SEARCH ARTICLE

36 Pages : 382-393

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-II).36      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-II).36      Published : Jun 2020

The Awakening's Rediscovery: A literary Stimulus for Raising Women's Struggle in Pakistan

    The awakening has spoken to women's issues across time in many corners of the world regardless of caste, faith, nationality. Being a semi-autobiographical American-Novel, The Awakening was a catharsis against the late-19th-century Victorian constraints on Southern American women. The text challenged the hold of Victorian shackles on women's social, personal, marital, and sexual rights. Although the text had poor critical reception in its own time, it was reaccredited in the 1950s. Since then, the novel has kept on enlightening its readers through its powerful female-characters across times and cultures. This study revisits how the text reflected women's individualism; how readers responded to it, and how it has contributed a change to women's position. The analogy also signifies the degree to which the study could encourage the suppressed women's voice in Pakistan against—social, personal, marital, sexual —injustices that are done to them under cultural shackles, religious romanticizing, and androcentric norms.

    The Awakening; feminism; women; late 19th-century; patriarchy; Pakistan; USA
    (1) Imran Ali
    Assistant Professor, Department of English, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Uzma Imtiaz
    Assistant Professor, Department of English, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (3) Zainab Akram
    Assistant Professor, Department of English, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta, Baluchistan, Pakistan.

03 Pages : 21-35

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).03      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).03      Published : Mar 2020

Exploring the Spatial Interdependence in Efficiency of Private Hospitals in Pakistan

    A major health policy concern is the presence of inefficiencies in health care provision. This study estimates the technical efficiency for ambulatory services and inpatients care in private sector hospitals in Pakistan. Efficiency scores for the sample hospitals, estimated using Stochastic Frontier Analysis, are aggregated at the regional (district) level to identify the existence of spatial interdependence. The results from the spatial analysis suggest that efficiency has a positive spillover for outpatient care in small hospitals. Big hospitals, however, show inconsistent results. We concluded that small hospitals compete in outpatients with the motive of profit maximization.

    Private Hospitals, Efficiency, SFA, Spatial Dependence, Competition, Pakistan
    (1) Saima Bashir
    PhD Scholar,Department of Economics, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad, Pakistan.

29 Pages : 283-290

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).29      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).29      Published : Mar 2020

Moratorium or Achievement: Identity Statuses in Mohsin Hamids The Reluctant Fundamentalist

    The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) traces the evolution of Changezs sense of belonging by encompassing a substantial part of his life odyssey, ranging from his movement to the US for higher studies to his disillusionment and redirection of fundamental desires. This study explores those transformative stages that help shape his identity. For this purpose, James Marcias theory of identity achievement has been used as a theoretical framework. Marcia (1980) contends that certain situations and events (called crises) act as catalysts to prompt identity moratorium. The internal conflict caused by such catalysts stimulates adolescents to probe into their beliefs, goals and values. Changez also encounters the four statuses described by Marcia i.e., identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium and final achievement. Consequently, a refraction in his sense of belonging takes place - from love for American exceptionalism to love for Pakistan and Islam (Morey, 2011). This study evaluates the level of identity achievement in Changez as a result of this refraction

    Identity Achievement, Identity Moratorium, Islam, Pakistan, Sense of Belonging, Fundamental.
    (1) Ayesha Perveen
    PhD Scholar, Department of English & Literary Studies, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Punjab,Pakistan.
    (2) Nadia Anwar
    Assistant Professor, Department of English and Literary Studies,University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

31 Pages : 300-312

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).31      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).31      Published : Mar 2020

Syllable Structure of Pakistani English in Phonological Theory

    This article describes the syllable of Pakistani English (PE. It compares the syllable of PE with British English, in the light of concepts of syllabic (Chomsky and Halle, 1968), syllabification, template, syllable pattern, model of syllable structure, phonotactics and syllable weight. In the end, the following differences in syllabic phonology of PE and British English are summarized: In phonotactic constraints, one difference is found that is in the syllable of PE cluster of three consonants i.e. /s/, /p or t or k/, /l or r/ is allowed only in monosyllabic words, whereas word internally this cluster is not permissible. So, [ek.sklIUd] becomes [eks.klIUd] in PE; the weight of the syllable in PE is not only based on the quality of vowel but also the quality of consonant; in PE every syllable must contain vowel as a nucleus.

