Frontiers in Social Sciences Research (FSSR) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal in India dedicated to publishing high-quality and original research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge across all disciplines of the social sciences. As a peer-reviewed journal, FSSR follows a rigorous peer review process to ensure academic integrity, originality, and relevance in every published manuscript. The journal has been awarded its International Standard Serial Number E-ISSN: 3108-0324 and P- ISSN 3139-1869. The journal serves as an emerging platform for scholars, researchers, academicians, and practitioners to share innovative ideas, critical analyses, and applied studies addressing contemporary social, cultural, economic, and political issues. Frequency of Publication The journal is published monthly and accepts submissions throughout the year, ensuring timely dissemination of research and scholarly dialogue. Aims and Scope Frontiers in Social Sciences Research welcomes original research articles, review papers, case studies, policy analyses, and theoretical contributions in the broad field of Social Sciences, including but not limited to Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, , Political Science, Economics, Education, History, Human Geography, Philosophy (Social and Applied), Communication and Media Studies, Law and Legal Studies, and Anthropology. The journal also considers contributions in Linguistics and Language Studies, as well as selected research in English Language and Literature, particularly where such work engages with social, cultural, educational, or interdisciplinary perspectives. As a peer-reviewed journal in India, FSSR is committed to promoting academic excellence, accessibility, and cross-disciplinary dialogue within the field of social sciences. DOI Requirement in UGC Central University Recruitment DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is now essential in academic publishing. FSSR assigns a DOI to all published manuscripts. The University Grants Commission (UGC) Samarth (CU-Chayan) portal for Central University faculty recruitment typically requires DOI for research publication entries, and submissions may not proceed without it. Assigning a DOI to every article is a standard practice in modern scholarly publishing and is adopted by all recognized and credible journals worldwide.
License Terms (CC BY 4.0) All articles published in Frontiers in Social Sciences Research (FSSR) are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Under this license, readers are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially provided that the following conditions are met: Attribution You must give appropriate credit to the original author(s), provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. Attribution should not suggest that the author(s) or the journal endorse your use of the work. No Additional Restrictions You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits. License Link To view a copy of this license, visit:
Empowering Learners: The Role of ICT in Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) offers transformative opportunities for educating students with intellectual disabilities. Research shows that ICT tools (e.g., assistive devices, educational software, virtual reality) help learners acquire functional and adaptive skills, increase independence in daily activities, and promote social inclusion. Digital game–based learning and multimedia applications engage students and support understanding, communication, and motivation. Teachers report that ICT benefits diverse learning dimensions (e.g., comprehension, behavior, metacognition, memory). By providing adaptive curricula and learning opportunities, ICT can improve students’ quality of life and vocational prospects. Evidence suggests that systematic ICT training helps retain skills and independence and can empower learners toward lifelong learning opportunities. Furthermore, ICT can broaden educational horizons and reduce inequities by supporting self-directed study and skill development. However, effective use depends on matching technology features to individual needs and applying universal design principles to ensure accessibility. Educators must assess how ICT features align with each student’s needs to maximize benefits. Despite its promise, research on ICT usability for learners with intellectual disabilities remains very limited. In India, inclusive policies and initiatives (e.g., PM eVidya) illustrate efforts to leverage ICT in supporting learners with disabilities. However, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and insufficient teacher training persist and must be addressed. Moreover, a coordinated effort among educators, policymakers, and technologists is needed to fully harness ICT’s potential in special education. Overall, the literature indicates substantial potential for ICT to empower learners with intellectual disabilities, underscoring the importance of inclusive design, teacher training, and policy support.
ICT; Intellectual Disabilities; Inclusive Education; Assistive Technology; Learner Empowerment
Copyright (c) 2026 Mrs. Neha, Ms. Archana Sharma, Vaibhav Murhar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Public Duty in Private Corridors: Evaluating the RTE’s 25% Mandate
The 2009 Right to Education (RTE) Act sparked one of India's fiercest constitutional battles, centered entirely on Section 12(1)(c).“This bold provision requires private, unaided schools to reserve 25% of entry-level seats for underprivileged children, aiming to dismantle economic segregation in our classrooms. This article critically analyzes this mandate, tracing its journey from the Supreme Court down to local district offices. We first explore the constitutional friction between a private school's right to run an occupation under Article 19(1)(g) and the fundamental right to education under Article 21A. By tracking the shift from the Inamdar judgment to Society for Unaided Private Schools, we explain how courts justified forcing a public duty onto private entities. However, constitutional victories often collapse in practice. The second half of this paper exposes severe administrative failures. We highlight how chronic delays in state reimbursements and heavy paperwork threaten the financial survival of budget schools.” [1] We then show how High Court writ petitions can effectively break these bureaucratic deadlocks. To resolve this tension, the article answers three core research questions: First, does imposing a mandatory quota on private schools violate their economic and constitutional freedoms under Article 19(1)(g), or is it a valid restriction under Article 19(6) to uphold Article 21A? Second, how do government reimbursement delays destroy the social justice intent of Section 12(1)(c)? Finally, what practical litigation strategies can lawyers use to hold the state accountable, protecting both the institution's survival and the child's right to learn? [1] 'MP High Court Directs State Govt To Pay Pending RTE Reimbursement Dues Of Private Schools Within 4 Weeks' (LiveLaw, 14 September 2021) <www.livelaw.in> accessed 5 June 2026
