ASEAN Journal of Research

Impact of Overtourism: The Dark Side of Urban Renewal

Jan Souřezný — 2024-01-21

Every city and nation aspires to create the best living environments for their residents. This pursuit has led to numerous urban transformation initiatives aimed at making areas more attractive, accessible, and economically viable. These approaches vary depending on the specific context, ultimately shaping the affected areas and entire cities differently. In this paper, we explore the motivations behind urban transformations and the challenges posed by overtourism, an inevitable consequence of revitalising areas. We particularly focus on the factors influencing the decision to prioritise tourism as a primary economic driver and the variables impacting such a transformation. To investigate this, we analyse two locations in Taiwan and the Czech Republic, highlighting the distinctions in design, context, outcomes, and impacts. Our research combines observations, interviews, and secondary data to provide insights into the intricate relationship between urban transformation and overtourism.

The Effect of Registration System Reform on IPO underpricing of GEM in China

Binyan Zhao — 2024-03-31

Compared to other countries, the Chinese stock market has a more serious IPO underpricing issue. On July 22^nd., 2019, China’s registration system was officially implemented by the Sci-tech Innovation Board. With the first batch of companies successfully listed on August 24^th, 2020, the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) transferred from the approval-based initial public offering (IPO) system to the registration-based IPO system, while, the Main Board was still under the approval issuance system. We collected 889 IPOs across the Main Board and GEM from July, 2019 to August, 2023 and divided the sample into treated and control groups based on the implementation of registration reform on GEM. We conducted the DID and OLS regression analyses. The empirical results of this paper suggest that the registration reform policy plays a positive role in IPO underpricing and net assets per share before the issuance of GEM IPOs is negatively related to the underpricing rate in the background of the registration system. Overall, our findings show that registration system reform of the GEM does not improve the IPO pricing efficiency. However, as a financial indicator, net assets per share before the issuance alleviates information asymmetry between investors and issuers on the GEM in the background of the registration system.

Application of Indigenous Knowledge and Survival Strategies of Kutubdia Islanders during Natural Disasters

Mahima Ferdousy Mithila — 2024-03-15

Historically, indigenous knowledge practice is common for the people of disaster-prone areas. In this paper, we have attempted to explore the indigenous knowledge-based strategies that are used in the management of disasters like cyclones from the micro perspective in a small island named Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh based on a series of intensive fieldwork interviews. It reveals that Kutubdia islanders practice indigenous knowledge as their survival strategy at three levels of cyclone management, particularly in minimizing the potential damage of any cyclone, while technology-based information and knowledge rule the world. We use one theoretical perspective to interpret the matter, which is Appadurai’s scape theory. The specific strategies derive from indigenous knowledge, which is practiced by Kutubdia islanders associated with frequent cyclones, including disbelieving in modern meteorological information and age-old practices. However, the empirical pieces of evidence show that the effectiveness of these pre-, during and post-disaster management strategies adopted from the existing indigenous knowledge is the reason for delaying the acceptance of modern meteorological information and the existence of this traditional indigenous knowledge practice in disaster management.

Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Personal Health and Hygiene Practices among Commercial Bus Drivers in Lagos Metropolis

Aaron Akinloye — 2024-02-08

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on personal health and hygiene practices among commercial bus drivers in Lagos Metropolis. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study, with a multistage sampling technique. A stratified sampling technique was adopted to select the study locations, while a simple random sampling technique was used to pick 603 respondents who formed the sample for the study. The researchers used a revalidated questionnaire with a test-retest method yielding a Cronbach alpha score of 0.94. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics and regression analysis to test the stated hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Results indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the personal health of commercial bus drivers, significantly influenced the hygiene practice among commercial bus drivers, the rate of compliance with COVID-19 guidelines was significantly low among commercial bus drivers and the knowledge of prevention strategies for COVID-19 significantly affected the hygiene practices of commercial bus drivers in Lagos Metropolis.

