EDITORIAL JSSIR Journal of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Research, the third research journal of the NED University of Engineering and Technology, symbolizes the need to set the right balance between the social sciences and other hard sciences. Both are equally crucial to societies and to the people that constitute them. This was indeed a valuable direction suggested by the scientific genius Albert Einstein in these words: My scientific work is motivated by an irresistible longing to understand the secrets of nature and by no other feeling. My love for justice and striving to contribute towards the improvement of human conditions are quite independent from my scientific interests. The journal is a humble effort in breaking this culture of confining one’s self within strict disciplinary borders that inhibits intermingling of ideas necessary to develop interdisciplinary perspectives on life’s situations. The journal provides a forum to social scientists to deliberate on issues that may increase our collective understanding of the world around us in order to develop an insightful response instead of a coercive one. The sensitivity towards individual and contextual differences will be kept well focused throughout the editorial process. The journal discourages the works from being merely evaluated in terms of their significance; rather the submissions are validated in terms of the research rigour, objectivity and empiricism. These qualities will remain the major focus of our review policy. With the first issue, the foremost target of having strong editorial, advisory and review boards for the journal has been achieved. The editorial team is making efforts towards timely completion of the refereeing and publication processes in order for the issues to be ready for circulation in their scheduled months (June and December each year). Our future targets include efforts in getting JSSIR abstracted and indexed, and to publish special issues. The editorial team has already initiated planning on bringing out thematic issues on pertinent themes and issues within social sciences and across disciplines. For these special thematic issues, the editorial team will invite guest editors; and on behalf of the editorial I look forward to receiving proposals for the themes and guest editors from our readers. The contents in this issue have been selected from the pool of the submitted papers having passed through the double blind reviewing and the editorial process. There are five main articles and two book reviews included in this first issue. Readers and scholars who wish to comment on these published articles must send us their write up by 30 October 2012 for inclusion in the second issue scheduled to be out in December. Authors, reviewers and publishers interested in contributing or participating in the book reviews section should contact the associate editor and for further details visit the journal website. I would thank all those individuals who have directly or indirectly extended support that made this journal possible. As per our policy, the names of all our referees, who would be reviewing papers for us in one calendar year, will be acknowledged in the December issue every year. I would conclude this editorial with a remark that an effort has been initiated towards harnessing the power of interdisciplinary intellect and promote scholarship which is definitely a daunting task and requires concerted efforts and support of scholars. Here, I will invite you to provide your valuable comments and intellectual contribution needed to help us make this journal a true forum for knowledge creation related with the social sciences. Editor Sajida Zaki