Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Carnivalization and The Female Grotesque in Jean Genet’s The Balcony: A Textual Analysis(UMT Lahore, 2021) Zaira AzharThis study aims to analyze Jean Genet’s play ‘The Balcony’ from the lens of Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of Carnivalesque and Mary Russo’s idea of The Female Grotesque. Jean Genet’s play ‘The Balcony’ is one of the well-known masterpiece in the Theatre of the Absurd which represents the theme of illusionary life verses realistic life. This research explores Genet’s play ‘The Balcony’ from a Carnivalesque and feministic perspective. The study aims to investigate that how Genet’s play is a representation of Bakhtinian Carnival and how the idea of ‘The Female Grotesque’ can be related to the female characters in the play. The study is based on a qualitative approach method and the model used for the research is textual analysis. Textual analysis is a methodology that requires the understanding of language and the symbols in a text. The data is collected from the play ‘The Balcony’ and is analyzed from two different lenses. The first part covers the analysis of Bakhtinian Carnival and its major aspects. ‘The Balcony’ represents a carnivalized world where the roles and powers are subverted. It represents the brothel as a place of illusions and fantasies where everyone is free from the harsh reality of the outside world and the official system is mocked. The second part covers the idea of ‘The Female Grotesque’. It covers the analysis of the female characters in the play to present them as grotesque feminine bodies. The study contributes to the fact that Bakhtin’s carnival theory holds a great importance in Genet’s absurd play ‘The Balcony’. The research discovers that these illusions of power exists in every individual, hence a person can create a carnival world in his illusions to escape the class system of the society. The study contributes to explore Jean Genet’s other works from Bakhtin’s Carnivalesque framework and highlights the importance of the grotesque in the field of feminism.Item Ecriture Feminine and Deconstruction of Male and Female Binaries in Angela Carter’s The Passion of New Eve: A Textual Analysis(UMT Lahore, 2021) Munazza ShaheenThis research examines The Passion of New Eve (1977) by Angela Carter from the perspective of Helen Cixous’ theory of écriture féminine. The novel is analyzed by using the theory of ecriture feminine and its approaches like gender construction and bisexuality. Textual analysis is applied under qualitative research method for in depth analysis of the primary text. The main objective of this research is to highlight the significance of ecriture feminine and its employment in the text to deconstruct the gendered binaries. The research elucidates that the use of ecriture feminine in a phallogocentric discourse can be very effective to subvert the patriarchal structure and the old narratives. Through the concept of bisexuality, this research maintains that ecriture feminine not only deconstructs the gendered binaries but also celebrates the masculine and feminine differences without any hierarchies and brings a balance to society. By focusing on the account of the transformation of the characters, Evelyn and Tristessa, this research examines Carter's response to Cixous' call for the use of ecriture feminine.Item Investigation of linguistic problems:(UMT Lahore, 2021) Saman Bareen AshrafThis study is investigating the linguistic challenges of English Dysgraphia students at an elementary level in Public schools in Lahore. These types of students have problems in writing English graphics, and their compositions have errors in spelling and syntax. This study focuses on spelling and syntax challenges for students to face them accurately. The objective of this research is to assess the linguistic challenges of the English language of Dysgraphia students in public schools at an elementary level in Lahore. The purpose of this research is to explore spelling errors and syntactic errors in an English written composition of students. This research aims to expose visual aids for Dysgraphics to comprehend and incorporate comprehension in their writing practices. The objective of the research is to devise a suitable language teaching method for Dysgraphia students at an elementary level. The research method used in this study is a mixed-method approach, and the research tools used are student activity, in which students are assessed through the Woodcock-Johnson IV Test of story writing and questionnaire. The respondents of the questionnaire are divided into three focus groups as a conclusive sample of three different educational institutions. The student activity is comprised of 4 students of Grade 6, 7, and, 8. The sample size of the research population is 30 teachers from disciplines of English, Psychology, and, Special Education. The research questionnaire is analyzed through the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). The student activity is based on an error analysis theory and the questions of the questionnaire are coded through grounded theory. The students can fix their mistakes in the English Language through evaluation and assessment and are resistant to error making after implementation of the Grammar translation method in the English language at an elementary level. Dysgraphia students can work accurately in their writing composition at an elementary level in public sectors in Pakistan. This research concludes by investigating linguistic challenges and devising a linguistic teaching method that is implemented after working through the deficiencies of students.Item Elements of Violence in Indigenous Africans’ Struggle: A Postcolonial Analysis of Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were(UMT Lahore, 2021) Narjis FatimaA quest for freedom and self-discovery is the basic right of every human being. It is this quest that creates an urge to shatter the deep-rooted oppression. This thesis intends to foreground the jarring realities of colonization and the revolutionary struggle of the villagers of Kosawa incorporated in Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were. Kosawa is a village occupied by the Pexton oil company to get the benefit of its oil resource. The study aims to highlight the revolutionary generational efforts of the villagers that turned out to be violent and rebellious in the light of Fanon’s idea of revolution and decolonization embedded in his book The Wretched of the Earth. This research views this revolutionary struggle as a guarantee to the creation of an entirely new man and a new world that can only be possible through the unity of the native colonized people. Such unity can be achieved by awakening the consciousness of the people leading to the restoration of their dead souls. Such a union may lead the colonized people to show a violent revolt against the oppressors which may cost their lives in the end. This study intends to elucidate the psychological and physical effects of colonization on the villagers. The purpose is also to unveil the reality behind the violent counter act of the colonized people of an African village. The scope of this thesis lies in exploring the emancipatory struggle of the villagers through Fanon’s lens of violence and decolonization. Although Fanon’s approaches towards revolution and decolonization are strong and helpful for freedom but in some harsh situations, it may fail to achieve its actual goal in the end. The aim of this paper is not only to highlight the unending efforts of the people of Kosawa but also to bring into light the character of Thula as a revolutionary intellectual who served her life for Kosawa.Item A Content Analysis of Roald Dahl’s The BFG, Matilda and The Witches from the Perspectives of Attachment Theory and Separation Anxiety(UMT Lahore, 2021) Semab MalikThe aim of this study is to examine the manifestation of attachment patterns, separation anxiety and the exhibition of attachment theory in child protagonist of the selected novels. The novels selected for the respective study include The BFG, Matilda and The Witches by Roald Dahl. The research intends to explore the attachment patterns and attachment behavior with reference to John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory and Mary Ainsworth’s Attachment Styles. Mary Ainsworth’s attachment styles are divided into secure, avoidant and insecure. It will also delve into the investigation of Separation Anxiety with respect to Bowlby’s commentary on the subject. The research will employ content analysis as its methodology and Attachment Theory as its theoretical framework. The study shows the attachment behavior displayed by Sophie, Matilda and Boy in the selected novels and the relatability of their experiences and emotions with reader are tested through questionnaire.Item Thematic analysis of elif shafak’s “the forty rules of love” through the lens of sufism and intersectionality(UMT Lahore, 2021) Mahmuda AkhtarThe focus of this dissertation is Elif Shafak’s novel The Forty Rules of Love. This novel will be analysed through thematic analysis using the theoretical framework of Intersectionality juxtaposed with Sufism. The theory of Intersectionality has been developed through a rigorous shaping of feminism throughout history. The ups and downs of feminism led to an all-inclusive theory which is considered to be the most appropriate for use in current researches related to feminism. Elif Shafak’s views on Feminism and faith have been very helpful in this dissertation. The review of literature gave a clear direction to this study. A bulk of work in the light of Sufism, mysticism, love and feminism had been done on this novel previously but Intersectionality blended with Sufism was a significant research gap. The history of feminism along with the development of the theory of Intersectionality is discussed in detail. Intersectionality is systematically clarified to be applied on the text. The research model is explained in a stepwise manner. Thematic analysis is then applied to the novel explaining the codes and themes that emerge from the text. The codes which were demarcated in the text were gender specific issues, religion, guilt, class, healing disillusionment, love, counter disbelief and reinterpretation of Islamic laws. The first four codes were grouped together under the theme of Feminism, the next three have been grouped together under the heading of Feminism in Islam. Reinterpretation of Islamic laws has been dealt specifically related to Turkey as this country is the main focus of the novel. In Data Analysis and Discussion, the title has been briefly discussed. A brief history of feminism is given to justify the theory of Intersectionality and its application to the text. Four of the main female characters are then discussed under the theme “Feminism”. Their disappointments, aspects for suppression and differentiation which led to oppression were described. In the section “Feminism in Islam” the same characters are discussed with respect to Sufism. The way in which these women have been consoled by Islamic laws and Sufis, is given in this section. In the third section Islamic Feminism in Turkey is discussed. Elif Shafak’s views about her country have been given much importance. It is concluded that Feminism, as a movement in history, has not been able to give the expected respect