A Dream Across Languages: Blockchain for the People

Introduction

Every book carries within it a journey—of ideas, of questions, and of the people who make its creation possible. For me, Blockchain for the People: Decentralized Innovation, Inclusion, and Social Justice (ISBN: 978‑620‑9‑27974‑4) began as a scholarly exploration of how technology can serve humanity. Yesterday, I learned that this work has now been published in six different languages across six countries. This milestone is not only humbling, but deeply affirming of the vision that technology must be inclusive, just, and people‑centered.

The Journey of the Book

The book examines blockchain beyond its popular association with cryptocurrencies. It asks: What does decentralization mean for democracy, equity, and social justice?

Structured across five parts, the book explores:

• Foundations: Theoretical perspectives on blockchain, democracy, and inclusion.

• Policy & Governance: How states and institutions shape blockchain ecosystems.

• Applications: From decentralized finance to digital identity, social services, and elections.

• Regional Perspectives: Insights from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

• Critical Challenges: Environmental, ethical, and political implications.

That this work now speaks in six languages means its questions and reflections can reach diverse communities, each with their own contexts and challenges.

Gratitude and Collaboration

No achievement is ever solitary. I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues and friends who have encouraged me throughout this journey. Most importantly, I owe heartfelt thanks to my wife, whose unwavering support and companionship have been the foundation of my work.

This multilingual publication is a testament to collaboration—between scholars, publishers, translators, and readers. It reminds me that knowledge is most powerful when it crosses boundaries of language and geography.

Looking Ahead

As blockchain continues to evolve, the need for critical, socially grounded scholarship becomes ever more urgent. My hope is that this book contributes to ongoing dialogues among policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and activists—bridging the gap between technical innovation and social transformation.

Conclusion

The publication of Blockchain for the People in six languages is more than a personal milestone; it is a collective achievement. It reflects the shared belief that technology must serve humanity, not the other way around.

🌍 Available here: Blockchain for the People- https://www.morebooks.de/shop-ui/shop/product/9786209279744?fbclid=IwY2xjawO05mVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLMWF6VTcxTVZTaFlRd1Bnc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpUDAK__v6Vz95cTC_RR1YuNc584Ouf5qku99M4AtfCqS6Eh7PQCxANkixYb_aem_6hx92QgrZlM3hfFZjTZXcg

 

Blockchain for the People: Decentralized Innovation, Inclusion, and Social Justice

 

Introduction

 

The twenty‑first century is defined by digital infrastructures that reshape how we live, work, and govern ourselves. Among these, blockchain has emerged as one of the most debated technologies—celebrated for its promise of decentralization, yet criticized for its volatility and speculative use. My new book, Blockchain for the People: Decentralized Innovation, Inclusion, and Social Justice (ISBN: 978‑620‑9‑27974‑4), seeks to move beyond hype and ask a fundamental question: Can blockchain truly serve the people, and if so, how?

 

Why This Book?

 

Too often, blockchain is equated with cryptocurrencies and trading platforms. But at its core, blockchain is about trust, transparency, and accountability without centralized intermediaries. The challenge lies in ensuring that these values are not captured by powerful actors alone—startups, corporations, or investors—but extended to those historically excluded from digital transformation.

 

This book builds on my earlier work, Artificial Intelligence in the Global South: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Pathways, where I examined AI through the lens of marginalized contexts. Here, I extend that lens to blockchain, situating it as a socio‑technical system deeply embedded in questions of power, justice, and equity.

 

Structure of the Book

 

The book is organized into five parts, each addressing a different dimension of blockchain’s potential and pitfalls:

• Foundations: Theoretical and conceptual perspectives on blockchain, democracy, and inclusion.
• Policy & Governance: How states, regulators, and international institutions are shaping blockchain ecosystems.
• Applications: Practical use cases including decentralized finance, digital identity, social services, and elections.
• Regional Experiences: Case studies from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
• Critical Challenges: Environmental, ethical, and political implications of blockchain adoption.

 

Key Themes

• Decentralization vs. Concentration: Blockchain promises to distribute power, yet mining pools, token ownership, and regulatory frameworks often reproduce hierarchies.
• Inclusion vs. Exclusion: While blockchain can enable financial inclusion and transparent governance, its design and deployment frequently overlook vulnerable communities.
• Technology vs. Society: Blockchain is not neutral—it reflects the values, priorities, and power structures of those who build and govern it.

 

Audiences

This book is written for multiple audiences:

• Policymakers: Pathways to harness blockchain responsibly for social good.
• Scholars & Students: Conceptual and empirical insights into technology, governance, and justice.
• Practitioners & Activists: Critical questions about inclusion, ownership, and accountability in decentralized systems.

 

Conclusion

Blockchain is evolving rapidly, with new applications emerging alongside regulatory experiments and political contestations. This book does not claim to provide definitive answers, nor does it treat blockchain as a silver bullet. Instead, it invites readers to think critically about what it means to design, govern, and sustain technologies for the people.

If this work contributes to a more nuanced and socially grounded conversation about blockchain, then it will have achieved its purpose.

🌐 Available here: Blockchain for the People - https://www.morebooks.de/shop-ui/shop/search?q=%20978-620-9-27974-4&page=1

 

🌐 Call for Papers: International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM)

The International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM), published by IGI Global and indexed in the Web of Science Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), is pleased to announce a new Call for Papers. With an Impact Factor of 2.1, IJKM continues to serve as a leading platform for advancing research in the field of knowledge management.

🧠 Why Publish in IJKM?

Knowledge management is at the heart of organizational success in today’s digital age. IJKM provides a global forum for exploring how knowledge is created, shared, retained, and applied across diverse contexts. By publishing in IJKM, your work gains visibility among academics, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide.

📚 Scope of the Journal

We welcome submissions that address, but are not limited to:

• Knowledge creation, sharing, and retention

• Organizational learning and innovation

• Knowledge systems and intelligent technologies

• Strategic knowledge management in education, healthcare, government, and industry

✍️ Submission Guidelines

• Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and aligned with the journal’s scope.

• All submissions undergo rigorous peer review to ensure quality and relevance.

• Open access options are available to maximize visibility and impact.

🔗 How to Submit

Submit your manuscript directly through IGI Global’s portal: 👉 International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM)

https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-knowledge-management/1083

📣 Final Thoughts

This call is not just an invitation to publish — it is an opportunity to shape the future of knowledge management research. Whether you are an established scholar or an emerging researcher, IJKM offers a trusted platform to share your insights and contribute to global dialogue.

— Hakikur Rahman Chief Editor, International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM)

#CallForPapers #KnowledgeManagement #AcademicPublishing #IJKM #WebOfScience #OpenAccess #ResearchOpportunity #IGIGlobal #Innovation #OrganizationalLearning

 

🌐 Call for Papers: IJKM Featured in Web of Science Indexed Journals

I’m pleased to share an exciting opportunity for researchers, scholars, and knowledge practitioners worldwide. IGI Global Scientific Publishing has launched a new Call for Papers inviting submissions to over 65 open access journals indexed in Web of Science. Among these is the International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM) — a journal I have the privilege of serving as Chief Editor.

🧠 Why IJKM Matters

The International Journal of Knowledge Management (ISSN: 1548-0666) has long been a platform for rigorous, interdisciplinary research exploring the creation, sharing, and application of knowledge across organizational and technological contexts. Indexed in Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and supported by IGI Global’s open access program, IJKM offers:

• ✅ High visibility through Web of Science indexing

• ✅ Transparent peer review and ethical publishing standards

• ✅ Global reach across academia, industry, and policy sectors

• ✅ Opportunities for early-career and seasoned researchers alike

✍️ Submit Your Manuscript

Whether your work explores digital transformation, knowledge systems, AI-driven decision-making, or socio-technical dynamics, IJKM welcomes contributions that push boundaries and foster meaningful dialogue.

Link for IJKM:

https://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-knowledge-management/1083

📣 Final Thoughts

This call is not just an invitation to publish — it’s a chance to participate in shaping the future of knowledge management research. I encourage colleagues, collaborators, and emerging scholars to consider IJKM as a home for their next impactful manuscript.

Let’s continue advancing thoughtful, inclusive, and globally relevant scholarship.

— Hakikur Rahman Chief Editor, International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM)

#IJKM #AcademicPublishing #WebOfScience #IGIGlobal #CallForPapers #OpenAccess #KnowledgeManagement #ScopusResearch #HakikurRahman

 Unveiling My First Fiction Book: The Chrono Odyssey: Whispers Beneath the Ice

After decades immersed in academic research, digital ethics, and philosophical storytelling, I’m honored to share a new chapter in my creative journey—my debut fiction book, The Chrono Odyssey: Whispers Beneath the Ice, published by JustFiction Edition and available in paperback from August 29, 2025.

This novel is more than a story—it’s an exploration of time itself. Set against the stark beauty and peril of the Ice Age, the narrative invites readers to imagine time not as a straight line, but as a living fabric of crossings, paradoxes, and hidden paths. What if the past could change? What if the future was not fixed? These questions form the heartbeat of the odyssey, as travelers move through shattered eras and uncharted tomorrows in search of meaning, survival, and truth.

At its core, The Chrono Odyssey is a meditation on human resilience. From towering glaciers and ancient beasts to the fragile rise of early humanity, the story blends science, imagination, and philosophical inquiry. It challenges the idea of inevitability and invites readers to embrace the unknown—not just as a narrative device, but as a way of thinking about history, identity, and possibility.

This book represents a convergence of my lifelong interests: the ethics of technology, the power of storytelling, and the timeless human quest for understanding. It is written for thinkers, dreamers, and seekers—those who believe that fiction can illuminate truths that data alone cannot reach.

📘 The Chrono Odyssey: Whispers Beneath the Ice 📍 Publisher: JustFiction Edition 🗓️ Release Date: August 29, 2025 📖 ISBN-13: 978-6139429011

I invite you to step beyond the present and join me on this journey. Let the odyssey begin!

 

🔊 The Weight of Sound: Noise Pollution in Dhaka and Our Silent Struggle

Each morning in Dhaka begins not with birdsong, but with a barrage of horns, construction clatter, and the relentless hum of traffic. Noise pollution—often dismissed as mere nuisance—is in fact a profound public health crisis, quietly eroding our well-being, our focus, and even our sense of peace.

📊 The Reality in Numbers

Recent studies reveal that in Dhaka’s busiest zones—Farmgate, Gulshan, Motijheel—the average noise level frequently exceeds 85 decibels, far above the 55 dB threshold deemed safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) for residential areas.

A local survey found:

• 86% of respondents consider noise pollution a major problem

• 78% report increased irritability

• 71% suffer from headaches

• 43% experience sleep disturbances and reduced concentration

While air pollution in Dhaka is known to reduce human lifespan by an average of 7 years, noise pollution’s long-term effects—though less visible—are no less severe.

🧠 Human Impact: Beyond the Ears

Noise pollution affects not just our hearing, but our entire physiological and psychological ecosystem:

• 📉 Hearing loss and tinnitus

• 🫀 Elevated blood pressure and heart disease risk

• 😵 Increased stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue

• 💤 Sleep disruption and cognitive decline

• 🎓 Impaired learning and development in children

One university student shared, “We can’t breathe in peace anymore. Even silence feels like a luxury”—a sentiment that echoes across Dhaka’s millions.

🏗️ Sources of the Noise

• 🚗 Excessive vehicle horns

• 🏗️ Construction machinery

• 📢 Loudspeakers at various events

• 🔊 Commercial advertising and street announcements

🛠️ Pathways to Change

Solving noise pollution requires a multi-pronged approach:

1. Strict enforcement of environmental laws

2. Regulation of unnecessary horns and loudspeakers

3. Designation of ‘silent zones’ near hospitals and schools

4. Real-time noise monitoring technologies

5. Public awareness campaigns and school-level education

6. Urban planning that integrates acoustic considerations

🌿 A Philosophical Lens

Noise pollution doesn’t just disturb our bodies—it fragments our inner world. In the chaos of urban sound, we lose the beauty of silence, the depth of thought, and the space for introspection. It distances us from ourselves.

To fight noise pollution is to fight for human dignity, mental clarity, and environmental harmony. It is a call to reclaim the city—not just as a place to live, but as a place to listen, reflect, and thrive.

📣 Final Thoughts

Noise pollution is a silent killer. It steals our peace, our health, and our ability to focus. The time to act is now—to raise awareness, to demand accountability, and to restore the soundscape of our city.

Let us make Dhaka a city that listens again.

🖋️ Hakikur Rahman Philosophical storyteller, researcher, and advocate for environmental well-being

 Blockchain as a Silent Architect of Trust and Renewal

In a world once built on spoken promises and paper trails, trust was a fragile currency. It depended on intermediaries—banks, brokers, bureaucrats—who often failed us through delay, corruption, or exclusion. The social contract, though noble in intent, was frequently broken in practice.

Then came a quiet revolution—not with banners or slogans, but with code. Blockchain emerged not merely as a technology, but as a philosophy of transparency, decentralization, and shared truth. It offered a new kind of trust—one that didn’t rely on authority, but on mathematics and consensus.

🔐 Secure Transactions Blockchain redefined the way we exchange value. Whether it's a farmer receiving fair payment or a researcher accessing global funding, every transaction is recorded, verified, and preserved. No edits. No erasures. Just a permanent ledger of truth.

⚡ Frictionless Transfers Gone are the days of waiting for cross-border approvals or banking hours. Blockchain enables instant, borderless fund transfers—empowering humanitarian aid, microfinance, and peer-to-peer support with unprecedented speed and reliability.

📜 Smart Contracts Imagine agreements that execute themselves. Smart contracts are digital protocols that enforce terms automatically, without bias or delay. They represent a new social contract—one that is fair, efficient, and incorruptible.

🌱 Sustainable Development Beyond finance, blockchain is now tracking carbon footprints, verifying ethical supply chains, and ensuring transparency in healthcare. It’s becoming a tool for planetary stewardship—where data serves not profit alone, but people and ecosystems.

🕊️ A Path to Peace In a world fractured by misinformation and power imbalances, blockchain offers a quiet promise: a system where truth is distributed, not dictated. Where participation is open, and manipulation is difficult. It may not solve every problem, but it reshapes the foundation on which solutions can be built.

We often ask: can technology be humane? Blockchain doesn’t answer with noise—it answers with structure. It is the silent architect of a future where trust is earned, not imposed. Where systems serve the many, not the few.

Let us not use technology merely for profit, but for justice. In doing so, blockchain becomes more than a tool—it becomes a philosophy of renewal.

#BlockchainForPeace #DigitalEthics #SmartContracts #SustainableDevelopment #HakikurRahman