Linguistics and Literature Review

Symbiosis of Nature and Ethical Consciousness: Eco-Buddhist Themes in Kaleem Omar’s Poetry

Malik Allah Nawaz Khan, Dr Ayesha Akram — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:35:30 +0000

This paper analyzes the intersection of ecological awareness and literary expression in Kaleem Omar’s poetry set against the backdrop of Pakistan’s heightened vulnerability to climate change and environmental degradation. It is an endeavour to view South Asian literature through the lens of an indigenous environmental theory, i.e., Eco-Buddhism, to highlight its ecological undertones. Employing Eco-Buddhism as a theoretical framework, the paper conducts a thematic content analysis of Kaleem Omar’s selected poems. These poems have been analyzed to unravel the subtle dynamics between human activities, natural environments, and the ethical considerations entwined in them. His poetry reflects a profound engagement with environmental issues, articulating concerns about societal indifference and the moral complexities of human dominion over nature. In his poems, he views nature as a sacred being that must be revered and conserved. By integrating the Buddhist ethos of interconnectedness and non-violence with the concerns of ecocriticism, this research underscores the potential of South Asian Eco-poetic narratives in advocating environmental consciousness and addressing ecological crises.

Language Shift Phenomenon: A Case Study of Shina Language

Arif Hussain, Muhammad Nawaz, Sohbat Ali — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study has investigated the domination of English and Urdu over the Shina language, which is spoken in the mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It has examined the degree to which Shina speakers have maintained or shifted away from their mother tongue. The data was collected from five Shina-speaking families residing in the Nagar district using purposive sample techniques. These families belong to various walks of life with a diverse representation of experiences. The total pool of the sample includes twenty-six respondents. The data was gathered through 30-minute interviews along with the observations. The recordings were made with the participants’ consent. Subsequently, the recorded data was transcribed into International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) notation for a one-minute excerpt from each family member. In addition, the observed data were also taken into account during the analysis. The findings revealed that Shina speakers are more inclined towards Urdu than English. The research has specified that older speakers use the Shina language in all domains of their lives, while their children prefer to use English and Urdu.

Tracing the Narratives of Scapegoating: An Allportian Examination of Brick Lane

Muhammad Sadaqat Tahir, Farrukh Nadeem — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Brick Lane by Monica Ali centers on the themes of migration,
displacement, institution of marriage, identity crises, misrepresentation
and so forth. The work has been explored from these aspects but the new
dimensions within this context have not been examined comprehensively.
This paper aims to investigate the motif of scapegoating in the novel,
which draws upon Gordon W. Allport’s conception. Scapegoating, for
Allport, manifests itself in different characters that project their failures
and frustrations to other people who are powerless and silenced. In its
South Asian backdrop, it is blaming, killing, or scarifying a person or a
group of people for personal, societal reasons or to attain certain kinds of
outcomes. In case of Brick Lane, Nazneen is scapegoated by her parents
when they choose Chanu, forty years old and an ugly person, as her
husband. The paper will attempt to go beyond the mythological
implications of scapegoating by employing it as a theoretical framework.
Moreover, the question of a human being, as a modern scapegoat, in the
present time will be delineated. Scapegoating functions on different levels
depending upon the contexts where it is exercised. The objectives of this
study are to highlight the factors enhancing the victimization by blocking
the ways of empowerment. The analytical mood of inquiry will be used to
conduct the research.