Actantial Paradigm of Narrative Structures in Techno-thriller and Visionary Fiction, 2024
This study examines the structural patterns of two radically distinct genres, namely techno-thril... more This study examines the structural patterns of two radically distinct genres, namely techno-thriller and visionary fiction, by focusing on the actantial elements of fictional works. It seeks to clarify misconceptions about traditional literary analysis by comparing the novels Rumi's Daughter by Maufroy (2004) and Deception Point by Brown (2001). The actant theory, first introduced by Greimas (1971) and later amended by Hébert (2020), is employed to analyze the roles of characters, exploring both their similarities and differences within the internal narrative structure of the selected novels. The study investigates narratives' universal "grammar" by focusing on three pairings of binary oppositions, that is, subject/object, sender/receiver, and helper/opponent. Despite the differences in theme, culture, characters, and genre, the study shows that the characters' narrative structure and actantial function are the same, proving Greimas' claim that the actantial theory applies to all narratives. This study contributes to the basic understanding of the fundamental patterns that connect human narratives, despite the apparent differences between the civilizations they belong to.
RECONCILIATION OF MEANING IN TRANSLATED FICTIONAL TEXTS: A GENDER BASED PERSPECTIVE, 2024
In the latter part of the 20th century, there has been a growing interest in understanding the in... more In the latter part of the 20th century, there has been a growing interest in understanding the intricacies of meaning transfer within translated texts across different languages. This research article delves into the nuanced process of reconciling meaning in texts translated from Urdu to English and vice versa. In this intricate journey of translation, a portion of the original meaning often undergoes transformations and is occasionally lost. Our study examines this phenomenon by focusing on two renowned literary works: The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak (originally written in 2010 and translated into English in 2017) and La-Hasil by Umera Ahmad (originally published in 2006 and translated into English in 2011). We apply the theoretical framework developed by Karpinski and Basile (2021) and focus on the dynamics of power relations between genders within these translated texts, with a particular emphasis on cultural-specific references (CSRs). By exploring the influence of CSRs on the representation of gender-related power dynamics, we aim to shed light on the intricate challenges translators face in maintaining cultural nuances while making the text accessible to a broader audience. This research not only contributes to the field of translation studies but also offers valuable insights for future researchers and translators, especially in the context of less-explored translations of Urdu literature. This study paves the way for a deeper understanding of the translation process and its implications for cross-cultural communication by examining the complexities of meaning 92 reconciliation and the impact of cultural-specific references on gender-related themes.
Computer aided discourse analysis has gained immense popularity because of its ability to analyse... more Computer aided discourse analysis has gained immense popularity because of its ability to analyse extra-large corpora in very little time. It demands a careful balance ofnot relying too much on the computer software to avoid overgeneralization and at the same time, minimizing human intervention to reduce the risk of subjectivity.This paper outlines the use of word sketches as a corpus technique for understanding a discourse and also targets to gain new literary insights by analysing the portrayal of SAs by the use of temporal proximity, pronominal possessorsand, as Phenomenon of mental clause by the writer to convey hidden meanings. Since this research has its roots in CDA, it makes use of some of the analytical categories from sociosemantic inventory proposed by Van Leeuwen (2008) in the fictional discourse by Shamsie (2005) titled as Broken Verses. It is expected that this paper does not only provide useful insights about the fictional discourse being studied but also put forward a workable corpus methodology making use of word sketches for future researchers working in the field of CADS.