Right to Education Act (RTE), Section 12(1)(c), 25% Mandate, Educational Equity, Private Schools, Constitutional Rights, Article 21A, Article 19(1)(g), Social Justice, School Reimbursement Delays, Public Duty of Private Institutions, Judicial Interpretation, Policy Implementation
Copyright (c) 2026 Sandeep Mehta (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Climate Change and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods
This study examines the critical intersection between climate change and sustainable rural livelihoods, focusing on how shifting environmental patterns affect vulnerable communities in developing regions. Defined by unprecedented and volatile long-term weather phenomena, climate change poses a disproportionate threat to rural populations whose economic survival depends heavily on climate-sensitive primary sectors like agriculture and livestock rearing. Drawing on the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework originally conceptualized by Chambers and Conway, this paper evaluates empirical survey data from 300 households across the Doda and Bhaderwah regions to assess local climate awareness, specific livelihood impacts, and current adaptation strategies. The data reveals high local awareness of climate variations, with a significant majority recognizing that climate patterns are changing. To counter these vulnerabilities, households employ various sustainable practices, primarily modernized, rainfed farming using climate-resistant hybrid seeds, diversified livestock rearing, forest product collection, and migratory skilled/unskilled labor to offset income deficits. While a majority of households (60.4%) express long-term optimism regarding the viability of these adaptation strategies. Ultimately, the study underscores the urgent need for targeted rural development policies that enhance adaptive capacity and protect natural resource bases without compromising future livelihood sustainability.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Shayan Javeed (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Financial Support to Health Promotion: Exploring the Role of Self-Help Groups in Women's Well-being in Rural Karnataka
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as a significant institutional mechanism for women's socio-economic empowerment in India. While the financial impact of SHGs is widely documented, their role in promoting health awareness and improving health behaviours among rural women remains underexplored. Our current work examines the experiences of 20 SHG members from rural Karnataka to assess the multidimensional impact of SHG participation on health awareness, healthcare access, financial stability, and personal empowerment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and thematic case study analysis. Findings reveal that SHGs have been predominantly effective as financial safety nets, significantly enhancing members' confidence and decision-making capacity. However, their role in systematic health education particularly in areas such as menstrual hygiene, nutrition, and preventive healthcare remains limited and inconsistent across groups. Notable exceptions exist where SHGs actively integrate health-related programs, yielding demonstrably better health outcomes. The study concludes that strengthening health-focused interventions within SHG frameworks, through collaboration with ASHA workers, local governance bodies, and health departments, could substantially amplify their contribution to women's holistic well-being.
Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Women's Empowerment, Health Awareness, Menstrual Hygiene, Rural Karnataka, Financial Inclusion, Qualitative Research
Copyright (c) 2026 Meghana N, Yogesh Baba K (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Crises in Literature: Exploring Environment, Memory, and Trauma in Select Kashmiri Fiction
The world’s most ecologically diverse areas are increasingly threatened by conflicts. A major study on biodiverse regions in the world, conducted by the prestigious journal, Conservation Biology, identified thirty-four ecologically diverse areas which are also conflict zones. One of the thirty-four areas is the region of Kashmir. Sheltering a rich biodiverse environment, Kashmir is home to a four-decade conflict over its territorial ownership. This four-decade conflict has led to intense hardships for the residents of the state; the ongoing conflict has also greatly affected the rich beauty of the region. Military camps in forest areas, unceremonious dumping of arms and ammunition in protected ecological zones, uncontrolled cutting of trees has all impacted the soil fertility and agronomic production of the State. Since the beginning of militancy in 1989, Kashmir has lost over 59 SQ miles out of 7810 SQ miles of forest cover, stripping the land of old forested areas. Andrew Hoskins, in his pathbreaking essay, “Memory Ecologies”, writes about the significance of paying attention to the particular environment in which the actions of forgetting and remembering occur. The ‘ecologies’ in which memories develop therefore become immensely important as does traumatic events around the individual impacting those memories. The present paper wishes to explore the interphase between environment, memory and trauma through a study of two Kashmiri novels, Gul Gulshan Gulfam by Pran Kishore and Life in the Clock Tower Valley by Shakoor Rather. Kishore and Rather depict, in their novels, the conflict ridden valley at different junctures of time; Kishore sets his novel at the very beginning of militancy in the 1990s while Rather portrays the war torn Kashmir of 2008. What is universally depicted in both novels, however, is the damaging impact of the trauma of militancy and occupation on the ecological environment of Kashmir, which, in turn, negatively impacts the memories of its residents. The beautiful valley has changed drastically in the last four decades and Kishore and Rather show how the ugliness in the external environment directly parallels the bitterness and terror within the residents of the valley. The present paper will attempt to show how memory is a connecting bridge between the past and the future; the characters in both Rather’s and Kishore’s novels depict the movement of memory through different ‘ecologies’, traversing Kashmir’s beautiful past, its wounded present and its uncertain future. The paper will explore the interlinked nature of memory and environment by focusing on questions of identity and trauma, for which, it will use the theoretical tools of Shoshona Felman and Dori Laub (Testimony: Crises of Witnessing in Literature, Psychoanalysis and History) and Andrew Hoskins (“Memory Ecologies”).
