The Voice of Creative Research

The Mirage of Appearance in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere

2025-07-30T16:32:23+00:00

Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed narrative Neverwhere investigates the intricate relationship between perception and reality. Set in the surreal landscape of London Below, the story serves as a rich tapestry of illusions, where characters and settings often mask deeper truths. This analysis examines how Gaiman employs the fallacy of appearance to reveal the complexities of identity, belonging, and societal expectations. Through a close reading of pivotal scenes and character transformations, the article illustrates how Gaiman crafts a world where the superficial often obscures the genuine, prompting readers to question their assumptions about truth. The study further explores the thematic implications of these illusions, demonstrating how they reflect broader societal issues such as class disparity and the nature of reality in urban life. By engaging with concepts from philosophy and literary theory, the article argues that Gaiman's work transcends mere fantasy, offering a poignant critique of contemporary society’s tendency to prioritize appearances over authenticity. Ultimately, this exploration of Neverwhere underscores the importance of discerning the unseen truths that lie beneath the surface, inviting readers to navigate the complexities of perceptions.

Re-contextualizing Postcolonial Identity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus: A Derridean Perspective

2025-07-31T16:10:50+00:00

The article explores the binary oppositions embedded in the maiden novel of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus (2003). It re-interprets the binary opposites from a Derridean perspective by attempting to re-contextualize the Postcolonial identity. Purple Hibiscus is a quintessential novel which encapsulates multiple perspectives of the colonizer and colonized and Adichie articulates postcolonial discourse which dismantles the Nigerian identity portrayed by the colonizer. Adichie in her TED talk “The Danger of a Single Story” states how a single story (narrative) can silence multiple perspectives by creating stereotypes. The present study seeks to analyse the binary oppositions that underlie the dominant ways of thinking in postcolonial Nigeria. Derrida’s deconstructive strategy is adopted to exemplify the dichotomies. Derrida opines that human society and culture can only be understood through close analysis of language and its influence on human thought and society. Derridean view of systematic power encoded in language creates a hierarchical binary. This dominant force of power dynamics leads to the strategic resistance in postcolonial discourse. Eventually, the strategic resistance proclaims the identity of the oppressed in postcolonial context. The present study attempts to foreground the operations of binary oppositions such as tradition & modernity, silence & speech (voice), colonized & colonizer and power/resistance in Purple Hibiscus there by navigating the postcolonial identity.

A CDA Perspective on Mental Health Discourse in the Entertainment Industry

2025-07-31T16:10:49+00:00

The present study explores mental health discourses within the entertainment industry through the perspective of Critical Discourse Analysis, with the purpose of discussing how mental health issues are narrated, formulated, and represented in popular television programmes. This paper fills the gap by analysing the representation of mental health in three most-viewed TV series: 13 Reasons Why, The Big Bang Theory, and BoJack Horseman. These shows depict mental health in a very different way: from adolescent struggles to complex adult issues, which makes them suitable for comparative analysis. The eclectic CDA model follows the embeddings of the elements of van Dijk's socio-cognitive approach and Fairclough's three-dimensional framework, adding Gee's analysis of discourse as social practice. The objectives of the study will be to identify the linguistic and narrative strategies through which mental health is represented, to analyse the ideological underpinning that informs such portrayals, and to examine the effects of such portrayals on audience understanding of issues about mental health. Because findings now strongly indicate that 13 Reasons Why sensationalizes mental health problems for dramatic effect, while The Big Bang Theory tends to lighten up rather serious issues through humor and stereotyping, BoJack Horseman does a more critical and nuanced analysis of the same via dark comedy. Each of these portrayals contributes toward a complex understanding of mental health in popular culture, inspiring both public discourse and societal attitudes. The study calls for an increase in responsible and realistic media representation of mental health.

Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” Under the Rubric of Dhvani Principle

2025-07-31T16:10:48+00:00

T. S. Eliot is often regarded as the greatest and most intelligent poet of the twentieth century. He employs linguistic techniques such as irony, metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and many sorts of imagery to portray modern man’s damaged mind. One of them is “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” The puzzled and wicked metropolitan life of modern humans is depicted in this poem. These aesthetic aspects imply a different meaning because they do not provide direct meaning or denotations. As a result, in light of Anandavardhana’s idea of Dhvani, his poetry is shown to be compatible with the interpretation of suggested meanings. The Dhavni principle is the most strong and important of the several Indian aesthetic theories. To understand the suggested meaning or implied meaning, it is required to understand the diverse forms of words, their different meanings, and the process of getting the suggested meanings, which is the basis of this theory. The power of words refers to the process of obtaining implied meaning. The primary goal of the power of the word is to comprehend the various forms of meaning. The power of word is divided into three categories: Expressive, Indicative, and Suggestive, on which the entire Dhavni philosophy is built.

The Role of Four Skills in Teaching and Learning: An Integrated Approach to Second Language Acquisition

2025-07-31T16:10:47+00:00

This study examines the critical role of the four fundamental language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—in second language teaching and learning contexts. Through a comprehensive analysis of current pedagogical approaches and empirical evidence, this research investigates how the integration of these skills enhances language acquisition outcomes. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, analyzing data from 240 ESL learners across different proficiency levels to determine the effectiveness of integrated skills instruction versus isolated skills teaching. Results indicate that integrated approaches to the four skills yield significantly higher language proficiency gains (p < 0.001) compared to traditional segregated instruction methods. The findings reveal strong correlations between listening and speaking skills (r = 0.78), and reading and writing skills (r = 0.82), while cross-modal correlations demonstrate the interconnected nature of language learning. This research contributes to the growing body of literature supporting holistic language instruction methodologies and provides practical implications for curriculum design and teacher training programs.

