Asian Social Work Journal

“Skin Shades” of Marriage: Viewers’ Perspectives on Controversial Skincare TV Advertisements in Malaysia

2024-07-27T13:52:50+08:00

With the massive use of skincare products among Malaysians, advertisements for these products are becoming more targeted and personalised, but at the same time, they are also becoming more intrusive and misleading. Therefore, the present study aims to identify the controversial elements portrayed in these skincare TV advertisements and analyse whether these elements are deemed viable marketing strategies by the target audience. A questionnaire adapted from Lester’s Six Perspectives of Visual Communication was distributed to 140 skincare users. Results from the questionnaire revealed that most respondents perceived the approach used by the skincare companies in their advertisements sampled in this research to be highly controversial in terms of their different approaches. Male viewers showed their strong perception on the importance of controversial consideration to produce any skincare TV advertisements. This was based on their perceptions towards the same advertisements presented with the controversial idea that the shade of the skin would determine the stability of the marriage. However, a thorough review should be conducted on these controversial advertisements to ensure they do not violate the target audience’s moral beliefs. By having a specific guideline on the advertising code of conduct, it will ensure that the advertisements will be well-received by them despite the controversial approach. Future research can be done to focus on the different levels of consideration shown by viewers from the old and new generations for more informative findings on this style of advertisement.

Hospital Social Work Development in Vietnam Today: Limitations and Several Solutions

2024-07-27T13:52:50+08:00

Hospital social work has been being currently quite popular in the world, particularly in developed countries such as United States of America, Australia, Singapore, etc. However, hospital social work in Vietnam, like many other developing countries, has been still being in the challenging process to perfect and meet practical needs. So as to have an effective and sustainable strategy for hospital social work development, it is necessary and important to carry out research and evaluation of difficulties and limitations in hospital social work in Vietnam today. This study was conducted based on the methods of document collection and analysis, thereby finding important examples for evaluating the difficulties and limitations of hospital social work in Vietnam. A total of 42 documents were included in the evidence and cited to ensure the scientific and convincing nature of research content. The findings show that the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Health, and other ministries and departments, have made many efforts in providing a legal framework for the formation and development of hospital social work, particularly from 2010 to 2015. Thanks to that, a network of social work departments / teams has been formed in almost every hospital system in the country. However, hospital social work in Vietnam, after 14 years of establishment and practical operation, has revealed many inadequacies to be resolved in relation to the legal framework, human resource development, appropriate model selection, and activity content determination. Therefore, a system of comprehensive solutions should be researched and put into practice for the purposes of developing hospital social work, meeting practical needs in the Vietnamese context, and adhering closely to the international standards, so as to improve the above situation.

Comparative Analysis of Social Work Curricula in Asia: Recommendations for Curriculum Development in Cambodia

2024-07-27T13:52:50+08:00

Despite growing recognition of the need for social workers, Cambodia is still at beginning stage in establishing a standardize system recognizing the social service workforce which is an important factor providing direction for social work education development. This paper compares social workforce development frameworks and curricula in developed countries like Korea and developing countries like Thailand to suggest improvements for curriculum development in Cambodia. The research aimed to assess the strengths and limitations of social work curricula in the region and identify effective methods for advancing social work education in Cambodia. The analysis of the social work curriculum using curriculum frameworks such as Curriculum Design and Content, Pedagogical Approaches, Field education, and Accreditation and Registration Systems provides a descriptive analysis of the current state of social work curricula in Korea, Thailand, and Cambodia. Nine recommendations for Cambodia's Social Work Curriculum Development include establishing a well-defined licensure and certification framework, expanding elective courses to focus on specific areas of interest, preserving practicum hours, enhancing collaborations with local social service organizations, including interdisciplinary courses, customizing curriculum material to meet local socioeconomic demands, providing ongoing professional development opportunities for social work educators, enhancing Competency-Based Education by prioritizing skills in line with local contexts, and promoting community involvement through community-based projects and activities.

Historical Approach and Analysis of Roles and Functions of Indonesian Mosques

2024-07-27T13:52:50+08:00

Several studies show how mosques become a symbol of Islam, entities of Muslims and civilizations, and play important roles in society. Using historical approach and social welfare perspectives, the study aims to explore roles and functions of mosques in two periods of early Islam and modern era. The last provides description of mosques in some Muslim and non-Muslim countries such as in Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco and United States. The study also shows the need for revitalizing the role of mosques by applying short survey, in-depth interview and secondary data in collecting, analysis and explain solutions in the eyes of congregations of some Indonesia mosques in improving programs, activities and services particularly for special needs such as interfaith, youth and women groups.