Environment, Crisis, Memory, Trauma, Kashmir
Copyright (c) 2026 Somrita Misra, Dr. Aparna Singh (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cuba's Foreign Policy after the Castro Era: Revolutionary Continuity or Emerging Realism?
Cuba’s foreign policy in recent decades has been defined largely within an ideological and revolutionary framework—one originally established by Fidel Castro following the triumph of the 1959 revolution and later maintained to some extent by Raúl Castro. This discourse has traditionally revolved around three main pillars: opposition to U.S. imperialism, support for leftist movements in Latin America and Africa, and an emphasis on political independence and self-sufficiency. However, following Raúl Castro’s withdrawal from power and the partial transition to a new generation of leadership under Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuba’s foreign policy has encountered new questions: Is it still rooted in the principles of the revolution, or is it shifting toward a new form of realism? This article explores whether Cuba’s post-Castro foreign policy reflects a "continuation of the revolution" or a "transition to strategic realism." Using a critical discourse analysis approach and framed by constructivist theory, this study investigates the dominant narratives within Cuba’s foreign policy and interprets them within the context of broader structural and regional changes. The findings suggest that Cuba’s foreign policy in the post-Castro era is marked by a duality. On one hand, the Cuban diplomatic apparatus continues to employ revolutionary rhetoric, emphasizing resistance to U.S. unilateralism and the defense of socialism. On the other hand, economic constraints and international pressures have compelled Cuba to reconsider some of its diplomatic priorities. Especially in the wake of intensified U.S. sanctions and the decline of Venezuelan support, Havana has sought to strengthen more pragmatic ties with countries like Russia, China, Iran, and certain European nations—though these partnerships are still often presented within an ideological framework.
Cuban Foreign Policy, Revolutionary Diplomacy, Realism, Soft Power, Post-Castro, Regionalism
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Mohsen Zamani (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Race as Spiritual Crisis: Religion, Inherited Trauma and the Myth of American Innocence in James Baldwin's Go Tell It on the Mountain and Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone
James Baldwin's fiction consistently interrogates the relationship between race, religion and identity in American society. While Baldwin is frequently examined as a writer of racial protest and social criticism, his novels also reveal a deeper concern with the spiritual and psychological consequences of racial oppression. This paper examines Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953) and Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone (1968) to argue that Baldwin represents race not merely as a social or political condition but as a profound spiritual crisis embedded within American consciousness. Through the interconnected experiences of family, religion, memory and racial identity, Baldwin exposes the ways in which inherited trauma shapes both individual subjectivity and collective history. The paper analyses the role of the Black church as a space that simultaneously offers protection and imposes restrictions, while also examining the persistence of generational conflict and the myth of American innocence. By exploring the tensions between faith, identity and racial experience, the study demonstrates how Baldwin challenges dominant narratives of national morality and progress. Ultimately, the novels reveal that racial injustice is sustained not only by institutional structures but also by moral and spiritual failures deeply rooted in American culture.
James Baldwin, Race, Religion, Black Church, Spiritual Crisis, American Innocence, Trauma, Racial Identity
Copyright (c) 2026 Ms Megha Chaudhary, Dr. Prakash Bhadury (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Imagining the Postmodern City: Urban Dystopia and Future Anxieties in Sarnath Banerjee’s All Quiet in Vikaspuri
Sarnath Banerjee’s All Quiet in Vikaspuri (2015) presents a dystopian vision of Delhi shaped by water scarcity, ecological degradation and social fragmentation. While existing criticism has largely examined the graphic novel through the frameworks of climate fiction, environmental activism and water politics, the representation of the city as a postmodern dystopian space has received comparatively less attention. This paper explores how Banerjee constructs a futuristic urban landscape marked by uncertainty, disorder and the collapse of developmental ideals. Through a qualitative textual analysis of the graphic narrative, the study examines the intersections of urban dystopia, environmental crisis and postmodern anxieties. The paper argues that the fictional space of Vikaspuri functions as a critique of contemporary urban development, exposing the contradictions embedded within narratives of progress and modernisation. Water scarcity becomes not only an ecological problem but also a symbol of social disintegration and political failure. Banerjee’s use of visual satire, fragmented storytelling and speculative futurity enables a critical engagement with the challenges facing rapidly expanding metropolitan centres. By analysing the graphic novel within the broader contexts of postmodern urbanism and dystopian literature, the study demonstrates how All Quiet in Vikaspuri anticipates the social and environmental consequences of unchecked development. The paper contributes to emerging discussions on Indian graphic narratives and contemporary representations of urban futures.
Urban Dystopia, Postmodernism, Graphic Narrative, Future Anxiety, Delhi, Sarnath Banerjee, Development, Environmental Crisis
Copyright (c) 2026 Saumitra Shishodia, Dr. Prakash Bhadury (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Women’s Identity and Agency in The God of Small Things
The present study explores the representation of women’s identity and agency in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. The novel examines the effects of patriarchy on female desire, motherhood, sexuality, trauma, and emotional expression. Characters in Roy’s novel such as Ammu, Mammachi, Baby Kochamma and Rahel represent the spectrum of responses to patriarchal authority from resistance to compliance to complicity. The article explores the novel's portrayal of spousal violence, social judgement and emotional repression, as well as Roy's narrative method, symbolism and broken chronology. Ammu’s relationship with Velutha is given special focus as a resistance to the constraints of caste and gender. The study concludes that Roy by critiquing the traditional concept of womanhood reveals the psychological impact of the denial of autonomy and freedom to women. The novel foregrounds female experience and embodied reality and so offers a significant contribution to feminist literary debate and postcolonial studies. The God of Small Things provides a profound insight into the identity of women in a patriarchal society. Roy analyzes the ways in which women confront systems of authority, violence and emotional repression in characters like Mammachi, Baby Kochamma, Rahel and Ammu. The tragedy of Ammu shows the terrible fate that awaits women who break social rules, while Mammachi and Baby Kochamma demonstrate diverse levels of accommodation and complicity. Roy’s storytelling method heightens the feminist sensibilities of the text. She depicts feminine experience of emotional complexity using poetic language and symbolic images, fragmented memories. The work does not lend itself to facile moral dichotomies and women are presented as multidimensional individuals, trapped between opposing forces. Ultimately, Roy’s work is a tribute to the need to reclaim lost voices and stories. The God of Small Things is a thorough analysis of women’s identities in a patriarchal society. By focusing on individual feelings and neglected pain, it subverts dominant narratives and reveals the persisting truths of patriarchal despotism. Through Ammu, Mammachi, Baby Kochamma and Rahel Roy explores how women fight against systems of power, violence and emotional suppression. The novel interrogates patriarchal notions of marriage, parenting, sexuality and respectability. Ammu’s tragedy is a lesson in the awful price women pay for challenging social norms. Mammachi and Baby Kochamma are two illustrations of how women adjust and collude with the system. Roy’s storytelling technique The God of Small Things is a penetrating exploration of feminine identity in a patriarchal culture. Through the characters of Ammu, Mammachi, Baby Kochamma and Rahel, Roy engages with the manner in which women manage systems of power, of violence and emotional repression. The novel interrogates patriarchal constructions of marriage, parenting, sexuality and respectability. The tragedy of Ammu is the tragedy of women who go against the social norm, and Mammachi and Baby Kochamma are other models of accommodation and complicity. Roy’s narrative technique intensifies the feminist sensibility of this text. She uses fragmented recall, poetic language and symbolic pictures to portray feminine experience with emotional complexity. The novel refuses to succumb to easy moral binaries, and instead portrays women as multi-faceted individuals shaped by conflicting demands. Finally, Roy’s work celebrates the need to bring back the silenced voices and perspectives. The God of Small Things turns the usual narratives on their heads as it explores the unexpressed feelings and ignored sorrows to reveal the eternal truths of patriarchal rule.
Copyright (c) 2026 Shirsh Ahirwar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Trauma, Storytelling, and Collective Memory: A Subject Review
This subject review examines the evolving relationship between trauma, storytelling, and collective memory within contemporary literary criticism, medical humanities, psychology, and cultural studies. The study explores how narrative functions as a means of witnessing, survival, resistance, and emotional recovery in contexts shaped by war, exile, migration, illness, violence, and displacement. Drawing upon the theoretical contributions of scholars such as Cathy Caruth, Dominick LaCapra, Dori Laub, Judith Herman, and Bessel van der Kolk, the review discusses the fragmented nature of traumatic memory and its representation through silence, repetition, symbolism, and disrupted narrative structures. The article further investigates storytelling as an ethical and communal practice that enables testimony, ritual mourning, identity reconstruction, and collective remembrance. Particular attention is given to recent interdisciplinary developments in trauma studies, including narrative medicine, ritual healing, refugee literature, postcolonial trauma, digital memory, and artificial intelligence. Through discussions of selected contemporary studies such as The Corpse Washer, The Arbaeen Pilgrimage as Unintended Drama Therapy, The Physician as Storyteller, Prescription for Humanity, and Hamlet Rewired, the review demonstrates how storytelling continues to preserve human dignity and cultural continuity in traumatic circumstances. The paper concludes that contemporary trauma studies increasingly emphasize resilience, ethical listening, and communal healing, while storytelling remains central to understanding pain, memory, identity, and survival in both personal and collective contexts.
Trauma Studies, Storytelling, Collective Memory, Narrative Fragmentation, Ethical Witnessing, Medical Humanities, Ritual Mourning, Refugee Literature, Postcolonial Trauma, Narrative Medicine, Digital Memory, Artificial Intelligence, Identity, Exile, Resilience
Copyright (c) 2026 Bushra Juhi Jani (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Literature: A Comparative
Language and religion are two fundamental forces that shape the culture and identity of a society. Literature serves as a powerful medium through which religious beliefs, cultural values, and philosophical ideas are preserved and transmitted across generations. This paper examines the relationship between religion, culture, and literature with special reference to English and Tamil literary traditions. It explores how devotional and religious literature contributed to the moral, spiritual, and intellectual development of society. The study also highlights the significance of comparative literature in promoting intercultural understanding by identifying similarities and differences among literary traditions across the world. In addition, the paper emphasizes the role of translation studies in bringing regional literary works into the sphere of world literature.
