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| Title | Abstract | Action(s) |
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| (IN) ABILITY TO DWELL AMIDST GENTRIFICATION: AN ANALYSIS OF IN THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS AND NO HONOUR BY AWAIS KHAN | Title: (In) Ability to Dwell Amidst Gentrification: An Analysis of In the Company of Strangers and No Honour by Awais Khan Gentrification has become a universal issue, which significantly affects individuals' ability to dwell within their transformed environments. This thesis investigates the representation of gentrification and its impact on individuals’ lives, particularly their ability to find a sense of home and belonging, as depicted in Awais Khan’s novels, In the Company of Strangers (2019) and No Honour (2021). By examining how the characters navigate the tension between progress and authenticity amidst urban transformation, the study establishes a critical link between literature and the sociocultural dynamics of gentrification. The research is grounded in Sharon Zukin’s concept of authenticity and Martin Heidegger’s philosophy of dwelling, which together form the theoretical framework. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative textual analysis to explore the experiences of key characters within Lahore’s gentrified spaces as portrayed in the novels. The findings reveal contrasting outcomes: while some characters exhibit resilience and succeed in creating a sense of home amidst modernisation, some characters fail to dwell authentically, which leads to tragic consequences for them, such as social displacement and existential crisis. Gentrification not only reshapes urban landscapes but also disrupts the cultural heritage of communities. Moreover, it creates a sense of tension between tradition and modernity which ultimately affect the lives of individuals dwelling in changing urban circumstances.The analysis underscores the pivotal role of successful dwelling, as conceptualised by Heidegger, in mitigating the alienation caused by gentrification. This research contributes to broader discussions on urban transformation, literature, and identity by demonstrating how fictional narratives portray the complex relationship between individuals and their changing environments. The study emphasises the importance of authentic dwelling in addressing the cultural and psychological challenges posed by modernity. |
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| DETOURNEMENT OF SEDUCTIVE SPACES: URBAN RENEWAL AMIDST GENTRIFICATION IN NAIMA COSTER’S HALSEY STREET AND LISA BRAXTON’S THE TALKING DRUM | Title: Détournement of Seductive Spaces: Urban Renewal Amidst Gentrification in Naima Coster’s Halsey Street and Lisa Braxton’s The Talking Drum The present study focuses on how the process of gentrification disrupts the spatial structures, economic equilibrium and community-centric cultural development that are often considered paramount for an inclusive and vibrant urban space. The novels selected for the scrutiny are Halsey Street (2018) by Naima Coster and The Talking Drum (2020) by Lisa Braxton. The gentrified spaces are aestheticized and as put by Christoph Lindner Gerard F. Sandoval, are converted into ―seductive spaces‖, that offer trendy establishments and a renewed urban ambiance. However, the detrimental effects brought by gentrification are always lurking behind, which shatter economic equilibrium, spatial structures, and inclusivity. The afore-mentioned novels have been scrutinized under the lens of the theoretical framework expounded out of Christoph Lindner and Gerard F. Sandoval‘s book Aesthetics of Gentrification: Seductive Spaces and Exclusive Communities in the Neoliberal City (2021), integrating it with Jane Jacobs‘ The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), who serves as the second key theorist. Christoph Lindner and Gerard F. Sandoval are co-authors of this book and give a survey about how embellishment of gentrified spaces takes place, resulting in their conversion into seductive spaces. Meanwhile, Jane Jacobs proposes the urban planning fundamentals and the features of urban spaces that are cardinal to cater the needs of its residents, and for the creation of a vibrant and inclusive urban space. The research aims to unearth the adversities brought by gentrification, and the attempt to mask them through the process of aestheticization, by carrying out the textual analysis of the selected texts. This research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of gentrification's societal implications through literary lenses, informing future scholarly discussions and critiques of urban development. |
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| HETEROTOPIA, AGENCY, AND THE EMBODIED SPACES: A NEW MATERIALIST READING OF THOMAS MANN’S THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN AND MOHAMMAD HANIF’S OUR LADY OF ALICE BHATTI | Title: Heterotopia, Agency, and the Embodied Spaces: A New Materialist Reading of Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain and Mohammad Hanif’s Our Lady of Alice Bhatti This study investigates the concept of Heterotopia in Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain and Mohammad Hanif’s Our Lady of Alice Bhatti. It focuses hospital as heterotopic space. I have drawn on Michel Foucault’s idea of “heterotopia” and Karen Barad’s concept of “Agential Realism”. As a supporting theoretical lens, I invoke Henry Lefebvre’s idea of “embodied spaces”. In both the selected