International and Area Studies Commons^™

Shifting Faith Among Indigenous People In Arunachal Pradesh, India: Revisiting Greenfeld's Civilizational Framework, M. Amin Khan

Comparative Civilizations Review

This paper examines changing religious demography in Arunachal Pradesh through Liah Greenfeld's theory of civilization as a self-generating and self-reproducing symbolic reality. Using decadal Census data (1971–2011), it traces the demographic decline of Indigenous/Tribal religions classified under “Other Religions and Persuasions” (ORP) alongside the widespread growth of Christianity and the more limited growth of Hinduism. The analysis argues that these demographic shifts reflect more than religious conversion; they reveal differential capacities for cultural reproduction. Whereas civilizations endowed with codified first principles and enduring institutions sustain continuity across generations, Arunachal Pradesh's largely localized and orally transmitted indigenous traditions have proven less …

Professor Greenfeld’S Last Class: Notes For Online Lectures On “The Science Of Humanity,” Delivered To Students And Scholars Primarily From India, July 2025, Liah Greenfeld

Comparative Civilizations Review

The question for this class is: What is humanity?

We all believe we all know what it is, don’t we? After all, there is hardly any subject more important for us, a question on the answer to which other subjects depend — political, social, economic. Answers to questions such as: what are human economic needs and desires; what political structures are optimal for humans; is democracy, for instance, a universal human desire; should politics in every nation be democratic, or, perhaps, authoritarian governments are better; is freedom a natural need, does it make life better, does equality?

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Tiny Treasures: Cloves In Early Modern English Literature, Emily Soon

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This Southeast Asian spice not only sparked fierce international competition, but also featured within the literature of the Global Renaissance.

Guest Editor’S Introduction: Liah Greenfeld And The Future Of Comparative Civilizational Studies, Monika Monika, Guest Editor

Comparative Civilizations Review

Every scholarly life leaves behind unfinished questions. Professor Liah Greenfeld was acutely aware of this. Throughout a career spanning more than four decades, her research never settled into the repetition of established arguments. Each major work emerged from the unresolved problems of the previous one, enlarging both the scope of its inquiry and the range of disciplines with which it engaged. Nationalism led her to questions of modernity (Greenfeld, 1992) and the foundations of economic development (Greenfeld, 2001). The growth of the modern economy and the emerging new forces of globalization, in turn, raised broader questions about the self and …

In Memoriam: Liah Greenfeld A Reflection From The President Of The Comparative Civilizations Forum, Bibi Pelić

Comparative Civilizations Review

It is with sorrow and gratitude that the Comparative Civilizations Forum dedicates this special 2026 Fall issue of the Comparative Civilizations Review to the memory of Professor Liah Greenfeld, who passed away in May of this year.

Professor Liah Greenfeld was a sociologist, an anthropologist, a political scientist — and more than any single label can hold. Across four decades at Harvard and then at Boston University, she built a body of work, from Nationalism: Five Roads to Modernity to The Spirit of Capitalism to Mind, Modernity, Madness, that stepped outside the boundaries the modern academy likes to draw. …

Liah Greenfeld: Scholar, Thinker, Friend, Joseph Drew

Comparative Civilizations Review

Professor Liah Greenfeld and I met several years ago when she submitted an article to the Comparative Civilizations Review. Her thoughtful demeanor and personal kindness to all were quickly evident, but so, too, was her scholarship, especially her probing theories of state, society, and civilization.

Witchcraft Dialogues : Anthropological And Philosophical Exchanges, George Clement Bond, Diane M. Ciekawy

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

Witchcraft Dialogues analyzes the complex manner in which human beings construct, experience, and think about the occult. It brings together anthropologists, philosophers, and sociologists, from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, to engage the metaphysical properties of witchcraft and sorcery and to explore their manifestations in people’s lived experiences.

While many Africanist scholars shun the analysis of witchcraft as an appropriate domain of investigation, the experiences, thoughts, activities, and powers that witchcraft encompasses have become increasingly the source of interest and debate. Concepts of witchcraft and the phenomena to which they are applied express something fundamental to the human condition and …

A Qualitative Study Of Immigration Trauma, Posttraumatic Growth, And The College Experience Among Mena Immigrant Students, Braa A. Elkhidir

Dissertations

Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) immigrant students who are seeking to earn a higher education in the United States have to navigate acculturative stressors and systemic barriers. Prior research has focused primarily on the challenges MENA immigrant students experience without deeply exploring how these students adapt and grow. The focus in this qualitative study was to understand how MENA immigrant college students experience and make meaning of their academic journeys. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the academic experiences of seven MENA immigrant college students in the United States and assess how acculturative stressors, personal strengths, coping strategies, and …

Connectivity And Selective Rural Migration, Lin Ma, Yuan Mei, Qunfeng Wu, Mingzhi Xu

Research Collection School Of Economics

How does infrastructure shape rural development? Using household panel data from a nationally representative sample of Chinese villages, matched to high-resolution highway maps, we find that road expansion between 2000 and 2015 operates mainly through reallocation, with less productive farmers scaling down or exiting and more productive farmers remaining and expanding. We quantify the aggregate and distributional consequences in a dynamic spatial equilibrium model with heterogeneous households and endogenous migration. Improved connectivity not only accelerates urbanization but also increases aggregate rural output by 2.2%–5.3% in the long run, even as the rural workforce declines.

Morocco’S Sand Wall Construction: Challenges In Peacemaking Efforts In Western Sahara, Tarasyah Faz'lin, Apipudin Apipudin

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The Sahrawi ethnic conflict in Western Sahara has been ongoing for decades. Although various international efforts have been made to resolve it peacefully, they have not yielded results. This study focuses on the construction of a sand wall by Morocco and the involvement of international actors in the Western Sahara conflict. It explores the legal implications of Morocco’s construction of the sand wall, the role of international actors, the causes of the UN’s failure in achieving a peaceful resolution, and the impact of the conflict on the younger generation of Western Sahara. This research uses qualitative methods and primarily employs …

Ethics Under Siege: The Conflict In Tigray Through The Lens Of Just War Theory, Daniela Widya Purba

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

This research article explains the ethical principles of the conflict in Tigray based on the Just War Theory. By using the descriptive qualitative methodology, this research article draws data from secondary sources which includes; academic journals, news reports, as well as international legal instruments to analyze the moral trajectory of the conflict. This research begins with jus ad bellum, to assess Ethiopia’s government justification in declaring conflict within Tigray. While the government fulfilled the criteria of just cause and legitimate authority, the question stands on the ambiguous political intentions and the failure to enact peaceful alternatives before resulting in waging …

Presidential Visits As Foreign Policy Instruments: U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy In Trump’S Second Term, Atar Thaung Htet

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

Through an analysis of President Donald Trump's October 2025 travel to Asia, this study investigates the consequences of U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy under his second-term diplomacy. The paper examines three significant diplomatic encounters—the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, bilateral meetings in Japan, and the APEC Summit in South Korea—using a qualitative case study methodology based on role theory and foreign policy analysis. The results show that alliance-centered security cooperation, strategic balancing toward China, and selective economic engagement were U.S. Indo-Pacific goals. Through extremely transactional and bilateralized relations, presidential diplomacy allowed the United States to fulfill a number of foreign policy responsibilities, such …

Reinforcing Media Governance In Indonesian Dynamic Cyber Space, Poppy Setiawaty Nurisnaeny, Hendra Kaprisma, Chrisna Yudhawinata, Sudirman Sudirman

International Review of Humanities Studies

Following the rapid change in technology development, the Indonesian mass media have undergone a digital transformation. This digital mass media and its users have evolved, assimilated, and integrated themselves to fit in the cyber world. This distinguishing feature distinguishes them from traditional mass media. The cyber environment's infinite international boundaries are both advantageous and disadvantageous, as it is difficult to govern digital activity outside Indonesia's jurisdiction. This unregulated environment became a breeding ground for cybercrime, making the digital space unsafe for individuals and threatening national security. In response to this issue, the Indonesian government has enacted various laws and policies, …

The Indonesian Conjunction Dan ‘And’ And Its Chinese Correspondences: A Corpus-Based Approach To Syntactic And Register Variation, Hatmi Idris

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study examines how the Indonesian conjunction dan ‘and’ is rendered in Chinese across syntactic units using a corpus-based contrastive approach. Focusing on children’s books, classic novels, and online news, it analyzes coordination at word, phrase, and clause level from a syntactic and register perspective. Findings show that dan ‘and’ does not correspond to a single Chinese form. At the word and phrase level, nominal coordination employs hé (和) ‘and’, yǔ (与) ‘and’, and yǐjí (以及) ‘as well as’ , with formal news discourse favoring yǔ (与) ‘and’ and yǐjí (以及) ‘as well as’. In verbal coordination, bìng (并) ‘furthermore’ …

Social Archeology In Colonial Capitalism: Space Analysis, Class, And Race In The Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij Batavia In Early Twentieth Century, Rendy Dharmawansyah, Irmawati Marwoto Imj

International Review of Humanities Studies

The research is to analyze the building of Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (NHM) in its position as a Dutch Trade Company in the Dutch East Indies. It shows an influence of the colonial image, that is discriminative against the social condition of the native Indonesian in its structural architecture. By applying a Marxist theory on the analysis of social class, this writing examines the building of the NHM trade office and the material remains that revealed social class and racial segregation. The result of the study discloses that the architecture of the NHM building pointed out the dominating colonial power over …

Persuasive Strategies In Umrah Marketing On Social Media: A Comparative Study Of Arabic And Indonesian, Stevania C. Asahri

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study examines persuasive strategies in Arabic- and Indonesian-language Umrah marketing flyers circulated on social media. As public interest in Umrah continues to grow, travel agencies increasingly rely on digital platforms not only to promote travel packages but also to construct spiritual appeal, religious credibility, and consumer trust. This study therefore aims to analyze how spiritual imagery is constructed, how rhetorical and pragmatic persuasive strategies are used, and how persuasive patterns differ between Arabic- and Indonesian-language Umrah marketing flyers. The study adopts a qualitative-dominant convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The qualitative analysis is based on Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), integrated …

Radical Responsibility: Sartre And The Ecocentric Erosion Of Human Agency, Khodadad Azizi, Naupal Asnawi, Abby Gina Boang Manalu

International Review of Humanities Studies

Contemporary ecological crisis persists despite decades of environmental ethics discourse and rising public awareness, a discrepancy researchers have named the awareness-action gap. One influential corrective, running from Aldo Leopold’s land ethic through Arne Naess’s deep ecology, addresses anthropocentric domination by folding the human being back into the biotic community as one member among others. This article argues that such levelling, whatever its merits against domination, carries an underexamined cost: it erodes the very ground on which anyone can be held responsible for ecological destruction, since only a being capable of choice, not soil, water, or rock, can be asked to …

The Role Of Act Up-Paris In The Development Of The Hiv/Aids Treatment In France, Andi Zenitha Sakina Bahdar, Airin Miranda

International Review of Humanities Studies

The government’s slow handling of HIV/AIDS in the early days of the disease resulted in a high wave of activism. One example is the HIV/AIDS activism organization, Act Up-Paris. This organization aims to fight HIV/AIDS with most of its members from homosexual groups. This research aims to prove that the New Social Movement carried out by the HIV/AIDS activist organization Act Up-Paris can encourage HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts by the government and health institutions in France. This research examines data sources in the form of scientific journal articles, books, and news articles that discuss ACT UP Paris' actions in …

Hairdressing Service Request In Japanese, Kirana Insyafira Rafa, Filia Filia Dr.

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study aims to explain the request for hairdressing services in Japanese beauty salon, focusing on the use of verbal and nonverbal markers. This study use descriptive qualitative design. The data source consists of video conversations between clients and hairstylist on the NARIKYO channel on YouTube. The results of analysis revealed 128 request data through two strategies, such as 77 verbal and 51 nonverbal. Verbally, desiderative forms (such as -tai and -hoshii) with 33 data, followed by declarative forms (such as -ga ii, omakase de, unfinished tense) with 17 data and embedded forms (such as -you na, -mitai na, -hou …

Onomatopoeia In The Digital Comic The Wormworld Saga (2010), Nur Kholidah, Julia Wulandari

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study examines the forms and meanings of onomatopoeia derived from concrete sounds in the digital comic The Wormworld Saga. The study aims to explore the use of onomatopoeia in The Wormworld Saga and to describe its forms and meanings using a descriptive qualitative method. This study analyzes the forms of onomatopoeia based on the categories proposed by Gross (1988) and analyzes their meanings based on the classification proposed by Körtvélyessy and Štekauer (2024). The results show that there are 54 onomatopoeia classified as concrete sounds. In terms of form, the most common onomatopoeia are non-word forms, accounting for 41 …

Constructing Geisha Representation: Textual Analysis Of Memoirs Of A Geisha On Social Media X, Khadijah Hamumpuni Setyawan, Rouli Esther Pasaribu

International Review of Humanities Studies

Geisha are professional entertainers who have mastered Japanese traditional arts and often appear in various media covering Japanese culture. However, there are frequent misunderstandings about geisha outside Japan. The release of the Japanese-produced film Shogun has sparked discussions about older films from the west that are set in Japan, such as Memoirs of a Geisha. This study aims to analyze the representation of geisha in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and how that representation is constructed and reinterpreted by Japanese and Western audiences through the social media platform X. Using textual analysis, this study examines the movie as a cultural …

Myth As A System Of Meaning: Naturalization In The Expression “Ojo Lungguh Ning Tengah Lawang, Mengko Ora Ilok”, Sara Dwi Anjani, Triaswarin Sutanarihesti

International Review of Humanities Studies

The phrase “ojo lungguh ning tengah lawang, mengko ora ilok” is a traditional prohibition still known and applied in everyday life by Javanese people. This phrase not only functions as a rule of behavior, but as part of a system of cultural meaning passed down from generation to generation. This study aims to explain how Javanese people of different generations understand this phrase and how it functions as a myth in social life. This study employs a qualitative approach utilizing Roland Barthes’s semiotic framework and the identity perspectives of Mary Bucholtz and Kira Hall. Data were collected through …

A Comparative Critique Of Masculine Domination In Madame Bovary (1856) And Gemma Bovery (1999), Aqeela Hamarthya Czecheska Humayra, Diah Kartini Lasman

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study examines how social construction influences the representation of female autonomy through the transition of medium and temporal context. Its primary focus is to compare the mechanisms of masculine domination in Gustave Flaubert’s classic novel Madame Bovary (1856) with Posy Simmonds’ graphic novel adaptation Gemma Bovery (1999). Utilizing Hutcheon’s adaptation theory (2013) and de Beauvoir’s existential feminism (1949), complemented by Freytag’s dramatic structure analysis (1900) as the main framework, this research proceeds from the premise that the transposition from text to visual medium has significant implications for changes in narrative strategies and plot. This study highlights the differing manifestations …

Voters’ Perception Of Nigeria’S Electoral Process: An X-Ray Of The 2023 Presidential Election, Omamurhieme Julia Akpodovhan, Chukwuma Anyanwu Dr

International Review of Humanities Studies

In its six decades of post-independence, Nigeria has experienced the best and worst in military and democratic governance fluctuating from one to the other. It has purportedly settled into a democracy but with highly flawed electoral processes. This paper interrogates the February 25, 2023 Presidential election with a view to assessing the perception of voters in the exercise to determine whether there has been an improvement or otherwise in the status quo of how previous elections were conducted. Drawing from historical antecedents, participant observation and opinion poll research techniques, the authors relied on information from five of ten polling booths …

Contested Borders And National Identity In Southeast Asia: An Analysis Of Thailand– Cambodia Dispute Through Nontawat Numbenchapol’S Documentary Film, Boundary, Mirwan Andan

International Review of Humanities Studies

Southeast Asia remains a region marked by numerous interstate border disputes. Among these, the Thailand–Cambodia border dispute surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple, located between Sisaket Province in Thailand and Preah Vihear Province in Cambodia, represents one of the conflicts with the greatest potential to affect regional stability and harmony in the region. This dispute extends beyond questions of territorial sovereignty, encompassing the construction of national identity, historical memory, and the domestic political dynamics of both countries. This article examines the representation of nationalism in Boundary (2013), a documentary film directed by Thai independent filmmaker Nontawat Numbenchapol. Drawing on perspectives interdisciplinary …

Morphological And Woodworking Technology Analysis Of Wooden Piles From The Molenvliet Canal, Mrt Jakarta Phase 2 Cp-202 Project, Central Jakarta, Aisyah F. Sugoro, R. Cecep Permana

International Review of Humanities Studies

The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between the wooden embankment structure (wooden beams, wooden piles, and wooden planks) in the embankment installation system and the geographical conditions of Batavia along Jalan Hayam Wuruk and Jalan Gajah Mada, where the embankment structure has shifted due to ground movement. The research stages consist of observation, description, and explanation or interpretation of the processed data. Based on the analysis of wooden piles from the Molenvliet Canal embankment structure, it can be concluded that 17^th century Batavian society applied a multi-stage pile production process, ranging from raw material selection, …

Sanggit And The Essence Of Power In The Wayang Performing Arts Play Jaka Tingkir By Ki Purbo Asmoro, Darmoko Darmoko

International Review of Humanities Studies

The puppeteer as a director composes an art performance based on material, understanding the  context of history and genealogy, myths and beliefs, traditions and conventions, the breadth of  imagination, sensitivity of intuition, breadth of knowledge and experience, and depth of  understanding of cultural codes and conventions. The play Jaka Tingkir, an episode in Babad Tanah  Jawi, is composed and presented in the performing arts to foster artistic creativity and  innovation, while showcasing strength and ability in narrative strategies and staging creativity.  Power is arranged based on a person's status, role, and knowledge obtained through the traditional  method of nglakoni in …

Sumedang Larang Heritage Trail Experience: Tracing Cultural Footsteps From The Ancient Palace To Traditional Citizens' Dwellings, Retno Raswaty

International Review of Humanities Studies

The heritage trail, or the tracing of historical footprints as an approach to preservation and cultural education in Sumedang Larang culture, will lead to an experience that opens insights into life in the old center of power to the residential patterns of citizens filled with wisdom. As a cultural landscape, the traces of Sumedang Larang are still alive in urban spaces, sites, social practices, and the current residential layout of the community. Through a space-reading based on walking, this article outlines major points of interest such as the town square (alun-alun), the palace or museum, pilgrimage sites, old paths, strategic …

Through The Arena: A Marxist Strategic-Relational Perspective On East Asian Regional Trade Architecture, John H. Limaldi

Journal of Critical Global Issues

This paper critically assesses the dominant regional trade architecture that impacts East Asia, focusing on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and its U.S.-bastardized version, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Using a strategic-relational approach grounded in Marxist theory, the paper examines how these agreements impact the relationship between the Capitalist State and Capital. It argues that international economic architecture in the neoliberal era produces state effects that weaken national sovereignty to the benefit of capital and the detriment of labor. The paper concludes with recommendations for a new regional trade architecture that prioritizes labor rights, democratic accountability, and …