Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Studies

Tangible realism: Mattie Do’s filmmaking style in contemporary Lao genre cinema

Surasak Boon-arch — 2026-05-05

This research closely examines the filmmaking style of Mattie Do, Laos’s first female director. Despite the constraints of a nascent industry and the absence of formal film-school training, her work marks a significant development in Southeast Asian genre cinema. While regional horror often channels cultural anxieties, Do’s films reconfigure these tropes into what this study conceptualizes as Tangible Realism, foregrounding the lived experiences of Lao modernity. Drawing on textual analysis of Chanthaly (2012), Dearest Sister (2016), and The Long Walk (2019), together with insights from a personal communication with the director and an in-depth interview with her long-time collaborator, Voravaj Varazatiravatt, this study systematically deconstructs the films based on six stylistic elements: narrative structure, casting, cinematography, set design, sound, and editing. The analysis reveals that Do’s aesthetic is a deliberate auteurist strategy grounded in a philosophy of “basic truths and possibilities.” Unlike conventional horror, she prioritizes internal psychological conflict and ambiguous resolutions. Her distinct style—marked by naturalistic repertory casting, intimate eye-level cinematography, and domestic “key house” settings—transforms supernatural motifs into critiques of gendered agency and intergenerational trauma. By highlighting how an outsider’s perspective can reshape cinematic conventions, the article argues that this aesthetic mode enables contemporary Lao cinema to remain locally rooted while resonating with global audiences. These findings have implications for how alternative modes of authorship in low-budget industries are understood and for regional film policy that seeks to balance local authenticity with global circulation.

AI dependency and its impact on critical thinking and writing skills in the context of GfL: A cross-national perspective

M. Kharis — 2026-05-11

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning and writing German has been expanding rapidly. Although AI has been increasingly employed to assist in writing tasks, concerns have emerged regarding its potential impact on users’ ability for critical thinking and writing independence. Moreover, examples of comparative research between educational and cultural context are limited. This research investigates learners’, teachers’ and lecturers’ perceptions regarding the influence of AI dependency on critical thinking and German writing in Indonesia, Thailand, Algeria, and Germany. The research design is a cross-national descriptive survey, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data. A web-based questionnaire consisting of closed- and open-ended questions was used for data collection. A total of 174 participants were recruited. Quantitative data were tested using non-parametric tests, and qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. The findings reveal significant differences in people’s perceived reliance on AI across countries. Participants from Indonesia and Thailand reported higher AI use than those from Germany, while respondents from Algeria indicated a moderate level. For all countries, AI was perceived as helpful in increasing grammar precision and structuring ideas in German writing. Meanwhile, there were mixed opinions on critical thinking. Some participants felt that AI assisted in critical thinking, while others were concerned that frequent use reduced the ability to reason independently when writing. In conclusion, AI seems to play a significant complex role in the writing process. Although it can improve writing efficiency, care must be taken to ensure that critical thinking and writing skills are not weakened.

AI and digital Buddhist sculpture: Performance, roles, and technology acceptance based on the TAM framework in the context of Thai arts and culture

Ninlagarn Boobpachote — 2026-05-25

The objectives of this study are to: 1) assess the efficiency of an AI system created for producing digital Buddhist sculptures; 2) investigate the role of AI in the context of Thai art and culture; and 3) assess the acceptance of AI technology by digital sculpture designers. A total of 180 undergraduate students (novice designers) and 30 professional digital Buddha sculptors were surveyed using quantitative methods. In addition to the surveys, a qualitative assessment was performed through interviews with nine subject matter experts. The results of the efficiency assessment indicate that the AI system has high accuracy, produces designs quickly, and provides support for designers in creating complex designs. The findings in relation to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) demonstrate that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use will have a significant impact on users’ intention to adopt the technology. Results of the qualitative assessments demonstrate that the AI system is able to create sculptures that adhere to Thai Buddhist artistic codes and symbols to some degree; however, expert guidance is necessary to maintain the spiritual significance and semantic meaning of the artwork. Thus, when applying AI in Thai art and culture, it is recommended that collaborations be established between the developers of AI systems and experts in the field of Thai art and culture to ensure the integrity of the culture. AI should be utilized as a complementary tool to augment designers’ creative process in a sustainable manner.

