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| Title | Abstract | Action(s) |
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| "RE-IMAGINING HOLOCAUST: THE POLITICS OF TERROR AND TRAUMA IN THE MIDDLE EAST FICTION " | Title: Re-Imagining Holocaust: The Politics of Terror and Trauma in the Middle East Fiction Wars and military conflicts have besieged the Middle East for years resulting in colossal human tragedy especially in countries like Syria and Iraq. This extended exposure to extremely traumatic events, which include encounter with grotesque deaths and total destruction, has serious consequences for the mental health of the survivor-victims. Through the textual analysis of the selected fiction from wartime Syria and Iraq, this study engages with the grim on-ground traumatic reality and its detrimental effects on the psyche and emotional lives of the characters. As the imagined worlds of the texts are imbricated in the sociological reality of the two countries, a comprehensive account of the true events is considered a necessary prelude to the understanding of the characters’ responses to war, destruction and global politics. The analyses of the texts rely on two assumptions: that the prolonged encounter with the grotesque has serious, devastating effects on the mental health of the characters (the survivor-victims of the wars), and that trauma is not only personal but also political – terror is used as a ploy by those who control these wars to bring the characters, as victims of these wars, into a state of total abjection and submission. As the selected texts reveal, this psychological terror can manifest in multiple ways, for instance, military prowess, media censorship, and/or narrative framing etc. The literary analyses invoke Robert J. Lifton, Judith Butler, and Giorgio Agamben to support these objectives. The study concludes that future studies on Middle East war-trauma must take into account the total devastation of survivors’ physical and mental landscapes in order to fully understand the complex nature of traumatic injury inflicted on the trauma victims. |
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| An Ecocritical Discourse Analysis of Digital Advertisements: An Ecolinguistic Perspective | The aim of the study is to examine the linguistic components of the advertisements in order to identify the narratives, created by manufacturers that seem to be environmental friendly and consistent with ecological principles. Additionally, it seeks to define the part, language plays in influencing customers' ecological preferences. The information, which is restricted to beverages and dairy items, has been gathered from the official websites of ten Pakistani food manufacturing enterprises. The advertisements are examined using Stibbe's (2015) ecolinguistic analysis methodology and the theoretical frameworks of agenda-setting theory. It is alleged that food manufacturing corporations create a variety of stories that are subtly implied, where the readers find them uninteresting, but the stories employ language to imprint specific perceptions in readers' minds and control the daily purchasing decisions of consumers. The research deconstructs the ecological attitude of the discourses and assesses them in the context of ecosophy; it is useful for people to identify the ecologically detrimental discourses and how food manufacturers might improvise their discourses to promote consumption. The language is employed in such an affable way that readers assume, it is for commercial purposes, although each story is laced with the idea of consumerism. The investigation is distinctive since it combines the fields of ecology and language. It reveals the ways that linguistic discourses are used in ads to build narratives that aim to displace the use of natural commodities. The goal of using linguistic discourses for business reasons is to commercially glorify what is being sold in the eyes of consumers as a better source of natural repercussion. |
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| Evidentiality and Episiemic Modality in Political Discourse: Analyzing Speakers' Stance and Ideology Through Appraisal Theory | This research study has attempted to investigate the comparison between the frequency and distribution of resources, types of evidentiality and values of epistemic modality; further, it investigates the function of evidential markers and epistemic modals as stance makers and ideology construction. Although, evidentiality and epistemic modality are the main subjects in wide range of studies, the two domains have not been discussed in Pakistani political context. Therefore, corpora containing 5 speeches of Pakistan‟s former Prime Minister Imran Khan and 5 speeches of American President Joe Biden have been compiled for the analysis. The study has adopted mixed-method approach. The data has been analyzed first via corpus-based methodology, where Antconc software has been used to locate the frequency and distribution of evidential markers and epistemic modals, while Appraisal Theory of Martin and White (2005) has been applied to analyze the pragmatic function of the linguistic markers through its resources of „attitude‟ and „engagement‟. The findings indicate that both the speakers have made use of personal knowledge (PK) evidentials from inside source more frequently among the other categories. Imran Khan in his speeches has used „I think‟ „I believe‟ and „unfortunately‟, whereas Biden has used „I know‟ „in my view‟ and „it is clear‟ more frequently. In terms of epistemic values, both the speakers have used „will‟ and „must‟ of high epistemic value more frequently followed by other epistemic values. The study has suggested that while making claims the speakers have often taken personal responsibility and have shown their strong confidence towards the truth of proposition. Secondly, the uses of high epistemic values have often presented subjective stance and speaker‟s positive self-representation. Overall, there have been no significant differences in the results. This research study contributes to the field of corpus-linguistics and to the practice of discourse community with the analysis of linguistic expressions in the speeches. Keywords: Evidentiality, Epistemic Modality, Appraisal Theory, Political Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics |
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| ECOLOGICAL IMPERIALISM IN IMBOLO MBUE’S HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE | Imbolo Mbue, a contemporary Cameroonian American novelist addresses urgent environmental issues in her novel How Beautiful We Were. A story of environmental destruction is skillfully woven holding a mirror to the unethical actions of international oil drilling corporations wreaking destruction in the name of progress. This study emphasizes the serious consequences of this kind of ecological exploitation and argues that large-scale environmental damage and land degradation are the fault of western businesses acting in the name of development. The methodology of my research is shaped by the comprehensive research of Crosby, which offers a fundamental basis for deciphering the complex layers of environmental influence that are portrayed in Mbue's work. Furthermore, the research includes the perspectives of Serpil Opperman, Michael Watts and Kristin Shrader-Frechette, whose academic contributions enhance the theoretical framework. The primary objective of this research is to examine Mbue's novel from the perspective of ecological imperialism, a theory that examines how powerful organisations exploit the environment and rural communities. Using the conceptual framework developed by Crosby and including the theoretical insights of Watts, Opperman and ShraderFrechette, the study aims to provide a thorough comprehension of the ways in which imperialist endeavours impact the ecology of a fictional African community, as skilfully depicted in Mbue's literary work. The purpose of this research is to engender academic interest in petro fiction as a voice of resistance against environmental injustice and raise awareness of the ways in which corporations might affect marginalised societies and ecosystems. It also aims to start a crucial discussion regarding environmental concerns raised in Mbue's novel. |
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| THE POLITICS OF IDENTITY MARKERS: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS | This study aimed to explore the ways politicians construct their political identities through the employment of identity markers. Identity markers are the cutting edges of any political discourse, on its behalf ideology and message can be delivered very easily. Further, the study set an objective to investigate the specific identity markers which politicians utilize for themselves in the selected newspapers and to find why the politicians employ these identity markers in their political discourses. The study applied Fairclough 3 D model for its investigation and adopted qualitative research design for this study. The data for the current study was collected from The Dawn, and The Express Tribune newspapers in which news reports were collected about the selected political leaders Imran Khan (PTI), Bilawal Bhutto (PPP), Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and Fazal- ur-Rehman (JUI-F). The time period was from 2018-2023. Source of the data were websites’ pages of these newspapers. The specific identity markers politicians utilized in their political speeches are ‘youth’ ‘corruption’ ‘accountability’ ‘change’ ‘naya Pakistan (New Pakistan)’ moral authority , resilience, sustainable development, event of change, Continuity of Cause, bat, Insaf(justice), khan “roti(bread), kapra(cloth), makan(house),the legacy of Benazir Bhutto, and the PPP’s flag, Islam, Shariyat(sharia), anti-Imran Khan, Turban, Shalwar kameez, beard, Vote ko izzat do (respect to vote), lion, infrastructure, regional development, economic growth and Punjab as a strong hold family and more. The politicians employed modality, pronouns, authoritative language, metaphors sign and symbols. The strategic use of specific identity markers is driven by multiple factors, including contextualization within the socio-political landscape to address corruption, national development, youth engagement, accountability, transparency, and ethical governance; challenging power structures, cultural aspirations and others. The researcher concluded that Fairclough 3D model is appropriate for identifying and analyzing political identity markers. |
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| Social Anarchism and Abjection: Reading Grief and Guild in Usman Ali’s Anglophone Plays | Thesis Title: Social Anarchism and Abjection: Reading Grief and Guilt in Usman Ali’s Anglophone Plays Pakistani English dramatist Usman Ali, through his dramatic art form, tries to subvert hierarchies of power that take advantage of the socioeconomic circumstances of the masses. Through his dramatic oeuvre, he showcases elements of anarchism and resistance among the people in a postcolonial country like Pakistan. However, his characters only seem to suffer through grief and the resultant guilt, two psychological states of mind that do not qualify them as revolutionaries per se who may challenge the established state order and control. Passive resistance through utter grief seems to be the hallmark of Ali’s characters