The Contribution of Local Governance to the Advancement of Family Planning in Uttar Pradesh: A Systematic Review

2025-07-31T16:10:47+00:00

Local governance plays a pivotal role in implementing family planning programs in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India’s most populous state, where high fertility rates and unmet contraceptive needs persist. This systematic review examines the contributions of local governance structures, such as Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and municipal bodies, to advancing family planning initiatives in UP. Through a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed studies, government reports, and policy documents, this paper explores how decentralized governance facilitates community engagement, resource allocation, and service delivery. Key findings highlight the role of PRIs in awareness campaigns, the integration of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in grassroots mobilization, and challenges like resource constraints and socio-cultural barriers. Recommendations include strengthening PRI capacity, enhancing intersectoral coordination, and addressing gender and caste-based disparities to improve family planning outcomes. This review underscores the critical interplay between local governance and reproductive health in achieving sustainable development goals in UP.

Capital Punishment and Human Rights: An Analytical Study मृत्युदंड और मानवाधिकारः विश्लेषणात्मक अध्ययन

2025-07-30T16:47:38+00:00

Capital punishment is a complex and contentious issue that profoundly conflicts with the principles of human rights. This research paper analyzes the relationship between capital punishment and human rights from historical, legal, ethical, and comparative perspectives. It discusses the historical evolution of the death penalty, its legal provisions across different countries, the moral dilemmas it presents, and its compatibility with human rights. Through a comparative study of countries such as India, the United States, the European Union, and China, the paper attempts to understand the varying applications of the death penalty and the status of human rights therein. It also refers to significant judicial decisions, including Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab (1980) and Shatrughan Chauhan v. Union of India (2014), along with relevant international human rights laws. In conclusion, the paper highlights the challenges in balancing capital punishment with human rights and offers recommendations such as raising awareness, safeguarding human rights, and exploring alternatives to the death penalty. This research provides a comprehensive framework to understand the implications of capital punishment in the context of the fundamental ethos of human rights.

Democracy and Dictatorship: A Comparative Political Analysis |लोकतंत्र और तानाशाही: एक तुलनात्मक राजनीतिक विश्लेषण

2025-07-30T17:36:39+00:00

This study presents a comprehensive comparison between democracy and dictatorship, analyzing the structures, principles, and functioning of both political systems. Democracy is a system of governance in which power lies in the hands of the people, granting citizens the right to choose their leaders, question government policies, and express their opinions freely. The key features of democracy include public participation, equality, freedom of expression, and the rule of law. In contrast, dictatorship centralizes power in the hands of a single individual or a small group, and it is characterized by authoritarianism, repression, censorship, and the misuse of military force. In a dictatorship, citizens' freedoms and political rights are limited, and the decisions of the ruler are enforced without criticism or opposition. This article highlights the differences between the two systems in terms of power distribution, citizens’ rights, freedom of dissent, and control over the media. Democracy promotes equality and freedom in society, while dictatorship violates individual liberties and fosters inequality and instability.

The Influence of Shakespeare on Modern Literature

2025-07-30T17:36:38+00:00

One of the most significant writers in English literature is William Shakespeare, whose writing has greatly influenced modern authors. His contributions to the English language, which included coining new terms and expressions, have altered contemporary communication. Shakespeare established the foundation for modern narrative with his ability to create complex characters and tackle universal themes like love, power, and deceit. Character-driven narratives in literature and modern media have been influenced by his research on human psychology and emotional depth. Shakespeare’s poetry, particularly his sonnets, has inspired many modern writers to experiment with form and rhythm. His writings are still relevant today and provide a wealth of inspiration for literary, theatrical, and film adaptations. Shakespeare has a lasting influence and has contributed significantly to the development of modern literary traditions.

A Comprehensive Examination of QR Codes in High School Kerala Reader English Textbooks

2025-07-31T16:10:45+00:00

This study examines the use of QR codes in Kerala’s High School English Reader textbooks, highlighting their role in enhancing language learning through improved accessibility, interactivity, and multimodal engagement. Aligned with the Kerala Curriculum Framework (KCF 2007), QR codes support inclusive education by offering alternative formats such as audio, video, and interactive content, benefiting diverse learners, including those with disabilities. A qualitative analysis of the 8th and 9th-grade textbooks reveals how QR codes promote digital literacy, self-directed learning, and provide valuable resources for teachers. While the integration offers significant pedagogical benefits, the study also notes challenges related to unequal access to digital infrastructure. It concludes that QR codes hold strong potential for enriching education, provided that issues of accessibility and digital equity are addressed.

Heartfelt Gratitude of a dog in two Selected Movies of Lasse Hallstrom

2025-07-31T16:10:44+00:00

Humans often form strong bonds with non-human animals and vice versa. In the contemporary society, love comes in many forms, including the attachment between people and their pets. Animals, especially pets, have a positive influence on humans' physical and psychological well-being, as well as their close relationships. Animal companionship is an integral aspect of life. Humans have many reasons for owning pets. It is because pets provide a highly reliable association in a person’s life, which is more consistent and reliable than human–human. They enter into a relationship of mutualism with their owners. Owners receive love, affection, and there is no risk of betrayal. Apart from emotional benefits, pet ownership improves one’s physical and mental health. It reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and helps to prevent heart diseases…This paper attempts to approach two films, namely The Dog’s Purpose and Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. The dog is portrayed as the central character in both of these movies. This study delves into the concept of exploring the bond and unconditional love of the dog to its master. Dogs were early companions of human beings, and they have been known for their loyalty ever since. A Dog’s Purpose follows a dog named Bailey and his journey through several lives of incarnation. A remarkable story of one endearing dog’s search for his purpose throughout several lives. As a charming dog story, it touches the universal quest for an answer to life’s most basic question: What is the purpose of life? It teaches that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us and that every creature on Earth is born with a purpose. The movie is high on emotions. It has many moments of delightful canine joy and goes beyond the clichés. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is an immensely appealing drama about the extraordinary devotion of dogs to their beloved human companion. As the bond between the dog and the master grew older and deeper, a beautiful relationship unfolded, embodying the true spirit of family and loyalty while inspiring the hearts of the entire town. The movies play on a natural human weakness for dogs. The story has a larger message for its audience – of empathy, unconditional love and companionship. To conclude, both movies have the elements of mutualism, gratitude and unconditional love.