texts, the human body has been used as an embodiment of space that moves between heterotopic and normative spaces. It experiences a transition between two spaces and develops spatial consciousness. This spatial consciousness leads to radical subjectivity in order to create harmony among societal conflicts. Barad’s “Agential Realism” is the mutual interaction of human and non-human agencies. Barad calls human and nonhuman interaction “agential cuts” that open the way to attach “others” unintentionally as they are not very far from us. The location and fluidity of human characters into and around heterotopic spaces reveal intra-actions of human experience and non-human material objects. That is how embodied spaces, heterotopias and agential realism get connected in an argument. I have conducted my research from a new materialist perspective. New Materialism is an interdisciplinary field of study where the focus lies on quantum mechanical description of material which goes against the anthropocentric approach of study. New materialism opens up new avenues to rethink human existence within new materialistic framework. I have used Catherine Belsey’s research method, ‘Textual Analysis’ in order to examine my primary texts. This study is likely to productively contribute to the production of knowledge in the area of spatial studies. |
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| Configurations of Case Study Researches: A Corpus-based Genre Analysis | This study conducts a genre analysis of case study (CS) research articles (RAs) in English linguistics and literature; it examines their structural patterns, moves, and microstructures. These marked features help in understanding the conventions of CSRAs and its authorial communication strategies. They are useful tools in informing pedagogy of academic writing, specifically CS research. The data is collected from two international and two national journals by employing stratified random sampling technique. Ten case studies were selected from each journal, that is, the study comprises a data of forty English literature and linguistics case studies. The study employed Swales' IMRD model (1990) for identifying macrostructures, AntMover software for move analysis, and Swales and Feak's model (2009) for micro analysis. Findings show that case studies deviate from the traditional IMRD model prescribed for writing research articles, with additional sections such as Literature Review, Analysis, and Conclusion. Disparities were observed between English literature and linguistics case studies, with varying move structures and microelements. The study reveals that simply following a standard format is not enough to effectively communicate research in these fields. This study contributes to the development of various frameworks for example IAC, ILMDC and ILMRDC for both analyzing and writing case studies in English discipline. It highlights the significance of genre analysis in uncovering academic writing complexities and demonstrates the need for continued research into case study genres across disciplines. The results have implications for English for Academic Purposes programs and materials. It provides a model for writing case study research articles and bridging the gap between research and pedagogy in L2 writing instructions. |
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| Refugee Integration within Host Cultures: A Study of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer and The Committed | Title: Refugee Integration within Host Cultures: A Study of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer and The Committed This study aims to analyze Viet Thanh Nguyen’s works, The Sympathizer and The Committed for the evidence of refugees’ problems in the host cultures and their integration process therein. Using Tony Bennet’s cultural studies as a research method, the selected works have been analyzed through the lens of Gulay Ugur Goksel’s theoretical concept on integrating refugees within the host cultures. Goksel challenges assimilation and multiculturalism as inadequate ideologies because these offer a one-way route. Contrarily, Goksel introduces the concept of integration as a two-way process that stimulates both the dominant group (host countries) and marginalized groups of refugees to live together. The current research investigates Nguyen’s works as a representative voice of the marginalized section of refugees. The study reflects upon the Vietnamese refugees’ issues/concerns after their displacement from their country to the host cultures due to the persecution of the American-Vietnam War. The refugees face multiple issues that hamper the integration process because the local community of the host countries takes them as security threats and economic burdens. Therefore, the people of the host countries refuse to give them acceptance and basic rights. However, the refugees have to face racial discrimination, gender inequality, and economic problems in the host countries due to their ethno-cultural background. The study concludes that there are certain individuals and institutions in the host countries which give acceptance to refugees to accelerate the integration process. They help the refugees by providing them with education, jobs, citizenship, and basic human rights. In the selected texts, the characters like Claude and the Congressman from America and BFD, and Maoist PhD from France seem active in promoting the integration process. |
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