M.Phil / MS
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.cuilahore.edu.pk/handle/123456789/45
This collection archives the complete set of theses produced by students of the COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus.
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Item Lost in AI: Analyzing Students' Linguistic Agency and the Usage of Artificially Generated Writing Tools?(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) IRAM HASSAN; CIIT/SP24-MEL-005/LHR; Dr. Javaria Farooqui; LHR TP 10050This study explores the impact of Artificial Intelligence (hitherto referred to as Al) generated writing tools on students' confidence, independence, and linguistic agency in academic writing, and examines how teachers' evaluation strategies of Al-generated content shape students' writing behavior. The increasing prevalence of AI tools (ChatGPT, Grammarly and QuillBot), required an exploration of their impacts on student's learning experiences, perceptions of authorship, and assessment processes. This study employed a mixed-methods design that included quantitative surveys with 200 university students and 50 university professors, as well as qualitative design to analyze the open-ended responses. Linguistic Agency Theory and Formative Assessment Theory is used in this study to illustrate how students employ control over their written work and how teacher's feedback influences student learning outcomes while using Al. The findings of this study shows that frequent use of Al tools improves students' self-confidence, and increase writing fluency, especially grammar as they possessed varying levels of independence and linguistic agency. While some were able to evaluate Al suggestions critically and maintain their voice, others relied on Al too heavily. Educators can support or hinder student agency based on how they provide feedback to students. Ethical issues regarding originality, academic integrity were identified in this study, particularly in Pakistani context, and multilingual higher education. This study extends our understanding of how AI contributes in academic writing, and also provide practical suggestions for ethical usage policies, and evaluation practices with technological support. These findings are helpful for educators, policymakers, and institutions with the goal of supporting the integration of Al tools into the educational environment and to enhance student learning experiences while preserving students' critical thinking skills and authorship.Item Victimization portrayed in the novel ''Beyond the field'' by aysha baqir : A feminist critical discourse analysis(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2024) Zainab Sultana Bhatti; CIIT/SP23-REL-028/LHR; Dr. Saima AKhtar; LHR TP 9557This study explores the portrayal of victimization in the novel Beyond the Field by Aysha Baqir through a feminist critical discourse analysis. It examines how language, narrative structure, and character representation reflect gender-based oppression and power dynamics within the text. The research highlights the ways in which female characters experience social, cultural, and psychological marginalization, while also identifying moments of resistance and agency. By applying feminist discourse perspectives, the study reveals how the novel critiques patriarchal norms and gives voice to women’s lived experiences. Ultimately, it contributes to a deeper understanding of gender inequality as portrayed in contemporary literature.Item The Victimization of Women in Patriarchal Societies: a Comparative Case Study of Circe and Beyond the Fields(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2024) Ayesha Amat ur Rasool; CIIT/SP23-REL-009/LHR; Dr. Saima Akhtar; LHR TP 9562Patriarchal societal structures assume that men hold more power than women. In such systems, male power influences every aspect of life, from social dynamics to political decisions, legal frameworks, and moral considerations. Patriarchal cultures are often seen as mechanisms for exploiting women, contributing to issues such as violence, sexual harassment, and victimization. This study seeks to enhance understanding of the parallels and distinctions in women’s victimization across various patriarchal societies, irrespective of cultural origins. Through a comparative case study, it explores common and culturally specific experiences of oppression and victimization, significantly contributing to existing knowledge of patriarchal systems. The research examines the victimization of Circe, the protagonist in Madeline Miller's Circe, and Zara, the protagonist in Aysha Baqir's Beyond the Fields, using Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA) by Lazar and Wodak’s Discourse Historical Approach (DHA). It highlights the shared experiences of patriarchal oppression faced by these characters. Despite the vastly different cultural contexts one rooted in the mythological and divine world of Ancient Greece, the other in the socio-cultural dynamics of contemporary South Asia, the victimization of women in both contexts reveals striking similarities. Both novels underscore the pervasive and enduring nature of patriarchal norms, including the objectification of women’s bodies, the normalization of sexual violence, and societal mechanisms that enforce conformity to patriarchal ideals of honor, purity, and submission.Item Effects of Trauma on Language: A Psycholinguistic Analysis of ―Terrorist‖ by John Updike(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2020) Ayesha Rani; CIIT/SP19-REL-007/LHR; Dr. Muhammad Ayub; LHR TP 6530e current research is a psycholinguistic analysis conducted on Updike‘s novel, ―Terrorist” (2006). This study has explored the element of trauma, its depiction and its effects on the language of its victim Ahmad, the protagonist of the selected novel. For this purpose, the researcher has applied Cathy Caruth‘s trauma theory as given in her book ―Unclaimed Experience: Trauma, Narrative, and History” (1996) as a theoretical framework for this study. Unspeakability, latency and repetition are the basic tropes of Caruthian stance of trauma. The study has followed the qualitative research paradigm by employing Catherine Belsey‘s (2005) research method of ―textual analysis‖ for the interpretation and analysis of the text with the help of extra textual knowledge. The researcher has used the close reading technique to collect textual excerpts spoken by Ahmad during his different psychological states referred as pre-trauma phase, trauma phase and post-trauma phase in order to measure the effects of trauma on Ahmad‘s linguistic pattern. The findings of this research attest that Updike‘s ―Terrorist‖ is a trauma novel and that trauma leaves chaotic effects on the linguistic standard of its victim, Ahmad. The researcher has found that Updike has used figurative language and trauma lexis to deal with trauma. This research work is significant as an interdisciplinary venture has linked fields of literature, linguistics and psychology.Item Illocutionary and Perlocutionary Speech Act Analysis of „‟Home Fire‟‟ by Kamila Shamsie(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2020) Tahira Hashim; CIIT/SP19-REL-006/LHR; Dr. Ali Ahmed; LHR TP 6529This dissertation aims to evaluate the protagonist in the novel „‟Home Fire‟‟ by Kamila Shamsie and the use of their utterances and dialogues which determines their characters and personality as well. There are different Characters in the novel but researcher has chosen three characters named as Aneeka Pasha, Isma Pasha and Karamat Lone. Researcher has analyzed the characters via perlocutionary and Illocutionary speech act analysis. As dialogues and utterance are the major tools through which one can come to know about the inner and outer self of a character. Theoretical framework which is chosen for this work is Speech Act Theory and one of the most debated and complex linguistic theory. Speech Act Theory is an offshoot of Pragmatics and it deals with those utterances which makes addressor and addressee to do something. Searle‟s Taxonomy of Illocutionary speech act is used for analysis. The research design is a qualitative descriptive analysis which is used along with content analysis. After analyzing the data researcher has come across certain findings and has elaborated these findings in tabular form as well. Isma Pasha has used 46 utterances and the dominant one is Representative which qualifies her character who is always asserting her identity as a British and a loving sister. She ensures everyone about her loyalty but not believed. Secondly Aneeka Pasha and the number of her utterances are 54 in which the dominant type is Directive. She is completely opposite of her sister and her personality is a brave, bold curious and the one who influences everyone and she has an endless quest to get her rights. Lastly Karamat Lone is a Home Secretary and a person who is running after his materialistic gains. He is one of the unexpressive and unemotional people. His utterances are 36 in which the dominant type is Directive and paradigm case command and question is present dominantly. He is determined as an authoritative and commanding person who has no emotions for anyone.Item Transition and Displacement of Liminal Zones in Jamil Ahmad’s “The Wandering Falcon(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2020) Ammara Mehmood; CIIT/SP19-REL-010/LHR; Dr. Sardar Muhammad; LHR TP 6533The present research deals with the concept of displacement and transition in The Wandering Falcon (2011) by Jamil Ahmad, explored through the theory of liminality. Liminality refers to a transitory and in-between state and a British Anthropologist Victor Turner’s viewed the liminality as a transitional state between two phases in which individuals did not belong to the society that they previously were a part of and they were not yet re-incorporated that society. Ahmad discusses the transitional experiences of the people living on the Balochi border. Textual analysis has been used as a research method to interpret and analyze the text. This research discovers the concept of transition and displacement through the character of Tor Baz as a displaced person, who adopts different tribal culture to adjust in new place. The purpose of this research is to explore the sense of displacement of the people residing on the Baluchi-Irani border zone and put together the Baluchi tribal community and the urban Pakistani society to disclose the façade of civilization. The significance of this research is to evaluate the tribal societal system in the Baluchi border region and the liminal existence of the residents. The research findings reveal the treatment of the government and other tribal hegemonies responsible for the liminal condition of the people living on border zone of Pakistan.Item Reflection of Cultural Identity; Analysis of Migration Narrative in ‘The Lightless Sky’ by Gulwali Passarly(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2020) Kinza Afaq; CIIT/SP19-REL-004/LHR; Dr. Sardar Muhammad; LHR TP 6527This dissertation analyses Gulwali Passarly’s the Lightless Sky to highlight the atrocities of migrants who do not have a voice. Under the vernacular of Cultural Identity theory by Jane Collier and Thomas Millat, this study presents a sharp contrast of cultural effects on the personality of migrant before and after migration. Textual analysis has used as a research method to interpret and analyze the text. The researcher has used a close reading and language analysis technique for this purpose. The study delineates the hope of salvation for a child refugee, and the sequential events of migration reveal the reshaping of cultural identity. The results of the study conclude that Gulwali Passarly’s character presents that how Cultural identity reshapes under several cultural influences and thus reveals the sufferings, emotions, pains, brutality of power, expressions, pitiable conditions, truths and challenges knitted with the words in the given genre of migration discourse.Item Nukkad Natak: Exploring the Effectiveness of Street Theatre to Address the Issue of Violence Against Women in Pakistan(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Takreema Aurooj; FA21-REL-002; Dr. Javaria Farooqui; LHR TP 8483Theatre has a long and interesting history as an institutionalized form of art. It is rooted in religious narratives and rituals that provides a commentary on society, culture, and politics. Over the years, theatre, or more specifically social theatre, has been used as an awareness tool for a burgeoning spectrum of social themes ranging from sexuality, political and cultural conflicts, suicide, search for identity and exploitative sexual relationships such as harassment, rape and so on. This dissertation aims to explore social theatre in Pakistani context of Nukkad Natak, which focuses on socio-political concerns as well as human rights issues. My research examines the role of social theatre in the broader context of feminist movement in Pakistan and proposes an analytical framework that highlights the role of Nukkad Natak as an agent of change. This study begins by providing a history of Nukkad Natak in Pakistan and establish its significance as a catalyst for social change. My overarching argument is that Nukkad Natak can work as an effective tool in Pakistan to reduce the rate of crimes of violence against women and act as a strong medium for the education of masses.Item Cultural Hegemony in Daniyal Mueenuddin’s “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders”: Marxist Study(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2020) Maryam Mohsin; CIIT/ SP19-REL-008/LHR; Dr. Sardar Muhammad; LHR TP 6531This research focused on the study of Cultural hegemony in Daniyal Mueenuddin’s In Other Rooms, Other Wonders. This study investigate deep into the dominant class portrayed in Mueenuddin’s stories; the psychic complexities of individuals who struggle against habitual abjection, subordination, and disempowerment. It also probe the psyche of capitalist that how they want to rule the working class by inserting their perspective in them. This study looks at the two main factors of cultural hegemony i.e. coercion and consensus, by analyzing different characters from elite class and working class. Antonio Gramsci declares that the only means of keeping cultural hegemony by super leaders is not the handling of power and coercion; instead, consent, language, use of intellectual men are the ways regarding the implementation of cultural hegemony. This study also try to find out the intellectuals working in a society where a group of people in minority rules over the working class present in majority. Furthermore, this study highlights the feudal system of Pakistan which is although slowly receding in Pakistan but still has a strong hold in the rural areas. This study also bring to light the war of struggling class against this upper class to get a better position in society. As regards method of current research, textual analysis is opted and applied to the text of In Other Rooms, Other WondersItem The Influence of Ideology and Hegemony: Althusserian Analysis of Fatima Bhutto’s “The Shadow of the Crescent Moon(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2020) Maria Sana; CIIT/SP19-REL-009/LHR; Dr. Sardar Muhammad; LHR TP 6532This research focused to critically investigates Fatima Bhutto’s novel The Shadow of the Crescent Moon in terms of Althusser’s theory of Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses. It is argued by Althusser, that in modern capitalist society ideological state apparatuses and repressive state apparatuses are used by state as major apparatuses in order to maintain and reproduce their domination on the oppressed and un-ruling class of society. Individuals are transformed into subjects through ISAs and individuals uncritically accept this subjection to the subject on which power is exerted through the process of subjection. This research tends to explore the subjugation of the oppressed people in tribal areas of Pakistan and role of the state in legitimizing the oppression with reference to the novel. It delineates the prejudiced and imperialistic attitude of state and non-state forces towards the backward people of tribal areas. This study portrays the impact of imposed ideologies on the people of tribal areas by applying Althusser’s Ideological and Repressive State Apparatuses on the novel to highlight the condition of the poor people who are being oppressed by the powerful people in the capitalist society. The present research also demonstrates Althusser’s major concepts including ideology, relationship of ideology to culture, ideological subjection, and interpellation the dominant concepts are examined and discussed through this novel. Simultaneously, Hegemony as a result of ISAs and RSAs is also analyzed.