Abstract:The rapid expansion of digital learning and artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed educational systems worldwide, including in Ghana. However, the integration of digital technologies into education also…
so raises critical concerns regarding epistemological inequality, technological dependency, and the marginalization of indigenous knowledge systems. This study aims to critically examine digital learning in Ghana through a decolonial perspective by exploring the relationship between artificial intelligence, local knowledge, and future educational transformation. The study employed a qualitative conceptual approach based on critical literature review and decolonial theoretical analysis. Data sources consisted of scholarly articles, academic books, policy reports, and international publications related to digital learning, AI in education, indigenous knowledge systems, and postcolonial educational transformation. The findings reveal that contemporary digital learning systems frequently reproduce colonial epistemologies through linguistic dominance, curriculum standardization, algorithmic bias, and dependency on externally developed technological infrastructures. Indigenous languages and local knowledge systems remain underrepresented within mainstream educational technologies, limiting epistemic inclusivity and cultural relevance. Nevertheless, the study also identifies the transformative potential of culturally responsive AI, multilingual digital learning environments, and indigenous knowledge integration in constructing more equitable educational futures. The study concludes that decolonizing digital learning in Ghana requires the reconstruction of educational technologies grounded in epistemic justice, cultural dignity, local participation, and technological sovereignty. This article contributes to contemporary discussions on decolonial education, ethical AI, and digital transformation within the Global South by positioning digital learning as both a technological and epistemological arena of struggle.
Abstract:This study investigates the revitalization and preservation of indigenous Ghanaian textiles in contemporary fashion design, emphasizing their cultural significance, economic potential, and modern challenges. Traditional…
textiles such as “kente”, “kete”, “adinkra”, and “fugu”/ “batakari” are central to Ghana’s cultural heritage, symbolizing identity and tradition. However, the industry faces hurdles including high production costs, competition from cheaper imports, and diminishing traditional knowledge among younger generations. Adopting a qualitative approach, the research utilized interviews, focus group discussions, and observations involving artisans, fashion designers, educators, and consumers. Findings reveal that despite the immense value of indigenous textiles, their integration into modern fashion is impeded by limited access to raw materials, fluctuating market demand, and inadequate artisan support. Innovative designers, however, are blending traditional textiles with contemporary trends, showcasing adaptability and global appeal. The study recommends strategies such as public education campaigns, financial and technical support for artisans, and stronger intellectual property protections. Promoting sustainable practices, addressing regional production disparities, and fostering designer-artisan collaborations are also key to the industry’s sustainability. This research underscores the role of Ghanaian textiles in economic empowerment and cultural preservation, advocating for a balanced approach that merges tradition with modern innovation to ensure global relevance and sustainability.
Abstract:Philology has been utilized to study Islam which focusing mainly on early texts. Some debates from post-Orientalist, anthropological, and decolonial perspectives not only broaden the discourse but also introduced new challenges,…
llenges, such as separating text from practice and neglecting indigenous from outsider views. This article tries to show that these discourse and debates reveal a bigger issue where there is no clear way to examine how research methods influence our understanding of Islam. This study employs a qualitative method, conceptual approach to review relevant key words in Islamic studies and related fields, such as Orientalism, discursive tradition, lived religion, cosmopolitanism, and self-reflexity method. Instead of commenting methods as appropriate or not, the analysis looks at what each approach helps scholars notice, what it overlooks, and how it fits into larger systems of knowledge and power. Drawing on this analysis, the article introduces a self-reflexive framework with three main parts: epistemological reflexivity, positional reflexivity, and dialogical reflexivity. This framework is meant to help researchers plan and review Islamic studies projects, especially in Muslim-majority and less-explored areas, by encouraging them to consider texts, practices, and local ideas without making them too simple. The article contributes to ongoing debates by offering a new approach that moves beyond basic divisions and encourages a more open and thoughtful study of Islam.
Abstract:Steamed sponge cake (bolu kukus) is a widely consumed traditional snack in Indonesia; however, its reliance on refined wheat flour limits its micronutrient and dietary fiber density. Incorporating composite flours from indigenous…
ndigenous crops, such as tropical pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) and green pea (Vigna radiata L.), offers a promising strategy for nutritional fortification and dietary diversification. This study aimed to evaluate the proximate composition, sensory acceptability, statistical differences, and production cost feasibility of steamed sponge cakes formulated with varying proportions of pumpkin and green pea flours as partial replacements for refined wheat flour. An experimental design was applied using three formulations: AF09 (Control: 100% wheat flour), BW91 (10% pumpkin flour, 20% green pea flour), and CB88 (15% pumpkin flour, 15% green pea flour). Proximate testing measured moisture, ash, protein, fat, crude fiber, and total carbohydrates (by difference). Sensory acceptance (color, aroma, taste, and texture) was evaluated by 50 semi-trained panelists using a hedonic scale. Data were analyzed non-parametrically using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Kruskal-Wallis, and post-hoc Mann-Whitney tests. All formulations complied with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI 01-3840-1995) for moisture (31.69%–33.74%), total ash (0.66%–1.05%), crude protein (5.80%–6.65%), and crude fat (1.64%–2.82%). Formula CB88 achieved the highest crude fiber content (0.69%) and lower total energy density (269.88 kcal/100 g). Kruskal-Wallis testing indicated statistically significant differences (p<0.05) among formulations for color, taste, and texture, while aroma exhibited no significant variation (p=0.672). Formula CB88 emerged as the optimal treatment, receiving superior sensory acceptance ratings for color (90% liked) and crumb softness (88% liked) driven by natural β-carotene and pectin-moisture gelation. Production cost analysis demonstrated high economic feasibility for CB88 at IDR 3,374 per 55 g serving. Partial substitution with 15% pumpkin flour and 15% green pea flour (Formula CB88) yields a nutrient-dense, fiber-enriched, and cost-effective functional snack suitable for targeted school nutrition and dietary diversification programs.
Abstract:The rapid proliferation of AI-powered marketing technologies in emerging markets poses a fundamental challenge to culturally-grounded micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs): how can algorithmic imperatives be reconciled…
ciled with indigenous value systems that define not only business practice but collective identity? Despite growing research on both AI adoption in SMEs and indigenous knowledge preservation, scholarship rarely examines how traditional values actively mediate rather than merely moderate commercial technology adoption. This study addresses that gap by investigating how MSMEs in Makassar City, Indonesia, negotiate AI marketing integration while preserving siri’ na pacce, the Bugis-Makassar philosophical framework centred on dignity (siri’) and solidarity (pacce). Employing interpretive phenomenology integrated with Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), the study conducted 23 in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions with 44 MSME owners and key personnel across traditional culinary, artisan craft, ethnic fashion, and digital service sectors. Template analysis generated four overarching themes: (1) value-based technology discernment, wherein siri’ na pacce operates as an active epistemological filter for evaluating AI tools; (2) strategic selective adoption, wherein enterprises accept algorithmically aligned functions while rejecting culturally incompatible features; (3) cultural indigenization of technology, wherein AI systems are actively reoriented toward communal rather than individualistic ends; and (4) constrained agency under platform power, wherein algorithmic visibility systems penalise cultural non-conformity with market exclusion. These findings challenge technological determinism and advance decolonial computing theory by demonstrating that indigenous values simultaneously enable epistemological agency and are constrained by structural power asymmetries, a duality insufficiently theorised in prior technology adoption frameworks. The study calls for regulatory frameworks establishing indigenous data sovereignty, participatory AI co-design with local communities, and cooperative digital infrastructure as conditions for authentic, rather than performative, cultural integration.
Abstract:The conflict surrounding the Rempang Eco-City National Strategic Project (PSN) on Rempang Island, Batam City, Riau Islands Province, is one of the most complex development policy crises of the past decade. This study analyzes…
lyzes the neglected environmental disaster mitigation dimensions in the acceleration of the Rempang Eco-City PSN from nine environmental perspectives, while evaluating whether the cancellation of this strategic development policy is a normatively and empirically justifiable choice. Using a qualitative research approach with a case study design, the study combines regulatory analysis based on legal documents including Laws, Government Regulations, Presidential Regulations, Ministerial Regulations, Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) documents, and the Batam City Spatial Plan (RTRW) with field data from secondary sources compiled between 2023–2025. The findings reveal four main conclusions: (1) regulatory incoherence exists between Permenko Ekuin No. 7/2023 and Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management (PPLH) as well as Law No. 27/2007 on Coastal Zone Management; (2) the AMDAL process was carried out procedurally without participatory substance and was only initiated after the conflict erupted; (3) environmental impacts including threats of deforestation of protected forests, mangrove ecosystem degradation, and sea sand exploitation have not been adequately mitigated; and (4) resistance from approximately 80% of affected residents indicates a failure of the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) principle. The most recent development shows that through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 12 of 2025, signed by President Prabowo Subianto on February 10, 2025, Rempang Eco-City is no longer listed among the 77 national strategic projects. This study recommends a comprehensive policy evaluation for Rempang Island development based on an independent AMDAL review, fulfillment of the rights of the Malay indigenous community, and a moratorium on all construction activities until legal certainty is established.
Abstract:This research comprehensively analyzes the glass industry development policy on Rempang Island, Batam City, Riau Islands Province, using an environmental risk mitigation approach. Employing a descriptive qualitative method…
od with a case study design and library research, this study examines five main dimensions: the chronology of the Rempang Island case, policy conflicts and controversies, the government regulatory framework, disaster risk analysis from nine environmental perspectives, and overall policy evaluation. The findings reveal that the Rempang Eco City project, designated as a National Strategic Project (PSN) through Permenko for Economic Affairs Number 7 of 2023, triggered prolonged agrarian conflict due to the absence of meaningful participation from indigenous Malay communities who have inhabited 16 ancient villages on the island since 1834. The project implementation was marked by forced evictions, repeated acts of violence, and non-transparent environmental impact assessment (AMDAL) processes. Disaster risk analysis from nine environmental perspectives covering air quality, water quality, coastal and marine ecosystems, sand mining and geological degradation, biodiversity, community health, social-cultural impacts, climate change vulnerability, and environmental governance consistently produces high-risk assessments, affirming that Rempang Island as a small island ecosystem lacks adequate carrying capacity for large-scale glass industrial development without permanent and irreversible ecological damage. Although Presidential Regulation Number 12 of 2025 de facto removed Rempang Eco City from the list of 77 National Strategic Projects under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, the absence of an explicit revocation of Permenko Number 7 of 2023 creates ongoing legal ambiguity for affected communities. This research concludes that Indonesia urgently requires fundamental reform in its investment-based development policy paradigm, encompassing strengthened indigenous community participation mechanisms, elevation of AMDAL as a non-circumventable legal requirement prior to investment designation, and application of the ecological precautionary principle in small island development.
Abstract:This study examines strategies for integrating spiritual values and character education based on local wisdom in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Indonesia. NTT has a unique socio-cultural characteristic in which Christian and…
Catholic values have been deeply inculturated into indigenous traditions and customary practices. This qualitative research aims to formulate a model of character education that remains firmly rooted in local cultural foundations (indigenous knowledge) rather than being detached from them. The findings indicate that local concepts such as Moat Gede (Sikka), Suu/Woe (Ngada/Ende), and Loke Nggerang (Manggarai) can function as effective instruments for cultivating noble moral character. The study concludes that the formation of youth character in NTT will achieve optimal outcomes when educational institutions are able to carry out a meaningful “reconciliation” between religious dogma, the formal curriculum, and customary ethical values.
Abstract:This study analyzes the phenomenon of homophone pyramid language in the Lani Tribe of Papua Pegunungan, revealing that homophones in the Lani language are not merely linguistic coincidences but embody unique phonological…
patterns and semantic variations deeply connected to the tribe’s cultural and environmental context. Through descriptive linguistic analysis and field-based data collection, the study identifies several instances of lexical homophony such as tu (“door” / “road”), mayu (“rain” / “salt”), nengge (“eat” / “drink”), ngilu (“cucumber” / “snack”), eyo (“tree” / “barren”), kolee (“leader” / “older man”), abila (“pregnant” / “fat man”), and anuka (“head” / “Anuak tribe”). These examples demonstrate that meaning in the Lani language is primarily determined by contextual cues and pragmatic usage. The findings suggest that homophones in Lani function as linguistic features and cultural expressions that reflect the tribe’s perception of nature, community roles, and social identity. This research contributes to a broader understanding of Papuan linguistics and underscores the importance of preserving indigenous languages as repositories of cultural knowledge and intellectual heritage.
Abstract:The purpose of this study is to explain the Early Islamization Pattern in Southeast Asia: Its Contribution to Global Peace Efforts. This study uses the Constructive Critical History Method. This historical science is a…
a new historical science that focuses on problem solving and finding solutions to problems so that humans as historical actors can enjoy a better life in the present and in the future. This research finds that the “Pattern of Islamization of Trade and Civilizational Dialogue” is the “Early Pattern of Islamization in Southeast Asia.” This pattern took place from the end of the 7th century to the beginning of the 16th century. The agents of Islamization were Islamic traders or Islamic scholars who worked as traders. The weakness of this pattern is that it takes a long time. To achieve good results, this pattern requires the willingness and awareness of both the agents of Islamization and the indigenous population in undergoing the process of Islamization. This pattern does not have a negative impact on innocent Muslims and non-Muslims or those who live elsewhere. This pattern is carried out in a healthy and friendly manner that does not trigger cases of Islamophobia. Conclusion. This research contributes to overcoming the global impasse in addressing the crises, conflicts, wars, and disasters that emerged after COVID-19.