Reclaiming Voice and Space: Aboriginal Self-Assertion in Jack Davis’s Kullark and The Dreamers

2025-07-31T16:10:43+00:00

Australian drama has undergone significant transformation since the colonial era, with the rise of Aboriginal theatre marking a crucial phase in reclaiming cultural identity and historical narrative. This theatre arose as a form of resistance and protest, using Indigenous cultural narrative to challenge the dominant white settler discourse that has long suppressed the Aboriginal voices in Australia. Jack Davis, a celebrated Nyoongah playwright from Western Australia, stands as a commanding voice in this movement. His plays focus on both white and Aboriginal audiences, underlining the need for self-definition, cultural assertion, and historical reparation. Understanding the fact that his works are written in the language of the white settlers, Davis strategically incorporates Indigenous music, myths, and language to destabilise colonial norms and celebrate Aboriginal identity. His theatre becomes a space where repressed histories and lived realities are enunciated with authenticity and urgency. This paper examines the key themes in Davis’s plays Kullark and The Dreamers, both of which reflect the enduring struggles of Aboriginal people to assert their place in a society that continues to challenge their existence.

Nifty 50 Index Reshuffling of Indian Banking Stocks: Interpreting Volatility Dynamics through Arch Model

2025-07-31T16:10:41+00:00

The paper examines the effectiveness of NIFTY 50 index reshuffling in terms of its effects on the volatility of stock returns in the Indian banking industries with the help of the Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH) model. A total of four leading banks--Kotak Mahindra Bank, YES Bank, Bank of Baroda, and IndusInd Bank were compared during post-index reconstitution period and pre-index period in order to measure the upper and lower volatility dynamics. The findings indicate that the banks respond heterogeneously. e.g., Volatility became more persistent for Kotak Mahindra Bank during post-index period. Whereas volatility was not persistent for Bank of Baroda and IndusInd Bank during both the periods. Yes Bank had a high volatility. However, it was more internally-driven rather than index-driven. The results emphasize that index-reshuffling has different impacts across different stocks and firm-specific fundamentals important to the volatility behavior. This paper can add value to the current knowledge of the event-based volatility in emerging economies and provide valuable guidelines to the investors, fund managers and policy advisors dealing with index-oriented investment milieu.

Textual Labyrinthine Spaces in the Select Works of Isabel Allende

2025-07-31T16:10:40+00:00

The chaotic political history of Chile has long been scrutinised by writers who have recognised the importance of addressing alternative histories of suppressed groups on the land through their literary narratives. Chilean novelist Isabel Allende belonged to the group of writers who had adopted several narrative strategies to expose alternate histories in order to make the readers understand the power plays inherent in their land. The textual architecture of the labyrinth, a concept discussed by Faith N. Mishina in Gabriel García Márquez: A Subversive Agenda, can be applied to the works selected for discussion in this paper. This concept works against the labyrinths of power structures, class differences and other hidden agendas generated by the authorities to safeguard their political motives without any form of resistance. How the select literary narratives of Isabel Allende deconstruct such labyrinths used to trap common people is the central concern of this paper. The empowering nature of textual labyrinths is also discussed in this paper.

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A Vision for Tribal Education

2025-09-14T05:56:22+00:00

The Union Cabinet has approved the New National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as a reformative measure aimed at enhancing the Indian education system to meet the needs of 21st-century India. The policy aims to provide students with access to quality higher education, with a major goal of universalizing primary education (for the age group 3–6 years). In the realm of tribal education, support schemes for employment will be strengthened through cutting-edge technological updates in fields such as Artificial Intelligence, 3D modeling and analysis, and biotechnology. The policy sets a target of achieving a 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2030, and to this end, it proposes a public expenditure of 6% of GDP on the education sector through collaborative efforts between the NEP and state governments. Under this new policy, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has been renamed as the Ministry of Education. One of the key strategies for developing life skills among tribal children is investment in sports. A marked improvement has been observed in their self-efficacy and team spirit. As part of this initiative, tribal children in states like Jharkhand, Mizoram, Manipur, and Assam were engaged in football and hockey activities, resulting in enhanced community engagement and team-building capacities. The community has also been encouraged to share indigenous knowledge related to herbal medicine.

From Constraint to Liberation: Interrogating Religion and Culture through Gender in Imtiaz Dharker’s Poetic Vision

2025-09-14T05:56:21+00:00

Imtiaz Dharker’s poetry offers a searing critique of the intersecting forces of religion, culture, and gender that shape women’s identities and lived realities. This paper undertakes a close textual analysis of three of her seminal poems—Purdah, Honour Killing, and This Room—to trace the trajectory from female constraint to self-liberation. Through the lens of feminist, postcolonial, and intersectional theory, the study explores how Dharker exposes patriarchal structures that confine women physically, psychologically, and spiritually, while simultaneously gesturing toward acts of defiance and self-assertion. Situating Dharker in conversation with poets such as Adrienne Rich and Kamala Das, the paper highlights her unique ability to weave personal experience with broader socio-political critique. Religion and culture emerge not as static entities, but as contested terrains where women negotiate agency, resist oppressive traditions, and reclaim bodily and intellectual autonomy. By juxtaposing Dharker’s work with global literary discourses on gender and identity, this paper argues that her poetic vision not only interrogates structures of power but also reimagines spaces for liberation and transformation. This study adopts a qualitative, textual analysis framework to interrogate select poems from Imtiaz Dharker’s oeuvre- Purdah, Honour Killing, and This Room and examines the intersectionality of religion and culture through gender, with Feminist theory and Postcolonial theory serving as the central critical lenses.

