The International Journal of Humanities
Volume:32 Issue: 2, Spring 2025

Atiq Rahimi’s The Patience Stone explores the gendered experience of trauma inthe context of war-torn Afghanistan, offering a poignant narrative that subvertsEurocentric models of witnessing and representation. This paper examines howRahimi’s unnamed female protagonist becomes both the subject and narrator ofsuffering, transforming her voicelessness into a radical act of resistance. Drawingon trauma theory, particularly the works of Cathy Caruth and Geoffrey Hartman,the study reveals how trauma resists linear narration and instead manifests throughfragmented recollection and delayed articulation. Furthermore, the novel’sallusion to the Persian myth of the "patience stone" (Sang-e Sabur) symbolizes thecultural localization of trauma, resisting its translation into universal Westernpsychological discourse. The analysis critiques the imperialist and patriarchalstructures exposed by the Soviet-Afghan War and its aftermath, contextualizingfemale suffering within broader socio-political and historical frameworks.Through the protagonist’s confessional monologues and acts of defiance, Rahimiinterrogates both personal and collective trauma, foregrounding the resilience ofmarginalized voices. By centering a silenced Afghan woman as a narrative agent,The Patience Stone reclaims storytelling as a site of resistance and redefinesheroism through endurance, self-expression, and the confrontation of systemicviolence.

Student attrition is a persistent challenge in higher education, and it can beespecially acute in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program where languagedemands and social integration pressures compound typical academic barriers.Evidence from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq remains limited, leaving localinstitutions without targeted guidance on retention. The research aimed to identifymain academic, personal, and institutional factors that influence students’decisions to withdraw, focusing on both attrited and non-attrited undergraduateEFL students. A mixed-methods approach was employed, which combined thequantitative data from a self-reported questionnaire that was administered to bothgroups and the qualitative information from semi-structured interviews withattrited students. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 27) for descriptive andinferential statistics, while thematic content analysis was applied to interviewresponses. The results revealed that academic challenges, such as outdatedteaching methods and limited faculty support, were important contributors toattrition. Personal factors, including financial difficulties and familyresponsibilities, also had an important role, alongside institutional shortcomingssuch as inefficient administrative processes and a lack of campus community.These findings emphasize the multifaceted nature of student attrition and providepractical information for institutions who want to improve student retention rates.Universities can create supportive environment that fosters student success andpersistence by addressing both academic and non-academic challenges.

Tepe Khodai is located in the central part of Sonqor, about 8.80 meters above thesurrounding agricultural land. Besides determining the area and proposing theboundaries of the site, achieving the extent of the site across different ancientperiods, preventing further destruction by illegal diggers, implementing astratigraphic program, and developing long-term plans for the site and an agendawas established to address these issues. Questions were raised regarding the sizeand extent of the site in different ancient periods, as well as how the culturalevidence from these periods was formed. The systematic survey of the siterevealed that over 70% of the original estimated area (13,200 m²) has beendestroyed, compared to the remaining "healthy" part. Sixteen trenches werearranged in two rows: the first row consisted of trenches 001 to 008, and thesecond row included trenches 009 to 016.  The size of the site was determined bythe excavated trenches. Due to the site's topography and the lack of nearby naturalor human-made structures, there were no complications affecting this task. Thelevel 1 area and the tape’s privacy based on the excavated trenches is 8,780 squaremeters, while the boundary line of the site is 24246 square meters. The studyrevealed that this site holds valuable cultural artefacts from various periods,including the Chalcolithic, Bronze, Historical, and Islamic eras. It featuressignificant artefacts from notable cultures in the Zagros and Northwestern Iranregions, such as Dalma, Seh Gabi, and Kura-Araxes/Early Trans-Caucasian(ETC), from the 1st millennium BC onward. Furthermore, the site's suitableenvironmental conditions illuminate various cultural changes that occurred duringthe Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages in the region. By examining the sequence of itsdistinct cultural periods, it will be possible to review and revise several aspects ofthe chronology pertaining to the eastern Zagros region.

