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Title SPATIALITY, PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY AND VIOLENCE: A STUDY OF SELECTED PAKISTANI FICTION

Author(s) Zia Ur Rehamn

Abstract Title: Spatiality, Psychogeography and Violence: A Study of Selected Pakistani Fiction This study explores the intersection of spatial production, psychogeography, and urban violence in Pakistani fiction, focusing on Bilal Tanweer‘s The Scatter Here Is Too Great and Saba Imtiaz‘s Karachi, You're Killing Me!. Drawing on theoretical concepts of Henri Lefebvre‘s Spatial Production and Guy Debord‘s Psychogeography, the research investigates how these novels depict the relationship between literary urban spaces and violence, and how these narratives reflect and influence sociopolitical realities. Karachi's urban spaces, as portrayed in the selected texts, are active elements shaping and being shaped by social dynamics, power structures, and violence. The characters‘ experiences and interactions with the city‘s spaces highlight the socio-economic disparities and psychological impacts of living in a volatile urban environment. The study qualitatively analyses these fictional portarayals of literary depictions of Karachi in the two texts using Catherine Belsey‘s Textual Analysis. This study underscores the importance of understanding spatial dynamics in addressing urban violence and the cyclical nature of violence, where spatial dynamics perpetuate power inequalities. It also offers insights into how literary representations can inform more inclusive and human-centered urban planning. Recommendations for future research include exploring gendered experiences in urban spaces, comparative analyses, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding urban spaces and violence in literature.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-02-24

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