A striking aspect of the genre-specific aesthetic elements of Pakistani Anglophone writing, parti... more A striking aspect of the genre-specific aesthetic elements of Pakistani Anglophone writing, particularly in Shamsie (2017), is the blending of sensual and theologically laden vocabulary. This writing practice of merging erotic imagery in the context of the sacred is not new and was observed in sixteenth-century poet John Donne (Hackett, 2004). Merging these two lexical domains is unsettling and arresting for a Muslim reader. This article verifies the intermingling of the lexemes from the domain of sexual and sacred through GraphColl – a tool for exploring collocation networks. The novel Home Fire (2017) by Shamsie is chosen as a sample from the genre of Pakistani anglophone fiction. The theoretical insights are borrowed from Brezina (2018) based on the concept that collocation graphs and collocation networks show association and cross-association between words in language and discourse and can thus be used in a range of areas of linguistic and social research. The research also discusses the repercussions of the concurrent presence of sexual and sacred imagery in the text. This type of intermixing, shades the meanings of lexemes from one domain by lexemes from the other domain, eventually leading to trivializing the sacred and glorifying the sexual which is proved with the detailed analysis of concordance lines. The study concludes that Shamsie (2017) has crossed the line between erotic and sacred in a recognizable Donnean mode (Hackett, 2004). Keywords: Association measures, Collocation Networks, Collocation Parameter Notations (CPN) Donnean mode, GraphColl, Merging Sexual and Sacred.
Freud's trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is ... more Freud's trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is a quite complicated feeling which requires a differentiated and powerful brain. A human brain, being cognizant of this uniqueness, is capable of self-appraisal and self-censure. The present study penetrates the intricacies of human mind through the study of protagonists of The Scarlet Letter and Raja Gidh. The concept of Freudian superego is used to examine the two characters, Dimmesdale and Qayyum, set in completely different temporal and spatial dimensions of human society. The parameters of psychoanalytical interpretation describes the human psychological distress and fight against the mental chaos after crossing the ethical boundaries of morality. It postulates that Freudian psychoanalysis contributes effectively to research in literary criticism beyond the social, cultural and linguistic boundaries as it highlights the universality of unique human feelings.
The portrayal of Islam in a hostile relationship
with rationality, liberty, and tolerance, leads ... more The portrayal of Islam in a hostile relationship with rationality, liberty, and tolerance, leads to a politics of identity were a marginalized community embattles to re-affirm and resist the tarnished face. The bigoted perception of Islam as a political, economic, and social threat reinforces the unfounded Islamophobia and needs production of counter-narrative by scholars and researchers believing in humanity and equality. This paper aims to explore the discursive construction of Islam through the use of E-media caricatures. Discourse historical approach (DHA) is used to analyze the discourse of 16 Emedia caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web in the years 2017 and 2018. The analysis demonstrates the discursive strategies namely referential strategy, predication, argumentation and intensification used in the (mis)representation and (de)legitimization of the face of Islam in the E-Media. This study gives a deeper insight into the issue of the negative identity construction of Islam using caricatures. Keywords: Discourse Historical Approach (DHA), Discriminating Discourse, Socio Semiotic Analysis, Polarizing Discourse.
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on t... more This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on the E-media in the broader world community by identifying and examining the linguistic and visual signifiers used in the caricatures. The sample selected for the current research work consists of 22 caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web between years 2012-2013. From a theoretical perspective, the socio-cognitive approach to CDA introduced by Van Dijk (1992, 1993, 2000, 2012) on communication of ethnic biases and racial prejudices is combined with the visual semiotic model by Roland Barth (1978). The two approaches are merged to examine linguistic and visual aspects of caricatures for identifying signs which construct certain identities of Muslim women. This paper argues that in the collected caricatures the identity of Muslim women is constructed as distant and different from the (Western) social norm. The iconic images or visual identifiers used, function to transfer all the biased imagery and prejudice about Muslim women to the actual situation. Thus they serve the purpose to authenticate the stereotypical identity. This paper claims that the social caricatures collected, depict racial and ethnic prejudices against Muslim women.
The increased interest in the techniques of
corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st
centur... more The increased interest in the techniques of corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st century was based on the most important premises, which are valid even today – investigation of larger datasets in less time. This article compares the results of different corpus techniques employed for exploring the dominant semantic domains in a corpus. These corpus techniques include use of word clouds, frequency lists and KWIC of a text. This study uses fictional discourse by Kamila Shamsie – namely Broken Verses (2005) – to illustrate the corpus methodology. In addition to different corpus techniques, this study also compares the usability of different corpus software for this purpose such as, Antconc (3.2.4), Nvivo 11, and Sketch Engine. This article will prove to be a good beginning point for the researchers exploring a text in any field of corpus linguistics and digital humanities. Key Words: CADS, Digital Humanities, E-Humanities, KWIC, Lemma, Semantic Fields, Stemmed.
