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An Opinion and Advice Column One of the first English idioms I learned after moving to North America—first to Canada and later to the United States—was the expression "get your ducks in a row." At th

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

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

Introduction Among Ghana’s sixteen administrative regions, few possess the historical significance, educational prominence, and cultural richness of the Central Region. Located along Ghana’s southern

Ghana has made substantial progress in literacy over the past several decades, yet the country has not achieved universal literacy. According to recent UNESCO and World Bank data, approximately 76–81%

Introduction One of the greatest challenges confronting African countries today is the phenomenon known as "brain drain." Every year, thousands of highly educated and skilled Africans leave their hom

Ghana is often celebrated as one of Africa’s most peaceful and culturally vibrant nations. From the bustling markets of Accra to the fishing communities along the coast, from the savannah settlements

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

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

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

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

Femicide refers to the intentional killing of females because they are female. It is widely recognized within criminology and gender studies as a distinct form of homicide, shaped by gender inequality, power imbalances, and cultural norms. Scholars of homicide and lethal violence use several related

Introduction: The Hidden Face of Family ViolenceHomicide refers to the killing of one person by another, and within this broad category lies a deeply troubling subset known as family homicide, which involves the killing of one family member by another. Although the family is often idealized as a hav

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

Along the wind-carved coastline of southern Ghana, among the Fante, physical games were never idle diversions. They were social rehearsals—training grounds for endurance, hierarchy, and communal rhythm. Two in particular—Atentam and Osibir—stand out in the historical record. Atentam derives from the

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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