Artificial intelligence precision: Understanding Islamic profit-and-loss sharing contracts for early learners

Fauzul Hanif Noor Athief — 2026-05-27

As artificial intelligence increasingly serves as an educational shortcut for learners navigating complex subjects, this study evaluates whether the practical efficacy of these platforms aligns with current expectations. Specifically, we examine the capacity of ChatGPT to accurately explicate Mudarabah and Musharakah, the foundational profit and loss sharing contracts in Islamic finance. To assess this systematically, the core knowledge of these contracts was categorised into five critical dimensions: general comprehension, legal basis, specific terms and conditions, contract typologies, and practical industry applications. In January 2024, structured prompts were submitted to the free public version of ChatGPT, specifically GPT version 3.5, and the generated responses were rigorously evaluated on a scale from 0 to 5. These outputs were benchmarked against the standardised reference texts used for certifying Shari’ah supervisors. The results reveal significant limitations in the factual accuracy of the model. Most notably, the terms and conditions dimension, a critical component of Islamic financial compliance, yielded a validity score of less than 2. With an overall average validity score of just 2.53, the findings indicate that ChatGPT is currently too unreliable to serve as an independent foundational learning tool in this domain. Ultimately, while artificial intelligence offers compelling educational potential, this study underscores the necessity of exercising strict caution when relying on autonomous tools to navigate highly specialised, deeply nuanced intersections of religion and finance.

Active learning across proficiency levels in Thai as a foreign language conversation courses: Undergraduate students’ perceptions and experiences in Taiwan

Yuwadee Tirataradol — 2026-06-04

Active learning (AL) has been widely recognized as an effective pedagogical approach in higher education; however, limited research has examined how language proficiency shapes students’ perception of AL in Thai as a foreign language (TFL) conversation courses, particularly in international contexts such as Taiwan. This mixed-methods comparative study investigated undergraduate students’ perceptions of AL implementation in Intermediate Thai Conversation 2 (ITC2) and Advanced Thai Conversation 2 (ATC2) at a public university in Taiwan, with particular attention to proficiency-related differences. Quantitative data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by 30 students (17 from ITC2 and 13 from ATC2) and analyzed using non-parametric procedures, including descriptive statistics (median and interquartile range), the Mann-Whitney U test, and rank-biserial correlation. Qualitative insights were obtained from semi-structured interviews and examined through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that students in both courses reported consistently high to very high levels of positive perceptions across all instructional steps and key dimensions of the instruction. Yet, statistically significant differences emerged in the instructional steps of Experiencing by Observing, Experiencing by Doing, and Reflection, as well as in the key dimension of collaboration and interaction, with advanced learners demonstrating higher positive perceptions. Qualitative evidence suggests that higher-proficiency students were better equipped to engage with cognitively demanding and interaction-intensive tasks, whereas intermediate learners experienced greater linguistic strain, task-related anxiety, and reliance on scaffolding. These findings suggest that language proficiency functions as a mediating factor in learners’ cognitive and affective responses to AL structures in conversation classrooms.

Evaluating distance learning: Cultural meanings and educational resilience in Kazakhstan

Albina Sariyeva — 2026-06-11

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Kazakhstan’s abrupt transition to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on learner and teacher satisfaction, the performance of e-learning platforms, and socio-cultural factors influencing the experience. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a quantitative survey (n = 140) with qualitative feedback and a comparative review of four major e-learning platforms (Moodle, Blackboard, Edmodo, Schoology). Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank correlation to examine the relationship between satisfaction and willingness to continue online learning. Qualitative responses and expert commentary contextualized the numerical trends, and platform features were assessed via literature review and technical criteria. Results indicate moderate overall satisfaction with distance learning (approximately 52% of respondents reported satisfaction) and a cautiously optimistic outlook regarding its continuation (approximately 60% were willing to continue fully or partially online, with conditions). A strong positive correlation (r_s = 0.94, p < 0.05) was identified between satisfaction and willingness to continue, underscoring that improving online learning quality is key to its future adoption. However, significant challenges emerged: digital inequalities (especially between urban and rural areas) and socio-cultural barriers (limited digital skills, initial skepticism about online education) impeded equitable outcomes. Participants from well-connected, resource-rich settings reported better experiences than those facing poor internet access, and some educators and parents doubted the integrity of online instruction initially. The platform comparison found that open-source, multilingual LMS solutions (Moodle) offer strong alignment with Kazakhstan’s needs, whereas costly proprietary systems (Blackboard) may hinder wide implementation despite rich features. In conclusion, Kazakhstan’s experience during the pandemic demonstrates that distance learning can be a sustainable component of education moving forward, provided that investments are made in infrastructure, educator training, and culturally responsive strategies to bridge the digital divide.

Local and universal principles of cultural heritage at Candi Borobudur and Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan

Sri Rachmayanti — 2026-06-23

This study explores the preservation of cultural heritage through a qualitative comparative case study of two iconic Buddhist temples: Candi Borobudur in Indonesia and Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Thailand. Although both temples have reflected Buddhist traditions originating in India and serve similar religious functions, each temple reflects distinct architectural forms, spatial organization and cultural characteristics shaped by local contexts. The main research question of this study is how these two temples compare in terms of cultural, historical, and architectural elements, and what these differences reveal about their preservation and cultural significance. Using a qualitative approach, this research examines the overall site plans and key architectural components of both temples, including stupas, overall site plan designs, structural layout and the mudrā represented in Buddha statues. The analysis highlights how processes of acculturation, local adaptation, and foreign cultural influences have shaped the development of each temple. While Borobudur temple demonstrates a monumental mandala-based structure influenced by Javanese cosmology and Indian Buddhist philosophy, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan reflects Thailand’s architectural traditions and regional interpretations of Buddhist symbolism. The study reveals shared histories of acculturation influenced by local and foreign cultures, thereby shedding light on their respective cultural contexts and preservation challenges. By comparing these two heritage sites, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural heritage preservation in Southeast Asia and provides insights into the challenges of maintaining religious monuments while respecting their historical and cultural identities.

