Randwick International of Social Science Journal

The Reflection of National Identity in the Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh

Ehsanullah Mushfeq, Besmillah Daqiq — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ferdowsi stands as one of the cornerstones of Persian poetry, and his Shahnameh is widely regarded as one of the most significant literary and cultural works associated with the national identity of Persian-speaking people. Drawing on both Iranian cultural heritage and Islamic traditions, the Shahnameh provides an important literary space in which these historical and cultural dimensions intersect. This study aims to examine the major indicators of national identity represented in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and to analyze how the epic contributes to the preservation and transmission of Persian cultural identity.The study employs a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach based on library research and textual analysis. Selected narratives, characters, themes, religious references, historical representations, and linguistic features of the Shahnameh were analyzed according to three principal categories: religion, history, and Persian language. The findings demonstrate that these three elements constitute closely interconnected dimensions of national identity in the Shahnameh. Religion provides a moral and spiritual framework through concepts such as divine authority, justice, morality, piety, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil. Historical narratives preserve collective memory through stories of kings, heroes, national struggles, and cultural continuity. Persian language functions both as a medium of literary expression and as a repository through which historical memories, religious beliefs, ethical principles, and cultural traditions are transmitted across generations. The study concludes that the Shahnameh functions not merely as an epic literary work but also as an important repository and transmitter of Persian cultural and national identity.

Perception of Takhar University EFL Students towards the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Simplifying the Translation Process

Abdullah Waheedi, Muhammad Hamed Karimi — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at Takhar University regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on simplifying the translation process. With the rapid advancement of AI technologies, tools like GPT and Deep Seek have become widely used in language learning. Using a quantitative method, data were collected through questionnaires from 100 male students in the English Department.The results Indicate that the majority of students have a positive view of AI translation tools. They find these tools helpful for completing assignments, understanding difficult words, and building vocabulary. However, the findings also highlight several limitations. Many students noted that AI often fails to accurately translate idiomatic expressions, cultural meanings, and complex grammatical structures. Some also reported technical issues and the need to verify translations with teachers or dictionaries. The study is limited by the absence of female participants and its focus on a single department at one university. Therefore, the findings may not be fully generalizable. Based on the results, it is recommended that future studies include more diverse samples and explore both perceptions and actual translation performance. Moreover, teachers should guide students in using AI effectively and critically, ensuring that it supports rather than replaces human learning. This research contributes to understanding how AI is shaping the translation experience of EFL students and offers useful insights for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers in the field of language education.

Knowing Diversity to Teach Diversity: A Bibliometric Mapping of Teacher Knowledge in Multicultural and Social Studies Education (2000–2025)

Rafika Putri, Muhammad Rusli, Arizkylia Yoka Putri — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Teachers cannot teach diversity well without knowing it, yet research on what teachers know about diversity sits in separate strands of multicultural education, social studies, and teacher education. This study maps that literature to show where it is concentrated, how teacher knowledge has been framed, and where measurement is thin. A bibliometric design combined performance analysis and science mapping of Scopus records published between 2000 and 2025, run in RStudio through the biblioshiny interface of bibliometrix. Of 387 records retrieved, one duplicate was removed and 386 were screened by title, abstract, and keywords against written criteria, which left 141 documents. Output grew from 6 documents in 2000–2009 to 74 in 2020–2025. The corpus drew 2,722 citations across 79 sources and 309 authors, and more than 94% of authors wrote a single document. First authors affiliated with the United States wrote 59.7% of the documents with a known country. Teacher education formed the hub of the keyword network, while teacher knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and culturally responsive teaching sat in separate clusters. Shulman's two foundational papers were cited by 34 documents and Ladson-Billings's culturally relevant pedagogy papers by 23, yet only 10 documents cited both, and only two documents reported an instrument built to measure teachers' knowledge of multicultural content. The map exposes a measurement gap and thin links between knowledge frameworks and culturally responsive frameworks. Future work should build case-based instruments for teacher knowledge of diversity and test them outside North America and Western Europe.

From Redistribution to Recognition? Two Decades of Research on Education and Social Inequality in Indigenous Communities

Muhammad Rusli, Rafika Putri, Arizkylia Yoka Putri — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Indigenous peoples face persistent educational inequality, yet how research understands that inequality has changed. This study maps two decades of research on education and social inequality in Indigenous communities and asks whether the field has moved from concerns of redistribution towards concerns of recognition, in Nancy Fraser’s terms. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 461 Scopus-indexed articles published between 2000 and 2025, combining performance analysis, author-keyword co-occurrence mapping in VOSviewer, and dictionary-based coding of eight inequality dimensions. Output grew by about 10.5% per year, and 46% of articles appeared in 2021–2025. Knowledge production is concentrated: 77% of articles involve authors from Australia, the United States, Canada or New Zealand, these articles are cited more often, and Southeast Asia contributes 2.8%. Eight thematic clusters emerged, centred on access and equity in higher education, racism and identity, cultural safety in professional education, and Indigenous knowledge and decolonisation. Articles framing inequality only in redistributive terms fell from 42.7% before 2018 to 27.2% after, while recognition-only articles rose from 18.7% to 33.8% and articles combining both rose to 29.7%. The rise of recognition was robust across five coding specifications; an apparent decline in attention to socioeconomic disadvantage was not. The field has added recognition to its agenda more than it has abandoned redistribution, but its growth is concentrated in recognition, and its concepts are developed largely in settler-colonial states. Research that integrates redistribution, recognition and representation, led from under-represented Indigenous contexts, is needed.

The Role of Amir Ismail Samani in the Development and Flourishing of the City of Bukhara

Muhammad Ismail Emran, Mohammad Mosa Qarluq — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ABSTRACT

Bukhara was regarded as one of the most prominent cities of Transoxiana before the advent of Islam. The city gained significant prominence during the Samanid era, particularly under Amir Ismail Samani. Under his leadership, Bukhara achieved political independence and was established as the center of the Samanid government. Amir Ismail Samani played a pivotal role in the city's development, driving its growth and prosperity across political, economic, social, cultural, and infrastructural dimensions. The aim of this research is to explore Amir Ismail Samani's role in the development and flourishing of Bukhara. The findings of the study indicate that Amir Ismail Samani made a significant and irreplaceable contribution to the advancement of the city, especially in the political, social, cultural, and infrastructural domains. Key contributions included ensuring social security, gaining the people’s satisfaction, establishing a hub for commercial transactions, attracting scholars and scientists, and promoting Islamic architecture. These efforts were instrumental in the city’s growth and prosperity. This article draws on credible sources and employs a library-based research method (descriptive-analytical) to provide an in-depth analysis of the subject

Between Vernacular Speech and Classical Literary Tradition: The Layered Formation of Written Afghan Turkmen

Abdul Rahim Farzad — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Afghan Turkmen is part of the story of the Turkmen language and its literature. Afghan Turkmen is similar to the Turkmen spoken in Turkmenistan. Its written works developed in a place where many different languages mixed. Afghan Turkmen writers used Turkmen dialects, Persian, Uzbek, and old Asian styles of writing. Experts have looked into these features by speaking with people who speak the language, by looking at the grammar, and by reading books that were published. These studies often focus on the features of Afghan Turkmen on their own. Do not put them all together. This article brings all those features together using a way of looking at them. It says that written Afghan Turkmen can be understood by looking at four parts that overlap: the local dialect part, the part that is like Standard Turkmen, the part that comes from Chagatai and Uzbek writing, and the part that uses words and styles from Arabic and Persian. This article is a summary based on existing writings, not a study done in the field. It mainly uses Muhammad Salih Rasekh’s study of Afghan Turkmen dialects and the work of Rıdvan Öztürk and Savaş Şahin on written texts, grammar, dialects, and how the language is used in writing. The analysis shows that some forms that are seen as not standard compared to Standard Turkmen can still be organized and have a history within the way Afghan Turkmen is written. So written differences are better seen as a result of languages mixing, old ways of writing different dialects, the education people have, and the way the written language is still changing.

Participatory Learning Through Floating Rice and Fish Integration in Lubuk Bayas Indonesia

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Persistent inundation limits conventional farming and creates a need for locally manageable alternatives in rural communities. This article examines the initial implementation of a community engagement programme introducing organic-oriented floating rice, Nile tilapia integration, and locally available feed resources in Lubuk Bayas Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia. A descriptive case study was developed through retrospective review of a programme progress report, instructional presentations, photographic records, and a draft educational book. The analysis distinguished completed activities from proposed evaluations and interpreted the intervention through participatory learning and collective management. Documented activities included community discussions, construction of floating platforms, preparation of planting media, rice transplanting, and instruction on fish management and alternative feed ingredients. The principal outputs were an operational demonstration setting, opportunities for practical participation, educational materials, and reported public dissemination. These records support the establishment of a local learning infrastructure, but do not establish measured improvements in knowledge, income, feed efficiency, or household food security. Differences between planning and implementation documents also indicate the need for a consistent technical record. The case illustrates how an environmental constraint can become a focus for collaborative learning while highlighting the importance of maintenance responsibilities, transparent cost records, and continued monitoring. Further evaluation should assess independent management, completed production cycles, and the distribution of benefits before wider replication