This article uses the lens of the General Theory of Verbal Humour (Raskin, Hempelmann, & Taylor 2... more This article uses the lens of the General Theory of Verbal Humour (Raskin, Hempelmann, & Taylor 2009) to examine the patterns of humour created in the selected sample of five E-media cartoons disseminated on the World Wide Web in the year 2017. Due to the hybrid nature of the sample, the critical terminology introduced by Kukkonen (2013) for studying comics and graphic novels has been employed to study the representation of a veiled Muslim woman in the cartoons. Owing to the increased importance of electronic media the (re)production of discursive image of Muslim woman and her veil as an icon of stereotypical representation needs to be critically examined for perpetuating stereotypes. This practice, which is a unique kind of oppression, deprives a Muslim woman from following the dress code of her choice and marginalises the women who consider veil a form of empowerment freeing them from the beauty game of capitalist society. This beauty game forces a woman to ensure gloss in her hair, the glow in her face and continues to force them to struggle to attain that (non-existent) perfect Barbie doll figure. This research establishes that the Muslim women are portrayed as a homogeneous group devoid of any individual characteristics. The flawed assumptions about Islam make her burqa appear like a stooge reflected in strikingly similar patterns in the cartoons.
In the previous century, the biggest Western stereotype about Muslim women was her view as a vict... more In the previous century, the biggest Western stereotype about Muslim women was her view as a victim. It goes back to the medieval era when a white man is shown saving a harem girl. This concept continued feeding a white Christian supremacist hero complex for a long time. Around the turn of this century, this representation of Muslim women has changed from odalisque to termagant. (1) The new representation of Muslim women presents her as a threat to the global peace and harmony. The researchers are of the view that attaching any stereotypical notion to any segment of human society is a form of oppression which needs to be identified, analyzed and finally confronted. The significance of this research lies in the emancipatory agenda for uncovering the Islam phobic construction of the image of veiled Muslim woman. The caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web, during the year 2017, are an integral part of the media war playing a vital role in spreading Islam phobia. Countering and demystifying the widespread lethal Islam phobic trends is among the responsibilities of Muslim scholars. The greatest damage of bigoted graphic imagery is that the biased stereotypes against Muslim woman are not only perpetuating and self-reinforcing across generation, they also pave way for Western colonial endeavors. The lens of critical discourse analysis helps us find that the past practice of the stereotypical representation of Muslim woman as a victim of oppression has recently been replaced by her identity construction as an agent of oppression. The research can aid in changing the prejudiced perception of broader world community about the Muslim woman.
Freud’s trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is ... more Freud’s trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is a quite complicated feeling which requires a differentiated and powerful brain. A human brain, being cognizant of this uniqueness, is capable of self-appraisal and self-censure. The present study penetrates the intricacies of human mind through the study of protagonists of The Scarlet Letter and Raja Gidh. The concept of Freudian superego is used to examine the two characters, Dimmesdale and Qayyum, set in completely different temporal and spatial dimensions of human society. The parameters of psychoanalytical interpretation describes the human psychological distress and fight against the mental chaos after crossing the ethical boundaries of morality. It postulates that Freudian psychoanalysis contributes effectively to research in literary criticism beyond the social, cultural and linguistic boundaries as it highlights the universality of unique human feelings.
