The Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences

Power, Resistance, and Black Masculine Identity in Ta-Nehisi Coates’s The Water Dancer

Somia Sohail — 2023-12-27

Attempts to reconstruct black masculinity can be traced to the nineteenth-century slave narratives that challenged white representations of black male identity. In the wake of Obama’s rise to presidency and the recent surge in public killing of black men, contemporary African American writers have revisited the antebellum narratives through the neo-slave narrative genre to reconsider the question of black masculinity. Ta-Nehisi Coates’s The Water Dancer (2019) is one such attempt to return to the Antebellum South to revisit the pain and suffering inflicted on generations of black men, women, and children while highlighting the significance of memory, narrative, and history in the pursuit of freedom. This article analyzes the text’s representation of black male subjectivity, agency, and resistance through a conceptual framework drawn from Foucault’s theorization of power and resistance; R. W. Connell’s model of hegemonic masculinity; and bell hooks’s conception of black masculinity. Through a close analysis of the representation of black male subjectivity in the novel, the essay explores how black men resist systems of white male hegemonic power through their memory’s journey that not only allows them to understand their extraordinary powers but also redefine their masculinity. The essay concludes that through a representation of complex and multifaceted black male characters, Coates represents models of progressive black masculinity that challenge the received notions of hegemonic masculinity through their past consciousness.

Anglo-Afghan Treaties, Accords, Agreements, Memoranda, Conventions, Engagements, Protocols (1809-1930) Impacting Pak-Afghan Relations: A Way Forward

Noor-Ul-Amin — 2023-12-27

This research article attempts to understand the British Imperial Policy towards Afghanistan in the early nineteenth century: Beginning with countering rival Imperial French influence in neighboring Iran and later, expansion of Imperialist Czarist/Soviet Russia into Central Asia. A critical analysis of Anglo-Afghan Treaties, Accords, Agreements, Memoranda, Conventions, Engagements and Protocols, signed during 1809-1930, reveals, the research argues, that the British took these diplomatic initiatives to: protect British possessions in colonial India and beyond; Expand towards North; And ousting rival imperial powers’ influence in the neighborhood. An unintended consequence has been definition, determination and demarcation of borders of modern state of Afghanistan, though, still vulnerable/questioned, especially, in times of stress. Lessons to be learnt by operatives of the successor state, i.e. Pakistan and current Afghan Taliban regime include: ensuring security; reaffirming inviolability of sovereignty and territorial integrity of respective successor states.

Emergence of Covid-19 and Viability of Remote Learning: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students of Kinnaird College

Aliya Talib — 2023-12-27

The world has experienced a unique phenomenon since Covid-19 emerged and was declared as global pandemic by World Health organization in March, 2020.Emergence of global pandemic has repercussions on every sphere of life and education is not an exception. Academia continued to experience massive reforms globally amidst lockdown during COVID-19 outbreak. Government of Pakistan also took containment measures in the result of which educational institutes were temporarily closed to avoid spread of virus via physical contact. Kinnaird College for Women took measures to complete 2019–2020 academic year and planned for the alternate platform (MS Teams Software) for remote learning. The challenge of Covid-19 was unexpected therefore the prospective measures were unplanned and uncertain and demanded unusual arrangements to save lives. The purpose of the study is aimed at evaluating the conversion from regular learning methodology to distance learning using digital platforms and its impact on undergraduate students of Kinnaird College. The study was conducted through an online survey of undergraduate students enrolled in various programs of Social Sciences at KCW. The research drew results from the responses on viability of remote learning during pandemic. Data was collected through online survey questionnaire and primary data collected was compiled and analyzed via quantitative method of research. The study identified academic challenges for students and the probable benefits of distance learning, the information could be utilized to enlighten practices that can be implemented during crises situation with reference to higher education.

Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Security Challenges

Warisha Rashid — 2023-12-27

This paper examines Pakistan's complex foreign policy, discussing its historical development, key security issues, and its careful balancing in a changing global context. The main focus of this study is on the long-standing territorial conflict between Pakistan and India, especially over Kashmir, which had a profound impact on the concept. The impact of Afghanistan’s security situation on Pakistan’s stability and active involvement in the country and internationally between counterterrorism policies has been highlighted in this paper. Pakistan’s security concerns are further complicated by the availability of nuclear capability, which requires careful balancing to ensure regional stability. The paper highlights the opportunities for Pakistan in the face of challenges, stressing the importance of a pragmatic and scholarly approach. In the final section, the paper is based on several strategies that combine security concerns with globalization, economic cooperation, and diplomatic efforts Pakistan can manage its complex foreign policy effectively implement and implement such an approach in support of global non-proliferation policies, counter-terrorism efforts, and regional stability.

Exploration of Academic Stress among Undergraduates of Sukkur IBA University Through the Lens of Gender Differences

Sharik Zamir — 2023-12-27

Personal and institutional expectations fall onerous on students resulting in stress. During academic life, students attempt to manage stressors stemming from social, personal, academic, and environmental fronts. Almost every day, students experience academic stress in their university life. This scenario necessitates for this study to explore undergrads academic stress, compare and analyze the differences of academic stress among males and females, in a public sector university. The positivist paradigm applied as the worldview, and quantitative research as a method of inquiry. The sample comprised of 99 (70 males and 29 female) undergrads selected on voluntary-participation criterion, who were enrolled across eight semesters. The student academic stress scale is a standardized and reliable instrument used for data collection. The results indicated students' susceptibility to academic stress was more in females than males. Moreover, different academic stress levels were reported for across various departments. The students need regular interval of checks of academic stress diagnosis and specialized on-campus counseling services to normalize effects of undergrads’ academic stress. The implications for future study require to focus on considering qualitative and quantitative methods to glean authentic data with a large sample size to make findings fit for generalizability.

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst: Phenomenological Exploration of Cancer Patients' Lived Experiences

Abid Ali — 2023-12-27

Cancer stands as one of the most devastating and leading causes of mortality globally. Cancer is still a major public health concern in Pakistan, as it significantly raises death rates throughout the entire country. The occurrence of many cancer types has been increasing, resulting in an immense burden on the healthcare structure. This research aimed to explore how cancer patients maneuver their daily lives while battling the illness. Utilizing a phenomenological research methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted to gain insights into the perspectives of cancer patients. The data was collected from a sample of 15 hospitalized patients at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology, and Radiotherapy (INOR) Hospital in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Thematic analysis (TA) was employed to examine the interview transcripts, revealing several key themes. These themes encompassed the patients' experiences with cancer diagnosis, the impacts of cancer therapy, psychological effects, social support, and the significance of spirituality in their healing journey. The study's findings underscored that patient faced specific challenges upon receiving their cancer diagnosis, along with psychological stressors such as uncertainty, social isolation, and the side effects of treatments. Notably, patients discovered that spirituality and religious practices served as effective coping mechanisms to alleviate the unpleasant effects of cancer. Based on the study's outcomes, it is recommended that healthcare professionals take into account the patient's experiences and consider the role of spirituality and spiritual practices in enhancing the well-being of cancer patients. By understanding and acknowledging these aspects, medical practitioners can potentially improve the overall care and support provided to cancer patients during their arduous journey of battling the illness.

Social Media: A Threat to Quality Journalism? A Comparative Analysis of the Content from Social Media and Mainstream Media

Bakht Zaman — 2023-12-29

The study inquisitively talks about the impact of social media on quality journalism in Pakistan, which poses a threat to objectivity, accuracy, balance and ethical considerations being considered an integral component of any news item. Based on the framing and dependency theories of mass communication, the research qualitatively dealt with the data collected from social media and mainstream media. The researcher selected eight stories from social media, and the same were chosen from the mainstream media. After collecting the data, some news values were taken as a parameter and operationalized in the context of Pakistani media content; that is how issues are framed. These values were investigated after examining the content, and it was found that social media compromised those values and exploited the audience's dependency on it. Social media tried to influence public perception about the selected issues. In contrast, the mainstream media, on the other hand, has tried its best to consider these values while covering the same issues.