    Pakistani English, Syllable Structure, Syllabification, Phonotactics, Syllable Weight, Syllabic
    (1) Umaima Kamran
    Assistant Professor, Department of English, Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (2) Saira Maqbool
    Assistant Professor,Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics,Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (3) Lubna Umar
    Lecturer, Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics,Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, Pakistan.

67 Pages : 672-679

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).67      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).67      Published : Mar 2020

Pakistan's Elections Debates: An Analysis of Electoral Knowledge Production

    The political debates are the major indicators to open a dialogue and to set the tone of politics in society. The elections' debates in Pakistan are directly linked with the nature of the state and its ideological and elite composition. The post-colonial state structure and its reflection in electoral politics is a dominant determining factor which led to induce order through objectifying in existing electoral status quo. The dominant forces on the electoral scene have the power to interpret the existing knowledge production and debate for their own interest. Both objectivities and subjectivities in which electoral debates operate are in control of the post-colonial state structure. This paper is an attempt to explore the articulation of electoral debates in academic knowledge production. Further, how does existing academic debate explain the nature of electoral politics? Why?The purposively selected academic debates on elections revolved around functionalist and interpretivist paradigms influenced by the existing debate between subjectivity and objectivity. The descriptive method has been applied in exploring a research question under study.

    Elections, Knowledge Production, Pakistan, Political Debate, Post-Colonialism
    (1) Muhammad Shakeel Ahmad
    Assistant Professor, Centre for Policy Studies, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Post-Doctoral Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, The University of Nottingham United Kingd

68 Pages : 680-688

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).68      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).68      Published : Mar 2020

Publicity, Propaganda and Press: All India Muslim League in Propagation of Demand for Pakistan

    The evolution and growth of press in the Subcontinent revolutionized the flow of information and propagation of political activities. All-India Muslim League went through the process of reorganization in the late 1930's and the new political resolve needed more publicity and propaganda to expand further among the masses. League handled the need of the hour by starting its party-owned newspapers while the provincial Leagues and some of the League organs launched their newspapers to publicize policy and program of the party. The major share in the press came from the Leaguers and pro League newspapers from all over India. The last phase of the freedom movement witnessed the emergence of a more radical and outspoken press in support of the demand for Pakistan. Overseas publicity and press remained weak ground for League due it financial constraints. The Middle East zone was omnipresent in League's activities due to its Islamist stance.England publicity wing started working quite late but it remained successful in making a mark over the minds of the public. The American front was neglected and only a few appearances were available to propagate League and its demand for Pakistan.

    Press, League, Propaganda, Demand for Pakistan, Newspapers
    (1) Muhammad Anwar
    Lecturer, Department of Pakistan Studies and History, National University of Modern, Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (2) Shahzad Qaisar
    Lecturer (Visiting), Department of Pakistan Studies and History, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (3) Jamila Begum
    Lecturer, Department of Education, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.

63 Pages : 633-641

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).63      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).63      Published : Mar 2020

Women, History And Faith: Suleri's Critique Of Pakistan's National Culture In Meatless Days And Boys Will Be Boys

    Sara Suleri is divided between her fascination for her father's strong character and her repulsion for the consequent effect on woman's space in family life, connoting a critique of Pakistani patriarchal society in which women, irrespective of their social status, suffer from marginalization. Although Suleri's Boys Will Be Boys is an elegy for her father, as she announces in the sub-title of the work, she manages her tilt toward her father despite her advocacy of the woman's space miserably shrunk to domestic life in Pakistani society. Besides womenÂ’s position, she questions the dominant version of history and the state's political manipulation of religion for ulterior motives. She is close to Boehmer's theorization of the elitist continuities and intimacies with a view that develops from geographically and historically multiple contexts and histories. Her role as a native intellectual is two-pronged: her view is colored by Western discourse, but her status as a 'representative' Pakistani voice is also significant. This article analyzes how far Suleri's representation of women, religion and history of Pakistani society is colored by Western context.