and their actions. For this purpose, Bakunin's perspective on anarchism is invoked. The anarchist viewpoint best fits Ali's characters as a means of liberating themselves from the socio-political forces that oppress them. Anarchism and guilt share a dialectical relationship; they are different yet run parallel to each other. Anarchism is an action that devolves around chaos and evolves into change. Similarly, guilt spirals into depression or becomes the catalyst for transformation. Guilt is not embarrassment, but the guilt of inaction in the time of action, hence a moment of change and transformation for Ali’s characters. Through his characters’ personal growth, Ali seeks to galvanise his readers and viewers to question norms, societal structures and institutions, thereby fostering anarchist thought. Invoking Kristeva’s theory of abjection, this study also finds the socio-psychic conditions of the marginalised population, including the artists in Pakistan. The abject has no social position, so it's the Other. Elisabeth Kubler Ross's "Theory of Grief" is also employed as a supporting lens for the representation of grief, and death as the abject, the social norms centred around it and how grief can arise from the death of not just the physical body, but ideas, way of life, dreams and aspirations. The study finds out that Ali’s dramaturgy posits the dramatic form as a process whereby man’s psyche and imagination defer, confront, and re-describe the lived reality. Grief of marginalization, the discomfort and psychological conflict arising from the socio-economic circumstances act as a stimulus which ultimately leads to contemplation about their miseries. Since Pakistani Anglophone literature in general, but drama in particular has failed to garner desired critical attention, this research is an attempt to bring it into the global critical limelight. |
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| Social Anarchism and Abjection: Reading Grief and Guild in Usman Ali’s Anglophone Plays | Thesis Title: Social Anarchism and Abjection: Reading Grief and Guilt in Usman Ali’s Anglophone Plays Pakistani English dramatist Usman Ali, through his dramatic art form, tries to subvert hierarchies of power that take advantage of the socioeconomic circumstances of the masses. Through his dramatic oeuvre, he showcases elements of anarchism and resistance among the people in a postcolonial country like Pakistan. However, his characters only seem to suffer through grief and the resultant guilt, two psychological states of mind that do not qualify them as revolutionaries per se who may challenge the established state order and control. Passive resistance through utter grief seems to be the hallmark of Ali’s characters and their actions. For this purpose, Bakunin's perspective on anarchism is invoked. The anarchist viewpoint best fits Ali's characters as a means of liberating themselves from the socio-political forces that oppress them. Anarchism and guilt share a dialectical relationship; they are different yet run parallel to each other. Anarchism is an action that devolves around chaos and evolves into change. Similarly, guilt spirals into depression or becomes the catalyst for transformation. Guilt is not embarrassment, but the guilt of inaction in the time of action, hence a moment of change and transformation for Ali’s characters. Through his characters’ personal growth, Ali seeks to galvanise his readers and viewers to question norms, societal structures and institutions, thereby fostering anarchist thought. Invoking Kristeva’s theory of abjection, this study also finds the socio-psychic conditions of the marginalised population, including the artists in Pakistan. The abject has no social position, so it's the Other. Elisabeth Kubler Ross's "Theory of Grief" is also employed as a supporting lens for the representation of grief, and death as the abject, the social norms centred around it and how grief can arise from the death of not just the physical body, but ideas, way of life, dreams and aspirations. The study finds out that Ali’s dramaturgy posits the dramatic form as a process whereby man’s psyche and imagination defer, confront, and re-describe the lived reality. Grief of marginalization, the discomfort and psychological conflict arising from the socio-economic circumstances act as a stimulus which ultimately leads to contemplation about their miseries. Since Pakistani Anglophone literature in general, but drama in particular has failed to garner desired critical attention, this research is an attempt to bring it into the global critical limelight. |
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| "Exploring the Construal of Gender in Pakistani Fiction in English: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis " | ABSTRACT Thesis Title: Exploring the Construal of Gender in Pakistani Fiction in English: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis This thesis explores the construal of gender in selected Pakistani fiction written in English, positing that gender is discursively constructed and that fictional texts serve as significant sites for such constructions. Notably, while extensive research exists on gender representation through content analysis, there is a notable gap in analytical works focusing on Pakistani fiction in English from a feminist discourse analytical perspective. However, till the completion of the write up of this thesis, many works on Pakistani fiction in English, informed by feminist theories and approaches have started to emerge in the academic arena. This thesis aims to fill that gap by presenting a feminist critical discourse analysis of how gender is constituted through various gendered discourses in fictional