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The article explores the notion that the devil causes people to commit deviant and criminal acts

A Nation Richly Endowed Ghana is richly blessed with natural and human resources. The country possesses some of the world's finest deposits of gold and diamonds. It is endowed with bauxite, manganese

Introduction One of the most profound pieces of wisdom in Ghanaian culture is the saying: "Good name is better than riches." The Akan version, "Din Pa Yɛ Sen Ahonya," conveys the same timeless messag

In Akan society in Ghana, a chief occupies a revered and sacred position. He is the custodian of the land, the representative of the ancestors, and the moral leader of the community. The stool symboli

In Ghana, cigarette smoking is strongly gendered. Men smoke; women generally do not. It is relatively rare to see a woman or young girl smoking in public, and when this does occur, it often attracts social disapproval. Women and girls who smoke may be labeled as morally deviant or associated with se

All human societies are governed by rules. These rules regulate behavior by defining what individuals may do and what they must refrain from doing. Without such rules, social life would be chaotic and unpredictable. In sociology, these rules are referred to as norms. Norms are the shared expectation

Rules, Laws, and Social Order All human societies are governed by rules. These rules regulate behavior by defining what individuals may do and what they must refrain from doing. Without such rules, social life would be chaotic, unpredictable, and ultimately unsustainable. Rules make social interacti

A taboo is an act so deeply forbidden that it provokes moral outrage, fear, or spiritual anxiety when violated. Taboos are cultural universals: every society draws invisible lines that must not be crossed. Yet these lines are not the same everywhere. What one society condemns as unthinkable may be o

Punishment is a central feature of every organized society, including Ghana. While rewards are designed to encourage conformity and socially approved behavior, punishment exists to negatively sanction deviant behavior. When individuals act in ways that align with societal norms, they are often rewar

Punishment is a central feature of every organized society. While rewards are designed to encourage conformity and socially approved behavior, punishment exists to negatively sanction deviant behavior. When individuals act in ways that align with societal norms, they are often rewarded through prais

Among the Akan of Ghana, naming is never a casual act. Names locate a person in time, history, morality, and the spiritual universe. One of the most distinctive Akan naming practices is the giving of day names (kradin), assigned according to the day of the week on which a child is born. These names

The article explores the negative impact of teasing in Ghanaian schools

A Disturbing Reality One only needs to read local newspapers or browse Ghana-based online news platforms to appreciate the disturbing frequency of child abuse cases occurring in homes across the coun

In traditional Ghanaian society, old age is not merely a biological stage of life; it is a position of honor, wisdom, and social responsibility. Elderly men and women occupy a special place within fam

Scholars who study society—sociologists, anthropologists, and others—have long observed that religion exists in every known culture. Because of this, religion is often described as a cultural universal. It is not limited to one people or place; it is a shared human experience. In today’s world, reli

An observable feature of Ghanaian social life is a recurring tendency toward silence in moments that might otherwise call for resistance or confrontation. Even when individuals experience clear forms of mistreatment, there is often a strong social and cultural pull toward restraint rather than actio

In every society, including Ghana, there exist disabled people living with various forms of disability. These disabilities take many shapes and forms. Some are physical, affecting mobility, sight, hearing, or bodily function. Others are mental or psychological, influencing cognition, emotional regul

Introduction Adinkra cloth is one of the most important traditional textiles of Ghana and a significant cultural expression among the Akan people, particularly the Asante. Unlike Kente cloth, which is woven, Adinkra cloth is made by stamping symbolic designs onto fabric using special dyes. The cloth

The growth of newspaper readership in the Gold Coast—modern-day Ghana—cannot be understood without examining the critical role played by nineteenth-century mission schools. These educational institutions, established by European Christian missions, were not only centers of religious instruction but

The Akan constitute one of the major ethnic groups in Ghana, accounting for approximately 46 percent of the national population. They speak Twi, a language that is understood and spoken by nearly 90 percent of the country’s population. The Akan are made up of several subgroups, including the Asante,

