International Journal of Social Science Research and Review

Ideological Polarization and Democratic Fatigue in Contemporary India: Patterns, Implications, and Future Directions

2026-04-27T20:49:46+00:00

This article examines the growing intersection of ideological polarization, democratic fatigue, and external-economic influences in contemporary India. As the world’s largest democracy, India’s political and social landscape reflects both the vitality and strain of pluralism. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from political science, sociology, and media studies, the analysis explores competing ideological narratives. It discusses how left–right partisanship, religious and linguistic cleavages are reshaping public discourse and institutional trust. Empirical data from surveys, election studies, and policy reports reveal increasing voter cynicism, declining faith in institutions, and heightened affective polarization within both traditional and digital spaces. The study argues that while ideological diversity can enrich democratic deliberation, sustained polarization risks fragmenting civic cohesion and undermining the credibility of governance. External factors such as information manipulation, cyber interference, and concentrated media ownership further complicate the domestic landscape by amplifying selective narratives and fostering public distrust. Yet, the article also identifies resilience factors, judicial independence, civil society activism, and youth engagement that continue to uphold democratic continuity. Looking forward, three possible trajectories are proposed: democratic deepening, intensified fatigue, and a hybrid outcome where formal democracy persists amid social division. The discussion underscores the need for renewed civic education, media literacy, and inclusive institutional reform to ensure that India’s ideological diversity remains a source of democratic strength rather than fragmentation.

The Russian Geopolitical Imaginaries and the war on Ukraine

2026-04-27T20:49:46+00:00

This article analyzes how Russian elites construct geopolitical imaginaries of Ukraine that shape the perception of threat from the annexation of Crimea in 2014 to the ongoing war. Moving beyond mega-narratives such as NATO expansion, the study applies critical geopolitics to examine how spatial, historical, and civilizational narratives are deployed in political discourse to define territory, legitimacy, and adversaries. Using geopolitical discourse analysis of presidential speeches, doctrinal texts, and state media narratives, the article illustrates that Ukraine is imagined as a civilizational core, strategic buffer, and historical territory. These imaginaries affect policy choices, justify invasion, and normalize confrontation with the West. The findings demonstrate that Russia’s war in Ukraine is as much about the construction of space and identity in geopolitical terms as it is about material power, offering a nuanced insight on the impact of elite narratives and their policies

Feasibility of Decriminalizing Small-Quantity Drug Use in Bangladesh Considering Legal, Political and International Perspectives

2026-04-27T20:49:46+00:00

This study evaluates the feasibility of decriminalizing minor drug use in Bangladesh, taking into account legal, political, public health, and international viewpoints. Data was gathered by a quantitative method using a structured questionnaire from a varied group of participants, including legal experts, lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and members of the public. The results show that a lot of people support decriminalization, especially because it would ease the strain on the criminal justice system and put more emphasis on rehabilitation than punishment. But political opposition, worries about public safety, and not having enough rehabilitation services are still big problems that make it hard to make these changes. International models, especially those from Portugal and Uruguay, were shown to have a big effect on how people think. The paper indicates that although decriminalization presents potential advantages, it is imperative to tackle legal, political, and healthcare infrastructure constraints for effective policy transformation in Bangladesh.

Who Do We Trust? Attachment, Anthropomorphism, and Age in Human–AI Relations

2026-04-27T20:49:45+00:00

This study examined age-related differences in attachment styles, anthropomorphism, and trust in artificial intelligence. The primary aim was to examine emotional bonds and perceptions of AI systems change among adults at different developmental levels. A total of 92 participants aged 16 to 57 completed an online survey assessing attachment patterns, anthropomorphic perceptions, and trust in AI. Results indicated that younger adults demonstrated significantly higher levels of preoccupied (anxious) attachment compared to older groups. Trust in AI differed significantly across age groups, with middle-aged adults reporting the highest trust. Anthropomorphism did not significantly vary by age. Regression analysis showed that attachment styles did not significantly predict anthropomorphism overall, although dismissive attachment showed a modest individual association that should be interpreted cautiously due to the nonsignificant overall model. These findings suggest developmental differences in attachment anxiety and trust in AI, while anthropomorphic tendencies appear relatively stable across adulthood. However, given the modest sample size and cross-sectional design, findings should be interpreted cautiously and warrant replication in larger samples.