गुट निरपेक्ष आन्दोलन में भारत की भूमिका (India’s Role in the Non-Aligned Movement)

2025-09-14T05:56:20+00:00

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an international organization of nations that declared they would not align themselves with any power bloc or enter into military conflicts. After the Second World War, the world was divided into two rival camps: the Socialist Bloc and the Capitalist Bloc. On the other hand, newly independent Asian and African nations were beginning to assert their sovereignty. These nations did not trust the supremacy of the two superpowers and believed that their “Third Force” could provide balance, resist domination, and contribute constructively to international cooperation. Among the chief architects of the Non-Aligned Movement, the special contribution of India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, along with Yugoslav President Tito and Egyptian President Nasser, is noteworthy. By strengthening the foundation of this “Third Force,” they ensured the steady expansion of NAM membership. Countries like China, which believed in militarism and communism, were considered adversarial to NAM. Meanwhile, Pakistan actively sought to join military blocs.

Conjugal Conflict and Marital Discord in Indian English Novels

2025-09-14T05:56:19+00:00

Marriage has, since ancient times, been revered in India as a sacred bond between a man and a woman. A house becomes a home only when it is coloured with emotional bonding, mutual understanding, and shared responsibilities. The conjugal relationship, therefore, plays a pivotal role in shaping the growth and stability of a family. Yet, happiness in such relationships often emerges through pain and sacrifice. Fathers undergo hardship for their children’s future, and mothers embrace innumerable struggles to sustain their families. However, tension frequently arises when these two roles intersect as husband and wife. Differences in temperament, background, and values often cause friction. Conjugal conflict, then, is not merely a private issue but a cultural phenomenon, often rooted in patriarchal traditions and societal expectations. Indian English novels explore this complex terrain with depth and sensitivity, depicting both the agony and resilience embedded within marriage. Writers such as Anita Desai, Kamala Markandaya, Nayantara Sahgal, R. K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, and Raja Rao reveal how conjugal discord reflects wider struggles of individuality, identity, and gender roles. This paper examines their portrayals to decode the multifaceted realities of conjugal clash in Indian fiction.

The Voice of Andaman: An Ecocritical Reading of Pankaj Sekhsaria’s The Last Wave

2025-09-14T05:56:19+00:00

Pankaj Sekhsaria’s The Last Wave (2014) is an island fiction set against the backdrop of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Sekhsaria’s The Last Wave focuses on the Jarwa tribe, exploited by the British during colonial times, and the Inland Indians. It explores how, from colonial times to the present day, outsiders entered the island through government support and corrupt politicians and occupied the land of the Jarawa tribe. They cleared the forest and made houses, fields, plantations, and thus the ecosystem lost its balance, thereby the Anthropocene was seen at its peak. The Jarawas’ interaction with mainland Indians resulted in catching diseases and harmful habits like tobacco, which pushed them towards annihilation. It also shows illegal timber extraction and logging by the forest department. The novel ends with the 2004 tsunami, where nature avenged the human beings for the overexploitation. Through a qualitative methodology, this article argues how modernity and globalization alienated man from nature, who are blind in the shade of the Anthropocene, ravaged the Andaman and Nicobar islands; how their overexploitation pushed the indigenous tribes to annihilation and totally disrupted the balance of the ecosystem.

Domestic Violence: A Curse Against Women Empowerment In 21st Century

2025-09-14T05:56:18+00:00

Domestic violence remains one of the most pressing challenges to women’s empowerment in the 21st century. Despite legislative frameworks such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2006, women continue to face abuse in physical, emotional, psychological, and economic forms. This paper examines domestic violence as both a social and cultural construct deeply rooted in patriarchal traditions, gender inequality, and economic dependence. It highlights how lack of education, financial insecurity, social stigma, and cultural taboos perpetuate silence and normalize violence within households. Drawing on secondary sources including books, reports, and scholarly articles, the study analyzes the causes, manifestations, and consequences of domestic abuse while emphasizing the need for awareness, education, and empowerment to break the cycle of victimization. The paper argues that eradicating domestic violence is essential not only for safeguarding women’s dignity and rights but also for fostering healthier families and a progressive society. It advocates a multi-pronged approach involving legal interventions, social reforms, education, community participation, and the strengthening of support networks for victims.

Storying Seeds: Literary Representations, Intangible Heritage, and Agripreneurial Pathways for Empowering Marginal Farmers in Rural Bengal

2025-09-14T05:56:17+00:00

This article explores how literary representations and intangible cultural heritage in rural Bengal serve as active resources in agripreneurship for marginalized farmers. Through interdisciplinary analysis, the complex interrelationship between folk narratives, rituals, community identity, and agricultural innovation is unpacked. Drawing examples from tribal communities in districts such as Birbhum, Bankura, and Malda, the paper demonstrates how storytelling, traditional festivals, and artisanal crafts are not only preservers of identity but engines for economic transformation. The challenges these farmers face—fragmented land holdings, weak institutional support, and social exclusion—are foregrounded. The study argues that the integration of cultural capital with modern entrepreneurial strategies enables resilient, ecologically attuned, and locally rooted pathways to development. The article concludes by advocating for policies and educational interventions that nurture this synergy between heritage and economic agency, helping marginal farmers both sustain their livelihoods and safeguard Bengal’s rich agro-cultural tapestry.

