Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities

The Mark of a Criminal Record: Unpacking Stigma and Barriers to Reentry

Jennifer Miller — 2025-04-29

A criminal record brings about substantial reentry obstacles for formerly incarcerated persons, which continues to fuel systemic marginalization and inequality. This review combines existing literature to analyze the various challenges faced by this group, such as workplace discrimination, social rejection, and institutional impediments. The paper uses research from multiple fields to detail how criminal record stigma affects psychological well-being, social dynamics, and structural systems during the reentry process. Research shows that stigma exists prominently in both societal views and organizational systems while exerting a greater negative impact on marginalized communities such as racial minorities, women, and people from low-income backgrounds. Despite the potential shown by reentry programs and policy changes like “Ban the Box” and expungement laws to decrease stigma, they frequently face challenges because of inadequate funding and scaling issues, alongside unexpected outcomes like heightened racial discrimination. The review highlights the critical need for systematic reform to tackle stigma origins and support fair reentry into society. This article augments social sciences and humanities by pointing out literature gaps, including an absence of longitudinal studies and intersectionality research while suggesting directions for future research. The article provides practical strategies for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers that highlight the necessity of integrated methods combining personal support services with community involvement and policy modification to decrease stigma and support effective reentry.

Impact of Government Expenditure on Economic Growth: Focusing on Afghanistan's Agricultural Sector

Waheedullah Hemat — 2025-04-29

Economic growth denotes to the steady upsurge in a country's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is considered a key area for reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development. To support economic growth and long-term development, government expenditure should focus on engendering an enabling environment for private sector expansion and addressing market inefficiencies. In this context, the existing study examines the encouragement of government spending on economic growth, with particular attention to the agricultural sector in Afghanistan. For empirical analysis, the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test, Johansen Co-integration test, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method were employed. Results from the Johansen Co-integration test specify a long-term relationship among government agricultural expenditure, agricultural employment, the exchange rate, and economic growth in Afghanistan. Moreover, regression analysis outcomes show that government spending on agriculture significantly influences the country's economic growth, whereas employment in agriculture and the exchange rate do not have a statistically significant impact. Despite these findings, Afghanistan’s agricultural sector continues to face several challenges, such as a lack of highly educated workers, inadequate infrastructure, weak agricultural marketing systems, and limited irrigation facilities. Therefore, it is suggested that the Afghan government increase investment in the agriculture sector and ensure the efficient and transparent use of financial resources. Strengthening this sector would ultimately enhance agricultural productivity and foster economic growth across the country.

Perception and Use of Library Resources Among Undergraduate English Majors Students

Baryalai Fazli — 2025-04-29

This study investigated the perceptions and utilization of library resources among undergraduate English major students at Kabul University’s English Department. Academic libraries play a critical role in supporting higher education; however, little is known about how students in under-resourced university settings perceive and engage with these services. The study employed a quantitative survey design to address this research gap, collecting data from 159 students using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to analyze patterns in students’ experiences. The results revealed that while many students valued the library’s range of resources and its contribution to academic success, substantial challenges existed. Students reported difficulties accessing digital and print materials, indicating problems with organization, usability, and availability problems. Although the perceived quality of resources was moderate, many expressed concerns about outdated collections and limited relevance to current coursework. Additionally, the study found that library services had a positive impact on research and writing skills. However, this impact was constrained by insufficient user training, limited staff support for digital tools, and underdeveloped online services. Students appreciated the physical facilities and support from staff but also emphasized the need for more responsive services. Recommendations included improving digital infrastructure, updating materials, and expanding information literacy training.

Assessing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Learning Process of Computer Science Students at Nangarhar University