Rape and sexual assault are among the most serious crimes in Ghana, leaving victims with profound physical, emotional, and psychological scars. Despite public awareness campaigns and media reporting, sexual violence continues to occur in society, highlighting the urgent need for vigilance, education

In the past, Ghanaian marriages endured. Separation was rare and divorce uncommon. Today, however, marriages are dissolving at an alarming rate. The critical question is this: what can be done to fortify marriages and restore their durability? Many of the challenges confronting contemporary marriage

Every year, thousands of children in Ghana suffer abuse at the hands of those entrusted with their care—parents, guardians, and relatives. Reports of battered, neglected, and traumatized children frequently appear in the Ghanaian mass media, often accompanied by disturbing images and heartbreaking d

When Two Elephants Fight, the Earth Underneath Suffers Marriage is ideally meant to be a source of companionship, love, and emotional security between husband and wife. Yet in Ghana, as in many societies across the world, the promise of marital bliss is too often shattered by domestic violence, part

Cohabitation refers to an intimate arrangement in which a man and a woman live together in a shared residence without being formally married. While cohabitation has become increasingly common in many contemporary societies, it is generally frowned upon in Akan society and regarded as socially improp

No one is born with knowledge. Human beings are born with the capacity to learn, but what they eventually know—how they speak, think, behave, believe, and interpret the world—is acquired from society. Knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills are socially produced and socially transmitted. By the tim

Children are the future of every society. Yet Ghana faces a serious challenge if urgent steps are not taken to ensure that today’s children are properly guided and nurtured to grow into law-abiding and responsible citizens. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in juvenile delinquenc

In an age of rapid social change, urbanization, and shifting lifestyles, it is worth asking a simple but important question: What is a family, and why do we still need one? Despite changes in how people live and relate to one another, the family remains the most fundamental institution in every soci

Across Africa, myths and misunderstandings about bedwetting continue to affect children and families. In Ghana, many parents still believe that children who wet their beds at night are lazy or unwilling to wake up to urinate. As a result, some children are physically disciplined. In past decades, pa

The Neglect of Crime Victims For many decades, the study of crime was largely concerned with offenders. Criminologists focused their attention on criminals, criminal behavior, and the causes of crime

Are people born criminals, or do they learn to become criminal? Is there a “crime gene”? Can criminal behavior be inherited, or do people have control over their actions? These questions have intrigued scholars, parents, and the public for decades. Some people assume that crime is inherited. They lo

Oftentimes, in Africa, people conflate respect with fear, treating them as if they are interchangeable. Yet within Akan moral language, a clear distinction is maintained between fɛreɛ (respect) and suro (fear). To say “me fɛre wo” is fundamentally different from “me suro wo.” The former connotes est

The end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the nineteenth century is often presented in historical narratives as a clear moral victory led by European abolitionists. However, in reality, the process was complex, uneven, and frequently misrepresented—particularly in early newspapers and colonial re

Feminism Is Not a Dirty Word Sexism is wrong. It is prejudice and discrimination against people because of their sex or gender. In many societies, including Ghana, sexist attitudes are often directed at women and girls. These attitudes show up in everyday behavior—how women are spoken to, how their

Ghanaian society traditionally values respect for the elderly. Older people are regarded as repositories of wisdom, custodians of tradition, and moral anchors of the family. Yet beneath this ideal lies a troubling reality: many elderly persons in Ghana experience neglect, abuse, and profound social

Among the Akan people of Ghana, names are more than labels—they are living symbols of heritage, identity, social bonds, and spiritual connection. Akan naming traditions reflect a society where lineage, ancestry, and morality are woven into the very words that identify a person. Origins of Akan Surna

In many Ghanaian communities, accusations of witchcraft generate intense moral outrage and social hostility. Persons believed to be malevolent witches are frequently subjected to verbal abuse, physical assault, forced displacement, and, in extreme cases, extrajudicial killing (Adinkrah, 2004, 2015).