texts. The research utilizes primary data comprising gendered discourses extracted from selected texts, analyzed using a range of linguistic tools, particularly aspects of van Leeuwen's Social Actor Network (2008). Key theoretical frameworks include Discourse, Post-structuralism, and Feminism. By employing van Leeuwen's model, the study explores the construction of gender within these discourses and identifies linguistic traces of gendered discourses using Sunderland's interpretive framework (2004). The analysis addresses two primary concerns: (a) identifying explicit and subtle language use in diverse gender-related discourses, and (b) examining the consistency of these gendered discourses with contemporary understandings of gender. The study critically examines the portrayal of 'gendered beings or subject positioning' of women and men in fictional representations, often rooted in traditional stereotypes of femininity and masculinity. While demonstrating that these representations are entrenched in socio-cultural practices that frequently render women powerless and silent, the thesis also highlights alternative discourses that challenge stereotypical gender constructions. |
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| A Study of Ecofeminism and Magical Realism in Ross and Bruchac’s Selected Folk Narratives | The present thesis delves into the convergence of magical realism and ecofeminism by scrutinizing two compilations authored by Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross, namely "The Girl Who Married the Moon" and "Flying with Eagle Racing the Great Bear." This research explores these anthologies with reference to five essential elements of magical realism, based on Wendy B. Faris's theory. Moreover, a nexus between ecofeminism and magical realism is formed, influenced by the works of Vandana Shiva and Maria Mies. The thesis specifically explores the themes of colonial patriarchy and oppression's interconnection, showing how these components appear in the stories advancing our knowledge of magical realism and ecofeminist discourse. Through this analysis, the study aims to illuminate the ways in which magical realist literature can serve as a platform for exploring complex socio-environmental issues and advocating for social justice and ecological harmony. |
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| Language of Eco-Friendly Narratives: A Multimodal Analysis of E-Advertisements | Advertisers use multimodal features for branding, promotion, and publicity effects. Advertisement creators use both language and non-verbal signs and symbols to convey the intentions of the advertisers and to achieve the best results from it. Language and images are complementary to each other as they both aid each other in meaning-making. This research study has attempted to explore the salience of eco-friendly narratives and hidden meanings of metaphorical representation in e-advertisements by using verbal and non-verbal analysis. The analysis of the e-advertisements is carried to out to look at how the ecological narratives are presented in the e-advertisements by using verbal and non-verbal modes. The study's theoretical framework is based on an integrated model which includes Kress and Van Leuween's Multimodality model and the Ecolinguistics model by Stibbe. The sample data for the study is selected through purposive sampling technique and is consisted of 16 e-advertisements taken from online resources. The study analyzed verbal and non-verbal features of the advertisement using insights from the theoretical frameworks. Non-verbal elements include lead, emblem, and display while the verbal elements included for the data analysis are salience and metaphor. The salient ecological narratives are analyzed through verbal and non-verbal analysis and hidden meanings behind metaphorical representation are brought into the light to see how ecological narratives bring out hidden meanings. The findings of the study reveal that advertisers use eco-friendly narratives to manipulate the viewers' interpretation of the advertisements. The use of multiple modes by linking them with the environment manipulates the viewers to get attracted to the product. |
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| Representation of Russia in American Print Media During Russia-Ukraine War: A Framing Analysis | The current study analyzes the editorials of two well-known American newspapers namely The Washington Post and The New York Times to explore the representation of Russia. It is an attempt to explore what role newspapers play in propagating different types of narratives by using various framing techniques. For this purpose, the researcher has used Fairhurst and Sarr’s (1996) Framing Theory as a framework for the study to analyze the representation of Russia in the American newspapers in the context of Russia-Ukraine war. The theory includes five types of different framing tools including catchphrases, metaphors, stories, spins and contrasts and the same tools have been used for the study. The present research is qualitative in nature. The sampling technique is based on convenience in the non-probability sample with the rationale of choosing this technique to include only those editorials which largely reflect the representation of Russia during Russia-Ukraine war. The study tries to identify the approach of American newspapers towards Russia-Ukraine war. The findings of the study reveal that the selected newspapers hold Russia responsible for initiating the war. The analysis suggests that the selected newspapers use framing tools extensively to construct the identity of Russia as an aggressive, violent and manipulative state. The analysis of data further reveals that these newspapers have hardly a neutral stance. However, it has been observed that the American narrative has been promoted by eclipsing the Russian narrative. The study recommends to the editors and the owners of the newspapers to be submissive of the international news policy and maintain a maximum of objectivity in the diction of the news printed. |