and status to women as Islam has always given. An Orthodox approach to Islam has given a skewed approach to Islamic values, therefore, it is through Sufism that we can truly see how Islam teaches us to treat women.Item Effects of Sexual Gratification in Kate Elizabeth Russell’s MY Dark Vanessa through the Theory of Luring Communication(UMT Lahore, 2021) Sania NaseerThe aim of this research is to investigate the concept of pedophilia and sexual gratification of adults in teenage girls, through the lens of Elizabeth Russell’s novel My Dark Vanessa. The work is analyzed by using Luring communication theory’ which is used to enable the readers to understand the predators strategies of approaching, isolating and grooming the child in order to prepare their potential victims to agree on the sexual contact. The following theory uncovers the communicative strategies of entrapment used by the predators to lure their victims into ongoing sexual relationship. Also, Erickson’s psychosocial development theory focuses on the imbalance personality traits of characters that are leading to identity crisis in My Dark Vanessa and continuous traumatic stress disorder (CTSD). As, Erickson’s theory purposes eight stages of development which every human experiences from infancy to their late adulthood. Succession of each development task, results in person’s healthy personality and strong identity.Though, failure in psychosocial development leads to the feelings of inadequency which made Vanessa, a slave of Strane. The research is based on the psychological transition in Jacob Strane’s character, about his sexual preferences and consideration would be based on the aspects of child grooming methods used by of the protagonist under the lens of ‘child sexual abuse’.Item East Asia Meets South Asia: Practicing Japanese Noh Theatre in Pakistani Theatre(UMT Lahore, 2021) Kishwar WahidThis thesis intends to utilize the philosophy and performance praxis of Japanese Noh theatre in Pakistani theatre. The aim is to represent modern problem and issues by using ancient stage techniques of Noh theatre and reflect the universal traits of peace and harmony. The thesis aims at exploring a theatre which promotes aesthetics as well as ethics, which are rarely found together in modern times. Textual content analysis will be applied under qualitative research method for in depth analyses of the selected texts. For this purpose, comparative analyses of NO EXIT by Taimur Kayani will be made with Japanese Noh play Atsumori by Zeami. The play by Kiyani will be used as a literary case study having the potential to be replicated in other cases and contexts. Both plays have some common elements such as internal conflict, desire and supernatural. The thesis will allow Pakistani theatre to explore new dimension in theatre making.Item The Impact of War on the Middle East: Reconstruction of Identity and Weakening of the Fundamental Family Unit in Mohammad Hanif’s Red Birds(UMT Lahore, 2021) Sarah ShafqatIn Muhammad Hanif’s Red Birds, war as an external factor acts at the core of destroying Arab society’s basic social functioning unit i.e. the nuclear family unit. This research analyzes Red Birds under Murray Bowen’s Family System’s theory. Bowen’s Family Systems Theory views family as an emotional unit with nuclear family being most active, functional unit determining how family members process anxiety.This research discusses the impact of war and continued war crimes in the Middle Eastern region affecting negatively on the Arab society’s core functioning family unit after an analysis of the post war social, economic, religious, cultural dynamics. This research uses Thomas Huckin’s Critical Discourse Analysis model which focuses on analysis of language at word and sentence level to justify how abuse of power (resulting in war) devastates family functioning unit in the Arab society. Theoretical framework of Bowen’s Family Systems theory will examine and establish the detrimental effects of war remaining consistent in inducing unwarranted anxiety in Momo’s nuclear family unit alter and affect parental behavior towards children and vice versa. The family as a functioning unit, holding in its interdependent webbed relationships is subject to immense dysfunctionality at its micro level. The damage owes directly to war especially in which are employed weapons of mass destruction. In addition to the physical capital, war leaves a long lasting effect marring intra familial relationships ultimately revealing the real damage in children’s upbringing i.e. the next generation, brought up in their formative years during the turmoil of war times. The damaged individuals, as part of a damaged war torn society ultimately raise potentially psychologically compromised or trauma induced children for the future society causing the impairment on an individual level to create great havoc on a collective scale.Item Language of Power and Resistance on Social Media about Hazara Coal Miners Target Killing at Mucch(UMT Lahore, 2021) Minahal MaryamThe study aims to explore the legitimization in MP‘s political power discourse and usage of linguistic resources in the discourse of resistance on social media about Hazara coal miners target killing at Mucch. The data was based on the member of parliaments‘ four selected speeches and ten days public reaction on youtube‘s comment box after the incident. The extracted themes of power and resistance discourses such as, diplomacy,criticism,dominance, legimization, appositeness and symbolic language were examined by codifying and catogarizing the data.Individual theme was construed the discourse of power and resistance and unfolded the exact convention of linguistic resources utilized in both forms.The study's findings indicate language, chosen signals, efficient symbols, and correctly controlled numbers across the full digital process of power and resistance discourses. By using digital media of communicative sources, a cyclicprocess of linguistic devices with background cause and reasons emerges on the basis of language interaction with social position.The study recommends the contextual language to find out the soft and hard intentions through the recognition of linguistic devices in particular socio-incidental discourses.Item A Linguistic Analysis of the Morphemic Structures of Mewati – An Indigenous Language of Pakistan(UMT Lahore, 2021) Muhammad Ibrar Nafees MewatiThis is a qualitative and descriptive study which explores the morphological construction of words used in Mewati language spoken in Punjab, Pakistan. Mewati language is spoken both in India and Pakistan on a large scale and it is one of the significant Indo-Aryan languages. In India, it is spoken in Districts of Mewat and other areas of Rajasthan and Gurgaon. In Pakistan, it is spoken by a large community in Kasur, Toba Tek Singh, Narowal, Lahore, Khoshab, and Sialkot. The data is based on the spoken corpus of Mewati language collected with the help of interviews from Mewati community living in different areas of Pakistan. The data is arranged into nouns, cases, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, tense markers and prepositions. The construction of words has been observed by applying Hockett’s (1958) IP and IA models which give a rich elucidation of new words formation from the root words with the help of affixation e.g., as per IA model, Kitab (singular of book) and Kitaban (plural of book) is studied as morphosyntactic information [Kitab(root) + ban(plural) while in IP it is studied as phonological information. The words presented in tables and described briefly disclose the discrete morphological characteristics of Mewati language in the formation of novel words. For the detailed analysis, examples are given in the form of glossing which has been further supported by the example sentences of both Mewati and English. The purpose is to provide the maximum information about the usage and comparison with English language. The data collected in the form of interviews has been further divided into words from sentences and the selected words has been presented in the tables with their meanings in English. For the analysis, Hockett’s (1958) IP and IA models has been utilized which help to find out that Mewati language words are derived by adding suffixes like /o/, /i/, /aan/ etc. The words also change their form when they are associated with masculine and feminine subjects. The addition of suffixes changes pronouns from singular to plural and from masculine to feminine. The same change occurs when different adjectives are used with the masculine and feminine nouns. Suffixes like /o/ and /i/ are used to generate different prepositions which are used to attached the verb with the object. The formation of new words with the help of compounding, repetition, and reduplication has been found and analyzed in this study. The descriptive analysis has been presented to understand the change in the meaning of the words which are created with the help of different morphological process.Item Women in salt and saffron and the women’s courtyard:(UMT Lahore, 2021) Ammara QasimThe aim of this thesis is to look for changes in the status of women in two novels The Women’s Courtyard and Salt And Saffron. First, written in the backdrop of 1940’s [Pre-Partition] and the other is about Modern era [Post-Partition]. In previous ages, women used to stay at home and there was a purdah [separation] between the women and other male members of society and they have to put their traditions above all. They were not allowed to go outside but with the passage of time, women also started to go outside for getting education and for improving their life style thus, there came leniency. I will compare these two novels on the basis of social and personal changes that in the lives of women came with the passage of time. For this purpose, I will be using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimentions Theory.Item Diasporic trauma in the map of salt and stars by zeyn joukhadar:(UMT Lahore, 2021) NIGHAT YASMEEN AKHTARThis dissertation discusses the problematics of home in accordance with the Syrian diasporas with reference to Zeyn Joukhadar’s novel, the Map of Salt and Stars. In the course of this study, it is revealed that the text celebrates the duality of home both as a physical entity and also as a cognitive space in relation to the diasporic subjects’ who encounter several journeys across multiple lands in search of peace and harmony. The research also elaborates the interconnected temporality of the past and the present under the light of Bhabha’s concept of temporality which further highlights the history of Syria as a peaceful country unlike the contemporary war ravaged territory. The history helps the diasporic subjects not only in the identification process but also makes them able to stand firm in the precarious circumstances by getting hold of their inner voices. Because, in the host lands, culture and identity become negotiated depending on the location which position the diasporas in the third space. Thus, the research through the representation of multiple dislocations that are not just geographic but are also historical and linguistic reveals the unstable and dynamic side of diasporic identity and culture.Item Racial belligerence in socio-political context:(UMT Lahore, 2021) Shanila AzizThis research aims to explore the socio-political situation of South Africa after up lifting of the Apartheid through the text No Time Like the Present written by Nadine Gordimer in 2012. The study is based on realistic and contemporary issues of South African Society in the era of President Jacob Zuma who was elected in 2009. This research attempts to externalize the dehumanization of the marginalized natives of South Africa by the Whites as an outcome of colonialism in their country. It also reveals how corruption has demoralized different public institutions i.e. education, telecommunication, defense department, medical field, municipal services etc. under the slogan of democracy. As literature reflects life and the contemporary issues existing in society, the novel, similarly, portrays that the New South Africa emerges with new conflicts. The contradiction between reality and expectations after decolonization causes frustration among natives. The new conflicts and challenges lead the Rainbow nation to new socio-economic and cultural problems based on covert expressions of race and class contradictions. The strands which are coded for analysis are violence, racism, poverty, moral and social corruption, xenophobia, crime rate/ lawlessness and negative psychological impact of apartheid, experienced during post-apartheid era. The research evaluates that the New South Africa which was seeking a new non-racial future, beyond the deadly consequences of the apartheid regime, could not be completely enfranchised.Item An Acoustic Analysis of Rangri Phonemes using Praat(UMT Lahore, 2021) Mahnoor NaeemThe functional properties of sounds are usually referred as acoustic-phonetics in a language. The purpose of the research is to explain the features of acoustic-phonetic of the elemental sounds of Rangri which is a family of the Indo-Aryan languages mostly spoken in the different areas of Punjab and Sindh (Pakistan). In addition to the knowledge of articulatory phonetics; acoustic phonetics has been classified for the classification and identification of meaningful speech sounds of Rangri. A database of speech sound comprising the sixteen sound samples of the native Rangri speakers of Daluwali Sialkot Punjab which is later verified by five key informants. The ten vowels and thrity two consonantal phonemes of Rangri are identified.The obtained acoustic features and statistical results of each phoneme provide an understanding of the acoustical properties of Rangri phonemes. The main features of acoustic phonetics used in the study are the fundamental frequencies (F1 & F2), intensity (Db) and time duration (Ms) by using Praat software. The main purpose for doing such works comes from the fact that detailed knowledge of language features broad vast diversity of applications – like modelling a sound formation system for developing independent robust speaker speech recognizers.The main contributions and achievements of the study provide in the area involve the classification and compilation of the elemental sounds of Rangri. The research contribution of this study obtains fundamental building blocks for future research to build a prototype state of the art which is environment and gender independent, conversational and continuous sound systems for Rangri.Item Verbal Discourse of Bilingual Urdu/ English Students on Digital Gaming Forum(UMT Lahore, 2021) Mahwish SarwarThe study aims to explore Verbal Discourse of Bilingual Urdu/English Students on Digital Gaming Forum. Gaming platforms via chat boxes were observed to gain results to see students’ discourse on online gaming forum. The online games understudy were Call of Duty and Battlefield. The apprehension for choosing bilingual students was to observe the words or vocabulary they learnt or made to divulge on that forum. The paper reveals various themes like warfare terminologies, neologism and xenophobic expression in the verbal practices of gamers. To read the impact promotional CD banners were studied of the games to see the emerging themes. The study reveals factors promoting violent language in the areas of warfare terminologies and in fact the neologism is also varied in the same emerging theme related to arms, weaponry and ammunition. The new diction which students have adopted in their colloquial expressions, words like noob, which means a person who is weak, kills, synonym for being graded highest in game on number of kills, are evident in their verbal practices. The study would make significant contributions to the knowledge of bilingual students revealing that students are exposed to abusive words on digital gaming forum. The result of this study is alarming to create a sense of responsibility among caretakers to deal with this modern problem. Since these students are learning new words some of which are abusive, they might use socially.Item Ideological Subjugation in Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017)(UMT Lahore, 2021) Rehan BanoThis research aims at analysing Arundhati Roy’s novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. It intends to examine the factors that help Indian society in marginalizing the powerless and underprivileged classes. This study traces four factors i.e. social, religious, economic and political factors that play their part in the social, religious, economic and political bifurcation within Indian society. Arundhati Roy uses apt language to expose the concomitance of these factors in keeping the lower Hindu classes, Muslims and Kashmiri people subjugated. This research is qualitative and relies on the theories “Ideological State Apparatuses” and “Repressive State Apparatuses” by Louis Althusser and “Post-Secularism” by Jurgen Habermas. The textual analysis discloses that Arundhati Roy’s appropriate and pertinent language permits her characters to stand against the suppression and reveal the agenda of making Hindu upper class superior to Dalits and Muslims and socially established genders superior to the transgender.Item Politics of Representation and Marginalization in I Am Malala by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai(UMT Lahore, 2021) Hassan KhanThe research aims to explore Malala Yousafzai‘s autobiography I Am Malala in terms of its politics of representation and marginalization. This autobiographical account is based on the events of the author's life in years spent in Pakistan, particularly the time when the Taliban had controlled Swat valley and the events which followed afterwards. She is of the view that life in Pakistan for women is very difficult due to which the author considers herself marginalized. The research intends to put this memoir in a postcolonial context where Taliban will be compared with the colonizers because Taliban wanted to take control of not just the Swat Valley, but the areas around as well. Similarly colonial masters also used to do the same as British colonial masters came to the subcontinent to oppress the local inhabitants. For this purpose the theory of subalterns by Gayatri Spivak will be used. She is of the view that even if the subalterns speak their voice is not heard deliberately. They are not able to represent themselves. Malala‘s experience in Swat was not very pleasant, which in a way symbolizes marginalization of women under the sway of such oppressed forces. Within this perspective, marginalization of Malala serves as a symbol for all the people who were affected by the Talibanization in Swat. In a way, the research will shed light on the marginalization of women in Pakistan, since some people in Pakistan call it a myth. Moreover, the research aims to investigate whether or not her memoir is based on Western agenda as it is perceived that Malala wanted to pander to western conspiracies. There are serious question marks on Malala‘s representation. In this regard the theory of Subalternity by Spivak serves as a firm ground to substantiate the argument.Item Rewriting Iranian-American Hybridity through Humour: A Postcolonial Study of Firoozeh Dumas’ Funny in Farsi(UMT Lahore, 2021) Nisar AhmedThis study aims at analyzing Firoozeh Dumas’ memoir Funny in Farsi (published in 2003) as a postcolonial text in order to bring into focus the importance of the cultural hybridity that both subverts and reinvents the dichotomy of the east and the west in today’s socio-political world. It studies the ambivalence of Dumas’ identities as an Iranian-born girl whose family migrated from Iran to America in her childhood owing to the socio-economic upheaval caused by the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979. The study is contextualized by some significant keywords of contemporary theory, particularly Homi Bhabha’s ideas of dislocation, hybridity and mimicry. It is contended here that Dumas uses humour as a powerful device for humanizing the ethnicity of a Muslim diasporic community in America, thereby introducing the peculiarities of her culture and mixed religious and linguistic traditions to her readers in a manner that thoroughly entertains them at the same time that they subconsciously take note of her rather painful challenges of belonging to a marginalized community. At the same time, it will also be seen how the impact of Dumas’ humour deconstructs itself to betray an epistemological machinery in which the east/orient is assigned the subordinate position of a cultural other. It will be noted how Dumas’ admiration of the American culture at the expense of the Iranian culture hints at a partiality that can be attributed to the neo-colonial tendencies of authors whose status as the spokesperson of the eastern, especially Muslim, nations should be questioned. The study will employ the approach of qualitative discourse analysis for regarding the text as an enactment of complex cultural practices.Item Diaspora and Crises of Transnational Identities: A Study of Juan Felipe Herrera’s Selected Poems(UMT Lahore, 2021) Arhamna AzamThis study aims at exploring, through an analysis of selected poems of Juan Felipe Herrera, the linguistic, cultural, social, political, and economic challenges faced by immigrants while reshaping their identities in a transnational context. It is seen how Herrera‘s preoccupation with the dilemmas of immigrants – who may leave their homeland for diverse reasons including the lure of better finances, acquisition of advanced education, marriage in another country, as a means of escaping persecution or turmoil in their own country, etc. – provides a framework for exploring the fusion of socio-political and emotional domains of a psyche traumatized by displacement. It further shows how, while Herrera repeatedly draws on his first-hand experience of migration during his childhood from Mexico to America, he is able to universalize the persona of the immigrant because of the manner in which he brings the human urges to connect and disconnect into the limelight. The study is contextualized by several debates current among theorists of transnationalism on the nature of diaspora – its contraries of communal and isolationist constructs, its legal and emotional purport, its potential to transcend theories of nation states. The study is likely to be significant for adding to the literature that directs attention to the inescapability of political overtones in contemporary poetry, and focuses on the need to understand how the psycho-social positioning of immigrants and diasporic communities is increasingly changing the ways in which we define cultures, societies and homelands.