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| Title | Abstract | Action(s) |
|---|---|---|
| SEEING WITHOUT SIGHT: PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY OF VISUALLY CHALLENGED SUBJECTIVITIES IN SELECTED WORKS OF DOERR, HINGSON AND PAMUK | This research study attempts to discover dynamics of psychogeography as lived experience of people without sight by conducting a phenomenological study of blindness as experienced by characters in the following literary works: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, and Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson and Susie Flory. I have applied theoretical concepts from Marie’s Marlowe Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception such as, the definition of phenomena phenomenal field and transcendental phenomenological reduction along with sense, perception and proprioception. In addition to this, I have used definitions of psychogeography by Guy Debord and of sight, blindness and disability by Rod Michalko as a lens to analyze the persona of blindness as depicted in characters from selected works. The major dynamics of psychogeography as experienced in blindness found in these novels are as follows: The socio-psycho inequality experienced in an ocular-centric world is an inherent element of experiencing blindness but does not necessarily allude to its being a misfortune. The subsequent skillset required to mitigate the resultant situation constructs an alternative reality which centers on a vision created by interacting with respective surroundings via other sensory modalities. One of the core constituents which lends validity and stability to the resultant conception of people, places and things is the emotional responses they incur. While the core constituents of these experiences are similar, the constructed realities are as diverse as the emotions created by the subjects experiencing blindness, and the means with which they are experienced. Moreover, these three works explicitly describe the use of assistive devices coupled with imagination and habitual memory as methods of not only navigating their psychosocial environs in their respective geographies, but also of living the beauty experienced in art and existence alike. This research would provide literature students, along with students of sociology and psychology, a new lens to study and perceive people with blindness and other disabilities: not solely under the presumptuous edicts of mainstream narrative but rather as people with diverse abilities. It would also help them to critically analyze societal values, customs, and beliefs as represented in literature. This might prove to be a stepping stone towards a better future for the stereotypically portrayed and marginalized groups in a given societal structure. |
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| TOWARDS A RACELESS FUTURE: A MAGICAL REALIST STUDY OF MOHSIN HAMID’S EXIT WEST (2017) AND THE LAST WHITE MAN (2022) | The present research examines two novels by Mohsin Hamid: Exit West (2017) and The Last White Man (2022). It focuses on the lived experiences and consequent repercussions affecting racially and ethnically marginalized individuals residing in white supremacist societies, which subject them to systemic segregation and dehumanization. The study posits a vision for a future where the concept of race is superseded, not through the erasure of individual racial or ethnic identities, but through the dismantling of race as a socially constructed paradigm that perpetuates injustice and fosters a society where individuals of color are not only scorned and deemed inferior based on their skin color, but also subjected to violence and severe psychological trauma. Since it is imperative to acknowledge the existence of a problem before its eradication, envisioning a future free from racism necessitates an initial recognition of the profound extent to which such prejudicial constructs have permeated societal structures. Therefore, the theoretical framework of the present study is informed by the underpinnings of critical race theory, magical realism, and Jeremy Griffith's propositions regarding the end of the human condition. This blend highlights the intersection of racial violence and its psychological toll on victims, while also foregrounding the subsequent journey towards acceptance and appreciation of diversity. This qualitative research employs Cathrine Belsey’s textual analysis to examine selected literary works: Exit West (2017) and The Last White Man (2022). Through this, the researcher attempts to show that despite being critical of racism, Hamid presents an optimistic view, hinting towards harmony and coexistence of people of different colors and origins. Hence, in an attempt to contribute to the existing body of knowledge, this study brings up some of the revolutionary explanations of the “human condition” presented by leading Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith in his book FREEDOM: The End of Human Condition (2019), which can aid in the eradication of racism and lead humankind towards a future free of prejudice and hatred. |
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