Religion, Culture, Comparative Literature, Tamil Literature, English Literature, Bhakti Literature, Translation Studies, Intercultural Understanding.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Princy A. T. (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Forensic Investigation and Photographic Analysis in the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: A Comprehensive Review
The assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 remains one of the most high-profile political crimes in the country’s history. This paper examines the role of forensic investigation, particularly photographic and video evidence, in the resolution of this assassination case. The study explores the significance of crime scene documentation, victim analysis, bomb and shrapnel analysis, surveillance footage, and ballistics and explosive residue in piecing together the events leading to Rajiv Gandhi’s death. Through a detailed review of these forensic methodologies, this paper highlights the critical role of photographic evidence in establishing timelines, identifying suspects, and understanding the mechanics of the attack. The analysis also provides suggestions for enhancing future forensic investigations, emphasizing the integration of advanced technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and improved legal frameworks for handling forensic evidence. The findings underscore the importance of forensic documentation in securing justice in high-profile cases and offer valuable insights for law enforcement agencies in future criminal investigations.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. S. Rajalakshmi (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Voicing the Subaltern in a Global Tongue: Reading Mahasweta Devi’s After Kurukshetra
In the contemporary literary landscape of India, Mahasweta Devi has arguably been one of the most widely translated writers in a regional language. A prominent Bengali writer, known for her social and political activism, she not only effectively voiced the struggles of the oppressed and the marginalized peoples but her works continue to draw attention to this section of the Indian society. Translations of her works into the major Indian languages, including English, not only make them widely available but also broaden their readership, thereby granting the author national and international status and recognition. While translations help mediate culture, it is interesting to note that the theory and practice of translation, as exemplified by Mahasweta Devi’s works, have become a major site of critical inquiry. In the context of postcolonial studies, especially in translation, who and what get translated are matters of debate. It is in this light that the present paper attempts to look at Mahasweta Devi’s After Kurukshetra: Three Stories, translated into English by Anjum Katyal and published by Seagull Books, Calcutta, 2005.
Mahasweta Devi, Translation Studies, Postcolonialism, Subaltern Voices, Cultural Mediation, Indian Literature, Literary Translation
Copyright (c) 2026 Sunita Murmu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Vedic Symbolism to Clinical Application: Mandala Colouring and its Health Implications – A Systematic Review
Stress and anxiety are increasingly prevalent concerns with modern health contexts, prompting interest in accessible, non-pharmacological interventions. Mandala colouring has emerged as a structured art based practice associated with reductions in psychological distress, attentional dysregulation, and perceived stress. This systematic review synthesised findings from eleven empirical studies examining the effects of mandala colouring on stress and anxiety outcomes. Following a structured search and screening process, studies were analysed for methodological characteristics, intervention structure, and reported psychological and physiological outcomes. Across investigations, mandala colouring was consistent associated with short term reductions in state anxiety and stress levels, likely mediated through mechanisms of focused attention, relaxation response activation, and mindfulness related processes. However, considerable heterogeneity in study design, sample characteristics, and outcome measures limit direct comparability and long term inference. Few studies incorporate longitudinal follow up or physiological biomarkers, leaving underlying psychophysiological mechanisms insufficiently <!-- [if gte vml 1]><o:wrapblock><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:79.65pt; margin-top:55.9pt;width:278.9pt;height:394.3pt;z-index:251659264; visibility:visible;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0; mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute; mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative:margin;mso-width-percent:0; mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin' o:gfxdata="[binary] BQESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAASgEbAAUAAAABAAAAUgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAIdpAAQAAAAB [binary]
Mandala colouring, Stress, Anxiety, Psychological Distress, Mental Health, Art-Based Therapy, Mindfulness, Relaxation Response, Focused Attention, Emotional Regulation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nayonika Agrawal, Naha Agrawal, Dr. Anuj Kumari (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Tat Tvam Asi for Inner Abundance: Developing a Yoga Therapy Healing Approach
The present study aims to develop a yoga therapy healing approach grounded in the Vedantic principle of Tat Tvam Asi, which signifies the essential unity of the individual self with universal consciousness. Rooted in Advaita Vedanta, this principle offers a profound philosophical foundation for understanding inner abundance as a state of self-realisation, inner fulfilment, and holistic wellbeing. The study adopts a conceptual and theoretical research design, drawing from classical Vedantic texts, yoga philosophy, and contemporary therapeutic perspectives. Based on philosophical analysis and conceptual synthesis, a structured yoga therapy healing framework is proposed that integrates yogic practices, self-inquiry, and contemplative awareness. The study highlights the relevance of non-dual understanding in addressing inner conflicts, emotional imbalance, and identity-related distress. The findings suggest that integrating Tat Tvam Asi into yoga therapy can enhance its depth by moving beyond symptom management toward consciousness-based healing and inner abundance.
Tat Tvam Asi, Inner Abundance, Advaita Vedanta, Self-Realization, Non-Dualism, Consciousness-Based Healing, Yogic Psychology, Self-Inquiry, Holistic Wellbeing
Copyright (c) 2026 Naha Agrawal, Nayonika Agrawal, Dr. Anuj Kumari (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Is it Politeness or Respect? Forms of Addressing men in Matengo Society
This paper explores the forms of address used to refer to men in Matengo society, seeking to establish whether these address terms express politeness or respect. Guided by Dominance Theory and Social Identity Theory, this qualitative study uses interviews with four native speakers of Matengo from Mbinga District, Ruvuma Region, together with documentary review. The findings indicate that Matengo society is using plural forms, surnames, kinship terms, first names, nicknames, and terms of intimacy as forms of address. Plurality, the use of surnames, and kinship terms are primarily used to show respect, mainly towards male elders and socially recognized individuals, indicative of age-based and status-based hierarchies, respectively. First names, nicknames, and intimate terms are mainly used to express familiarity and social closeness among peers and close relations. This study indicates that the address terms in Matengo serve as significant sociolinguistic markers through which power relations, social identity, and cultural values are maintained. Such findings contribute to African languages' sociolinguistics studies by identifying respect at the core of the male address practices within the Matengo society and by offering insight into culturally grounded systems of social interaction.