Although the concepts of "media," "economic crisis," and "public opinion" aretheoretically distinct, they are practically interrelated. Media is defined by itsobjective characteristics, whereas public opinion is inherently subjective. Intoday's era, marked by the expansion of mass media and increased literacy amongthe populace, society is witnessing the emergence of new phenomena collectivelyreferred to as public opinion. This research aims to develop a paradigmatic modeldesigned to alleviate the impacts of public opinion inversion during times ofeconomic crisis. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and acomprehensive literature review. The statistical population included 300professionals involved in the stock market, media, and public relations. Throughthe snowball sampling technique, 15 experts were selected for the study sample,and their interviews were analyzed using the grounded theory framework. Acomprehensive analysis of the interview data yielded 279 statements, which weresystematically organized into 76 concepts and 11 primary categories during theopen coding phase. This was followed by the application of axial and selectivecoding techniques to elucidate the interconnections among these categories,ultimately resulting in the creation of a paradigmatic model. The findings of thisstudy indicate that the government, as the principal actor in the economic arena,significantly influences the cultivation of public trust regarding the capital marketand the inversion of public opinion. By implementing effective media andeconomic policies and improving managerial communication and the provision ofscientifically supported economic information, the government is well-positionedto counteract the phenomenon of public opinion inversion

Global translator training increasingly emphasizes alignment with internationalcompetency frameworks, such as the European Master's in Translation (EMT)2022 framework. However, the extent to which Iranian undergraduate andgraduate translation programs meet these standards is unclear. To address this gap,this study systematically benchmarks official Iranian BA and MA translationcurricula against the EMT framework. Using official curriculum documents fromIran, document analysis and gap analysis were conducted across the five EMTcompetence areas (Language and Culture, Translation, Technology, Personal andInterpersonal, and Service Provision). Many required courses emphasize linguistictheory and bilingual practice, aligning closely with the EMT's Language andCulture and Translation competence domains. The analysis revealed robustcoverage of these language/cultural and translation competencies, indicatingstrong alignment in these areas. In contrast, significant deficiencies emerged inthe integration of translation technology, service provision training, andpersonal/interpersonal (professional) skills. These findings, derived solely fromformal curriculum documents, may not fully reflect actual classroom practice orrecent instructional initiatives. The results underscore the need for targetedcurriculum reforms in Iranian translator education—incorporating technologicaltraining, service-oriented competencies, and professional skills—to align withinternational standards and enhance graduates' competitiveness in global markets.

Shame, as a fundamental self-conscious emotion, operates beyond an individualfeeling in collectivist cultures such as Iran, playing a significant role in regulatingsocial behaviour. The present study aimed to explain and model the structure offactors influencing the socialization of shame among adolescent girls. Thisexploratory mixed-methods research was conducted within an inductive–deductive framework. In the qualitative phase, factors influencing thesocialization of shame were identified through semi-structured interviews withgirls aged 12 to 15. In the quantitative phase, to validate and analyse therelationships among these factors, the perspectives of psychology experts andschool counsellors were examined using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM).Findings revealed that fourteen factors, organized across seven hierarchicallevels, contribute to the formation and transmission of shame. At the foundationallevels, Cultural Norms, Religious–Moral Teachings, and Body Image Issues wereidentified as the most influential factors, whereas Parenting Strategies inSocialization and Emotional Intelligence Education showed the highest level ofsusceptibility. Additionally, Internalization of Shame and Suppression ofAuthenticity were recognized as intermediary and driving factors. The resultsindicate that the socialization of shame in adolescent girls is a multi-level,dynamic process shaped by the interaction of cultural, familial, and individualfactors. These findings provide a foundation for developing preventive andeducational interventions in families, schools, and cultural institutions totransform maladaptive experiences of shame into constructive emotionalprocesses that foster a positive sense of identity.