Vol. 7 No. 2 (2025)

July–December 2025

In this edition, AIJOSH presents seven scholarly articles that explore the intersections of language, education, cultural identity, gender, religion, and social transformation. Drawing on diverse disciplinary perspectives and research settings, the contributions demonstrate how communities negotiate changing social circumstances while preserving, questioning, and reinterpreting the values that shape their collective lives. From foreign-language learning in Indonesian schools and women's economic participation in coastal communities to literary representations of gender, religious conflict, and cross-cultural expressions of belonging, this issue highlights the continuing relevance of social sciences and humanities research to contemporary challenges.

The opening article, “German Children's Literature for Foreign Language Literacy and Character Education,” by Andina Meutia Hawa and colleagues, examines the educational potential of children's literature in supporting German-language learning and character development. Focusing on the story Ginting und Ganteng in a learning context at SMA YARI Padang, the study illustrates how literary narratives can introduce vocabulary while creating opportunities for students to reflect on personal and social values. By connecting linguistic competence with character education, the article encourages a more integrated understanding of foreign-language teaching, in which literature serves not merely as reading material but also as a medium for meaningful learning experiences.

Moving from the classroom to the coastal economy, “From Tradition to Innovation: Economic Transformation and Women’s Empowerment in Pusong Lama Fishing Village,” by Mujiburrahman and colleagues, investigates the relationship between traditional livelihoods, local economic innovation, and women's participation in community development. Through the processing and marketing of keumamah, a traditional fish-based food product, the study explores how women in Pusong Lama, Aceh, contribute to household income and the transformation of local economic activities. The article brings attention to women's productive roles within fishing communities and demonstrates how established culinary knowledge can become a resource for economic adaptation and empowerment.

The third contribution, “The Use of Conceptual Metonymy in Indonesian Football News,” by Nehemia Anugrah Parasian and Mulyadi, turns to the relationship between language and public communication. Using a cognitive-semantic perspective, the authors investigate how metonymic expressions operate in Indonesian football reporting. Their analysis draws attention to the ways journalists employ linguistic associations to represent teams, players, institutions, and sporting events. Beyond identifying patterns of figurative language, the article illustrates how news discourse shapes readers' understanding of football through familiar conceptual relationships, contributing to broader discussions of meaning-making in contemporary media.

Historical perspectives on gender and representation are developed in “Gender Equality in the Early Twentieth Century,” by Risa Junita Sari and Wannofri Samry. Examining literary works published in the Peranakan Chinese periodical Doenia Baroe in 1930, the authors explore how questions of women's status and gender equality were articulated within the social and cultural circumstances of the period. The study positions literature and the press as important sources for understanding historical debates about women's roles, expectations, and opportunities. In doing so, it demonstrates how cultural texts can reveal both the possibilities and limitations of changing gender consciousness in early twentieth-century society.

The fifth article, “Faith, Apostasy, and Inner Conflict of Kakure Kirishitan in Martin Scorsese’s Silence,” by Hanna Fauziyyah and Rima Devi, investigates the tensions between religious conviction, persecution, and individual conscience as represented in film. Focusing on the experiences of Japan's hidden Christians, or Kakure Kirishitan, the study considers how the narrative of Silence portrays the difficult choices confronting believers under coercive circumstances. Its examination of faith, apostasy, and psychological conflict offers insight into the complex relationship between religious identity and the pressures exerted by political and social authority. The article also demonstrates the value of cinematic narratives as objects of inquiry into historical memory and moral experience.

Questions of gender justice and institutional responsibility continue in “Implementing CEDAW to Address Violence against Women and Children in Australia,” by Azzahirah Iffat Yusrifa and Januari Pratama Nurratri Trisnaningtyas. The article examines Australia's implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), with particular attention to policy responses to violence against women and children during 2023–2024. By considering the relationship between international commitments and domestic implementation, the study identifies challenges associated with governmental coordination and the effectiveness of policy measures. It underscores the importance of examining not only formal commitments to gender equality but also the institutional conditions that influence their practical outcomes.

Concluding the issue, “An Anthropolinguistic Analysis of Cultural Values and Social Structure in the Traditional Songs Kampuang Nan Jauah di Mato and Furusato,” by Imelda Indah Lestari, Darni Enzimar Putri, and Rumbardi, offers a comparative exploration of cultural expression in Minangkabau and Japanese societies. Through an anthropolinguistic reading of two traditional songs, the authors investigate how language communicates ideas of homeland, belonging, social relationships, and cultural values. Although the songs emerge from different linguistic and cultural settings, their comparison provides a productive perspective on the ways collective memory and attachment to place are expressed through musical traditions. The article closes the issue by reaffirming the significance of language and cultural heritage in sustaining social identity across generations.

Taken together, the seven articles reveal the breadth of contemporary inquiry in the social sciences and humanities. Despite their different research objects and disciplinary approaches, they share an interest in how individuals and communities interpret their experiences, respond to social change, and construct meaning through education, economic practices, media, literature, policy, religion, and cultural expression. This diversity reflects AIJOSH's commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship that connects locally grounded research with wider academic conversations.

The Editorial Team extends its sincere appreciation to all contributing authors for their scholarly work and to the reviewers whose careful assessments have supported the quality of this issue. We hope these contributions will encourage further research, critical discussion, and productive exchanges among scholars, educators, policymakers, and readers interested in the evolving relationship between society, history, language, and culture.

Editor-in-Chief