Academia Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences

Foreign Direct Investment, Export and Economic Growth: An Evidence from Nepal

Prakash Subedi — 2024-04-24

The aim of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the present status of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nepal concentrating economic growth and export boost. Developing nations like Nepal derive significant advantages from foreign investment, fostering economic advancement through the attraction of external capital, entrepreneurial skills, expanding market spaces, and technology transfer. Nepal has witnessed an upsurge in FDI since the 1990s, primarily attributable to the implementation of liberal economic policies by the government. The enactment of the Foreign Investment Technology Transfer Act (FITTA) has further sustained the investment environment in Nepal. This paper analyzes and evaluates the role of FDI in driving Nepal's economic growth and export activities. Employing correlation analysis and an ordinary linear regression model, the impact of FDI on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and exports is measured. Given the documented FDI inflows since the 1990s, this research concentrates on the period from 2010/11 to 2022/23 to measure FDI's impact. The findings of this investigation reveal a positive correlation between FDI, GDP and the country's export growth.

Migrants and Foreign Language Learners in Pokhara Metropolis: Attitudes towards National Development

Lalit Magar — 2024-04-24

In Pokhara Metropolis, the trend of international migration has been a dominant issue in modern times. Many agree that globalization is one of the main reasons behind this migration to the rest of the world. Thus, it has become evident that there is a growing trend of migration especially among the youths of the country. Specifically, acquisition of languages is one of the factors for this migration trend. There is a growing tendency among the youths to learn languages to migrate in different parts of the world as a student or a migrant worker. This study attempts to find out the interrelationship between language acquisition and migration. Language proficiency has become a social norm for migrants of Pokhara Metropolis. In this regard, this study purposes to explore how languages of the host countries play crucial roles to get access to migrant labor force in different parts of the world to generate national revenue. This research paper has applied mixed methods. In order to collect data, surveys, observations, interviews, and focus group discussions have been taken into account. At the same time, the sources of secondary data have been used to bring a conceptual framework for research. The study concluded that the aptitude of language learners is remarkable to get access to other countries as a migrant labor force to generate national revenue for the country.

Teachers' Satisfaction with Salary in Accredited and Non- Accredited Community Campuses of Pokhara Metropolis

Narayan Prasad Bhandari — 2024-04-24

Higher education plays a significant role in achieving sustainable development goals. In Nepal’s case, sustainability of higher education roots to the academic as well as institutional quality, which demands for the satisfaction of manpower working in the concerned institutions. This study has been conducted in Pokhara Metropolis and attempts to identify the satisfaction status of teachers in accredited and non-accredited campuses with the following objectives: 1) to identify the variation in salary status of teachers among accredited and non-accredited community campuses and 2) to examine the satisfaction level of teachers over the current salary packages. The present study adopted quantitative research design, administrating online based survey questionnaire for data collection and testing mean values to compare and contrast the satisfaction. This study has found that teachers of study area are not satisfied with the salary offered by the campuses. Furthermore, teachers of accredited campuses are more dissatisfied as compared to the teachers of non-accredited campuses. It also identifies that there is a variance in salary packages between two types of campuses. Finally, it is concluded that both campuses are required to explore and apply appropriate policies to increase the salary satisfaction of teachers.

Yoga’s Impact on Personal and Community Development: A Study of Karmayogi Wellness in Pokhara

Deepa Basnet — 2024-04-24

This study explores the influence of yoga on personal and community development. The research was conducted at Karmayogi Wellness in Pokhara and aims to explore the impact of yoga through a survey involving 58 participants, utilizing quantitative methods. The community’s positive perception of yoga is evident, highlighting its holistic potential for promoting well-being and community development. The findings are presented visually through the figures depicting responses related to physical fitness, mental health, and lifestyle choices, measured on a Likert scale. Overall, the community maintains a favorable view of yoga’s influence, which is further discussed in the subsequent sections. This research provides valuable insights and ideas of yoga for individuals interested in well-being and both personal and community development.

Strengthening Bangladesh-Russia Relations for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities

Md. Sayedur Rahman — 2024-04-24

At present, Bangladesh and Russia have a special relationship. It is proven that Russia is a tested and trusted friend of Bangladesh. From the very beginning of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state, Russia has always stood by its welfare and development. Establishing diplomatic ties since 1972, bilateral relations have not always been smooth due to a lack of political will, particularly during the martial law regime. There are many potential areas of cooperation that could prosper together if both friendly countries utilize them. This paper identifies several potential areas of mutual cooperation and argues that to attain sustainable development, Bangladesh-Russia relations need to be strengthened more and more. This study explores the potential areas through various channels for greater interest, friendship, and opening up a new era in bilateral issues. The study also looks into the challenges and opportunities for the Bangladesh-Russia economic partnership. It investigates issues related to trade barriers, infrastructure development, and energy cooperation. Additionally, this study examines the impact of political and diplomatic factors on the economic relationship between Bangladesh and Russia. The study is based on a combination of primary and secondary sources, including surveys with key stakeholders, economic data analysis, and a review of relevant literature.

Participatory Development Approach for the Rural Road Networks: A Case of Infrastructure Development Office, Kaski

Rabindra Tiwari — 2024-04-24

This study aims to assess people’s participation in the rural road projects in Kaski District of Gandaki Province. The data were collected from 50 conveniently selected residents along the road project alignment Dopahare-Kristi-Bakrek- Pawaigaude area, using the convenient sampling procedure. This study is descriptive, and the questionnaires were used to collect data concerning the people’s participation and road infrastructure development in the villages. The findings of the study reveal that the presence of poor rural road infrastructure, both in quality and access, the road sector was found external resource-dependent, deficient in resource mobilization and topography of the rural area by itself escalates the problem. The community participation is not well-institutionalized in this project. The study concludes that public participation is crucial in developing a country like Nepal. People’s participation in Nepal is limited only for elite people, but not for people from disadvantaged groups. Though people’s participation has increased in Nepal over the last few decades but people from the underprivileged groups do not participate to the same extent of the elite group, which creates disputes in the society. This study recommends all concerned bodies such as the local communities, the municipality, and other stakeholders to take their responsibility to solve this critical issue.

Gendered Citizenship Rights: A Case Study of Women in Morang District

Prathicchya Acharya — 2024-04-24

This paper attempts to identify the intricate factors contributing to the alienation of rural women from obtaining citizenship and the far-reaching consequences this has on their overall wellbeing and livelihood options. The study delves into the underlying causes and seeks to shed light on the multifarious challenges faced by rural women in their pursuit of citizenship rights. The study is a qualitative research, following an exploratory research approach. The study site for this research was Morang District, which is one of the southern eastern Terai districts in Koshi Province of Nepal. The study has employed an experience survey to present the lived experiences of the affected women due to lack of citizenship. Analysis of data was done to identify recurring themes and patterns among the participants’ experiences that have faced discrimination in accessing citizenship rights. The collected data were analyzed using phenomenological analysis to explore the participants’ subjective experiences, perceptions and emotions to fulfill the research objectives. The major reasons for women to lack citizenship as identified by the field study was poverty, landlessness, illiteracy, patriarchal value system, and unjust provision, which make women dependent on their male counterparts to get citizenship, inaccessibility and lack of social network and administrative complexities.

Application of Project-Based Learning in Classrooms: An Innovative Pedagogy for Sustainable Education

Gopi Raj Adhikari — 2024-04-24

In this modern age, the learners want practicable knowledge to adapt to the fast pace of technological modernization. This research has dealt the very concept of application of project based learning (PBL) approach in teaching learning activities. It develops their inherent ability enhancing sustainable education exploring their ability, and strengthening confidence for their all-round development. The qualitative research has been designed with the questionnaire accessing 50 respondents. The core area of the research is Janaprakash Secondary School of Pokhara-29, Gandaki Province, Nepal. The primary data have been collected and literature reviews have been supportive for the research. Similarly, 15 different questions have been developed for the research. For the validity 10 secondary level experienced teachers have been asked to respond to the questionnaire. Professionally teachers and students, and demographically males and females of 15 to 55 years old respondents have been selected for responses. The results show that the PBL approach is applicable to enhance the sustainable development of the new era through education. The study concludes that an application of PBL in teaching learning activities enhances the competence of the learners.

Directing the Contemporary Theatre: The Case of Oki’s Night of Ijalo

Olalekan F. Olatunji — 2024-04-24

In contemporary times, the sophistication of media gadgets coupled with the development of the media-savvy audience has necessitated the theatre to devise alternative ways to sustain audience attention and interest. This has required theatre directors to revisit their approach to interpreting contemporary performance by engaging several elements of aesthetic communication to enhance the overall outlook of the performance and boost show business. Contemporary theatre directors, as the example of Olumide Oki (2023) illustrates, have identified this need by establishing a deliberate use of media elements and thus birthing techniques essential for the creation and interpretation of the contemporary performance. This paper engages Hans-Thies Lehmann’s post-dramatic theatre as a theoretical framework. It is a descriptive study that secures its data through participant observation of the 2023 production of Night of Ijalo by the Zion Royal Theatre. Based on the perception that the media has become an intrinsic part of the daily routines of the contemporary audience, Oki prioritizes the need to create a media-intensive theatre experience for the media-savvy audience. Hence, he adopts a mixed-media technique to boost his directorial interpretation and provide a seamless connection with the audience's demand through the deliberate use of aesthetic communication, intermediality, sound prerecording, mediation and mediatisation, and spectacle. With the mixed-media technique which includes the use of several media elements, Oki presents the media as a quintessential part of the contemporary performance and recommends it to theatre directors as a valuable technique for enhancing directorial interpretation and creating a media-oriented theatre experience.

Traumatic Testimony of a Child in Vikal’s “A Pair of Innocent Eyes”: The Conflict Perspective on the Insurgency

Badri Prasad Pokharel — 2024-04-24

This paper has analyzed Ramesh Vikal’s “A Pair of Innocent Eyes,” a story written on the background of ten-year-long Maoist insurgency by applying trauma theory. The paper attempts to find out how the narrator while presenting his or her traumatic testimony about a horrible event narrates it: either objectively elucidating all the incidents neutrally or demonizing some particular aspect, which is supposed to have created all the consequences of the nation-state that remained in chaos for more than a decade. If the testimony of historical events is narrated idealizing one and demonizing another group, it, later on, cannot be accepted as an authentic testimony and the condition of the victims of the events would be more aggravated as it cannot appease their tension. The ten-year-long insurgency has not only brought some great change in the nation-state, but it also has helped people narrativize the incidents from one angle which subsequently worsen the situation and the nation-state can delve into internal conflict once again after the most awaited comprehensive peace treaty between the rebel and the government.