Journal of Asia Social Science Studies

The Nepal Model and Politics After Public Discontent: The Transition of Power in a Fragile State Under Pressure from the Younger Generation

Surachai Tongluachai — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This article examines Nepal’s contemporary political transformation through the lens of structural discontent in a fragile state following the transition from monarchy to republic. It focuses on the role of youth-led movements in disrupting established power balances and the state’s response through what has come to be described as the “Nepal Model,” characterized by interim politics, elite accommodation, and efforts to restore state legitimacy. Drawing on theories of fragile states, democratic transition, and social movement studies—particularly digital activism and networked protest—the article argues that Nepal’s political trajectory cannot be understood through a linear transition paradigm from authoritarianism to democratic consolidation. Instead, it represents an ongoing process of crisis management and the institutionalized management of public dissatisfaction. The analysis demonstrates that youth movements, especially those driven by Generation Z, have played a significant role in reshaping political agendas and challenging elite-dominated legitimacy structures. Although these movements have not yet translated their social mobilization into sustained institutional reforms, they have exerted substantial structural pressure on the state and political elites.

In this context, the “Nepal Model” should not be interpreted as a successful model of democratic transition. Rather, it functions as a mechanism for managing dissent within a fragile political system, enabling state survival without deep structural transformation. The article proposes broadening the analytical framework of contemporary political studies to focus on the state’s capacity to manage structural discontent and on youth movements as long-term challengers to political legitimacy in developing and post-transition states.

Holistic Learning Design for Developing 21st Century Skills among Secondary School Students

Prapas Luechainam — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Rapid transformations in technology, economy, and society in the twenty-first century have created significant challenges for educational systems in preparing learners with competencies required for the modern world. Traditional content-based instruction alone is no longer sufficient to develop learners’ critical thinking, communication, and social responsibility. This article aims to (1) analyze and synthesize the concepts of holistic learning and learning design in the context of twenty-first century education, (2) connect these concepts with the framework of twenty-first century skills, and (3) propose a Holistic Learning Design (HLD) framework for developing competencies among secondary school students. This study adopts a conceptual research approach through a systematic review and synthesis of relevant academic literature. The synthesis reveals that holistic learning design can systematically support the development of twenty-first century skills. The proposed HLD model consists of four interconnected stages: Integration, Experience, Reflection, and Transformation. These stages function as a holistic learning cycle that encourages learners to connect academic knowledge with real-life experiences, engage in reflective thinking, and develop competencies that include critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and social responsibility. The critical discussion further highlights that implementing holistic learning design within the Thai educational system requires structural and cultural changes, including redefining teachers’ roles as learning designers, fostering professional learning communities within schools, and supporting educational policies that emphasize competency-based learning. The article concludes that holistic learning design provides an important framework for transforming learning processes toward a more balanced development of knowledge, thinking, and social values, ultimately contributing to the formation of responsible and future-ready citizens.

The Impact of Low-Quality AI-Generated Content on Information Credibility in the Digital Sphere

Somporn Name-in, Chatree Suksabay, Aphidej Supha — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This article aims to examine the impact of low-quality AI-generated content, termed "AI Slop," on information credibility in the digital sphere, while analyzing its driving factors, dissemination mechanisms, and proposing systematic countermeasures. Using analysis and synthesis of relevant academic literature and scholarly documents, the study found that AI Slop progresses through four developmental stages: initial excitement, habituation, saturation and clutter, and cloying disgust. Drawing on Information Overload Theory, Signal-to-Noise Ratio concepts, and Media Ecology Theory, the study explains how low-quality content erodes the information ecosystem. Key characteristics of low-quality AI content include repetitiveness, confidently presented misinformation (hallucinations), lack of deep logical coherence, and mass production at near-zero cost. These characteristics generate impacts across three primary dimensions: economically, devaluing creative labor and disrupting traditional business models; socially, eroding trust and accelerating an epistemic crisis; and psychologically, inducing cognitive fatigue and undermining critical thinking skills. The principal driving forces stem from the convergence of easily accessible technology, an attention economy that rewards volume over quality, and platform algorithms that inadvertently amplify low-quality content. Effective integrated countermeasures must encompass three areas: developing AI detection tools and content provenance standards at the technological level; reforming algorithms and enacting transparency legislation at the policy level; and promoting digital and AI literacy at the educational level, in order to cultivate a sustainable and trustworthy digital information ecosystem.

Instructional Leadership and Teachers’ Professional Learning in Private Higher Education Colleges: A Moderated Mediation Model

Ntapat Worapongpat — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Instructional leadership has been widely recognized as a key factor influencing teachers’ professional learning. However, limited research has examined the underlying mechanisms through which instructional leadership affects professional learning in private higher education colleges. This study aimed to investigate the effects of instructional leadership on teachers’ professional learning by proposing a moderated mediation model, in which teacher commitment served as a mediating variable and collective teacher efficacy functioned as a moderating variable.This study employed a quantitative research design using a cross-sectional survey. The sample consisted of 563 full-time teachers from selected private higher education colleges, including Thongsook College, Siam Technology College, and Dusit Thani College. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on validated scales. The measurement model was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and the hypothesized relationships were tested through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Mediation and moderation effects were examined using bootstrapping techniques and interaction analysis.The findings revealed that instructional leadership had a significant positive effect on teachers’ professional learning. Instructional leadership also significantly influenced teacher commitment, which in turn positively affected teachers’ professional learning. The mediation analysis confirmed that teacher commitment partially mediated the relationship between instructional leadership and teachers’ professional learning. Furthermore, collective teacher efficacy significantly moderated the relationship between instructional leadership and teachers’ professional learning, such that the relationship was stronger when collective efficacy was high.The study demonstrates that instructional leadership plays a crucial role in enhancing teachers’ professional learning in private higher education colleges, both directly and indirectly through teacher commitment. In addition, collective teacher efficacy strengthens the effectiveness of instructional leadership. These findings highlight the importance of integrating leadership practices, teacher commitment, and collaborative efficacy to promote sustainable professional learning in private higher education institutions.