SEARCH ARTICLE

19 Pages : 197-203

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).19      10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).19      Published : Mar 2021

Hindus Us, Muslims, and the Rest Others in Roy's the Ministry of Utmost Happiness

    This study explores self and othering in Roy's novel The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Roy took twenty years to complete this political romance. The narrator of this political romance talks about the others of Indian society, i.e., religious minorities, political traitors, and low caste groups. These others are always striving to secure a place in a biased Indian society. Their quest for identity has often led them to a blind alley where they have found themselves helpless and oppressed evermore. The situation has become worse under the government of the right-wing Hindu party BJP. This study is an attempt to explore the ways how the weaker part of the society is treated as another and outcast in a so-called secular state. Roy has presented the true face of India. This research tries to comprehend her mind and investigates The Ministry of Utmost Happiness multidimensional and multi-layered tale.

    Hindus, Islam, Muslims, Others, Politics, Racism, Us
    (1) Syed Maqsood Alam
    Assistant Professor, Department of English, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Zahoor Hussain
    Lecturer, Department of English, Bahaudin Zakariya Uinversity, Layya Campus, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (3) Muhammad Ahsan
    Lecturer, Department of English, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.

47 Pages : 470-476

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).47      10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).47      Published : Mar 2021

Role of Pakhtun Women in Politics: A Case Study of Begum Zari Sarfaraz

    An effort has been made to revisit the political participation of Pakhtun women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa former NWFP. The active role in the politics of Pakhtun women was quite difficult due to socio-cultural constraints. In such circumstances a woman from the elite class emerged on the political scene of NWFP; Begum Zari Sarfaraz who not only participated in the independence movement of Pakistan but also participated in politics after the creation of Pakistan and had rendered great services for women folk as members of national and provincial assemblies. The paper shed light on her opposition to One Unit. The paper also investigates the reason that why she quit politics. There is hardly any literature on the role of Begum Zari Sarfaraz in the politics of Pakistan.

    Politics, Frontier Women, Mardan, One Unit, Zanana (Women) Muslim League

12 Pages : 172 - 187

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2017(II-I).12      10.31703/gssr.2017(II-I).12      Published : Jun 2017

Pakistan's Electoral Sociology: Why do Voters' Vote?

    The published literature reviewed indicates that the subject of current research has remained away from scholarly focus. The existing academic literature shows that studies on electoral politics largely focused on social and political determinants of voting behavior. The current study explains that sociology-historical material trajectory of the voting process. This has been continuously shaping aset of dispositions of people through the continued interplay of base structure and superstructure, which have a deep impact on voter choice formation. These dispositions formulate a neo liberal habit us and shape electoral choices of voters controlled by super structural forces who control the process of elections. The present study aimed at investigating the dynamics of voters’ choices. Why do voters vote? This is a key research question that has been explored in this paper.This research focuses on issues in which even electoral systems are operating,and these systems are manufacturing voting choices. The relationship of base structure and superstructures are the major framework that determines the behavior of voters in the larger electoral process. This is qualitative and theoretical study, and evidence have been taken from Hazara and Pothohar regions of Pakistan.

    Election, Politics, Sociology, Vote, Pakistan

66 Pages : 546 - 553

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).66      10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).66      Published : Dec 2019

Politics of Islamization and Women Rights in Pakistan

    Women empowerment and Islamization have critical relationship with each other in the political history of Pakistan. The domination of a single dogmatic thought process has affected the alternatives and has reduced the political space of almost half of the societal segment in the political sphere. The initiatives of women empowerment have been taken in Pakistan, but that empowerment could not trickle down to the masses. The slogans of empowerment further concentrate the power of the dominant elite in a same class. The process of Islamization started in Pakistan before its inception in 1947. Islamization got significant momentum during the Zia-ul-Haq regime in Pakistan in the 1980s. This paper is an attempt to explore the engagements of women with Islamization and how the process of Islamization influenced women's empowerment. The existing writings on Islamization largely focused on Islamic laws and their political manifestation in the polity of Pakistan. This study primarily focused on gendered dimensions and their linkages with Islamization. A qualitative approach has been used for exploring the core question, and it has been found that ideological state apparatuses are dominating both Islamization and women's political rights.

    Islamization, Women, Empowerment, Pakistan, Politics.

19 Pages : 188 - 201

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2022(VII-I).19      10.31703/gssr.2022(VII-I).19      Published : Mar 2022

Coverage of Populism Related Content in Pakistani Media: An Analysis of the Coverage of Dawn and The News

    Populists are dominating the world's political situation. The election campaign of Donald Trump in the United States, the emergence of right-wing populist parties in Eastern Europe, and the popularity of Narendra Modi of India prove that we live in a populist world. Populism has also returned to Pakistan as cricketer-turning politician Imran Khan's popularity was attributed to a massive publicity campaign. This article aims to evaluate the populist coverage of Pakistan's political parties in media. This research study aims to answer the question of which political party shares more populist views, in what form they share it, and who the targets of these populist views are. Therese archer has utilized the "Quantitative Content Analysis" as a research method to answer the outstanding research questions. The news coverage of the two leading English-language newspapers of Pakistan, namely Dawn and The News International, has been studied. A total of 278 news stories we reexamined during the month of the 2018 elections. The findings support that Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf was the most populist party and the Shariffamily/PMLN was the prime target of anti-elitist views shared by PTI.Findings also support that The News International gave more coverage to populist narratives than Dawn.

    Populism, Media Politics, Political Parties, Elections

21 Pages : 224-237

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2023(VIII-I).21      10.31703/gssr.2023(VIII-I).21      Published : Mar 2023

The Feudal and Political System in Pakistan: A Historical Analysis of South Punjab (1969-1990)

    The term "feudalism" is often used to describe a social order in which land is held by an elite group that is not subservient to a monarchy or government. In return for their service to the king or his kingdom, his subjects are granted land. In the feudalsystem, the male head of the family (typically a large joint family) is accountable for the maintenance of the home and the land that has been bequeathed to him. It is true that the social structures of feudalisms in Medieval Europe and Medieval India shared some similarities; however, the feudalism that developed in Pakistan (which was a descendant of Indian feudalism) had its own unique roots and characteristics that were shaped by local history (such as the influence and intent of invaders) and culture.According to land reforms
    adopted in 1959, each individual's yearly produce from 500 irrigated and 1000 non-irrigated acres was capped at 36,000 index units. This study looks at what happened to feudalism in Pakistan's Southern Punjab between 1969 and 1990, and it offers solutions to the problems that led to its decline.

    Feudalism, Social-Economic, Sociology, Politics, Economics

33 Pages : 364-375

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2023(VIII-II).33      10.31703/gssr.2023(VIII-II).33      Published : Jun 2023

Politics of Hate and Social Media: Thematic Analysis of Political Hate Discourses on Facebook

    This article documented the presence of politically motivated hate content in online political discourses and also explored major themes against political opponents in Pakistan. A total of 744 posts were collected from Facebook pages affiliated with two major political parties. The amount indicates the significant amount of politically motivated hate content presented in online political discourses. The data were thematically analyzed from which 3 major themes emerged. The data revealed that political discourses were filed with denigration of opposites through abusive and disgusted language followed by the dehumanization of opposites such as naming and comparing with different animals like dogs, pigs etc. It was also found that character assassination was done by framing opposites as morally and socially characterless, by accusing them as sexually corrupt, drug addictive, and as well homosexual etc. Lastly, the opposites were framed as "anti-state", "traitors" and "foreign agents who have become "threats" to national peace, cohesion and integrity of the state and as well to destabilize the country.

    Hate Speech, Media Framing, Thematic Analysis, Political Discourse, Social Media, Pakistani Politics

40 Pages : 438-446

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2023(VIII-I).40      10.31703/gssr.2023(VIII-I).40      Published : Mar 2023

Understanding Women's Political Motivations in KP: Unveiling the Driving Forces

    This study examines the reasons why women get involved in politics, concentrating on the National Assembly and provincial assembly members of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The relevance of family connections, which facilitate women's entry into politics, is revealed via thematic analysis of interview data. Important motivators include persistence, character traits, inspirational leaders, alluring party platforms, and a need for accountability. Women can participate in politics if they are financially independent and have free time. The study expands on earlier research by illuminating the intricate interplay of institutional, cultural, and individual factors influencing women's political involvement. It places a focus on the necessity of addressing gender-related barriers and encouraging educational reforms to provide women with more leadership abilities. For societal change and democratic governance, political decision-making needs to be more gender diverse. The results provide useful information for political parties and authorities looking to create a welcoming environment for women in politics.

    Women in Politics, Political Participation, Motivation, Family Connections, Leadership, Gender Equality

09 Pages : 100-109

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2025(X-III).09      10.31703/gssr.2025(X-III).09      Published : Sep 2025

Critical Discourse Analysis of US President Donald Trump's Speech in the UN General Assembly 2018

    This study conducts an analysis of Donald J. Trump’s 2018 speech at the United Nations General Assembly through the lens of Van Dijk’s (2005) Socio-Cognitive Model, with a particular emphasis on political and critical discourse analysis. It investigates the mechanisms by which Trump defends his positions and persuades his audience, notably through the use of hyperbole and numerical exaggerations to underscore his accomplishments. The research posits that political speech has a notable impact on influencing public ideology. The linguistic analysis reveals variations in Trump’s communication strategies, highlighting his use of boastful and exaggerated statements to promote his achievements. The study employs Van Dijk’s Ideological Square along with a socio-cognitive approach as its theoretical and analytical frameworks, focusing on four key strategies. The findings suggest that Trump prioritizes exaggeration over logical argumentation and frequently engages in aggressive rhetoric against nations that challenge America’s superpower status.

    Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA); Ideological Square Framework (Van Dijk); Rhetoric in Politics, Donald J. Trump; Self-Representation (Positive); Other-Representation (Negative)

04 Pages : 38-52

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2026(XI-II).04      10.31703/gssr.2026(XI-II).04      Published : Jun 2026

India as a Factor in Pakistan-Iran Relations in the 21st Century

    In a 21st-century scenario, the Pakistan-Iran equation is becoming more and more influenced by the regional and global dynamics, and India is an important strategic partner. The study discusses the evolving Indian relations with Iran with a particular emphasis on geopolitical competition, energy security, economic cooperation, and regional integration. The Indian involvement in the Chabahar Port project and its broader geopolitical drive in Afghanistan and Central Asia is covered in detail. It examines Pakistan's perception of India's rising influence in Iran and its impact on the bilateral relations and regional security between Iran and Pakistan. It also underscores Iran's policy of balancing the defence of national interests with maintaining good relations with two South Asian competitors.

    Pakistan-Iran Relations, India-Iran Strategic Partnership, Chabahar Port, Regional Connectivity, Geopolitical Competition, Energy Security, South Asian Politics