Witchcraft is commonly understood in Ghana as a supernatural power believed to be possessed by some individuals, enabling them to influence the behavior, health, fortune, or misfortune of others—either as victims or beneficiaries. Belief in witchcraft and witches remains widespread and deeply embedd

Every society has norms, which are rules that guide behavior. One important norm in Ghana concerns the use of the left hand in social interactions. Traditionally in Ghana, using the left hand in social interactions can be problematic. Giving something to someone or receiving something with the left

Suicide is defined as death resulting from self-directed harmful behavior carried out with the intent to die. A suicidol

Ghana is a country with a rich and vibrant cultural heritage. Long before the arrival of Europeans, the people who inhabited the territory now known as Ghana had developed sophisticated political syst

Introduction A society is often judged not by how it treats its rich, powerful, and influential citizens, but by how it treats its weakest and most vulnerable members. Children, the elderly, and pers

Introduction Lethal violence is a starkly gendered phenomenon. Globally, men are overwhelmingly the primary victims and perpetrators of homicide, typically driven by street crime, gang rivalries, and

Introduction In today's world, research has become an important part of national development. Governments, universities, hospitals, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international agencies r

Asase Yaa, in the indigenous religion of the Akan people, is regarded as the great female spirit of the earth. She occupies a position of honor and importance second only to Nyankopon, the Creator. Th

witchcraft

pet ownership

Conspicuous Consumption and the Funeral Arena The term “conspicuous consumption” was coined by the American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen in his classic work The Theory of the Leisure Cl

Understanding One of Ghana’s Most Enduring Social Questions Research on witchcraft in Ghana spans nearly a century and reflects the country’s continuing struggle to understand belief, accusation, fea

For centuries, Ghana has stood at the crossroads of global cultural encounters. Long before the modern era of globalization, the land now called Ghana was already a bustling center of trade and intera

When historians discuss the global spread of football, the story is often told through familiar names and places: English schools, British sailors, South American ports, and European clubs. Yet hidden

King of Highlife, Nana Ampadu Among the pantheon of Ghanaian musicians who shaped the soundscape of modern West African music, few names command the reverence accorded to Nana Kwame Ampadu I. A compo

From Childhood Fascination to Lifelong Pacifism My father used to tell us stories about the Second World War. As children, we listened with a mixture of awe and excitement. The accounts of military a

A Mother with Sixteen Children to Raise Growing up in Ghana in the 1970s, my mother taught her eight biological children and eight non-biological children the enduring virtues of self-reliance, hard work, and personal dignity. She was a woman of uncommon wisdom who believed that excessive dependence

There are football matches that end with a scoreline, and there are matches that never truly end. The 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final between Ghana national football team and Uruguay national football team belongs firmly in the second category. More than fifteen years later, the image still burns

The world today is full of religions. By merely casting a cursory glance around us, we encounter Christians and Christianity, Hindus and Hinduism, Muslims and Islam, atheists, agnostics, traditionalists, Zionists, Jews and Judaism, Confucianists and Confucianism, Shintos and Shintoism. Religion, as

Sociologists define religion as a system of shared beliefs and practices through which people relate to what they consider sacred or supernatural. In simple terms, religion helps people make sense of life, death, and the world beyond what we can see. A Cultural Universal One important idea in sociol

Introduction The question of whether the criminalization of witchcraft accusations would have any meaningful impact in Ghana requires careful and systematic analysis. At present, witchcraft accusations are largely non-criminal, meaning there are no specific laws prohibiting individuals from accusing

With colonialism came missionaries who sought to convert Africans to Christianity and, in the process, reshape African ways of life. This encounter was not culturally neutral. It involved a systematic attempt—sometimes subtle, often overt—to redefine African identity, values, and social institutions

Origins and Cultural Heritage Professor Dr. Mensah Adinkrah, Professor of Sociology, Criminology, and Criminal Justice, is a native of Kwahu-Nkwatia in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Kwahu (also rendered as Kwawu) refers both to a geographical area and to a distinct Akan subgroup inhabiting the region

Marxism, as developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, is a theoretical framework that seeks to explain the organization, functioning, and transformation of society, particularly under conditions of capitalism. Class Structure: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat At the center of Marxist analysis is a dis

