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Title LINGUISTIC AND VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF PAKISTANI CULTURE IN AMERICAN VISUAL NARRATIVES: A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF MS. MARVEL WEB SERIES

Author(s) Aqsa nawaz kiyani

Abstract Western media has frequently linked Muslim identities with extremism, terrorism, or cultural marginalization. However, the depiction of Pakistani culture in Ms. Marvel web series comes as an exception. This research examines cultural representation of Pakistan in Ms. Marvel web series, aiming at both linguistic choices and visual signs. The study investigates the way cultural connotations are fabricated and conveyed through linguistic and visual signs. The sample of the study consists of the linguistic instances accompanied by 25-40 relevant scenes from the web series. The methodology of the study is based on qualitative research, specifically content analysis, to explore the representation of Pakistani culture in the selected Web series. The data is analyzed in the light of Hall’s (2005) Representation Theory and Peirce’s Semiotic Model (1955). The findings indicate that Ms. Marvel depicts Pakistani cultural identity through the deliberate use of Islamic expressions, Urdu phrases, and culture specific references, strengthening the Pakistani contexts. Visually, Ms. Marvel integrates religious symbolism, family structures, traditional clothing, and historical memories to shape reliable yet globally reachable representation of Pakistani culture. However, it also involves critical refrains, for instance, surveillance, and racial profiling predominantly through the depiction of American government authorities and their subjective conduct towards Muslims and South Asian communities. These instances mirror the experiences of many diasporic communities, emphasizing the ongoing structural discrimination. Despite the fact that the series strives for validity, it still holds certain stereotypical demonstrations, particularly in its portrayal of otherness and mysticism related to Muslim identity. However, the study concludes that Ms. Marvel bids a layered and nuanced depiction that both redefines and challenges traditional representations of South Asian Muslim identities in Western media, even though delicately criticizing the sociopolitical constructions that remain to marginalize them. The study contributes to the ongoing debate on the representation of Pakistani culture in Western media by presenting a nuanced analysis of both linguistic and visual aspects in a popular web series produced in America.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-07-31

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