From Jim to James: Retelling the Adventures for Freedom

2025-09-14T05:56:16+00:00

James is a retelling of the classic American fiction, Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Percival Everett the author portrays the experiences of the negro slave Jim who accompanies Huck and thereby posits a peep into the slave’s experiences from his perspective. Written in a mocking tone, and by switching over dialects Everett projects the hell like life of a slave in America. Jim is in a journey towards self-exploration and identity assertion. His adventure is for possessing a name other than Jim. He is skilled and assertive. The paper analyses the portrayal of identity formation in slaves and how Jim succeeded in overcoming the sense of inferiority instilled on him by the Whites.

History, Self, and Survival in Bapsi Sidhwa’s Postcolonial Narratives

2025-09-14T05:56:15+00:00

Bapsi Sidhwa, a Pakistani novelist of Parsi descent, has significantly shaped postcolonial literature through her exploration of history, identity, and survival in the context of the Indian subcontinent’s Partition and its socio-cultural aftermath. Her novels, including The Crow Eaters, The Pakistani Bride, Cracking India, An American Brat, and Water, delve into themes of cultural hybridity, gender dynamics, and the marginalization of minority communities, particularly the Parsi Zoroastrian community. This paper examines how Sidhwa’s narratives weave personal and collective histories to critique colonial and patriarchal structures while foregrounding the resilience of marginalized voices, especially women. Through a postcolonial and feminist lens, the analysis highlights Sidhwa’s unique contribution to redefining cultural identities, with a focus on the intersections of disability, diaspora, and gendered survival. By synthesizing critical scholarship, this study underscores the enduring relevance of Sidhwa’s work in postcolonial discourse and identifies areas for future research, particularly in disability and diasporic identity.

The Industrial Revolution in Western Europe: A Catalyst for Modern Society

2025-09-22T16:40:43+00:00

The Industrial Revolution in Western Europe, spanning from the late eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century, was not merely an economic transformation but a catalyst for the birth of modern society. This paper explores the Revolution as a multidimensional process that reshaped economic systems, social structures, political ideologies, cultural outlooks, and intellectual life. It examines the preconditions that made Western Europe—particularly Britain—the cradle of industrialization, including resource availability, agricultural innovation, financial infrastructure, demographic growth, and Enlightenment rationality. The paper then investigates the profound social consequences of industrialization, highlighting rapid urbanization, the emergence of new class identities, the restructuring of family and gender roles, and the paradoxical experience of freedom and alienation in industrial cities. Politically, the study traces how industrial society stimulated liberal, socialist, and communist ideologies, while compelling governments to expand their role in public health, education, and welfare. Culturally and intellectually, it analyzes how industrialization transformed perceptions of time, space, and progress, fostered faith in science and technology, and inspired both Romantic critiques and realist depictions of industrial life in literature and art. By synthesizing these perspectives, the paper argues that the Industrial Revolution was the crucible of modernization, embedding values of rationality, efficiency, individualism, political participation, and faith in progress that continue to shape contemporary global society. Its legacy lies not only in the machines it produced but in the enduring mindset it forged, making it one of the most transformative epochs in world history.

Android Dreams and Capitalist Nightmares: Race, Technology, and the Posthuman in Philip K. Dick’s Worlds

2025-09-22T16:40:41+00:00

Technology has become a progressively fundamental element in humans’ lives, and it shapes us in ways formerly only imaginable in science fiction. The union of humans and technology mount the way for cyborgs to step into the realm of posthumanism. Posthumanism challenges the fixed boundaries between human and machine, imagining a future where biology and technology integrate. Rather than portraying posthumanism as an escape from inequality, Philip K. Dick’s fiction uncovers its role in reinforcing hierarchy. His narratives show how techno-capitalism co-opts posthuman potentials to reduplicate and escalate systemic oppression based on race, gender, and class. This paper offers a critical analysis of Philip K. Dick’s inquisitive worlds, where androids, cyborgs, and augmented humans navigate a dystopian landscape shaped by racial exploitation, corporate hegemony, and the commodification of identity. “While posthumanist discourse often anticipates an emancipated, post-racial future, Dick’s narratives contend that technology does not transcend social stratification but rather reconstitutes it as a new site of control” (12). In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), Dick complicates posthumanist ideals by exposing their inherent entanglement with capitalism. The novel demonstrates how capitalist power structures dictate technological proliferation, commodify artificial life, and destabilize the ethical boundaries of personhood. Ultimately, Dick propels his characters and readers into an uncertain future where the very definition of the human is unstable, forcing a navigation of a profoundly unknown world.

Vaadivaasal’s Visual Storylines in the Graphic Novel Adaptation

2025-09-22T16:40:40+00:00

The graphic novel Vaadivaasal offers a striking entry point into questions of masculinity in Tamil culture. Originally told by C. S. Chellappa and recently given a visual reworking by Appupen, with Perumal Murugan’s commentary, the story returns to the setting of jallikattu, the bull taming contest that has long served as both sport and ritual. What the novel makes immediately clear is that masculinity here is not a private matter of strength or courage. It is bound to performance, to the gaze of the crowd, and to the weight of family memory. The images sharpen this point. The body of the man pitched against the bull is all endurance and aggression, but it is also duty and an insistence that the son must step where the father once stood. At the same time, the visual field does not hide the cracks. Fear flickers across a face; hesitation halts the body mid gesture; silence hangs over a panel. These moments interrupt the spectacle and expose how fragile the performance of masculinity can be, how much it depends on recognition and validation from the community that surrounds it. This paper argues that the Vaadivaasal adaptation stages masculinity in two registers at once. It celebrates the violence, pride, and ancestral honour associated with jallikattu, but it also unsettles those very terms. Masculinity appears not simply as prowess but as a trial of existence itself, a space where glory and vulnerability are inseparably bound.