Address terms, Matengo language, Power relations, Politeness, Respect
Copyright (c) 2026 Atanas Ndunguru (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Learning and Educational Process in Adult Education
The educational needs of immigrants are influenced by the existing social context in which they develop and are the result of the lack of both knowledge and skills, as well as the adoption of appropriate attitudes and behaviors. This specific social group of learners, due to its educational deficiencies, needs to acquire knowledge that can be effectively utilized in ensuring better job prospects and therefore better living conditions. Job opportunities help in smooth integration and acceptance that contributes to the acquisition of a positive self-image . The trainer plays a special role by cultivating conditions of mutual trust, psychological support, continuous renegotiation of the program's goals, respect for the needs of the learners without prejudices but at the same time maintaining their cultural characteristics. This fact strengthens the positive attitude of the participants in the educational process and encourages their active participation in it. Furthermore, vulnerable groups of adult learners, through respect for their particular value system and the strengthening of their self-confidence, are encouraged to review behaviors and attitudes when they become dysfunctional in their attempt to respond to the changes occurring both in their personal lives and in the broader social environment.
Educational Process, Adult Education, Adult Learners
Copyright (c) 2026 Vasiliki Markou (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
In recent years, the intensification of the migration phenomenon has become a fact, with the result that many people leave their country in search of shelter elsewhere. In this change of life, it is essential, through access to education, to acquire new knowledge, for their integration into the host country. Adult education is called upon to respond to this new reality, not only by providing knowledge and skills to this vulnerable group of learners, but also by developing critical reflection in relation to the acquired attitudes and assumptions. Adult migrants have certain special characteristics that differentiate them from other learners, very often experiencing social exclusion without being able to participate equally in public goods, such as education. In addition, the difficulties they face in terms of their integration into the labor market and the lack of professional identity contribute to their economic exclusion and their inability to live in terms of dignity. The negative experiences they have had in the past, combined with the adverse discrimination they suffer, contribute to their often negative self-image and to their strong suspicion of the majority population. It is worth emphasizing that the significant socio-economic problems they face and the feelings of disadvantage they experience are reinforced by the absence of an organized framework of protection, on the part of the state, regarding these social groups.
Immigration, Migration, Social Exclusion
A Far Cry from Africa: Conflict, Identity, and Colonial Violence in Derek Walcott’s Poetry
Derek Walcott’s “A Far Cry from Africa” is one of the most powerful poetic responses to the crisis of colonialism and divided identity in twentieth-century literature. Written in the context of the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya, the poem presents the brutality of colonial conflict and the emotional struggle of an individual caught between two cultural worlds. Walcott, himself of mixed African and European ancestry, uses the poem to explore the violence of imperialism, the tragedy of racial conflict, and the difficulty of choosing between opposing identities. Through vivid imagery, irony, symbolism, and rhetorical questioning, the poem dramatizes the psychological suffering of the colonized subject. This article examines the poem from a postcolonial perspective and argues that Walcott presents colonialism not only as a political system of domination but also as a force that fractures personal identity and moral certainty.
Derek Walcott, A Far Cry from Africa, postcolonialism, colonial violence, divided identity, Mau Mau rebellion, hybridity, African literature
Copyright (c) 2026 Gajraj Singh (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Poetics of Transgression and Memory in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things (1997) remains one of the most influential postcolonial novels of the late twentieth century because of its experimental narrative structure, its critique of caste and gender hierarchies, and its lyrical treatment of memory. This article examines the novel through three interrelated frameworks: the politics of transgression, the aesthetics of fragmentation and memory, and the ethics of “small things” as a counter-discourse to dominant social structures. By foregrounding forbidden love, caste violence, and the intimate perceptions of childhood, Roy constructs a narrative in which the “small” becomes a site of resistance against patriarchy, caste, and state power.
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things, caste, gender, memory, transgression, postcolonialism, subalternity, patriarchy, fragmentatio
Copyright (c) 2026 Raghvendra Gahlot (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Chakrasana Revisited: An Integrative Review of Its Effects on Spinal Flexibility, Emotional Regulation, and Physiological Function
Chakrasana (Wheel Pose), a classical spinal extension posture in traditional yoga practice, is widely regarded for its transformative physical and psychological effects. While anecdotal and experiential accounts highlight its capacity to enhance vitality and emotional openness, systematic scientific evaluation of its mechanisms remains limited. This integrative review examines Chakrasana through both traditional yogic frameworks and contemporary biomedical literature to explore its physiological and psychophysiological implications. Evidence suggests that the posture significantly engages the posterior kinetic chain, enhances spinal extensor strength, and promotes thoracic expansion, thereby influencing respiratory efficiency and musculoskeletal resilience. Additionally, the intense spinal extension and chest opening associated with Chakrasana may stimulate sympathetic activation, potentially contributing to heightened alertness and autonomic responsiveness. Emerging literature also indicates possible associations with improved mood regulation and emotional processing, although causal pathways remain insufficiently defined. Despite promising interdisciplinary insights, targeted empirical research isolating the specific effects of Chakrasana is limited. Further controlled studies are necessary to clarify dose-response relationships, long-term adaptations, and distinct neurophysiological mechanisms. Integrating classical yogic theory with modern scientific inquiry may provide a more comprehensive understanding of Chakrasana’s role in holistic health.
Chakrasana, Wheel Pose, spinal flexibility, emotional well-being, yoga therapy, physiological function, backbend
Copyright (c) 2026 Nayonika Agrawal, Neha Agrawal (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
AI, Algorithms, and Linguistic Bias: How Technology Shapes Language Use in the Digital Age
This paper examines how artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning algorithms, and automated digital systems shape linguistic practices, reinforce or challenge linguistic hierarchies, and influence communication in contemporary society. As digital platforms increasingly mediate human interaction, algorithms determine what content becomes visible, which linguistic varieties are privileged, and how users adapt their language to gain visibility and engagement. The study explores algorithmic bias in search engines, social media feeds, voice assistants, and automated moderation systems, highlighting how these technologies reproduce existing social inequalities related to class, caste, gender, and ethnicity. Drawing on sociolinguistic theories of language ideology, linguistic capital, and digital discourse, the paper argues that AI-driven communication environments are not neutral but deeply ideological. They shape linguistic norms, influence identity performance, and regulate public discourse. The findings underscore the need for critical sociolinguistic engagement with AI systems to ensure equitable, inclusive, and culturally sensitive digital communication.
Artificial Intelligence; Algorithmic Bias; Sociolinguistics; Digital Communication; Linguistic Inequality; Language Ideology; Machine Learning; Moderation Systems; Voice Assistants.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ravi Pawar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Language, Identity, and Power on Social Media: A Sociolinguistic Study of Digital Communities
This paper examines how language practices on social media construct, negotiate, and contest identity and power in digital communities. Drawing on sociolinguistic theories of discourse, identity performance, code-switching, and linguistic ideology, the study analyzes how users on platforms such as Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and WhatsApp strategically deploy linguistic resources to signal belonging, assert authority, resist marginalization, and shape collective narratives. The paper argues that digital communication is not merely a reflection of offline sociolinguistic patterns but an intensified, accelerated, and algorithmically mediated arena where linguistic choices carry heightened social consequences. Through examples from Indian multilingual contexts, global youth culture, and influencer discourse, the study demonstrates how digital language practices reinforce and disrupt hierarchies of class, caste, gender, and ethnicity. The findings highlight the need for a critical sociolinguistic understanding of digital spaces, where language becomes a tool of visibility, virality, and symbolic capital.
Sociolinguistics; Social Media; Identity; Power; Code-Switching; Digital Communities; Linguistic Ideology; Multilingualism; Discourse Analysis.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yogesh Sarathe (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Harmony Through Breath: A Comprehensive Review of the Physiological and Psychological Dimensions of Nadi Shodhana
Nadi Shodhana, commonly referred to as alternate nostril breathing, is a fundamental pranayama technique within the yogic tradition, valued for its ability to foster physiological harmony and psychological balance. This review integrates findings from more than fifty scholarly studies to examine its broad effects on overall health and well-being. Particular attention is given to its influence on respiratory function, including improved lung capacity and breathing efficiency, as well as cardiovascular regulation through modulation of heart rate variability and blood pressure. The practice is also associated with enhanced autonomic balance, primarily through increased parasympathetic activation. In addition to its physiological effects, the review highlights the role of Nadi Shodhana in stress reduction, emotional stability, and cognitive performance, including improvements in attention and mental clarity. Evidence from experimental and clinical studies is critically analysed to assess the strength and consistency of current research. Methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes and variations in practice protocols, are acknowledged, and key research gaps are identified to guide future investigations. Potential contraindications and safety considerations are also discussed. Overall, Nadi Shodhana is presented as a promising complementary intervention that merits further rigorous clinical exploration within integrative health settings.
Nadi Shodhana; Pranayama; Autonomic Modulation; Heart Rate Variability; Respiratory Function; Stress Regulation; Cognitive Performance; Integrative Medicine.