“Reparation” as an idea or concept refers to the act of making amends for a wrong or injury—especially by providing compensation, restitution, or other forms of redress to those who have been harmed. In its simplest sense, reparation means “repairing the damage” caused by an injustice. In more forma

Men and boys are frequently victims of homicide, yet discussions of lethal violence often overlook the specific contexts in which they are targeted. Scholars of homicide and lethal violence have developed a range of terms to describe killings based on the relationship between victim and offender, as

Politics, at its core, is a struggle over resources, influence, and authority. While much of political competition is expressed through negotiation, elections, and policymaking, history shows that the pursuit of power can also result in extreme acts, including the deliberate taking of human life. Ho

Robert Mensah: A Football Story and Tragedy in the Ghanaian Football In the annals of Ghanaian sporting history, few names evoke as much reverence, myth, and sorrow as Robert Mensah. His story is not merely about football; it is a narrative woven into the socio-cultural fabric of late colonial Gold

Kente cloth is one of the most famous traditional textiles of West Africa and is strongly associated with Ghana. It is a handwoven cloth made from narrow strips of silk or cotton that are stitched together to form a larger fabric. The cloth is distinguished by its brilliant colors, geometric pattern

The early years of Ghana’s independence, particularly between 1957 and the mid-1960s, reveal the gradual emergence of state control over the media. While independence initially generated optimism about press freedom, archival newspaper records, government policies, and editorial patterns show that s

Among the Akan people of Ghana, pouring libation is one of the most important traditional religious practices. It is a solemn ritual through which people communicate with the spiritual world. The act symbolizes reverence for the ancestors, recognition of the Supreme Being, and a request for protecti

During the colonial period in the Gold Coast—modern-day Ghana—newspapers were not merely instruments of public communication; they were powerful tools of governance and political control. Colonial governors recognized early that controlling the flow of information was essential for maintaining autho

The Slave Trade and Demographic Devastation When we talk about Africa today—its borders, its languages, its religions, its politics—we are also talking about colonialism. The Africa we know in the twenty-first century did not emerge naturally from the past. It was profoundly shaped by centuries of f

The concept of “chiefs’ consent” occupies a central place in the colonial history of the Gold Coast, present-day Ghana. Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, colonial authorities frequently claimed that African chiefs willingly agreed to treaties, land concessions, and administrat

The history of slavery and abolition in the area now known as Ghana is deeply intertwined with global economic systems, imperial expansion, African political structures, and the emergence of print journalism as a powerful instrument of public opinion. From the fifteenth century through the nineteent

Recent reports in the Ghanaian media have once again drawn attention to a disturbing and persistent problem: the murder, attempted murder, and lynching of women accused of practicing witchcraft. These incidents are often shocking in their brutality and tragic in their consequences. They also raise a

Africa is still the “dark continent” to many people. In spite of its immense size, large population, vast mineral and agricultural resources, militarily strategic location, and tremendous development potential, Africa is undeniably the most misunderstood continent. Very few non-natives of the contin

Violence against persons accused of witchcraft remains a troubling reality in parts of Ghana. Although our nation prides itself on hospitality, communal solidarity, and deep respect for human dignity, allegations of witchcraft too often trigger acts of cruelty that contradict these cherished values.

Littering is a serious problem in Ghana. Across cities, towns, and rural communities, many people indiscriminately throw away empty drink bottles, plastic containers, plastic wraps, paper, and leftover food on the ground. Streets, gutters, open spaces, and markets are increasingly turned into inform

Children and the Future of the Nation Children are the future of every society. When a nation fails to nurture and guide its children properly, it mortgages its own future. Ghana today faces a troubling situation: unless deliberate efforts are made to mould children into disciplined, responsible, an

Irresponsible alcohol consumption has become a growing social problem in Ghana, with serious consequences for individuals, families, and communities. Some drinkers spend a large proportion of their income on alcohol, leaving little or nothing for basic necessities such as food, clothing, rent, medic

Life on the Streets: A Visible Social Failure On the streets of Ghana, many people living with mental illness wander without care, shelter, or dignity. Some are dressed in dirty, tattered clothing; others are barely clothed, and a few are completely naked. Their presence is a visible reminder of a d