Isolation and Identification of Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria from the Banks of Meenachil River, Kottayam (District), Kerala

2025-09-22T16:40:39+00:00

In plants, nitrogen is a critical limiting factor required for the proper maintenance of growth and production. Nitrogen forms about 78% of the total atmospheric gases, and plants are capable of utilising its reduced forms only. Certain microorganisms in the soil have the potential to build up atmospheric nitrogen into its reduced and plant-absorbable form, a process called nitrogen fixation. In conventional agricultural practices, farmers rely largely upon chemical fertilisers in nitrogen-deficient soils to counter the deficiency and increase the crop yield. Besides the benefit, more often, these chemicals are expensive and associated with several ecological problems. On the contrary, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) can effectively substitute chemical fertilisers and are eco-friendly too. But, research in the development of NFB into biofertilizers is in its infancy, and many areas in India are not properly studied for the presence of novel NFB strains. In this context, an attempt has been made to isolate and identify nitrogen-fixing bacteria from the banks of the Meenachil River, Kottayam. Two of the isolates from the Meenachil River exhibited significant nitrogen-fixing efficiency in biochemical analysis. These isolates were identified as Agrobacterium strains by 16S rRNA sequence analysis and colony morphological study. Further studies are required for species-level identification of the two isolates.

Caste, Class, and Consciousness: The Socio-Cultural Realism in the Select Works of Mulk Raj Anand

2025-09-30T05:25:05+00:00

This paper explores the interwoven themes of caste, class, and consciousness in the select novels of Mulk Raj Anand, with particular focus on Untouchable (1935), Coolie (1936), and Two Leaves and a Bud (1937). Anand’s fiction represents a pioneering form of socio-cultural realism that transcends mere documentation of social evils, presenting instead an ethically charged engagement with India’s marginalized communities. By dramatizing the humiliations of caste oppression, the brutalities of industrial exploitation, and the dehumanization of colonial capitalism, Anand situates his narratives within a framework of social reform and human dignity. Characters such as Bakha, Munoo, and Gangu are portrayed not merely as victims but as figures whose experiences awaken forms of consciousness that challenge entrenched hierarchies. The article also engages with critical perspectives from E.M. Forster, K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar, Meenakshi Mukherjee, C.D. Narasimhaiah, and Harish Raizada, highlighting how Anand’s realism merges moral urgency with literary form. It concludes that Anand’s socio-cultural vision remains vital, as his fiction anticipates later discourses on intersectionality and emphasizes literature’s transformative potential in confronting structures of caste and class.

A Philosophical Inquiry into Epistemology and Metaphysics in Advaita Vedanta

2025-09-25T12:09:44+00:00

The well-known Hindu philosophical system Advaita Vedanta has a unique viewpoint on the nature of knowledge and reality. Within the field of philosophy, epistemology studies the nature, origins, forms, sources, techniques, and applicability of knowledge. Indian philosophical systems all have unique epistemologies that are intimately connected to their respective metaphysics. Another major area of philosophy is metaphysics, which addresses issues such as what constitutes reality, whether it is material or spiritual, if the world is real or not, what makes it up, and whether it is singular, dual, or plural. Whereas epistemology elucidates how we might know something, metaphysics establishes what is real. Vedanta’s epistemology is founded on its metaphysical conceptions of reality. In short, epistemology is a tool for understanding metaphysical reality; In light of this, this article explores the epistemological and metaphysical aspects of Advaita Vedanta, elucidating its perspectives on perception, inference, testimony, and the illusory nature of reality (Maya). It also highlights the relationship between epistemology and metaphysics in Vedanta, with a particular focus on Advaita Vedanta.

Women, Marriage and Agency: A Socio-Cultural Study of Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala

2025-09-25T12:09:43+00:00

The present study offers a socio-cultural exploration of Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala, focusing on the intertwined themes of identity, marriage, fidelity, and female agency. As one of India’s foremost dramatists, Karnad reimagines myth, folklore, and oral traditions to interrogate contemporary social realities. Set against a rural South Indian backdrop, Nagamandala illuminates the struggles of women negotiating patriarchal structures while striving for autonomy. The play foregrounds Rani’s journey, along with other significant female figures, to depict resilience, courage, and the quest for selfhood amid restrictive social codes. By examining the narrative’s fusion of myth and social critique, this study highlights how Karnad crafts a dynamic portrayal of women as both victims of repression and agents of transformation. Ultimately, the paper underscores the socio-cultural significance of Nagamandala in articulating the complexities of gender dynamics in Indian society. This study adopts a feminist-socio-cultural framework, combining textual analysis with theoretical insights from Simone de Beauvoir, Uma Chakravarti, and contemporary critics, thereby offering a nuanced reading distinct from purely folkloric or psychological interpretations.

The ISI–Taliban Nexus: A Structural Challenge for India’s Security

2025-09-25T12:09:42+00:00

The nexus between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Taliban has been a defining feature of Afghanistan’s political and security landscape for over three decades. Initially cultivated during the Taliban’s rise in the 1990s, this relationship provided Pakistan with strategic leverage in Afghanistan while simultaneously constraining India’s role in the region. For India, the ISI–Taliban connection translated into heightened security risks, ranging from cross-border terrorism to diplomatic isolation. Although the Taliban’s second regime since 2021 has attempted to signal greater autonomy and cautiously engage with New Delhi, the structural imprint of Pakistan’s influence remains evident through entrenched militant networks, ideological alignments, and Pakistan’s enduring reliance on proxy actors. This paper examines the historical roots, operational dimensions, and evolving dynamics of the ISI–Taliban nexus, and argues that despite changing political contexts, it continues to pose a long-term structural challenge for India’s national security.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as a Proto- Ecofeminist Text

2025-09-25T12:09:41+00:00

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein could possibly be one of the first texts of ecofeminism considering that the novel focuses on the interrelation of the domination of women, and nature, both suppressed under the thumb of male science. The novel takes a critical view on Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of the unnatural wish to control life, akin to conquering nature, and reflects the Enlightenment period. Shelley’s depiction of passive women and the Creature’s alienation illustrates the failure to acknowledge both emotional and ecological equilibrium. Nature, described to be both restorative and voiceless, breathes in the deep scars of civilization and remains, a polite observer. Frankenstein, through these aspects, reflects the worries of ecofeminism, slavery of nature and dispossession of the feminine are one and the same, and that the exploitation of nature is directly proportional to the negligence of the feminine, is absolutely clear on what science is misplaced and uncontrolled able to unleash.

