Journal of Culture and Language Studies

Gender-based Socio-Economic Vulnerabilities of Women’s Access to Resources in West Shewa, Ethiopia

Mengistu Debele Gerbi — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 15:53:47 +0300

Gender is an issue of power relations between men and women. It refers to socially determined roles. In developing countries, especially in deep-rooted patriarchal culture, gender equality is decreasing or remains stagnant and women limited to access and control over resources. Gender-based socio-economic vulnerabilities are among the most common barriers hinder women from having power over resources. The purpose of this study was to describe challenges of women’s access and control over resources as a factor of socio-economic vulnerabilities. To this end, qualitative descriptive research design was employed. Three (3) districts (Toke Kutaye, Chaliya, and Ambo) were selected through the convenience sampling method. Seven (7) kebeles from the three districts were selected by purposive sampling. Ninety-nine (99) elders, one hundred ten (110) women, and three (3) government gender office experts, total of 212 participants were participated in the study. Instruments for data collection were an in-depth interview, key informant interview, and FGD. Data were organized thematically and qualitative content and narrative analysis were made. It was found that early marriage, polygamy, gender-based lobar division, and abduction are socio-economic challenges for women to access and control over resources. The findings suggest encouraging policies against harmful traditional practices, discouraging social norms that negatively discriminate against women through offering education on human rights and public awareness creation, and accessing women to free education, free market, start-up projects, and locally available resources.

Keywords: Access, economic, gender, social, vulnerability

Indigenous Conflict Resolution Mechanisms among the Konso

Kansite Gellebo — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This article focuses on the judicial process and punishment in the indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms of the Konso people. The main objective is to analyze the jurisdiction process and punishment system in the indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms of the Konso people. The study was carried out in some of the villages registered by UNESCO, such as Gamoole, Dekato, Burjjo, Mecheke, Mechelo, Gelabo, and Darra, in October 2023. Elders who are more familiar with the indigenous Konso culture in general and the indigenous jurisdiction procedure in particular provided the data. The study collected and analyzed data using qualitative methods. The paper makes the case that the conflict resolution mechanism adheres to a number of jurisdictional procedures. It starts with submitting complaints and concludes with reconciliation. The type of offense and the response of the offender determine the level of punishment, ranging from simple verbal warnings to the death penalty. When cases are difficult to provide witnesses for, supernatural intervention through oath-making and curses is applied. The paper also identifies current threats to these indigenous judicial processes and punishment mechanisms, such as the influence of the modern legal system, the reluctance of the younger generation, the spread of Christianity, and the erosion of traditional values.

Keywords: Indigenous, Conflict, Jurisdiction, Punishment, Supernatural intervention

Interplay between Conditional Sentences and EFL University Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

Yonas Tamiru — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:43:12 +0300

Students’ critical thinking skills potentially support them to succeed in academic scenarios and to meet the goals of the curriculum. Assuring students’ critical thinking can help to yield problem-solving students. The current study explored the association between EFL university students’ knowledge of conditional sentences and their critical thinking skills. Specifically, the students’ level of conditional sentence knowledge and their critical thinking skills were studied. A correlational research design with mixed methods of data collection was used. 46 freshman students of Salale University took part in the study. A conditional sentences test, a critical thinking skills test, and an interview were used to collect relevant data. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to analyze students’ scores on the conditional sentences test and critical thinking skills test. Inferential statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, was used to analyze the relationship that exists between conditional sentences and critical thinking skills. Qualitative data was analyzed qualitatively to support the quantitative one. The Pearson correlation coefficient of the two tests (conditional sentences test and critical thinking skills test) was r = .949, p = .001, which was found to indicate a high degree of correlation between the two variables. Besides, the freshman students at Salale University demonstrated a high level of grammatical knowledge and critical thinking skills. The data gained from the interview showed that the students’ knowledge of conditional sentences is correlated with the critical thinking skills: making inferences, assumptions, and deductions; interpreting; and analyzing. Hence, practicing conditional sentences is promising to develop students’ skills of critical thinking.

Keywords: Critical thinking skills, Conditional sentences, problem-solving, English language proficiency