Research on the Factors Affecting the Quality of Cross-border E-commerce Talent Cultivation and Optimization Strategies of Guangxi University of Finance and Economics

Juan Liu — 2024-01-21

Currently, universities in China urgently need to improve the quality of talent cultivation to meet the rapid development of the cross-border e-commerce industry. In this context, the authors used a questionnaire survey to investigate the current situation of cross-border e-commerce talent cultivation in Guangxi University of Finance and Economics. Based on the descriptive statistical analysis of the obtained data, this paper summarizes the main factors that affect the quality of cross-border e-commerce talent cultivation in the university, and proposes optimization strategies to improve the quality of cross-border e-commerce talent cultivation from seven dimensions: the talent cultivation goals, the construction of teaching staff, curriculum settings, teaching methods, teaching contents, assessment methods, and school-enterprise cooperation, which can provide reference for other universities in this field.

Role of Misinformation and Hate Speech on Social Media in Communal Violence

Md. Zarif Rahman — 2024-02-03

Communal violence, or violent conflict between different religious groups, is a major threat to social harmony and human rights in India. This paper investigates how social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp, facilitate the spread of false or misleading information and hateful or inciting messages that exacerbate communal violence in India. We used the concept of a conflict triangle to analyse the behaviour, attitudes, and context of different cases of communal violence that occurred in India from 2016 to 2022. We found that social media platforms play a dual role in communal violence: they trigger or escalate violence by manipulating people's emotions, perceptions, and actions; and they reflect the underlying factors that influence communal violence, such as historical legacies, ideological differences, and political interests. We conclude that enhancing media literacy among the public and promoting interfaith dialogue among the religious leaders are essential steps to prevent or reduce communal violence in India. We also discuss the limitations of our study and suggest directions for future research.

Psycho-Social Variables as Predictors of Sexual Abuse among In-School Adolescents in Lagos Metropolis

AARON AKINLOYE — 2024-02-05

This study examined psycho-social variables as indicators of sexual abuse among adolescents in secondary schools in Kosofe local government of Lagos state. The objectives of this study are to assess the influence of poverty, male dominance, rapid social change, collective and interpersonal violence and child labour as indicators of sexual abuse among adolescents in secondary schools in Kosofe local government district of Lagos State. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. A simple random technique was used to select a sample size of 700 students from ten secondary schools in the research site. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were done with frequencies and percentages. Inferential analyses were done with the use of Chi-square tests. The results revealed among others that poverty has a significant influence as a predictor of sexual abuse among adolescents in secondary schools in Kosofe local government of Lagos state (x²= 221.83 p< 0.05). Also, the results show that male dominance has a significant influence as an indicator of sexual abuse among the sample (x²= 127.41, p < 0.05). Conclusively, there are significant influences of poverty, male dominance, rapid social change, collective and interpersonal violence and child labour as indicators of sexual abuse. It was recommended that government should ensure provision of adequate policy in protecting children and adolescents who have gone through sexual abuse and violence and also ensure implementation of policies that prevent child labor in society while also providing alternatives such as enrolment in school and vocational activities for adolescents with no other source of livelihood.

Portrayal of Hybridity in Selected Novels of Azouz Begag

Sehedi Bamidele Suraju — 2024-01-21

Hybridity and identity have been recurring features of postcolonial literature, including the works of Azouz Begag. Existing studies on Begag’s novels have focused mainly on racism, the experiences of migrants and generational gaps, with little attention paid to the representation of hybridity and identity crisis. This study is, therefore, designed to examine the depiction of hybridity and identity crisis in selected novels of Azouz Begag, with a view to determining the categories of hybridity and manifestations of identity crisis. This paper has adopted the French Explication de texte, which allows a close and thorough analysis of the selected novels used in this study. The postcolonial theory concept of hybridity is used as the theoretical framework. The portrayal of hybridity in the selected novels of the author is carried out as categorised by Ashcroft, Griffiths and Tiffin (1998:118) in order to highlight its effect on the formation of identity of the characters in the novels.

Occultic Practices in Appolinaire Zodékon-Eleceis’ Novel Mariage Impossible

Leon Balogun — 2024-01-21

In African tradition, occultic practice is a recurring phenomenon in our different societies. Being conscious of different types of occultic powers in African tradition, the invocation of these spiritual forces by the author of Mariage Impossible could be exploited for different purposes. This paper aims to understand the reasons Africans most often engage in occultic practices and also seeks to analyse the different manifestations and consequences of these practices in Zodékon-Eleceis' Mariage Impossible. To achieve this, we have been inspired by the literary theory of occulticism. Occultism is the belief in the existence of suprasensory realities that could be perceptible through methods of occult sciences; it is the set of occult sciences and practices associated with them. However, the analysis of Zodékon-Eleceis' novel enables the reader to distinguish the merit and demerit of the practices of occultic powers and make a choice as per the perpetuation of these practices in different contemporary African societies.