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on t... more This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on the E-media in the broader world community by identifying and examining the linguistic and visual signifiers used in the caricatures. The sample selected for the current research work consists of 22 caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web between years 2012 - 2013. From a theoretical perspective, the socio-cognitive approach to CDA introduced by Van Dijk (1992, 1993, 2000, 2012) on communication of ethnic biases and racial prejudices is combined with the visual semiotic model by Roland Barth (1978). The two approaches are merged to examine linguistic and visual aspects of caricatures for identifying signs which construct certain identities of Muslim women. This paper argues that in the collected caricatures the identity of Muslim women is constructed as distant and different from the (Western) social norm. The iconic images or visual identifiers used, function to transfer all the b...
The increased interest in the techniques of corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st centur... more The increased interest in the techniques of corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st century was based on the most important premises, which are valid even today – investigation of larger datasets in less time. This article compares the results of different corpus techniques employed for exploring the dominant semantic domains in a corpus. These corpus techniques include use of word clouds, frequency lists and KWIC of a text. This study uses fictional discourse by Kamila Shamsie – namely Broken Verses (2005) – to illustrate the corpus methodology. In addition to different corpus techniques, this study also compares the usability of different corpus software for this purpose such as, Antconc (3.2.4), Nvivo 11, and Sketch Engine. This article will prove to be a good beginning point for the researchers exploring a text in any field of corpus linguistics and digital humanities.
Azka Khan, Pakistan Journal of Gender Studies, 2016
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on t... more This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on the E-media in the broader world community by identifying and examining the linguistic and visual signifiers used in the caricatures. The sample selected for the current research work consists of 22 caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web between years 2012 - 2013. From a theoretical perspective, the socio-cognitive approach to CDA introduced by Van Dijk (1992, 1993, 2000, 2012) on communication of ethnic biases and racial prejudices is combined with the visual semiotic model by Roland Barth (1978). The two approaches are merged to examine linguistic and visual aspects of caricatures for identifying signs which construct certain identities of Muslim women. This paper argues that in the collected caricatures the identity of Muslim women is constructed as distant and different from the (Western) social norm. The iconic images or visual identifiers used, function to transfer all the b...
Actantial Paradigm of Narrative Structures in Techno-thriller and Visionary Fiction, 2024
This study examines the structural patterns of two radically distinct genres, namely techno-thril... more This study examines the structural patterns of two radically distinct genres, namely techno-thriller and visionary fiction, by focusing on the actantial elements of fictional works. It seeks to clarify misconceptions about traditional literary analysis by comparing the novels Rumi's Daughter by Maufroy (2004) and Deception Point by Brown (2001). The actant theory, first introduced by Greimas (1971) and later amended by Hébert (2020), is employed to analyze the roles of characters, exploring both their similarities and differences within the internal narrative structure of the selected novels. The study investigates narratives' universal "grammar" by focusing on three pairings of binary oppositions, that is, subject/object, sender/receiver, and helper/opponent. Despite the differences in theme, culture, characters, and genre, the study shows that the characters' narrative structure and actantial function are the same, proving Greimas' claim that the actantial theory applies to all narratives. This study contributes to the basic understanding of the fundamental patterns that connect human narratives, despite the apparent differences between the civilizations they belong to.
RECONCILIATION OF MEANING IN TRANSLATED FICTIONAL TEXTS: A GENDER BASED PERSPECTIVE, 2024
In the latter part of the 20th century, there has been a growing interest in understanding the in... more In the latter part of the 20th century, there has been a growing interest in understanding the intricacies of meaning transfer within translated texts across different languages. This research article delves into the nuanced process of reconciling meaning in texts translated from Urdu to English and vice versa. In this intricate journey of translation, a portion of the original meaning often undergoes transformations and is occasionally lost. Our study examines this phenomenon by focusing on two renowned literary works: The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak (originally written in 2010 and translated into English in 2017) and La-Hasil by Umera Ahmad (originally published in 2006 and translated into English in 2011). We apply the theoretical framework developed by Karpinski and Basile (2021) and focus on the dynamics of power relations between genders within these translated texts, with a particular emphasis on cultural-specific references (CSRs). By exploring the influence of CSRs on the representation of gender-related power dynamics, we aim to shed light on the intricate challenges translators face in maintaining cultural nuances while making the text accessible to a broader audience. This research not only contributes to the field of translation studies but also offers valuable insights for future researchers and translators, especially in the context of less-explored translations of Urdu literature. This study paves the way for a deeper understanding of the translation process and its implications for cross-cultural communication by examining the complexities of meaning 92 reconciliation and the impact of cultural-specific references on gender-related themes.