    Pakistani Literature in English, Nation, Representation, Feminism, Patriarchy, Gender, Sara Suleri
    (1) Ghulam Murtaza
    Associate Professor, Department of English, GC University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Mazhar Hayat
    Professor, Department of English, GC University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (3) Syed Ali Waqar Hashmi
    Research Assistant, Department of English, GC University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.

70 Pages : 696-706

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).70      10.31703/gssr.2020(V-I).70      Published : Mar 2020

Augumenting Task and Contextual Performance: Analysing the Critical role of Locus of Control for Sustainable Organizational Performance

    The main purpose of the study was to find out how task and contextual performance within organizations can be improved so as to achieve sustainable organizational performance. The study indicates that increasing task performance, which is about good implementation of formal job responsibilities, might result in favorable outcomes for sustainable organizational performance. Similarly, promoting contextual performance, which involves extra-role behaviors contributing to efficient organization operation, may also improve sustainable organizational performance. However, essentially, the research is all about raising both dimensions. This study aims at exploring the relationship between External Locus of Control (LOC), task performance and contextual performance among employees. The research design used was descriptive while data for the study was collected using convenience sampling method from 170 middle level managers of banks in Pakistan. After collecting data using a modified questionnaire, IBM SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0 were used to analyze it. To conduct this analysis regression analysis was applied.

    Task Performance, External Locus of Control, Banking Sector of Pakistan, Contextual Performance, Middle-Level Managers
    (1) Muhammad Zia-ur-Rehman
    Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership and Management Studies (LMS), National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

08 Pages : 52-60

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).08      10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).08      Published : Dec 2019

Impediments in the Quality Assurance of Higher Education Sector of Pakistan

    Quality of higher education institutes determines the future of any nation. Higher education commission (HEC) has strived hard to elevate the standards of higher education in Pakistan but desired results have not been redeemed. This article endeavors to highlight barriers in the implementation of quality assurance mechanism devised by HEC and higher education institutes (HEIs) to improve quality of both teaching and research. Data were collected from 204 Government sector and 205 faculty members of private sector universities in the Punjab Province and the Capital Islamabad. T-test for independent sample was applied to find the dissimilarities in the views of government sector and faculty members of private universities about hurdles in the quality assurance procedure adopted by their respective universities. It was revealed that inconsistent policies, ambiguous targets and lack of training regarding quality assurance practices were main hurdles.

    Quality Assurance, Higher Education, Impediments, Pakistan
    (1) Shafqat Rasool
    Lecturer, Department of Education, Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Khuda Bukhsh
    Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (3) Muhammad Shabbir Ali
    Assistant Professor, Department of Education, University of Education Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

25 Pages : 195-201

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).25      10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).25      Published : Dec 2019

Analysis of Civil-Military Relations in Pakistan: Evidence from Leading English Newspapers

    Civil-military relations in Pakistan are always in search of common ground. Historically, military forces and civilian leadership in Pakistan struggle to find the right balance and the civilian leadership has hardly commanded the gun. This study is intended to analyze that how the two selected daily English newspapers of Pakistan, i.e. Dawn and The News covered the major developments in civil-military relations, particularly during the regime of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, followed by the most sensitive event i.e., Zarb-e-Azb. The study employed the method of discourse analysis and has used the theoretical notion of agenda-setting and framing. The results of the study revealed that the slant, style, themes, and discourses used in the news stories of both the newspapers almost remained the same, appreciating the military institutions positively. Whereas condemning the civilian leadership for their lack of concern towards implementing the already approved Nation Action Plan.

    Discourse Analysis, Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), North Waziristan, National Action Plan (NAP), Civil-Military Relations (CMR).
    (1) Amna Zulfiqar
    PhD Scholar,Centre for Media and Communication Studies,University of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Zahid Yousaf
    Associate Professor, Centre for Media and Communication StudiesUniversity of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan