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Volume 2 Number 2 February 2016

Awareness of University Students in Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam about Problem-Solving Skills


Authors: Huynh Van Son ; Nguyen Vinh Khuong ; Nguyen Thi Diem My
Pages: 44-47
Abstract
The article mentions the awareness of university students in Ho Chi Minh City about problem-solving skills. The analytical result shows that awareness of the concept, role, implementation steps, and problem solving skills of students is still low. It should take measures to enhance the awareness of students about problem-solving skills.

Rise of Radical Islamic Fundamentalism: Mawdudi, Qutb and Faraj


Authors: Jan-Erik Lane
Pages: 34-43
Abstract
The turbulence and political instability in several key Muslim countries have now global consequences, as thousands of Moslems leave their countries, because they cannot live or even survive there. This is an enormous shame for the huge Islamic civilization, harbouring more than 1 billion believers in the prophet Mohammed. It should be pointed out that the coordination bodies in the Islamic civilisation – the Arab League and the Muslim Conference – have done little to stop the on-going civil wars and horrific political violence. Similarly, the rich Gulf States offer no help for refugees, turning instead to the EU with its protection for human rights. How can we understand this collapse of the Koranic civilisation? The ultimate reason is the rise of Islamic fundamentalism within the Sunni community during the 20th century. And it will not disappear soon. Islamic terrorism against Westerners, Shias, religious minorities in the Middle East could not have occurred on the present scale, if it did not have legitimation among radical fundamentalism. To understand the major changes in Islamic political thought and Koranic religion, one must go to the three men who reinterpreted Islam along radical new fundamentalism, namely Mawdudi (islamisation) (India-Pakistan), Qutb (caliphate) and Faraj (jihad) (Egypt).Their books and pamphlets are studied all over the Koranic civilisation, which is much larger than Arabia. The three inspired Ben Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri (Al Qaeda) as well as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (ISIL) and Abu Bakr_al-Baghdad (ISIS).

Finding Solutions to Africa?s Pro-Poor Growth for Development: A Case Study of Lesotho


Authors: Khali Mofuoa
Pages: 23-33
Abstract
Pro-poor growth has become a very popular topic among development practitioners in Africa. Consequently, there is growing recognition that in pursuing a pro-poor agenda for development, Africa could get out of her socio-economic development quagmire. In the pro-poor agenda, what matters is the degree to which economic growth provides opportunities for the poor, and the extent to which the poor can take advantage of those opportunities. This emerging agenda is more holistic and broader than the previous agenda, which often focused mainly on supporting enterprises considered important for the poor. Experience has shown some shortcomings with such interventions, which have sometimes created market distortions or not been sustainable as a result of attempts to “pick winners” or to use public sector agencies or donors to provide services.  Despite this recognition, however, overall performance of Africa has been dismal in developing specific pro-poor policy strategies that can enable her to achieve sustained pro-poor growth. Using Lesotho as a case study, the paper explores the experience of Africa in pursuing pro-poor growth agenda with the view to recommend specific policy strategies that are based on the available evidence which will enable her to achieve a sustained pro-poor growth for her development path. The paper uses information taken from books, journals, official reports, newspapers and internet research on pro-poor growth.  In reading the books, journal articles, newspapers and reports, the author selected material that is relevant to pro-poor growth debate. The author’s knowledge of Lesotho–where he lived, studied and worked–informed the writing of this paper as well as discussions on the concept of pro-poor growth with specific relevance to Lesotho as a case study for pro-poor growth debates in Africa.