Computer aided discourse analysis has gained immense popularity because of its ability to analyse... more Computer aided discourse analysis has gained immense popularity because of its ability to analyse extra-large corpora in very little time. It demands a careful balance ofnot relying too much on the computer software to avoid overgeneralization and at the same time, minimizing human intervention to reduce the risk of subjectivity.This paper outlines the use of word sketches as a corpus technique for understanding a discourse and also targets to gain new literary insights by analysing the portrayal of SAs by the use of temporal proximity, pronominal possessorsand, as Phenomenon of mental clause by the writer to convey hidden meanings. Since this research has its roots in CDA, it makes use of some of the analytical categories from sociosemantic inventory proposed by Van Leeuwen (2008) in the fictional discourse by Shamsie (2005) titled as Broken Verses. It is expected that this paper does not only provide useful insights about the fictional discourse being studied but also put forward a workable corpus methodology making use of word sketches for future researchers working in the field of CADS.
A striking aspect of the genre-specific aesthetic elements of Pakistani Anglophone writing, parti... more A striking aspect of the genre-specific aesthetic elements of Pakistani Anglophone writing, particularly in Shamsie (2017), is the blending of sensual and theologically laden vocabulary. This writing practice of merging erotic imagery in the context of the sacred is not new and was observed in sixteenth-century poet John Donne (Hackett, 2004). Merging these two lexical domains is unsettling and arresting for a Muslim reader. This article verifies the intermingling of the lexemes from the domain of sexual and sacred through GraphColl – a tool for exploring collocation networks. The novel Home Fire (2017) by Shamsie is chosen as a sample from the genre of Pakistani anglophone fiction. The theoretical insights are borrowed from Brezina (2018) based on the concept that collocation graphs and collocation networks show association and cross-association between words in language and discourse and can thus be used in a range of areas of linguistic and social research. The research also discusses the repercussions of the concurrent presence of sexual and sacred imagery in the text. This type of intermixing, shades the meanings of lexemes from one domain by lexemes from the other domain, eventually leading to trivializing the sacred and glorifying the sexual which is proved with the detailed analysis of concordance lines. The study concludes that Shamsie (2017) has crossed the line between erotic and sacred in a recognizable Donnean mode (Hackett, 2004). Keywords: Association measures, Collocation Networks, Collocation Parameter Notations (CPN) Donnean mode, GraphColl, Merging Sexual and Sacred.
Freud's trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is ... more Freud's trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is a quite complicated feeling which requires a differentiated and powerful brain. A human brain, being cognizant of this uniqueness, is capable of self-appraisal and self-censure. The present study penetrates the intricacies of human mind through the study of protagonists of The Scarlet Letter and Raja Gidh. The concept of Freudian superego is used to examine the two characters, Dimmesdale and Qayyum, set in completely different temporal and spatial dimensions of human society. The parameters of psychoanalytical interpretation describes the human psychological distress and fight against the mental chaos after crossing the ethical boundaries of morality. It postulates that Freudian psychoanalysis contributes effectively to research in literary criticism beyond the social, cultural and linguistic boundaries as it highlights the universality of unique human feelings.