In Defence of a 'Problem-Centric' Research Agenda for African Philosophy

Oghenekaro Ogbinaka — 2024-01-21

Over the years, African philosophy has contentiously centred on the philosophical history of its existence, its possibility and effort by its protagonists to show a body of literature that can be representative models of a corpus of discourses that can be called African philosophy. There is little problem in this. However, not much has been offered as a body of philosophical inquiry that interfaces the existential problems and challenges of the African society of today. Today’s African is blighted with a plethora of problems in search of solution for her development and progress. It is in dire need of a problem-solving philosophy, one that this paper has called a “problem-centric philosophy.” The paper has relied on the articulations of Karl Popper that the philosopher should be a student of problems and not a student of subject matters. Consequently, it argues for a problem-centric approach and agenda for African philosophy; one that is hoisted on as well as goes beyond the existing African philosophy, one that we have called an “archaeological excavation” of philosophical elements from the intellectual chests of the African past. The new problem-centric philosophy we proposed is a refinement of existing African philosophy. This philosophy will be one that is built upon the contemporary social foundation and milieu of Africa such as suggested by the African Union. The conclusion is thus reached that an interdisciplinary approach with the social sciences and other fields of inquiries will be needed for doing a problem-centric African philosophy.

Literary Adaptation in Nigerian Modern Drama

Leon Balogun — 2024-03-21

Literary adaptation as a concept is giving a new interpretation to an already existing text in a new medium and culture. It engenders transformation and creativity with or without a departure from the original version. Literary and cultural interplay between two texts of different cultural backgrounds often results in duality and conflict when a text is adapted to another culture or genre with or without a departure from the original text. As such, researchers, university scholars, students as well as teachers of literary and cultural studies often seek clarifications between the interplay and the duality in two cultural settings. In contemporary times, playwrights culturally adapt novels to dramas with or without a departure from the original text. This discovery of novels as a source of materials for drama in the 1960s triggered the interest in adaptation of Western texts to African and Nigerian contexts. Although there are previous studies in literary adaptations of Western texts and Nigerian modern drama in the literature, it was observed that the significance of adaptations of Western texts to Nigerian modern drama and the cultural similarities between the adapted text and the source text caused scholars to yearn for more investigation. Consequently, this paper discusses the concept of adaptation as a literary genre in Nigerian modern drama, intertextuality and the drama mode of presentation. It highlights the aesthetics and significance of adaptation as a genre of Nigerian modern drama. The paper employs qualitative research method using Kristeva’s Intertextuality and Iser’s Reader-Response theories as frameworks. Findings reveal that literary adaptation of Western texts plays a significant role in the development of Nigerian modern drama. The study recommends further studies in adaptations of French and English literatures, its socio-cultural influence and interplay with Nigeria sociocultural milieu.

Review of Bruno Latour's Down to Earth - Politics in the New Climate Regime

Chengyuan He — 2024-01-29

Review of Bruno Latour's Down to Earth - Politics in the New Climate Regime by Chengyuan He.

The Spoils of War

John Walsh — 2024-01-21

Neil postman (1993:2) wrote that technology is both a friend and an enemy: it is a friend not just because it makes life easier but because of its lengthy, intimate and inevitable relationship with culture, “… technology does not invite a close examination of its own consequences; it is an enemy because “It undermines certain mental processes and social relations that make human life worth living.” This tension or contradiction is at the heart of Andrew Cockburn’s collection of reportage, The Spoils of War. His focus is the US military-industrial complex and the way in which it constantly pursues new forms of technologically advanced weapons and logistics systems which invariably fail to materialize on time and on budget (see also NASA), with the result that insufficient numbers of new systems are put into operation and so older or obsolete items must be kept in use to make up the shortfall.

In Buddha's Company

John Walsh — 2024-01-21

John Walsh reviews Richard A. Ruth's In Buddha's Company: Thai Soldiers in the Vietnam War.

Yuan Phai

John Walsh — 2024-01-21

Review of Chris Baker and Pasuk Phonpaichit's Yuan Phai: The Defeat of Lanna - A Fifteenth-Century Thai Epic Poem by John Walsh.