Managerial Discretion and Corporate Green Innovation

2026-04-27T20:49:45+00:00

As the central actors in corporate strategy formulation and resource allocation, managers exert a profound influence on a company’s green development. Against the backdrop of China’s policy-driven push for corporate green transformation, this study examines the impact of managerial discretion on corporate green innovation and its underlying mechanisms. Drawing on a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2014 to 2023, the analysis integrates agency theory and stewardship theory, focusing on the formal authority granted to Chief Executive Officer by their boards of directors. Empirical results indicate that managerial discretion exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with corporate green innovation: moderate power stimulates stewardship behavior among managers, thereby promoting green innovation, whereas excessive power induces agency problems, which in turn exerts a suppressing effect. Mechanism analysis reveals that R&D investment serves as a key transmission channel and itself exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with green innovation. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that this effect is more pronounced in state-owned enterprises and under conditions of high environmental uncertainty. Therefore, firms should reasonably delegate authority to management and actively establish monitoring mechanisms for green R&D investment thresholds to precisely enhance green innovation capabilities.

Mobility, Visibility, and Financial Autonomy among Tailoring Women: Evidence from Wayanad, Kerala

2026-04-27T20:49:45+00:00

This study examines the economic empowerment of tailoring women in Wayanad district, Kerala, by analysing variations across work-station and employment arrangements. Using primary data collected from 100 tailoring women, respondents are classified into three categories: home-based workers (n=30), self-owned shop operators (n=25), and wage labourers in others’ shops (n=45). Empowerment is conceptualised as a multidimensional construct and operationalised through mobility, visibility, and financial decision-making. A standardised composite empowerment index (0–1) is constructed by normalising domain scores and aggregating them using equal weights. The findings reveal a clear empowerment gradient across work settings. Self-owned shop tailors record the highest empowerment (0.77), characterised by stronger financial autonomy, higher public visibility, and greater market-oriented mobility. Home-based tailors demonstrate moderate empowerment (0.53), supported by financial agency but constrained by limited mobility and restricted market exposure. Wage labour tailors exhibit the lowest empowerment (0.38), reflecting weak financial autonomy and low individual visibility despite regular employment. The study demonstrates that ownership and control over the work environment are central to translating employment into sustained economic agency. By offering an occupation-specific multidimensional framework, the paper contributes to the literature on women’s economic empowerment in the informal sector and provides policy-relevant insights for strengthening enterprise ownership, financial autonomy, and market integration among women workers in rural economies.

The Effects of Human Rights of the Tea Plantation Workers: A study on Hamidia Tea Estate, Sylhet, Bangladesh

2026-04-27T20:49:45+00:00

What are the indicators of human rights acts and regulations that affect tea garden workers? The aim of this article is to explain the state of human rights of tea plantation workers, as often described as pathetic, but no concerted effort has yet been undertaken to promote the human rights condition as a whole in the tea plantation areas of Sylhet. The first tea garden was established in 1854 at Malnichhara in Sylhet. Sylhet is a place of tea gardens. Two other tea gardens, Lalchand and Matiranga, were established in 1860. Tea production in Sylhet increased with notable rapid growth. There are about three hundred thousand people working there, and 75% of the workers are female. Human rights are the fundamental rights in a democratic country. Every nation of the world must be active for the human rights of all citizens. In this study, it is highlighted the concept of human rights initially. Human rights-related laws are constructed for all workers. In a third-world country like Bangladesh, bottom-level workers face numerous problems and find themselves in a slavery place, which creates a big gap between the owner and workers' relations. In the earlier stage, workers led their lives with a miserable level of slavery. Tea is the most preferred beverage by millions of people across the whole world. Sometimes it is difficult to find available secondary sources.