From Primary Production to Value-Added Fish Products: International Technology Transfer in A Rural Rice-Fish Farming Community

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Small-scale rice–fish farmers commonly market harvested fish as fresh products, limiting opportunities for product differentiation and downstream value creation. This community engagement program aimed to strengthen the initial capacity of a rice–fish farming community in Lubuk Bayas Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia, in value-added fish processing, food hygiene, product diversification, and market preparation through international academic collaboration. The program employed a participatory empowerment approach involving educational presentations, discussions, technical demonstrations, and hands-on processing activities. Community needs were identified through direct observation and discussions concerning existing fish-handling, processing, hygiene, packaging, and marketing practices. Program implementation and participant engagement were documented using attendance records, field notes, participant responses, photographs, and videos and were analyzed descriptively using a qualitative approach. Participants were introduced to fish nuggets, fish balls, and fish fillets as alternatives to conventional fresh-fish sales. The practical sessions integrated raw-material selection, processing consistency, hygienic handling, prevention of cross-contamination, packaging awareness, and initial market preparation. Observations indicated active participant involvement and initial procedural exposure to value-added processing. Collaboration between Universitas Sumatera Utara and Srinakharinwirot University facilitated the contextual exchange of food-processing and food-safety knowledge while providing students with community-based and intercultural learning opportunities. The program established an initial foundation for downstream fish-product development but did not verify sustained competence, food safety, shelf life, or commercial feasibility. Continued mentoring, standardized procedures, product-quality testing, regulatory preparation, and market evaluation are required to support independent and sustainable community production.

The Effect of Healthcare Facility Accessibility on the Comfort of Elderly Outpatients at Mitra Medika Tanjung Mulia Hospital in 2026

Sixtus Yatatema Mendrofa, Milna Chairunnisa, Sri Agustina Meliala — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: The accessibility of healthcare facilities plays an important role in supporting the comfort of elderly patients. Elderly outpatients continue to face difficulties accessing healthcare facilities. Initial observations identified an insufficient number of waiting chairs, slippery floors, and unclear directional signs. Some elderly patients appeared to have mobility difficulties and needed additional assistance while moving around the hospital. These conditions indicate that the facilities do not yet fully support older patients’ need to receive care safely and comfortably. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of healthcare facility accessibility on the comfort of elderly outpatients at Mitra Medika Tanjung Mulia General Hospital in 2026. Methods: This quantitative study used a cross-sectional design and included 97 respondents. Participants were recruited using accidental sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and supporting secondary data, then analyzed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses, including binary logistic regression. Results: The study found significant associations between patient comfort and availability (p=0.004), accessibility (p=0.005), accommodation (p=0.001), and affordability (p=0.002). Accommodation was the most dominant variable, with an odds ratio (OR) of 15.158. Conclusion: Accessibility dimensions—including availability, accessibility, accommodation, and affordability—were associated with the comfort of elderly outpatients at Mitra Medika Tanjung Mulia Hospital in 2026. The hospital is advised to improve facilities to meet older patients’ needs, improve mobility access, provide safe supporting amenities, and create a comfortable care environment.

Geography Students’ Attitudes toward their Academic Discipline, Continuing Education, and Future Employment Prospects at Takhar University

Abdul Hakim Erfan, Mohammad Mussa Qarluq, Shabir Ahmad Sabooryar — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines geography students’ attitudes toward their academic discipline, their willingness to continue studying in the field, and their perceptions of future employment prospects at Takhar University. A descriptive-analytical research design with a survey approach was adopted. Data were collected in the solar year 1404 through a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to all 72 currently enrolled geography students, covering first- to fourth-year students. The questionnaire comprised three main indicators: attitudes toward the academic discipline, willingness to continue studying in the field, and future employment prospects. It was designed using a five-point Likert scale.The findings indicate that students’ mean scores exceeded 4 across all three indicators, reflecting positive attitudes, a high level of interest, and an optimistic outlook regarding their academic discipline and future careers. Furthermore, Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicates statistically significant relationships among the three indicators. However, age was not significantly associated with these indicators. The overall mean score across the indicators was 4.23, indicating a highly favorable overall attitude among students. The results demonstrate that geography students at Takhar University hold positive and optimistic views of their academic discipline, their willingness to pursue further studies in the field, and their future employment prospects. These findings provide a favorable basis for students’ academic and professional development.