Copyright (c) 2026 Neha Agrawal, Nayonika Agrawal (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Prophecy to Precarity: Sightlessness and the Politics of Cecity in Western Cultural Imagination
Western cultural traditions have persistently represented sightlessness not as an embodied form of special ability but as a symbolic condition burdened with metaphysical, moral, and emotional excess. From ancient mythology and classical tragedy to early Christian thought, medieval allegory, modern drama, and cinema, sightless figures are repeatedly framed as prophets, moral transgressors, divine instruments, or objects of vulnerability. Such representations deny Cecity its legitimacy as a perceptual orientation and instead transform sightlessness into a narrative device that reinforces visual normativity. Drawing upon cultural criticism and critical studies of embodiment, this paper traces a chronological genealogy of sightlessness in Western myths, literature, drama, popular culture, and film. By analysing concrete characters across historical periods, the study demonstrates how Western cultural imagination consistently privileges metaphor over materiality, thereby marginalising special ability. The paper ultimately argues for a critical re-reading of Western representational traditions in order to reclaim sightlessness as Cecity—an embodied, agentive, and socially situated mode of perception rather than a condition of lack or tragedy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dalim Das (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Comparative Study of Pre- and Post-Migration Patterns among Bhil Migrants in Bhopal, India
Urban migration among indigenous populations in India is frequently examined through structural lenses of economic marginalization and displacement. Far less attention has been devoted to systematic examination of how migration reorders everyday cultural practices. This paper presents a comparative domain-based analysis of pre- and post-migration cultural patterns among Bhil migrants residing in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Drawing on survey data collected from 100 respondents, the study evaluates transformations across ritual participation, linguistic practices, dress norms, social networks, and identity articulation. Findings demonstrate that cultural change under urban transition is neither linear nor uniform. Public and institutional domains show marked adaptive shifts, while domestic and ritual spaces exhibit significant continuity. The results challenge homogenizing narratives of tribal assimilation and instead highlight selective, structurally mediated cultural reconfiguration. The study contributes to migration sociology and indigenous urban studies by operationalizing domain-specific comparative measurement within a South Asian context.
Linguistic politics in India, multilingualism, identity and nationalism, sociolinguistics, postcolonial theory, cultural citizenship, Shashi Tharoor
Copyright (c) 2026 Swejal Sharma (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Transgressive Eroticism and the Politics of the Body in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things (1997) deploys eroticism as a radical political language that challenges caste, gender, and familial hierarchies in postcolonial Kerala. Rather than functioning as mere sensuality, eroticism becomes a mode of resistance against the “Love Laws” that dictate who may be loved, how, and how much (Roy 33). This article examines eroticism as a subversive force in the novel, focusing on the forbidden relationships between Ammu and Velutha, and between Estha and Rahel. Drawing on feminist theory, subaltern studies, psychoanalytic criticism, and postcolonial theory, the study argues that Roy uses erotic desire to expose the violence of caste patriarchy and to reclaim the body as a site of agency for marginalized subjects. Ultimately, eroticism in the novel becomes a counter‑discourse that destabilizes dominant social structures and redefines the boundaries of Indian English fiction.
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things, eroticism, transgression, body politics, postcolonial theory
The Politics of Illegitimacy and Resistance in Sharankumar Limbale’s The White Paper (Akkarmashi), Dalit aesthetics
Sharankumar Limbale’s The White Paper (Akkarmashi, 1984) stands as one of the most influential autobiographical narratives in Dalit literature and a foundational text in the articulation of Dalit subjectivity. The text foregrounds the existential crisis of the Akkarmashi—the “half‑caste” born of caste‑transgressive sexual exploitation—and exposes the structural violence embedded in caste society. Through a narrative that oscillates between personal anguish and collective testimony, Limbale documents the psychological fragmentation, social humiliation, and political invisibility imposed upon Dalits by Brahmanical patriarchy. This article examines The White Paper through the lenses of Dalit aesthetics, Ambedkarite thought, and subaltern studies, arguing that Limbale transforms personal trauma into a political document that indicts caste society. The narrative reveals how caste, sexuality, and illegitimacy intersect to produce a life of perpetual exclusion, while simultaneously asserting the agency of the oppressed through the act of self‑representation. Ultimately, the text functions as a counter‑archive that reclaims dignity through testimony, making it a seminal contribution to the canon of Dalit resistance literature.
Dalit literature, Sharankumar Limbale, The White Paper (Akkarmashi), Dalit autobiography.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rajesh Shahu (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Role of Furniture Production in Enhancing Households’ Health Services Affordability: A Case of Small-Scale Producers in Mafinga Town Council, Tanzania
This study explored the role of furniture production in enhancing households’ health services affordability among small-scale furniture producers in Mafinga Town Council. Structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and documentary reviews were used to collect data. Statistical Product for Social Solutions (SPSS) Version 27 was used to analyze quantitative data while content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings indicate that engagement in furniture production led to increased ability of individuals to afford healthcare services. To further enhance productivity in the furniture sector, the implementation of affordable insurance plans and community health programs can provide essential services to the community. The process of improving the furniture sector will not only contribute to income growth but also promote the overall well-being of households engaged in furniture production.
Furniture, Furniture Production, Small-scale Producers, Health Services Affordability, Mafinga Town Council
Copyright (c) 2026 Deusdedit Makoti, Sosthenes Ruheza, Agnes Nzali (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Echoes of the Tribe: Gender, Culture, and Identity in Fiction by Northeast Indian Women
This paper explores how women writers from Northeast India depict gender, cultural belonging, and identity through their stories. Instead of upholding simplified or outsider portrayals of the region, the discussion centers on how these authors deal with questions of home, resistance, and transformation in lives shaped by complexity and change. Focusing particularly on the works of figures like Temsula Ao and Mamang Dai, the analysis connects their writing to both the lived traditions of their communities and larger discussions about whose voices are heard or overlooked. Drawing from feminist and cultural theory, the study highlights how these authors carve out a space for themselves disrupting silences, confronting boundaries, and providing new ways of imagining what it means to live as a tribal woman today.
Women’s writing, Tribal women writers, Gender and identity, Cultural
Copyright (c) 2026 Shubhra Tripathi, Rajni Beck (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0