In the past, Ghanaian marriages were widely regarded as enduring unions. Separations were rare, and divorce was uncommon. Marriages were expected to last a lifetime, sustained not only by the couple but also by their extended families and lineages. Today, however, the situation has changed dramatica

Widespread Beliefs in GhostsAlthough no large-scale self-report study has been conducted on belief in ghosts in Ghana, it is fair to say that belief in ghosts or apparitions is widespread across the country. These beliefs are especially strong among the Akan of southern Ghana, where ideas about deat

Polygamy refers to a marital arrangement in which a person is permitted to have two or more spouses at the same time. Although the term polygamy is often used loosely in everyday conversation, sociologists and anthropologists make important distinctions among its different forms. There are two main

Sociologists use the term ableism to describe prejudice, discrimination, and social exclusion directed against persons with disabilities. The terms ablism and disablism are also used in the scholarly literature to refer to the same phenomenon, namely, the systematic disadvantaging of people whose bo

In Ghana, there exists a long-standing practice in which some parents send their children to live with other families as househelps. While this arrangement is often justified as a strategy for providing children with better opportunities, it has, in many cases, become a source of profound exploitati

Some call it mob justice. Others describe it as instant justice or vigilante justice. But where, indeed, is the justice when a person is beaten, maimed, or killed without a proper trial or lawful conviction by the legally constituted justice system of the land? Every year in Ghana, scores of individ

A visitor to Ghana will quickly notice something striking on the roads: commercial motor vehicles speak. Tro-tros, buses, taxis, and long-distance vehicles often carry inscriptions—short messages painted boldly on the body of the vehicle. These inscriptions may appear on the back of the vehicle, acr

Newspapers occupy an important place in Ghanaian society. Long before the rise of social media and online news platforms, newspapers were the primary source of information for the public. Even today, despite digital competition, newspapers continue to serve critical social, political, educational, a

In Ghana, success is loudly celebrated, quietly envied, and endlessly debated. Yet, beneath the noise of social media displays, church testimonies, political slogans, and family expectations lies a deeper question we rarely pause to ask ourselves honestly: what does success truly mean to you? Not to

Almost everyone dreams of success. From childhood, we are taught to aspire, to achieve, and to “make it” in life. Parents encourage their children to succeed, communities celebrate successful people, and society often rewards those it considers accomplished. But an important question remains: What d

In Ghana today, many parents encourage their children to speak English, sometimes at the expense of local languages. This trend is common not only in Ghana but also among Ghanaian families living abroad. While parents may believe that prioritizing English will make their children academically bright

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Ghana. According to the 2024 Tourism Report published by the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana welcomed 1,288,804 international visitors in 2024. The country continues to promote tourism in order to expand the industry and increase its benefits. This raises an im

Prostitution is commonly defined as the exchange of sex for money. People who engage in prostitution provide sexual services in return for payment. A related question is whether exchanging sex for material items other than cash should also be considered prostitution. Some people say yes, others say

Written by Mensah Adinkrah, Ph.D. Ritual murder is the killing of a person with the intention of using the victim’s blood, body, or body parts to perform rituals or prepare what is often described as “medicine” for personal gain. It is one of the most heinous crimes anyone can commit. Taking another

Corporal punishment is when an adult uses physical force to discipline or control a child, with the aim of causing pain, though not serious injury. In simple terms, it means hurting a child’s body to punish them. Examples of corporal punishment include beating or caning, slapping or spanking, whippi

In 1858, Charles Bannerman — the son of a British lieutenant governor and an Asante princess — founded the Accra Herald, recognized as the first African-produced newspaper in West Africa. Unlike the colonial-run press, this handwritten paper reached primarily African readers, circulating among some

📰 Covered later by: Gold Coast Gazette, missionary newsletters The signing of the Bond of 1844 between Fante chiefs and the British Crown formalized colonial judicial authority in the Gold Coast. Though newspapers were limited at the time, later colonial press publications referenced the Bond as th