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| Hyperreality and the Simulacra: A technological Dystopian Representation of COVID-19 in Burntcoat by Sarah Hall and Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult | The research deals with technological dystopia which is a new variant of dystopia where hyperreality and simulacra dominates the modern world. The study applies the theoretical frameworks of Jean Baudrillard’s Simulacra and Simulation (1981) and Neil Postman’s Technology: The Surrender of Culture to Technology in the selected texts which are Picoult’s Wish You Were Here and Hall's Burntcoat. People used to spend the majority of their time at home looking at screens since they were not permitted to leave their homes during COVID-19. Technology reliance has exacerbated the dystopia, which has essentially led to simulacra and hyperreality. It appears to dehumanize characters by causing them to lose their uniqueness and originality while also blurring the distinction between reality and representation. Simulation therefore appears more authentic than the genuine thing. This research is purely qualitative. The major focus is on textual analysis of primary and secondary sources as illustrated by Catherine Belsey. In both novels, the characters are trapped in hyperreality, which plays a crucial part in the rise of technological dystopia. It is concluded that due to technological dystopia, characters in the novel become so immersed in the simulated universe that they perceive representations as real without distinction, preferring the unrestricted power of illusion and its consequences over the constraints of reality |
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| Shifting The Focus From Global North to Global South: An Integrationist Eco-Linguistic Approach to Climate Justice Discourse | The study aimed to analyze climate justice discourse at a broader scale in order to look at the differing and overlapping dimensions of its discourse in the newspaper media of the Global North and Global South. It also explored the nature of climate justice discourse with special reference to the Global South. Likewise, the study specifically shed light on the Pakistani newspaper media discourse on climate justice to ascertain the presence of erasure and salience patterns in it. The data for the study comprised thirty (30) newspaper articles. The data analysis method utilized for the study was eco-critical discourse analysis. The analytical framework used for this study was conceptualized by taking ideas from Bang and Door’s (2007) Model of Social Praxis and Stibbe’s (2015) idea of Discourses (beneficial, ambivalent, and destructive), Erasure, and Salience. The major findings of the study highlight that there are some overlapping dimensions in the discourse of Global North and Global South; however, there are many dissimilarities owing to different priorities and overall conditions of the developed and the developing world. Additionally, the study established that the discourse of the Global North is beneficial, and at the same time ambivalent towards the Global South. The ambivalence has also been observed towards the central ideas of the climate justice debate. This ambivalence can turn into a destructive discourse if not dealt with properly. On the other hand, the discourse of Global South is essentially beneficial as it upholds the principles of climate justice. Lastly, the discourse produced in Pakistani newspapers represents climate justice via different salience patterns, but there are instances of erasure as well, which makes it less effective. The future research may focus on climate justice via different media and sources. |
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| A Comparative Analysis of Compliment Responses in English and Urdu Comic Sitcoms | This research study has attempted to investigate the Compliment Responses that emerge into cultural trends and tendencies through the source of comic sitcoms in English and Urdu. There are three major classifications of compliment responses named, Agreement, Non-agreement, and Other interpretations. These macro-level categories are further grouped into micro-level sections. All categories are culturally bound and have situational implications. In this study, quantitative and qualitative methods are applied for analysis. The first part is based on quantitative analysis and refers to the inquiry of similarities and differences, which has been presented in a frequency table. Since the same data is analyzed in the context of situational variables and presented in a descriptive qualitative method. Thus some common situations are sorted out then all the categories of Herbert`s Taxonomy of CRs are viewed with a situational lens that reflects that compliment responses are bound to cultural norms moreover, male and female characters have their preferences to adopt a particular strategy. The study implies that efforts should be made to investigate CRs in multiple dimensions that may facilitate the learners of English as a second language under cross-cultural circumstances. Another advantage is to pave a path for the translators to let them hone their skills. The study concludes that compliment responses are specific to culture, personal priorities, awareness, knowledge, and global trends |
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