ethnicity. However, in the present case, the issue of discrimination due to fear of being infected is unique and distinct from other forms of discrimination based on race, religion, sex, ethnicity, language etc. Racial discrimination is outlawed under international conventions, notably the Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and state parties are required to undertake appropriate legislation to eliminate it.  Present crisis caused by Covid-19 has triggered a novel kind of discrimination which is not anchored, strictly speaking, in religious, ethnic or racial context but is based on a Feared Medical Condition (FMC) that an individual or group infected or likely to be infected can be responsible for transmission of the virus or disease to others. The objective of present study is to examine whether this peculiar type of discrimination is covered by selected instruments of international on human rights. If so, what are states’ responsibilities in eliminating such discrimination. The research employs analytical and qualitative method, and is followed by a conclusion and recommendations.

Arun Mayya, Rajaram Naik, M. Paul et al.

Background: Regenerative endodontics is a rapidly developing field in dentistry. However, the regenerative endodontic procedures are not familiar to many clinicians in India. Aim: This survey aimed at assessing the level of knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) among endodontists toward regenerative endodontics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the year 2019 to collect data. A questionnaire to collect data on KAP toward regenerative endodontics was administered to 49 faculty and 69 postgraduate students of endodontics from four universities. The Chi-Square test and logistic regression were applied to study the association between KAP and demographic variables. Spearman’s rho was computed to study the correlation between KAP scale scores of the participants. The data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software program (SPSS), version 15.0 (South Asia, Bangalore). Results: The survey yielded an overall response rate of 81%. Less than 50% of the participants had sound knowledge, 65% had a positive attitude, and only 21% had a positive perception about Regenerative Endodontic Procedures (REPs). Most of the participants (86.5%) were of the opinion that regenerative therapies should be a part of dentistry. Majority of the participants (89.6%) were inclined to receive training in REPs. About 80% of the participants felt that the higher cost of treatment is a significant hurdle for patients to accept REPs. Less than half the participants (41.7%) were using REPs in their clinical practice, such as the use of membranes, scaffolds, and revascularization. Conclusion: Endodontists have a positive attitude toward the use of regenerative therapies. However, there is a deficiency of training in REPs in dental colleges.

Felicia F. Tian, Yongchao Jing

Abstract Parenting practice, an embodied cultural capital, is class based. The findings of this study showed that in urban Chinese families, the middle class was inclined to adopt the practice of concerted cultivation while the working class was inclined to adopt the practice of natural growth. However, those who were born in working-class families but were able to achieve upward mobility to the middle class were more likely to adopt similar practices to those who stayed in the middle class; those who were born in middle-class families but moved downward were able to retain some aspects of parenting practices similar to those who stayed in the middle class. The findings of the unbalanced reproduction of parenting practice do not support the argument that class boundaries have solidified in Chinese society.

Ariell Ahearn

Language, Literacy, and Social Change in Mongolia is an exciting new contribution to the field of Inner Asian studies, offering a fascinating account of literacy in Mongolia from the early socialist to the contemporary period. This book will appeal to both Mongolian studies scholars and social scientists interested in literacy and education more broadly. The book offers an original view into the twentieth-century socialist period in Mongolia from the perspective of new literacy studies, providing a detailed glimpse into recent history that is often only cursorily described in contemporary anthropological accounts. Phillip P. Marzluf employs a theory of literacy as social practice, giving detailed attention to unconventional and often undocumented literacies, such as the Buddhist literacies found within rural pastoralist “home school” settings, letter writing, newspapers, and public signs and advertisements. This sensitive and critical approach cuts through dominant paradigms of both literacy and education and succeeds in offering exciting new historical understandings and a fresh perspective from which new forms and formats of literacy beyond the institution of formal schooling can be imagined. Marzluf draws on a range of sources, including oral histories in the University of Cambridge’s public archive, archival materials such as government-sponsored publicfacing media and publications, primary-level socialist-era textbooks, and his own visual field methods, to document urban signage and monuments. For example, Marzluf begins the book with a translation of a short letter written in 1961 by a boy attending a rural boarding school. Addressed to his mother, sister, and brother, he sends updates and asks for money to be sent by post to buy winter boots and clothes. This fascinating use of archival material serves as an entry point to discussing a key goal of the book: “to de-naturalize reading and writing and pay more attention to literacy in our lives and its material, social, cultural, economic and political contexts and consequences” (p. 1). Marzluf’s analysis moves from the specificities of this letter to its institutional and political context to reveal the local impacts of socialist state policy at the time, including the introduction of compulsory state schooling, the development of the boarding school system to accommodate rural children, and the shift in forms of literacy utilizing new communication infrastructure such as postal systems and radio broadcasting. Interestingly, Marzluf explains that this same letter was then republished in a national newspaper in the early 1990s to support claims by democratic reformers about the shortcomings of socialist-era education. These everyday practices of communication and literacy form the rich empirical material of this book, allowing the analysis to capture a longer view of social change in Mongolia from a grounded perspective. Marzluf’s analysis of the “pastoral home school”1 (p. 29) and “grassroots literacies” (p. 33) presents a particularly original contribution to understanding the forms of everyday literacy which preceded the formal government-sponsored school system and continued throughout the twentieth century. For Marzluf, grassroots literacies are the “highly