Literary Criticism Research Articles

Modern Kazakh literature has played a crucial role in shaping and expressing the national ideology following Kazakhstan’s independence. Munaydar Balmolda is one of Kazakh postmodern prose writers with a high spirit of patriotism, who vividly reveals the theme of the irreconcilable struggle for the national idea, honor and courage, national spirit. The paper analyzes how Munaydar Balmolda creatively transforms advanced models of literature in accordance with his time using the particularly impressive archetypal image of the wolf cult to express the modern national ideology of independent Kazakhstan. This study is based on the qualitative analysis of folklore traditions and the mythological archetype of the wolf in Balmolda’s novel Zhalkara using a complex methodology combining narrative analysis, content analysis, artistic analysis, semiotic analysis and archetypal literary criticism. In the novel, the concept of the wolf functions as a cultural mental framework that can adapt and transform according to the author’s creative intentions. The wolf’s national symbolism is given a distinctive artistic expression, enriching the work with profound intellectual significance and enabling an artistic exploration of Kazakhstan’s national identity emphasizing such essential concepts as conscience, morality, liberty and the spirit of freedom. The examination of the evolution of 21st-century Kazakh prose, the current state of artistic text theory, and the challenges of meaningful philological analysis offers valuable insights for enhancing the theoretical education of aspiring literary scholars. The findings of this research can serve as supplementary material for elective courses such as the theory of artistic text, literary regional studies and contemporary Kazakh literary criticism.

This article, titled “The Female Hero’s Journey through the Jungle in Chandra Prakash Baniya’s Maharani: Archetypal and Feminist Readings”, examines Baniya’s historical novel Maharani (2019) through archetypal and feminist frameworks, with particular focus on the jungle as a symbolic site of female heroism. The narrative centers on Biswoprava, the Maharani of Parbat, whose journey into the Bagkhordada forest reconfigures the traditionally masculine hero’s quest into a distinctly feminine struggle for survival and resilience. Drawing on Joseph Campbell’s model of the hero’s journey and Carl Jung’s archetypes of the shadow, mother, and warrior, the study interprets Biswoprava’s endurance as an act of cultural guardianship rather than individual conquest. Complementing these archetypal insights, South Asian feminist perspectives particularly those of Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Uma Chakravarti, and Nivedita Menon situate Biswoprava’s sacrifices within broader structures of patriarchy, caste, and political erasure. The jungle functions simultaneously as a space of exile, betrayal, and conspiracy, and as a transformative arena where resilience generates renewal. By foregrounding Biswoprava’s maternal heroism and her symbolic struggle against systemic oppression, this article argues that Maharani challenges patriarchal archetypes, expands the scope of Nepali historical fiction, and contributes to South Asian feminist literary criticism. Ultimately, the novel redefines heroism through endurance, sacrifice, and communal responsibility, affirming that women’s stories are indispensable to reimagining historical memory and literary tradition.

Background: This study focuses on Pecola Breedlove, an African American girl, and Fulmaya Badi, a Dalit woman from Nepal’s Badi community, to explore how intersecting systems of racism, casteism, patriarchy, and poverty produce double marginalization. Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and Bibek Ojha’s Ailani expose how racial and caste hierarchies, reinforced by gendered oppression and social exclusion, destroy women’s dignity, identity, and agency across distinct cultural contexts. Method: The paper employs a comparative literary analysis informed by intersectionality, Black feminist theory, postcolonial feminism, and Dalit feminist thought. Through these frameworks, it analyzes how internalized racism in Pecola and caste-based patriarchy in Fulmaya represent structural violence that silences and subjugates women. Findings: The study reveals that both novels depict oppression not as isolated experiences but as systemic and institutionalized practices that deny women autonomy and self-worth. Despite geographical and cultural differences, Pecola and Fulmaya experience similar mechanisms of dehumanization and exclusion embedded within their societies. Conclusion: Understanding the lives of doubly marginalized women requires an intersectional lens that connects race, caste, gender, and class as interlocking systems of domination. The study underscores the necessity of inclusive feminist literary criticism that amplifies subaltern voices and challenges hierarchies of power across cultures. Novelty: By bridging African American and Dalit feminist discourses, this research offers a transnational perspective on intersectional oppression, demonstrating how literature functions as a form of resistance that reclaims silenced narratives and envisions transformative justice.