Literary “Leftism” and The Indian Progressive Writers Association

2025-09-27T14:59:19+00:00

The ideological underpinnings of leftist politics in India can be traced back to a deep societal consciousness regarding long-standing inequities and deprivations. The implementation of a hierarchical system of exploitation, coupled with the imposition of political dominance by imperial forces, created fertile ground for the emergence of a novel political ideology in India. This ideology was rooted in the principles of equity, socialism, and Marxism. During a particular period, when a significant faction within the Indian National Congress began to favour an advanced capitalist framework, there arose a necessity for the development of a socialist and Marxist perspective rooted in the marginalised segments of Indian society. The emergence of contemporary leftist politics, drawing inspiration from the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917, has given rise to a form of resistance that incorporates intersectionality in challenging the prevailing power structure. This manifestation of political resistance in India was unparalleled in its historical context, as it effectively coordinated opposition to various forms of discrimination based on class, caste, and gender. Consequently, it engaged in a comprehensive examination of social justice within the framework of contemporary society. This development was additionally facilitated by the cohesion within the trade union movement, the establishment of the All-India Kisan Sabha, the emergence of the All-India Students’ Federation, the ascent of a progressive literary and cultural movement, and the collective endeavours of the leftist groups. Thus, the formation of the Indian Progressive Writers Association, which convened its inaugural annual conference in Lucknow in April 1936, was contextualised. Sajjad Zaheer, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Mulk Raj Anand, Hiren Mukherji, Hasrat Mohani, and other notable individuals played pivotal roles as founding members of the newly established organisation. The establishment of this association led to a clearer delineation of both the societal progression of literature and the author’s position within it. The writer’s role transformed from a passive observer of life’s drama to an engaged participant aligned with the resilient human spirit. This article endeavours to analyse the emergence of leftist politics in India and its influence on the development of novel literary and artistic awareness among the intellectual elite in the country.

Beyond the Aesthetic: Counter-Beauty and the Politics of Corporeal Communication in Pulikali

2025-09-27T14:59:18+00:00

Pulikali is the most popular and colourful folk art form of Kerala. When the words ‘Puli’ and ‘Kali’ are combined, the game that imitates the appearance and movements of a leopard is called Pulikali. Pulikali, which is held as part of the Onam celebrations, especially in the Thrissur district of Kerala state, has become one of the cultural symbols of Kerala state today. Pulikali is a popular festival where players take on the appearance of a leopard and take to the streets. After painting their entire bodies in yellow, black, white and red to create the appearance of a leopard, many people take to the streets in groups and attract people by moving their feet to the rhythm of music. Pulikkali has earned a unique place in the history of popular art and culture in Kerala. It is not just entertainment; it is a participatory art form of the people that has risen from the foundations of society. It is a democratic art performance that questions the structures of power and turns the street into a platform for people to celebrate. The counter-beauty of transforming the body itself into an art form maintains Pulikali as a rare creation among the world’s popular art forms. Therefore, Pulikalli is not just an art form; it is a celebration of popular solidarity and a powerful reflection of social resistance.

Death as a Marker of Caste and Class in Twentieth Century Select Bengali Texts

2025-09-27T14:59:17+00:00

This article examines how death, ostensibly the universal equalizer, becomes a site of entrenched inequality when mediated by caste and class in twentieth-century Bengal. Drawing on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Abhagir Swargo (1926) and Mahasweta Devi’s Breast-Giver (1978; trans. 1997), the study explores how literary representations of funerary rites and bodily disposability expose the persistence of social hierarchies even in death. The analysis is situated within a wide theoretical framework, incorporating insights from Michel Foucault, Achille Mbembe, Jacques Derrida, Emmanuel Levinas, Judith Butler, Pierre Bourdieu, Louis Althusser, Mary Douglas, Arnold van Gennep, and B. R. Ambedkar. In Abhagir Swargo, the denial of cremation to a lower-caste woman underscores caste as a determinant of posthumous dignity. In contrast, Breast-Giver reveals how class exploitation reduces a Brahmin woman’s life and death to mere disposability once her reproductive labour ceases. Together, the texts demonstrate that caste and class operate differently yet converge in stripping marginalized women of dignity in death. By linking these narratives to contemporary realities—including caste-based cremation denials and pandemic deaths—the article argues that death is not a neutral biological end but a socially inscribed process that mirrors and reproduces structural inequalities.

Reconfiguring the Role of Youth in Community Transformation: A Critical Inquiry into the Challenges and Prospects of Inclusive Developmental Paradigms

2025-10-01T00:15:51+00:00

Youth-related issues, such as riots, protests, or violence, have surfaced as a worrying problem for many societies, regardless of their development level. In already developed and developing countries, it is becoming more apparent that the youth have a high level of unrest, primarily caused by apathy towards and disconnection from public affairs, and not taking an interest in any public-spirited activities. This disinterest usually appears in combination with antisocial acts, substance abuse, crime, and a general inclination toward idleness. In India, the rise in apathetic youth is alarming, but this increase in youth restlessness has caught the attention of many Indian policymakers, as it is viewed as a barrier to the progress of the country. The youth apathy problem and the social issues connected to it are a growing concern not just for social peace, but also for the development of a country. If guided and engaged in constructive activities, the “demographic dividend” of India can vastly improve the economy. Sadly, without sufficient aid from social services, a large number of culturally active youth disengaged from social activities, campaigns, or movements. Things may not be as grim as they seem. Young people have innovation, idealism, and undying optimism, which makes them very useful in the process of building a nation. Constructed properly, their zeal and vigour can be transformative at the grassroots level in community development, volunteerism, and civic participation. Therefore, there is increasing attention given to the need to include young people in the entire scope of community work and social responsibility. In this regard, this article claims to explore the diverse aspects of youth participation in community engagement and focuses on how to best utilise these people. It investigates the challenges which actively hinder youth engagement, such as a general lack of awareness, insufficient institutional support, societal apathy, and lack of initiative, and appreciates the possibilities created when proactive youth are engaged in public, civic, or constructive initiatives. The discussion aims to address issues relating to problem prevention by creating a supportive environment so that young people are inspired to engage with society and development more meaningfully, rather than having anger and unrest.

Digital Comedy as Democratic Participation: Reimagining Public Discourse Through Humour in India’s Digital Age

2025-10-02T01:07:47+00:00

This interpretative review develops Digital Communicative Comedy (DCC), a framework for understanding how online humour in India functions as democratic participation. Integrating comedy studies with Habermas’s communicative action and public sphere theory—alongside critiques by Fraser and Young—and digital media research on platform affordances, the paper argues that comedic texts can articulate validity claims (truth, rightness, sincerity) through humour, inviting audience uptake and deliberation in networked publics. Focusing on Indian stand-up and short-form satire, the review theorizes how platform logics (algorithms, monetization, moderation) mediate visibility, risk, and discursive quality, and how cultural specificity strengthens comedy’s civic legibility. The paper argues that digital comedy, as illustrated by comedians such as Kunal Kamra, Varun Grover, and Vir Das, provides new avenues for civic participation that circumvent traditional gatekeepers, generating an atmosphere for democratic discourse. The paper outlines an analytic template for coding comedic validity claims and proposes research designs to test democratic outcomes (cross-cutting interaction, issue reframing, civic intent). DCC thus reframes digital comedy from “mere entertainment” to a participatory discourse repertoire within South Asia’s evolving public spheres.

Vaudeville of Despair: Memory, Myth, and the Fractured American Dream in Arthur Miller’s The American Clock

2025-10-02T01:07:46+00:00

This research paper provides a critical analysis of Arthur Miller’s The American Clock, a play that dramatises the societal and psychological upheaval of the Great Depression. The paper argues that Miller deliberately eschews a traditional linear narrative in favour of a fragmented, kaleidoscopic structure, which he termed as a “vaudeville”, to mirror the chaos of the era. By blending an epic, historical mural of a nation in crisis with a deeply personal, autobiographical narrative centered on the Baum family, the play explores the collapse of the American Dream. It examines how the loss of economic certainty leads to a profound crisis of identity for individuals and the nation. Drawing heavily on the critical analysis of Christopher Bigsby, this paper investigates the play’s key themes: the interplay between public history and private memory, the fragility of social order, and the enduring relevance of the Depression as a foundational trauma in the American psyche. The analysis concludes that The American Clock is not merely a historical piece but a timeless warning about the tenuous nature of prosperity and the moral questions that arise when “the clock stops.” The research paper employs the qualitative method in order to explore the psychological and societal upheaval of the Great Depression in the concerned play.

“I Can’t Help It” Readings of Gender Performativity and Heteronormativity in Ruskin Bond’s Susanna’s Seven Husbands: A Critical Examination of Patriarchal Constructs and Female Autonomy

2025-10-08T01:16:52+00:00

Ruskin Bond’s novella Susanna’s Seven Husbands offers a compelling lens through which to explore the intersections of gender, desire, and societal expectations. This paper examines how Bond’s narrative critiques and reflects the gender dynamics within a patriarchal framework, using the story of Susanna—a wealthy, aristocratic woman whose repeated marriages and eventual murders of her husband reveal underlying tensions between gender, autonomy and societal constraints in India. Through the lens of Butler’s concept of gender performativity, the paper explores how Susanna’s identity is constructed and deconstructed by the patriarchal gaze, and how her repeated need for marriage reflects a deeper quest for validation within a restrictive heteronormative framework. By situating Susanna’s Seven Husbands within the broader discourse of gender transformation and queer theory, this paper aims to illuminate how literature can act as both a mirror and critic of evolving gender norms, and how Susanna’s story serves as a provocative commentary on the limitations and possibilities of female autonomy within a patriarchal context.

Changing Paradigms: The Impact of Globalization on Malayalam Cinema

2025-10-10T13:43:48+00:00

Malayalam cinema has evolved significantly due to globalization, transitioning from a regional art form to a globally recognized industry. The industry’s evolution can be traced through distinct phases, including its “Golden Era” from the mid-1970s to the 1990s, characterized by a blend of artistic and commercial success rooted in local literary traditions and social themes. The economic liberalization of India and the Gulf migration boom in the 1990s injected capital, leading to a rise in film production and new market opportunities. This economic shift, combined with exposure to global cinematic trends, profoundly influenced the industry's financial structure, technological foundation, and aesthetic identity. The “New Generation” film movement, which began in the early 2010s, exemplifies this transformation. This movement blends global styles, such as unconventional camera work and non-linear narratives, with local themes, offering a fresh, modern take on storytelling while remaining culturally authentic. Ultimately, Malayalam cinema has successfully merged global influences with its unique cultural identity to achieve international acclaim.