The homeless portraits project: Art as a tool for social healing and transformation

Pairoj Pichetmetakul — 2026-07-13

Homelessness is a growing social issue in many countries. People often view such a problem as abstract, resulting in ignorance of the matter. It is a complex problem, requiring public acknowledgement and empathy to foster understanding and support for effective solutions. Art is a medium that can be used to raise awareness regarding this issue. The project employed a practice-based methodology, using Socially Engaged Art (SEA) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) frameworks. The study follows an artist whose personal experience of witnessing a homeless person endure brutal physical abuse inspired the project. Utilizing the PAR framework, the artist painted pictures of homeless people in public places in San Francisco and New York and gave them to those who modeled for him. The project serves not only as a way to use art activities for social engagement but also to affirm human values in the subjects. Initially, the canvases for the works were acquired from nearby materials, such as cardboard boxes, pizza boxes, and even receipt papers. As the project expanded over time, the canvas materials were changed to better-quality papers and art paper rolls. The activity became a participatory social-art project when he used a social media platform to invite anyone to join. Over the course of six years, he produced numerous artworks and gained public awareness. As a result, an art museum recognized the project’s social value and engagement, hosting a unique art exhibition that displayed the portraits of homeless individuals and included the homeless models as part of the audience. The project also caused a few positive changes; in some instances, homeless people received job offers from audience members who saw potential in them. The project showed that art activities can be a means to tackle social issues and even redeem human dignity.

Stakeholders’ conflicts in tourism setting: The role of community involvement, perceived benefit, and perceived cost

Hien Thi Duong — 2026-07-13

Conflict is an inherent aspect of social interactions that can lead to antagonistic behaviors and actions. In this study, the authors applied the theory of Extended Social Exchange and suggested a framework to examine factors affecting residents’ tension with other tourism stakeholders. The authors employed a random sampling method to engage with 448 indigenous inhabitants residing in community-based tourism destinations in Vietnam. The findings illustrate that residents’ perceptions of benefits and costs directly influence their conflicts with other groups. In addition, the community’s involvement, to an extent, may affect residents’ assessment of benefits and costs, thereby helping to manage conflicts. Nevertheless, resident involvement in tourism can result in conflicts with tourists due to differences in lifestyle, culture, and resource strain. Also, during their participation, residents may face tensions with local authorities due to overlapping responsibilities, lack of transparency, ineffective governance, and inconvenient administrative processes. The research supplements the theoretical understanding of conflict in a tourism context. Furthermore, this study provides local tourism practitioners with a comprehensive insight into stakeholders’ tension, thereby promoting a reasonable orientation in tourism development strategy.

Cultural artefacts and nationalism: A comparative multimodal analysis of Indonesian and Vietnamese elementary English textbooks

Dimas Satyapratama Putra — 2026-07-13

This study explores how the concept of nationalism is represented through cultural artefacts, which can permeate through different media. The study focuses specifically on English textbooks, which can represent the Source, Target, and International Target cultures (Cortazzi & Jin, 1999) and can take the form of Aesthetic, Sociological, Semantic, and Pragmatic/Sociolinguistic senses (Adaskou et al., 1990), both visually and verbally. Regarding its verbal representation, cultural artefacts can also be manifested within the reading texts with the help of authors’ linguistic choices, which contain an experience of the real world, such as nationalism. This understanding is grounded in Halliday and Matthiessen’s description of the phenomenon as the Ideational metafunction of language. In light of this, the present study investigates, using those three theoretical frameworks, how the concept of nationalism is represented in the English textbooks as seen in the reading texts, and which cultural artefacts are the most salient in representing this concept, both through illustrations and captions. The study is descriptive qualitative in nature, and it employs inductive and deductive content analysis. Elements of quantitative analysis have also been used to record the frequency of occurrences of the selected data in numbers, percentages, and totals. The data for this study were collected from one elementary English textbook used in Indonesia and one used in Vietnam, as per their latest educational curriculum. The study finds that the construction of the reading texts between the Indonesian and Vietnamese textbooks represents different concepts of nationalism, particularly in perceiving education and values that represent the concept of nationalism. The most salient cultural artefacts are predominantly presented through the Source cultures in the Sociological sense, followed by the Semantic sense, and the Aesthetic sense.