This study examines the impact of George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man on readers’ perceptions of war and military figures, evaluating whether the playwright's ideas are based on personal experience or mere artistic construction. The research employs a descriptive-analytical methodology and utilizes interviews with eight university professors specializing in literature in Khartoum State. The study employs SPSS for data analysis, revealing that literary works significantly influence readers’ perceptions of societal groups, including the military. The findings indicate that Shaw's portrayal of soldiers, particularly his assertion that "nine out of ten soldiers are born fools," lacks an empirical foundation and may contribute to biased perceptions. This research contributes to literary criticism by challenging unverified literary representations and emphasizing the need for historical and experiential accuracy in dramatic works.

The total number of refugees on a global scale remains a profoundly troubling reality. Conflicts, persecution, climate-related displacement, and fragile state systems continue to push millions into forced migration, leaving them in prolonged situations of uncertainty. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has highlighted three recognized durable solutions aimed at addressing refugeehood: voluntary repatriation, third-country resettlement, and local integration. The intent of these solutions is not only to provide instantaneous respite but also to preserve the dignity of the millions of forcefully displaced people. This paper aims to investigate the level of the effectiveness and overall durability of these solutions by employing the method of a critical literature review. Through the findings, there appears to be a considerable imbalance in the preference and attention given to each of these approaches. Often regarded as the most expedient and preferred solution, voluntary repatriation is considered to be a politically necessary and cost-effective option widely accepted and implemented by host states and, by extension, the international community. Despite this, the reality tells a different tale: repatriation is usually less feasible because of the propensity of countries of origin to be generally unsafe and precarious for refugees who originally fled for safety concerns. Third-country resettlement and local integration are also durable solutions, but they have received little attention and endorsement. Only a small fraction of refugees receives opportunities for resettlement, and integration is often impeded by the persistent problems of socio-political resistance and weak policies and implementation. This imbalance constitutes the premise of the intractable problem of refugeehood in recent times. This paper concluded by offering recommendations that centre on the imperativeness of re-evaluating the priorities of key players such as states, especially host countries, and international agencies. To draw closer to mitigating refugeehood, it is important to focus more on developing opportunities for resettlement and integration.

Private entity perspective in cost-benefit analysis of safety interventions for passenger ships and the importance of indirect costs – A critical literature review

Background: The morphology of the acromion has long been implicated in shoulder pathology, particularly in relation to subacromial impingement and rotator cuff disease. More recently, interest has shifted toward the posterior acromion, with studies examining its potential role in posterior instability, eccentric glenohumeral osteoarthritis, and massive rotator cuff tears. Methods: A critical literature review of nine studies assessing sagittal acromial tilt, posterior coverage, and acromial height was conducted, emphasizing reproducibility and clinical significance across different shoulder disorders. Results: In posterior instability and eccentric osteoarthritis, the acromion is generally described as more horizontally oriented, less covering posteriorly, and positioned higher. Conversely, in massive cuff tears, it tends to appear more posteriorly covering without consistent change in tilt. Although these trends suggest a possible biomechanical role for the acromion, reported values vary widely between studies, and significant overlap exists between pathological and control groups. Such variability is compounded by differences in imaging modality, definitions of anatomical landmarks, and the frequent reduction of three-dimensional structures into two-dimensional projections. These methodological inconsistencies undermine reproducibility and limit the clinical applicability of posterior acromial parameters. Conclusions: Posterior acromial morphology appears to influence shoulder biomechanics, but existing measurements should be considered population-level markers rather than diagnostic thresholds. Future research should adopt standardized, three-dimensional, pathology-independent reference models anchored to stable scapular landmarks and validated across imaging modalities to improve reproducibility and clinical utility.

This research focuses on analyzing the female characters in Putu Supartika's short story, "Luh Sekar lan Satuané Rikala Ujané Bales Tusing Dadi Tanggehang." This story contains numerous aspects of feminist discourse, interwoven with social critique of related phenomena in Balinese society. The data analysis was conducted using two primary methods, beginning with structural literary analysis. The findings indicate that the short story "Luh Sekar lan Satuané Rikala Ujané Bales Tusing Dadi Tanggehang" explores the theme of a father's cruelty, where the characters Luh Sekar and her Mother consistently experience situations that violate norms and their rights as women. The story features three characters and their distinct personalities, set primarily in a house, a room, and a community health center (Puskesmas), and employs a linear plot progression. Subsequently, the literary work was analyzed using feminist literary theory. The research findings related to the female characters reveal various elements of feminism. Relevant sentences, paragraphs, and dialogue excerpts were collected and thoroughly examined through the lens of feminist literary criticism.