The portrayal of Islam in a hostile relationship
with rationality, liberty, and tolerance, leads ... more The portrayal of Islam in a hostile relationship with rationality, liberty, and tolerance, leads to a politics of identity were a marginalized community embattles to re-affirm and resist the tarnished face. The bigoted perception of Islam as a political, economic, and social threat reinforces the unfounded Islamophobia and needs production of counter-narrative by scholars and researchers believing in humanity and equality. This paper aims to explore the discursive construction of Islam through the use of E-media caricatures. Discourse historical approach (DHA) is used to analyze the discourse of 16 Emedia caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web in the years 2017 and 2018. The analysis demonstrates the discursive strategies namely referential strategy, predication, argumentation and intensification used in the (mis)representation and (de)legitimization of the face of Islam in the E-Media. This study gives a deeper insight into the issue of the negative identity construction of Islam using caricatures. Keywords: Discourse Historical Approach (DHA), Discriminating Discourse, Socio Semiotic Analysis, Polarizing Discourse.
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on t... more This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on the E-media in the broader world community by identifying and examining the linguistic and visual signifiers used in the caricatures. The sample selected for the current research work consists of 22 caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web between years 2012-2013. From a theoretical perspective, the socio-cognitive approach to CDA introduced by Van Dijk (1992, 1993, 2000, 2012) on communication of ethnic biases and racial prejudices is combined with the visual semiotic model by Roland Barth (1978). The two approaches are merged to examine linguistic and visual aspects of caricatures for identifying signs which construct certain identities of Muslim women. This paper argues that in the collected caricatures the identity of Muslim women is constructed as distant and different from the (Western) social norm. The iconic images or visual identifiers used, function to transfer all the biased imagery and prejudice about Muslim women to the actual situation. Thus they serve the purpose to authenticate the stereotypical identity. This paper claims that the social caricatures collected, depict racial and ethnic prejudices against Muslim women.
The increased interest in the techniques of
corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st
centur... more The increased interest in the techniques of corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st century was based on the most important premises, which are valid even today – investigation of larger datasets in less time. This article compares the results of different corpus techniques employed for exploring the dominant semantic domains in a corpus. These corpus techniques include use of word clouds, frequency lists and KWIC of a text. This study uses fictional discourse by Kamila Shamsie – namely Broken Verses (2005) – to illustrate the corpus methodology. In addition to different corpus techniques, this study also compares the usability of different corpus software for this purpose such as, Antconc (3.2.4), Nvivo 11, and Sketch Engine. This article will prove to be a good beginning point for the researchers exploring a text in any field of corpus linguistics and digital humanities. Key Words: CADS, Digital Humanities, E-Humanities, KWIC, Lemma, Semantic Fields, Stemmed.
This article uses the lens of the General Theory of Verbal Humour (Raskin, Hempelmann, & Taylor 2... more This article uses the lens of the General Theory of Verbal Humour (Raskin, Hempelmann, & Taylor 2009) to examine the patterns of humour created in the selected sample of five E-media cartoons disseminated on the World Wide Web in the year 2017. Due to the hybrid nature of the sample, the critical terminology introduced by Kukkonen (2013) for studying comics and graphic novels has been employed to study the representation of a veiled Muslim woman in the cartoons. Owing to the increased importance of electronic media the (re)production of discursive image of Muslim woman and her veil as an icon of stereotypical representation needs to be critically examined for perpetuating stereotypes. This practice, which is a unique kind of oppression, deprives a Muslim woman from following the dress code of her choice and marginalises the women who consider veil a form of empowerment freeing them from the beauty game of capitalist society. This beauty game forces a woman to ensure gloss in her hair, the glow in her face and continues to force them to struggle to attain that (non-existent) perfect Barbie doll figure. This research establishes that the Muslim women are portrayed as a homogeneous group devoid of any individual characteristics. The flawed assumptions about Islam make her burqa appear like a stooge reflected in strikingly similar patterns in the cartoons.