Rahimullah Zirak — 2025-04-29

Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed various sectors, particularly in education, where it has had a profound impact on the learning processes of Computer Science students. This study explores the effects of AI on students at Nangarhar University, specifically examining how AI tools enhance learning, academic progress, and professional development. A quantitative approach was employed, collecting data from 217 Computer Science students via a structured questionnaire. The findings reveal that 92.17% of students are familiar with AI, with ChatGPT being the most commonly used tool (88.48%). AI has notably improved students' learning experiences, particularly in areas like problem-solving (41.94%), resource searching (22.58%), professional knowledge enhancement (21.66%), and data analysis (12.44%). Most respondents (92.16%) reported improved learning experiences due to AI integration. AI fosters motivation, independent thinking, and stress management. However, challenges were identified, including reduced interest in traditional study methods (43.78%), diminished innovation (18.43%), concerns over data accuracy (17.05%), and privacy risks (4.61%). Despite these challenges, the overall sentiment toward AI is mainly positive, with students acknowledging its transformative role in education. The study concludes that while AI offers substantial benefits in enhancing learning, addressing the challenges and risks associated with its integration into the educational system is crucial to ensure its effective and responsible use.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger: Classroom Warm-Ups as a Bridge to Student’s Learning

Ahmad Zahir Wali — 2025-04-29

Warm-up activities are considered to be an effective way of engaging students in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes for enhanced and quality learning. If the class begins with a warm-up activity, the rest of the class time could be utilized to the best of the students’ learning. This paper intends to explore students' perceptions towards the use of warm-up activities in EFL classes and to assess the extent to which warm-up activities are used in the EFL classes of Kandahar University. A quantitative survey design was used to collect data from a randomly selected sample of 136 EFL students at Kandahar University. A questionnaire was used as the primary tool for data collection. The findings revealed that the students perceive warm-up activities as beneficial in the class. It was also found that the lecturers in the EFL classes of Kandahar University do not implement warm-up activities sufficiently. This study contributes to filling the identified research gap and offering specific implications based on the study's findings for educators, lecturers, and curriculum designers regarding integrating warm-up activities as part of the teaching and learning process.

Students’ Preferences and Engagement Level with Various Traditional Reading Comprehension Strategies: A Quantitative Analysis

Qyamudin Ziar — 2025-04-29

This study investigates undergraduate English majors' preferences and engagement levels regarding traditional reading comprehension strategies. It addresses a critical gap in educational research. Also, it emphasizes the importance of reading comprehension for academic achievement and long-term learning retention. Existing literature explores the effectiveness of various strategies. However, there is limited insight into which methods students favor and how these preferences impact their engagement. Without such understanding, instructional approaches risk disconnecting from learners’ needs, reducing effectiveness. The primary aim of this research is to bridge this gap by identifying students’ preferred comprehension strategies. It assesses their reported engagement and examines the relationship between the two. A quantitative survey was conducted among 72 English majors at a public university. It used a structured questionnaire with demographic details, strategy preference, and engagement measures. The data analysis indicates a strong preference for summarization and questioning strategies. Both of these factors show a positive correlation with higher engagement levels. These findings underscore the importance of aligning instruction with student preferences to enhance academic outcomes. The study offers meaningful insights into adapting traditional reading strategies to support learners better. It highlights the value of integrating student perspectives into instructional design. Ultimately, this research provides educators and curriculum developers with a foundational framework to create more engaging and effective reading instruction. It promotes stronger comprehension and academic success among undergraduates.

Investigating the Causes of Youth Addiction to Drugs: A Case Study of Bamyan Center in 2024

Mohammadullah Mutamed — 2025-04-29

The present study, which was conducted to investigate the causes of youth turning to drugs in the center of Bamyan province, has sub-objectives such as investigating individual, interpersonal-environmental, and social causes. It is applied from an objective perspective, descriptive from the perspective of the method, and interpretive from the perspective of qualitative problem-solving. The data collection method was through semi-structured interviews in which 16 men were interviewed, including 13 people with an addiction, one doctor from the aforementioned hospital, and a psychology professor at Bamyan University who taught the psychology of drug addiction at the university. The findings of this study showed that individual factors such as pride, fatigue relief, curiosity, pleasure, relief of severe physical pain, lack of emotion, pessimism, stress, mental disorders, positive attitude towards drugs, weak religious beliefs and values, lack of sufficient awareness about the harms of drugs, and interpersonal-environmental factors such as the availability of drugs, peers, having bad friends, school, room, and place of residence, inappropriate role models in personal life, falling in love, and leisure time. Social factors such as immigration, arrogant politics, family, addiction of family members, poverty, unemployment, hard work, lack of sports and recreational facilities, lack of service facilities, social disorder and insecurity, and lack of law enforcement played a role in turning young people to drugs. Therefore, based on the study's findings, it is recommended that the authorities take the necessary measures to address these issues.

A Social Media and Solutions for Detecting Fake News: A Study of Four Northern Provinces of Afghanistan

Sekandar Maihanyar — 2025-04-29

Social media, commonly known as social networks, has become a prominent platform for fulfilling users' information needs because of its many advantages and features. Along with its immense popularity, users encounter much false and misleading information through these platforms. The main objective of this research is to detect and identify fake news and misinformation in Afghanistan. This research employed a survey method and questionnaire tool. The target population consisted of journalists, students of journalism faculties in four provinces (Balkh, Jawzjan, Faryab, and Baghlan), and media managers. The sampling method used was random, and 300 questionnaires were distributed. After the data was collected and completed, it was analyzed descriptively using SPSS software. The theoretical foundation of this research is grounded in the "network society" and "filter bubble." theories. The findings indicated that within the statistical community under investigation, the level of recognition and critical analysis of information and media content by social media users is significantly low. This deficiency contributes to several concerning issues, including the facilitation of psychological warfare, the prevalence of ambiguous information sources, and the widespread inability to distinguish between fake news and factual content. These factors collectively result in manipulating public opinion, increased confusion in understanding factual news, susceptibility to suggestion, social disillusionment, and a growing sense of pessimism among consumers toward societal actors and vice versa. Additionally, this environment fosters the undeserved credibility of individuals who spread misinformation, encourages hasty decision-making, and promotes economic and informational consumerism.

The Role of Peace Journalism in Mitigating Violence in Afghanistan: A Journalist’s Perspective

Khairuddin Rahmani — 2025-04-29

This research explores the role of peace journalism in mitigating violence in Afghanistan by examining the perspectives of Kabul’s Journalists. The study has two main objectives: to understand how peace journalism can help mitigate various forms of violence (structural, cultural, direct, ethnic, and religious) in Afghanistan and to assess the level of familiarity among journalists in Kabul with the concept of peace journalism. The study framework incorporates the theories of agenda-setting, gatekeeping, and Galtung’s peace journalism model. A survey method was employed for the research, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed to 287 journalists working in Kabul's media selected through a multi-stage cluster sampling method. According to statistics provided by media support organizations, are 1,011 journalists actively working in Kabul. Using Cochran's formula, the required sample size was determined to be 278; thus, this number of questionnaires was distributed and successfully collected. The research findings indicated that employing peace journalism in media reporting can reduce violence in Afghanistan. However, the study reveals that journalists in Kabul have limited familiarity with peace journalism. Additionally, there is a significant positive relationship between journalists’ educational levels, work experience, and familiarity with peace journalism. The research further highlights that peace journalism can reduce structural, cultural, and direct violence in Afghanistan. However, it has little to no impact on mitigating ethnic and religious violence in the country.

A Comparative Analysis of Economic Development in Islamic Economics and Marxism: Principles and Practices

Zabehullah Bashardost — 2025-04-29

This article compares the concept of economic development within the framework of Islamic principles and Marxism. and analyzes the concepts of economic development based on both ideologies using a review approach. This article is divided into two parts in terms of content: the first part analyzes and dissects Marxist economic concepts, while the second part examines Islamic economic policies, strategies, principles, and values. The main objectives of this article are to compare the perspectives of Islamic economics and Marxism on economic development and to highlight their similarities and differences. This article concludes that although Marxism and Islam have fundamental differences, however it is not fair to compare Islam with such a broad conceptual scope to one-dimensional ideology (Marxism). Despite that, just in economic development, their outlooks are approximately similar. Marxism focuses on criticizing the capitalist economy, while Islam emphasizes economic progress and social justice through religious and moral principles. It is noteworthy that many of the concepts emphasized by Marxism, such as opposition to exploitation and unequal distribution of wealth, were already present in Islamic teachings before the emergence of Marxism, and much emphasis was placed on this by Islamic rulers. The economic principles of Islam are based on the values of equality, justice, charity (such as khums and zakat), and fairness. Islam emphasizes societal and economic development more than Marxist ideology. Therefore, this study employs comparative and analytical methods and suggests that its findings could help create sustainable economic models and a more just distribution of resources.