In the current context of global environmental crisis, graphic design faces the urgent need to rethink its practices from an ecological perspective. This dissertation focuses on exploring ecological graphic design as a powerful communicative tool for fostering environmental sustainability. Through critical literature analysis, the study examines the use of sustainable materials—such as recycled paper, biodegradable inks, bioplastics, and FSC certifications—and their impact on both production and consumer perception. Concurrently, it investigates how an innovative visual language—including emotional narratives, visual metaphors, aesthetic minimalism, and dynamic infographics—can significantly enhance the effectiveness of environmental messages. The research argues that graphic design not only serves an aesthetic function but also acts as an agent of change by influencing consumer behavior through tailored communicative strategies. In this sense, a methodological framework integrating theory and practice is proposed, highlighting the importance of ethical decisions at every stage of the design process, from material selection to the formulation of visual narratives capable of generating empathy and social engagement. Furthermore, international case studies are presented, demonstrating how brands and design studios have successfully incorporated sustainable criteria into their creative processes, achieving both ecological and commercial impact. The research concludes that ecological graphic design has the potential to act as a bridge between environmental ethics and effective communication, provided it is underpinned by reflective, collaborative, and culturally contextualized practices. Finally, recommendations for future research are offered, including the need for comparative studies, the curricular integration of sustainability into designer training, and interdisciplinary collaboration with behavioral sciences.

Background This paper explores the application of digital humanities tools and methodologies to verify, qualify and extend the findings of traditional (close reading) literary criticism about Greek interwar poetry from a quantitative viewpoint. Method The research uses Voyant Tools ( http://voyant-tools.org ), an open access, web-based text analysis environment to examine a corpus of over 600 poems by eight Greek interwar poets—namely, Karyotakis, Polydouri, Lapathiotis, Agras, Giofyllis, Filyras, Ouranis, and Papanikolaou—, both as a whole and through comparison among the poets. It uses word frequencies (WF), visualizations, as well as an analysis of collocates and contexts (CA) of frequent and/or significant words; it also discusses vocabulary density (VD) and average words per sentence (AWpS). Results "Soul," "heart" and "eyes" rank highly in WF revealing the lyrical character of these post-symbolist works. Their melancholic mood is shown through the predominance of autumn and winter over spring and summer, as well as the outnumbering of night settings over daytime scenes. CA reveals that the melancholic mood is enhanced through the negation of positive terms, such as joy and light. The analysis of other thematic axes through WF and CA shows poetry presented not as high art but as lyrical expression, as well as the prominence of small-scale urban settings and enclosed spaces. WF and CA also uncovers individual differences between poets (e.g. Polydouri's emphasis on heart and love, Karyotakis's preoccupation with observation and gaze, as well as a characteristic discrepancy in his use of ‘I’ and ‘you’, Filyras's traditional use of simile, and Papanikolaou's modernist tendencies). VD and AWpS further highlight the poets’ respective styles. Conclusions The findings provide quantitative support for existing literary criticism and offer some new insights into both the shared characteristics and distinctive features of Greek interwar poets.

This paper investigates an approach to studying analytic relations (identity, similarity, borrowing, etc.) between literary characters using properties and, in particular, properties that are interpretively considered as diagnostic. In our proposal, properties serve as interpretative tools rather than strict ontological features. Unlike most ontological theories of literary characters developed in analytic philosophy, our study focuses on how real-world interpreters construct textual meaning while remaining agnostic about the ontological status of literary entities (ficta, in a more general sense). By integrating perspectives from literary criticism, philosophy, and formal methods, we explore how scholars infer relations between characters through textual evidence, common knowledge, and interpretive frameworks. This research aims at refining methodological approaches to character analysis and at contributing to broader discussions on literary interpretation and fictionality.

Mary Shelley's dystopian novel The Last Man (1826), while a cornerstone of literary studies, offers a profound and underutilized historical imaginary for understanding contemporary societal crises. This article moves beyond traditional literary criticism to reframe Shelley's work as a sociological and educational case study, particularly relevant in the post-COVID-19 era. Using a theoretical framework grounded in the sociology of collective trauma and social cohesion, this analysis investigates the novel's depiction of a "narrative plague"—the collapse of shared meaning, social bonds, and institutional trust—that runs parallel to the medical pandemic it portrays. The study employs a qualitative textual analysis to examine the social-psychological dimensions of isolation, loss, and anomie as depicted in the novel. Findings reveal how the narrative simulates the disintegration of social capital and the failure of political and scientific institutions to manage catastrophe, offering critical insights into the foundations of community resilience and mental health. This 19th-century text is analyzed as a pre-sociological thought experiment, connecting historical representations of societal collapse with contemporary social science discourse on disaster response and recovery. The article argues that the novel's themes have direct implications for educational policy and pedagogy, highlighting the urgent need for trauma-informed approaches that can rebuild social inclusion, foster critical media literacy, and cultivate psychological resilience in an era of profound informational and social fragmentation.

{A critical literature review and comprehensive simulation study is used to show that (a) non-parametric bootstrap is a viable alternative to commonly taught and used methods in basic estimation tasks (mean, variance, quartiles, correlation). and (b) contrary to recommendations in most related work, double bootstrap performs better than BCa.} Quantifying uncertainty is a fundamental aspect of statistical practice, but it involves a variety of methods, mathematical formulas, and underlying concepts. Could the simpler and more generally applicable non-parametric bootstrap serve as an alternative? This paper addresses this question through a review of related work and a simulation study of one- and two-sided confidence intervals across varying sample sizes, confidence levels, data-generating processes, and statistical functionals. The results suggest that the bootstrap, particularly the double bootstrap, could simplify statistical education and practice without compromising effectiveness.

Steel is potentially infinitely recyclable, and the ‘green transition’ in this sector (which accounts for 7% of global CO 2 emissions) heavily relies on the dismissal of old polluting blast furnaces in favour of electric arc furnaces (EAFs), which are fed with steel scraps. Steelmaking is considered a strategic capacity for states, for economic but also security and military reasons. At the same time, due to global overcapacity, steelmaking is becoming increasingly less profitable, especially for plants based in high-income countries. The combined pressure of ecological, security and economic challenges makes this scrap-based ‘green’ transition in steelmaking appear both virtuous and rational. Informed by the disarticulations approach combined with the insights of feminist IPE and critical literature on waste, this article argues that the idea of infinite recyclability of steel scraps in fact conceals unequal logics of exclusion and inclusion that operate across material, ecological and human dimensions of the ‘greening’ of the steel industry. The logic of inclusion is manifested in the recycling and downcycling of resources, including human resources, while the logic of exclusion refers to the scrapping of those parts of steel production that are perceived not to have value: from the blast furnaces to the land they sit on; and from steelmaking jobs to the identity and landscapes of steel towns.

Artificial intelligence and algorithms today are not limited to producing technical solutions; they are increasingly positioned as new epistemic apparatuses that regulate the processes of social knowledge production. This development has brought fundamental questions back into focus, particularly within the social sciences—questions about how knowledge is produced, by which normative criteria it is legitimized, and who gains epistemic authority in the process. This article aims to critically examine the transformative impact of AI technologies on the epistemology of the social sciences through the lens of a critical social epistemology, centered on the concept of algorithmic authority. The theoretical framework draws on Michel Foucault’s analysis of knowledge-power relations, Bruno Latour’s actor-network theory explaining the social construction of scientific knowledge, and Shoshana Zuboff’s theory of surveillance capitalism. These three approaches allow for an understanding of algorithmic systems not merely as technical operations but as structures that shape the normative and ideological dimensions of knowledge regimes. Contributions from thinkers such as Tarleton Gillespie and Nick Seaver, who conceptualize algorithms as cultural production tools, complement the article’s conceptual foundation. Methodologically, the study employs critical literature review and comparative theoretical analysis. The article explores the application of digital methodologies in the social sciences through case studies such as sentiment analysis, social media research, and ethnographic text processing. It highlights key issues that emerge in these processes, including algorithmic bias, methodological reductionism, and lack of transparency. In conclusion, the role of AI in social knowledge production emerges as not only a technical issue but also a political and normative one.

