Current Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2025): Journal of Asian Social Science Research

Journal of Asian Social Science Research

Volume 7, Number 1, 2025

We are pleased to present Volume 7, Number 1, 2025 of the Journal of Asian Social Science Research, a collection that brings together critical, timely, and diverse scholarship from across Asia and beyond. This issue offers a multidisciplinary lens on the pressing social issues shaping contemporary societies, exploring themes that span education and migration, conflict and resilience, historical memory and international relations, digital transformation, and cross-cultural learning.

The issue opens with a timely study by Mehrad et al., which delves into the experiences of international students in Spain navigating academic pressures in an increasingly digitalized educational landscape. The authors provide a compelling examination of how artificial intelligence tools can serve both as aids and obstacles—alleviating educational stress while raising ethical concerns around dependency, critical thinking, and academic integrity. Their findings speak to the importance of thoughtful and ethical technology integration in higher education.

From the digital classroom, we move to the precarious edges of urban life in the Philippines. Ancho and colleagues investigate the migration histories and living conditions of informal settler families along the railway lines in Los Baños. The study reveals a cycle of vulnerability exacerbated by systemic urban planning failures, yet it also highlights resilience forged through community solidarity. The authors’ call for inclusive and participatory relocation policies is especially urgent amid intensifying urban inequality across Southeast Asia.

In India, Barman revisits one of the country's longest-running internal conflicts: the Naxalite insurgency. Through a historical and structural analysis, the paper critiques the state's predominantly militarized response and argues for a more comprehensive strategy that includes development and political dialogue. This contribution is a sobering reminder of how deep-seated inequality, if left unaddressed, continues to erode democratic institutions and social stability.

History and cooperation are the focus of Yanuardi Syukur’s review of Indonesia-Malaysia relations. By tracing a shared colonial past rooted in the spice trade and the strategic Strait of Malacca, the paper argues that cultural and historical affinities offer untapped potential for regional cooperation. In a time of growing geopolitical shifts and regional integration, this essay invites readers to revisit history not as a source of division, but as a bridge to a common future.

The fifth article by Hasanah et al. explores the transformative power of language learning in shaping perceptions of society. Focusing on Indonesian students studying Korean, the research demonstrates how increased linguistic and cultural proficiency correlates with deeper understanding of South Korean social issues. The findings suggest that language education is not merely instrumental—it is a pathway to empathy, intercultural awareness, and critical global citizenship.

Finally, Fjellrik and Blikstad-Balas offer a poignant narrative study of Afghan female teachers who continued their professional journeys amidst the Taliban’s return to power. What emerges is a deeply textured account of how male support—both progressive and paradoxical—shaped women's educational resilience in patriarchal settings. Grounded in critical pedagogy and feminist theory, this paper is a powerful testament to resistance, relational agency, and the enduring importance of education in conflict zones.

Together, the articles in this issue affirm the journal’s mission: to provide a platform for empirically grounded, theoretically rich, and socially relevant research that advances understanding of Asia’s diverse social realities. We extend our gratitude to the authors, reviewers, and editorial team whose rigorous work made this volume possible.

May this issue inspire critical reflection, scholarly dialogue, and actionable insight for readers across disciplines and regions.

Asep Iqbal, Ph.D.

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15575/jassr.v7i1
Published: 2025-06-25

Articles

View All Issues