In the previous century, the biggest Western stereotype about Muslim women was her view as a vict... more In the previous century, the biggest Western stereotype about Muslim women was her view as a victim. It goes back to the medieval era when a white man is shown saving a harem girl. This concept continued feeding a white Christian supremacist hero complex for a long time. Around the turn of this century, this representation of Muslim women has changed from odalisque to termagant. (1) The new representation of Muslim women presents her as a threat to the global peace and harmony. The researchers are of the view that attaching any stereotypical notion to any segment of human society is a form of oppression which needs to be identified, analyzed and finally confronted. The significance of this research lies in the emancipatory agenda for uncovering the Islam phobic construction of the image of veiled Muslim woman. The caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web, during the year 2017, are an integral part of the media war playing a vital role in spreading Islam phobia. Countering and demystifying the widespread lethal Islam phobic trends is among the responsibilities of Muslim scholars. The greatest damage of bigoted graphic imagery is that the biased stereotypes against Muslim woman are not only perpetuating and self-reinforcing across generation, they also pave way for Western colonial endeavors. The lens of critical discourse analysis helps us find that the past practice of the stereotypical representation of Muslim woman as a victim of oppression has recently been replaced by her identity construction as an agent of oppression. The research can aid in changing the prejudiced perception of broader world community about the Muslim woman.
Freud’s trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is ... more Freud’s trifurcated concept of human nature asserts that unlike other emotional states, guilt is a quite complicated feeling which requires a differentiated and powerful brain. A human brain, being cognizant of this uniqueness, is capable of self-appraisal and self-censure. The present study penetrates the intricacies of human mind through the study of protagonists of The Scarlet Letter and Raja Gidh. The concept of Freudian superego is used to examine the two characters, Dimmesdale and Qayyum, set in completely different temporal and spatial dimensions of human society. The parameters of psychoanalytical interpretation describes the human psychological distress and fight against the mental chaos after crossing the ethical boundaries of morality. It postulates that Freudian psychoanalysis contributes effectively to research in literary criticism beyond the social, cultural and linguistic boundaries as it highlights the universality of unique human feelings.
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on t... more This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on the E-media in the broader world community by identifying and examining the linguistic and visual signifiers used in the caricatures. The sample selected for the current research work consists of 22 caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web between years 2012 - 2013. From a theoretical perspective, the socio-cognitive approach to CDA introduced by Van Dijk (1992, 1993, 2000, 2012) on communication of ethnic biases and racial prejudices is combined with the visual semiotic model by Roland Barth (1978). The two approaches are merged to examine linguistic and visual aspects of caricatures for identifying signs which construct certain identities of Muslim women. This paper argues that in the collected caricatures the identity of Muslim women is constructed as distant and different from the (Western) social norm. The iconic images or visual identifiers used, function to transfer all the b...
The increased interest in the techniques of corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st centur... more The increased interest in the techniques of corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st century was based on the most important premises, which are valid even today – investigation of larger datasets in less time. This article compares the results of different corpus techniques employed for exploring the dominant semantic domains in a corpus. These corpus techniques include use of word clouds, frequency lists and KWIC of a text. This study uses fictional discourse by Kamila Shamsie – namely Broken Verses (2005) – to illustrate the corpus methodology. In addition to different corpus techniques, this study also compares the usability of different corpus software for this purpose such as, Antconc (3.2.4), Nvivo 11, and Sketch Engine. This article will prove to be a good beginning point for the researchers exploring a text in any field of corpus linguistics and digital humanities.
Azka Khan, Pakistan Journal of Gender Studies, 2016
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on t... more This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the ways in which Muslim women are presented on the E-media in the broader world community by identifying and examining the linguistic and visual signifiers used in the caricatures. The sample selected for the current research work consists of 22 caricatures disseminated on the World Wide Web between years 2012 - 2013. From a theoretical perspective, the socio-cognitive approach to CDA introduced by Van Dijk (1992, 1993, 2000, 2012) on communication of ethnic biases and racial prejudices is combined with the visual semiotic model by Roland Barth (1978). The two approaches are merged to examine linguistic and visual aspects of caricatures for identifying signs which construct certain identities of Muslim women. This paper argues that in the collected caricatures the identity of Muslim women is constructed as distant and different from the (Western) social norm. The iconic images or visual identifiers used, function to transfer all the b...
Uploads
Papers by Azka Khan
92
reconciliation and the impact of cultural-specific references on gender-related themes.
Association measures,
Collocation Networks,
Collocation Parameter Notations (CPN)
Donnean mode, GraphColl,
Merging Sexual and Sacred.
with rationality, liberty, and tolerance, leads to a
politics of identity were a marginalized
community embattles to re-affirm and resist the
tarnished face. The bigoted perception of Islam as
a political, economic, and social threat reinforces
the unfounded Islamophobia and needs
production of counter-narrative by scholars and
researchers believing in humanity and equality.
This paper aims to explore the discursive
construction of Islam through the use of E-media
caricatures. Discourse historical approach
(DHA) is used to analyze the discourse of 16 Emedia
caricatures disseminated on the World
Wide Web in the years 2017 and 2018. The
analysis demonstrates the discursive strategies
namely referential strategy, predication,
argumentation and intensification used in the
(mis)representation and (de)legitimization of
the face of Islam in the E-Media. This study gives
a deeper insight into the issue of the negative
identity construction of Islam using caricatures.
Keywords:
Discourse Historical Approach (DHA),
Discriminating Discourse, Socio Semiotic
Analysis, Polarizing Discourse.
corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st
century was based on the most important
premises, which are valid even today –
investigation of larger datasets in less time.
This article compares the results of
different corpus techniques employed for
exploring the dominant semantic domains
in a corpus. These corpus techniques
include use of word clouds, frequency lists
and KWIC of a text. This study uses
fictional discourse by Kamila Shamsie –
namely Broken Verses (2005) – to illustrate
the corpus methodology. In addition to
different corpus techniques, this study also
compares the usability of different corpus
software for this purpose such as, Antconc
(3.2.4), Nvivo 11, and Sketch Engine. This
article will prove to be a good beginning
point for the researchers exploring a text in
any field of corpus linguistics and digital
humanities.
Key Words:
CADS, Digital Humanities, E-Humanities,
KWIC, Lemma, Semantic Fields, Stemmed.
92
reconciliation and the impact of cultural-specific references on gender-related themes.
Association measures,
Collocation Networks,
Collocation Parameter Notations (CPN)
Donnean mode, GraphColl,
Merging Sexual and Sacred.
with rationality, liberty, and tolerance, leads to a
politics of identity were a marginalized
community embattles to re-affirm and resist the
tarnished face. The bigoted perception of Islam as
a political, economic, and social threat reinforces
the unfounded Islamophobia and needs
production of counter-narrative by scholars and
researchers believing in humanity and equality.
This paper aims to explore the discursive
construction of Islam through the use of E-media
caricatures. Discourse historical approach
(DHA) is used to analyze the discourse of 16 Emedia
caricatures disseminated on the World
Wide Web in the years 2017 and 2018. The
analysis demonstrates the discursive strategies
namely referential strategy, predication,
argumentation and intensification used in the
(mis)representation and (de)legitimization of
the face of Islam in the E-Media. This study gives
a deeper insight into the issue of the negative
identity construction of Islam using caricatures.
Keywords:
Discourse Historical Approach (DHA),
Discriminating Discourse, Socio Semiotic
Analysis, Polarizing Discourse.
corpus linguistics in the first decade of 21st
century was based on the most important
premises, which are valid even today –
investigation of larger datasets in less time.
This article compares the results of
different corpus techniques employed for
exploring the dominant semantic domains
in a corpus. These corpus techniques
include use of word clouds, frequency lists
and KWIC of a text. This study uses
fictional discourse by Kamila Shamsie –
namely Broken Verses (2005) – to illustrate
the corpus methodology. In addition to
different corpus techniques, this study also
compares the usability of different corpus
software for this purpose such as, Antconc
(3.2.4), Nvivo 11, and Sketch Engine. This
article will prove to be a good beginning
point for the researchers exploring a text in
any field of corpus linguistics and digital
humanities.
Key Words:
CADS, Digital Humanities, E-Humanities,
KWIC, Lemma, Semantic Fields, Stemmed.