This article examines the influence of Mikhail Sholokhov’s short story “The Fate of a Man” on the development of Chinese military fiction. The study identifies three distinct phases in the story’s reception within Chinese literary scholarship: an initial period of ideological appropriation, a subsequent phase of diminished interest, and a more recent stage of nuanced critical analysis. The author argues that Sholokhov’s work profoundly influenced the formation of a new “little man” archetype in Chinese war prose, fostering a re-evaluation of the theme of suffering and a departure from heroic pathos toward a more realistic and psychologically nuanced portrayal of warfare and its aftermath. Through a comparative typological analysis, the article establishes both genetic and typological connections, highlighting the universality of the theme of human resilience as well as its culturally specific interpretations. The analysis demonstrates that the works “The Last Soldier” by Shi Zhongshan, “Hymn to a Hero” by Liu Zhen, and “My Korean War” by Zhang Zeshi exhibit a genetic kinship with Sholokhov’s poetics, particularly in their anti-heroic characterization, use of circular narrative structure, and the aesthetics of war trauma. Furthermore, the study reveals a distinct political cyclicity in the patterns of translation and scholarly engagement, characterized by surges of interest during periods of diplomatic rapprochement — such as the late 1950s, mid-1980s, and early 2000s—followed by declines during times of bilateral tension. The author concludes that this specific pattern of reception vividly illustrates the symbiotic relationship between literary communication and geopolitics within the framework of comparative literature.

This research stems from the reality of strengthening religious pluralism in various regions of Indonesia, including Papua, which challenges the expression of Christian faith in public life. In this context, this study aims to interpret the theological meaning of the phrase “salt and light of the world” (Matthew 5:13–16) contextually, in order to find its relevance for faith praxis amidst diverse beliefs. The research gap lies in the scarcity of studies connecting the theological understanding of this text with interfaith social praxis. The method used is interdisciplinary qualitative, employing a theological hermeneutics approach and critical literature analysis of primary sources (the Gospel of Matthew) and secondary sources (exegetical literature, sociology of religion, and contextual theology). The results show that the "salt" metaphor represents the social function of Christians as agents of reconciliation through dialogue and human solidarity, while "light" affirms a dialogical witness rooted in kenotic ethics. These findings affirm that the Christian faith can be lived openly and dialogically without losing its theological identity, while simultaneously offering a relevant public theology paradigm for strengthening social cohesion in a pluralistic society.

ABSTRACT This paper explores Marlon James’ 2009 novel The Book of Night Women to reflect upon the representation of enslaved women engaging in acts of resistance during the period they were slaves in Jamaica (18th century). Foregrounding a multidisciplinary theoretical and methodological framework, which includes postcolonial theory, Black feminist thought and Caribbean literary criticism, that engages James’ narrative strategies as well as characterization and themes of violence, sexuality and spirituality. This study uses a qualitative methodology that includes textual analysis, comparative literature sensibilities and historical contextualization to investigate the ways James creates female characters as agents who are in conflict with oppressive structures. This research exposes the innovative use of Jamaican patois as a site of linguistic resistance in the novel, examines its complex representation of female agency within the slave economy, and places it within the neo-slave narrative genre. In developing an understanding of the ways women are represented in James, the work also contributes to debates about the capacity of literature to change historical narratives and vested interests. Though offering a complex view of historical enslavement, these insights significantly advance our understanding of how The Book of Night Women navigates language, violence, sexuality and gender.

The quantitative and qualitative broadening of the Italian poetic field in the 1970s, which occurred in response to the profound coeval socio-cultural changes (mass schooling, proletarianization of culture, emergence of new political-poetic and social subjects), requires literary critics interested in reconstructing the poetic framework of the decade to substantially update their tools of inquiry. The idealistic, inductive and often "monofocal" approach most frequented by Italian academic criticism, accustomed to treating the text as an autonomous organism and ignoring its correlations with its historical and material context of reference, has so far revealed its inadequacy in accounting for the plurality of poetic and cultural experiences of those "hyper-historical" years, ending up by entrenching itself in an asphyxiated geo-editorial canon and in anachronistic trend categories that are hardly representative of the actual context of the decade under consideration. This paper aims to draw the methodological lineaments of a "bifocal" approach to the 1970s, namely one that reconciles context reconstruction and text analysis, sociological inquiry and stylistic-philological criticism, close and distant reading, based in particular on the operational model offered by Pierre Bourdieu's literary sociology (with forays into the theories of Antonio Gramsci, Pascale Casanova, Alain Viala and Franco Moretti). After briefly sketching the structural changes occurred in the post-sixty-eight historical-poetic landscape and reconstructing the terms, places and editorial modes of the critical debate around the poetry of the 1970s (paragraphs 1 and 2), this article proceeds to a theoretical reconnaissance around Bourdieusian notions of "field," "conflict" and "habitus" and then proposes an empirical application of them to the specific Italian poetic field of the decade (paragraphs 3 and 4).

How to Understand AI Literature from the Perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism