School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Asian literary and cultural texts that engage with trauma, memory, and healing, provide insights into the social and cultural history of the region, through the customs and traditions prevalent there. These texts force us to confront violence against women, like honor killings (Karo Kari), exchange marriages (vani), and forced marriages. One such type of traumatic experiences occurs where some young women of coastal Pakistan engage in marriage to the Quran. In some feudal families of the Sind province in Pakistan, there is a tradition of getting their daughters married to the Quran, with the intention that she should read the Quran and devote her life to it and should never marry anyone. This is the rule of patriarchal society to keep property in the family and prevent a woman from claiming the rights to property. In her novel The Holy Woman, Qaisera Shahraz offers the feel and taste of native culture with insight into the lives of the Muslim women of Sind province, and the trauma they must endure when they are decreed to be Quran brides and thus married to it. In this essay, we argue that Shahraz resists the marriage of Muslim daughters to the Quran through the female protagonist Zarri Bano. We read the Quran as a work of literature that contradicts this marriage practice, and which also reconfigures the gendered labor attached to wifehood and this practice.
In this essay, we critically read the narrative strategies used by Shahraz to resist the marriage of daughters to the Quran. We further argue that the author signals to readers that this practice is not only inhumane, but moreover contrary to the teachings of Islam despite widespread prejudice towards the religion. Specifically, Shahraz shapes Zarri into a figure that is an emblematic example of culturally specific honor and gender-related violence who resists this practice. In the line of her defiance, our contention is substantiated by close readings of verses from the Quran as a contradictory literary text which challenges, rather than reifies, the marriage of daughters to the Quran. In short, we demonstrate that the Quran is not in consensus with this practice. Rather, this tradition suppresses Muslim daughters in Sind by subjecting them to gendered labor formed by a feudal practice that presupposes neoliberal capitalism. We thus dispel myths that this tradition is aligned with religion, and instead show alliances to economic concerns married to Islamic patriarchy. In presenting a literary model of resistance to this practice in the character of Zarri, Shahraz’s challenges self-designed patriarchy, in the guise of Islam, through the emblematic protagonist and how, at the end of The Holy Woman, she is able to determine her own destiny.

Amidst the hierarchy of masculinities in society, the hegemonic masculinity is a pattern of practice that infers the variegated other masculinities (complicit, subordinated, and marginalized) inferior to it in their influence and thus sustains itself with dominance and eminence with reference to them. It subjugates them, while involving the continued oppression of women as well. Not every man embodies hegemonic masculinity, but those who exude it view women and homosexual men precisely as potential objects of their suppression. Their exercise of authority over them is validated not only through their masculine physical prowess, but also via their ideological panache, which is a product of sociocultural beliefs. Therefore, in Mike Donaldson words "the hegemonic masculinity is a culturally idealized form; it is exclusive, anxiety-provoking, internally and hierarchically, differentiated, brutal, and violent. It is pseudo-natural, tough, contradictory, crisis-prone, rich, and socially sustained" (645), which substantially bolsters the course of heteronormativity in any society. Set against the background of militancy and insurgency in Kashmir, Shafi Ahmad's novel The Half Widow (2012) depicts the array of hegemonic masculinities displayed by Kashmiri men, where the appellation 'Half-Widow 1 'is given to those Kashmiri women by Kashmiri and popular media 2 whose husbands have disappeared and remain untraced in the wake of the ongoing disturbances in Kashmir. While the novel delineates the struggle of Salma, the protagonist, who herself is a halfwidow and attempts to locate her missing husband, the novel also emphasizes her vulnerabilities typical to her gender, especially, when she encounters a man who attempts to exploit her physically. The article investigates how the novel bears testimony to the social trauma Salma has to face as a half-widow. Trauma in a general understanding is a discourse of psychology, or mostly it is assumed to have an undercurrent of psychological distress with regards to a tormenting event, such as natural disasters, accidents, death, and severe physical injuries. In the context of the disappearance of half-widows' husbands, it is CONTACT Elham Fatma

Anglophone literature by writers of the Pakistani diaspora grapples with multi-layered themes that are narrated through complex plots that explore the challenges of belonging in a new land in which identity is always in question by the dominant citizenry. Such intertwined themes include race, gender, sexuality, estrangement, covetousness in relationships, identity crises, and ambivalent feelings towards origin and nationality as inflected by postcolonial migration and resettlement. These thematic aspects of identity and alienation as experienced by the Pakistani diaspora are perhaps best crystallized in the notion of “home.” “Home” signifies contradictory feelings of belongingness, affiliation, and inclusiveness; it also paradoxically symbolizes sensitive relations to exclusion, borders, and containment. In this context of “home,” the millennial generation of Pakistani diasporas who are growing up and/ or attaining education in the West encounter “borders” with respect to familial beliefs, dogma, and ideals couched in religious and cultural terms. This generation’s prerogative to pursue or disregard its parents’ cultural legacies, especially with regard to the selection of a spouse, weddings, marital celebration and expectations, surfaces in diasporic literature as a bone of contention with family members of another generation.
Our contribution encourages readers to stretch their imaginings of “home” beyond the Partition of the Indian subcontinent and explore Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali Zamindar’s notion of “the long partition” in the context of postcolonial emigration from Pakistan and where, how, and why it impacts the institution of marriage. We focus on three novels: Bapsi Sidhwa’s American Brat (1993), Nadeem Aslam’s “Maps for Lost Lovers” (2004), and Azhar Abidi in “Twilight” (2008). These works of fiction feature protagonists living in the USA, Australia, and England, respectively, yet share a common thread: they fictively document the strife produced between family members as a result of clashing cultures. As a byproduct of contemporary society, diasporic Pakistani millennials living away from home experience an ever-widening gap between it and the preceding generation. We explore the conscious exercise of choice in personal matters with a focus on matrimony. For these subjects, marriage is influenced by exposure to Western society coupled with emotional dissociation and territorial alienation from the ethnic land of their
ancestors. The thrust of our contribution asserts that Pakistani diasporic literature reveals the fraught contradictions of home between the older generation which regards the home as a sanctum of family life and the millennial generation which has a much more open view of marriage (and divorce) in how and why it configures the conjugal home and kinship in and beyond Pakistan.

This paper focuses on ungendered narrative with reference to select fictional works, to shed light on the elements that define the genre. One or more characters with an undisclosed gender are the focal point of the narrative. The paper discusses techniques that authors employ to keep gender hidden, such as employing inventive gender-neutral pronouns or not using them at all. First-and second-person points of view are also common modes of narration, as " I " and " you " are gender-neutral. In depicting characters, authors consciously merge masculine and feminine stereotypes to create gender-secretive characters. The heterosexual love interest that has hitherto ruled the creative world is thus replaced by endless gender possibilities with which a couple may identify. Love, rather than the characters' gender, is at the forefront of these works. These narratives confront readers with the importance they assign to gender and their habit of pigeonholing certain behaviors, characteristics, and tendencies into a binary gender system. They force readers to question gender segregation and the consequences of choosing to defy the gender one is assigned at birth. Ultimately, these narratives ask whether gender matters in life.

When a reader encounters a character, fictional or not, in any medium (print or electronic), that reader will mentally add the character to the scene by first cataloguing gender, and gradually adding appearance, attire and mannerisms. But what if the author were to keep the character's gender secret? The result would certainly be a more disorienting reading experience than usual, in which the reader would be barred from a complete image of the character. Even if the author chose to use inventive gender-neutral pronouns (which the reader may or may not know) to introduce the character, it would likely only further complicate the matter. We are conditioned to think of gender as of utmost importance in learning about a person in any situation. Gender non-conforming and queer individuals face stigma, discrimination and rejection, owing to their ambiguous gender expression. Hence, once the reader overcomes the initial confusion, reading ungendered narrative can help to generate a gender-inclusive environment by forcing the reader to ask, "Does gender really matter?" If readers were able to come to terms with ungendered characters and familiarity with gender-neutral pronouns in fictional narratives, perhaps it would not matter whether the person sitting next to them on a bus were transgender or a gender-fluid person. The person would be simply a human being, deserving of the same respect and care as any other. We might then become sufficiently comfortable using gender-neutral pronouns in our daily conversation. Thus, ungendered narrative holds significant promise for queer individuals, and its popularity and wide reach among readers could bring greater acceptance in real life of individuals with non-normative gender.

In the late 2000s, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others) identities began to surface in Indian audiovisual marketing campaigns. By 2021, brands had produced at least 105 advertisements featuring LGBTQ+ identities. This research conducts an analysis of these campaigns, examining aspects such as their release date, featured characters, gender identity, sexual orientation, character age, narrative usage, genre, theme, and setting. The study reveals a substantial surge in advertising campaigns since 2018, with brands strategically launching them during Pride Month, Valentine's Day, and Women's Day. Characters embodying gay, lesbian, and transgender identities were most prevalent. Advertisements spotlighting gay, lesbian, or both gay and lesbian characters predominantly emphasised themes of love, featuring youthful characters and urban settings. In contrast, advertisements featuring transgender characters centred on human rights, with older characters and non-urban settings. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the number of LGBTQ+ marketing campaigns should continue to rise, diversifying character identities, ages, and settings while being released throughout the year.

A company's advertising campaign is generally considered the conduit through which it communicates its ethos and ideology to consumers. This paper aims to ascertain whether a company's marketing activities accurately reflect its business practices. Specifically, it investigates whether businesses with LGBTQ marketing initiatives actively advocate for and uphold workplace equality. The research compiles a list of companies, regardless of nationality but with offices in India, featuring at least one audiovisual LGBTQ marketing campaign that is broadcast on TV or the internet. The study consults workplace equality index reports, the company's website, or its available job descriptions to determine the extent to which these companies practice workplace equality. The research reveals that approximately half of the companies running LGBTQ advertisements do not actively promote workplace equality. Conversely, companies listed in workplace equality index reports do not incorporate LGBTQ advertisement campaigns. The findings demonstrate no discernible correlation between a company's advertising campaign and its workplace equality policy.

In the late 2000s, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others) identities began to surface in Indian audiovisual marketing campaigns. By 2021, brands had produced at least 105 advertisements featuring LGBTQ+ identities. This research conducts an analysis of these campaigns, examining aspects such as their release date, featured characters, gender identity, sexual orientation, character age, narrative usage, genre, theme, and setting. The study reveals a substantial surge in advertising campaigns since 2018, with brands strategically launching them during Pride Month, Valentine's Day, and Women's Day. Characters embodying gay, lesbian, and transgender identities were most prevalent. Advertisements spotlighting gay, lesbian, or both gay and lesbian characters predominantly emphasised themes of love, featuring youthful characters and urban settings. In contrast, advertisements featuring transgender characters centred on human rights, with older characters and non-urban settings. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the number of LGBTQ+ marketing campaigns should continue to rise, diversifying character identities, ages, and settings while being released throughout the year.

Suicide is a significant newsworthy event, and the media often cover cases involving queer individuals. However, there is a notable lack of research on the quality of reporting of queer suicide cases within the Indian context. This article aims to address the existing gap in Indian online news media by investigating the portrayal of queer suicide via content analysis. Content analysis involves qualitatively condensing and interpreting data to extract key consistencies and meanings from a plethora of qualitative material. The newspapers considered span from 2005 to 2022, with data collection conducted in 2023. The author alone identified news articles on queer suicide and conducted the subsequent content analysis. The study reveals that reporting on queer suicide tends to divide queer couples into the gender binary and describes what it deems to be careless sexual conduct driven by obsessive queer love, which, in turn, is blamed for the suicide. Moreover, these reports often do the following: feature families who refuse to accept their children's identities, adopt dread-filled tones, and cite experts who provide incorrect information while engaging in victim blaming. As a result, the quality of queer suicide reporting in Indian newspapers is deemed substandard and offensive. To address this issue, the study proposes the need for training and curriculum updates in journalistic courses. This way, reporters can develop the skills necessary to sensitively and respectfully report on queer individuals in general and on queer suicide in particular.

Is it not anachronistic to talk about issues like capital and the crises of capitalism in our socalled technologically liberated post-communist twenty-first century world? Did not the failure of the erstwhile communist states settle once and for all the problem of capitalism and its post-industrial avatars? Have we not entered a post-ideological world in which the capitalist system of social organization defines the horizon of our socio-politico-economic existence which, consequently, renders useless all ideological struggles? For someone like David Harvey, who has been teaching Marx's Capital for the last forty years and is yet not bored with its 'clichéd' terminology, the answer is No. He argues that we must reclaim the discipline of 'political economy' in an age in which the solutions to poverty, unemployment, labour surplus, and income inequality are sorted out in complex mathematical models and on macro and micro levels of economic management. The capitalist system, Harvey believes, is still the most dangerous whirlwind in which the future of humanity is stuck.