Journal of Critical Studies in Language and Literature

A Comparative Case Study of Media Coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022

Binghui Li — 2023-10-07

Establishing a good national image and encouraging Chinese culture to spread out is a particularly important part of China's national cultural soft power construction. Winter Olympics Beijing 2022 is a global event, which is of immense value and significance for showing China's cultural charm and shaping the national image. Recently, research on the combination of framing theory and reports on the Olympic Games has significantly increased. However, there are few studies focusing on the cultural part of the analysis of reports. After making a summary of the coverage on China major events and Olympic Games of mainstream media, this study, based on the theory of cultural resistance and cultural-bound frame, chose mainstream media CNN (Cable News Network), BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), and China Daily as samples, attempting to analyze their reports of the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics Games Beijing 2022. Through the comparative analysis of Olympic coverage, this research shows that foreign media’s attitudes towards China have remarkably changed and investigates how Chinese culture is disseminated in some parts of the world to identify the factors affecting the dissemination of cultural elements. The research findings also revealed that coverage of BBC and CNN concerns more about China’s alleged abused human rights, while the part about Chinese cultural translation is limited. Only by having a comprehensive understanding of the process of transmitting culture can cultural translation be well-achieved. and it can help promote mutual communication and cooperation of the world.

Memory, Imagination, and Knowledge

Dan Manolescu — 2023-10-25

The present article invites the reader to re-appraise the values of memory, imagination, and knowledge from a new perspective and with an abundance of various opinions, ideas, and commentaries. At the beginning of the 21^st century, the growth by leaps and bounds of technology has made this re-evaluation even more relevant now that we have access to all kinds of sources of information. Such a fresh perspective becomes feasible and necessary, given the tools and possibilities offered, literally, by a wealth of sources at our fingertips. Using references available in historical documents as well as contemporary electronic and mass media communication, the discussion centers on a thorough analysis of memory and imagination with their obvious effects on the retention of knowledge. The positive outcome of such an approach is also relevant when we take a good look at the quest for knowledge and its intrinsic value. Research of material produced over centuries and millennia leads us to pursue the study of memory and imagination and, through them, perceive the acquisition of knowledge as beneficial and much-needed in the entire process of education.

Exploring the Depiction of Women in Bengal in the Novels of Sarat Chandra Chatterjee: Patriarchy in Bengali Society

Farzana Nasrin — 2023-11-10

Sarat Chandra Chatterjee has portrayed female characters from southern Bengal who struggle in a conservative patriarchal society. His female characters are in the interposed stage of decomposing feudalism and initial industrialization. He delineates boldly the pain and torment of lower-middle class women. Sarat demonstrates many widows as “fallen women” in Srikant and Charitrahin which projects their space as a reinforcement of purity amidst a grovelling atmosphere of general dirt. The women must have purity, virtue and integrity otherwise they become victimized by the conservative patriarchal society. Most of his women characters share an extraneous relationship with society. Sarat demonstrates the complex conundrums of widows’ sufferings, child-marriage, disease, poverty, public bias and fallen women’s victimization which focused his perception of social realism. He also satirically represents the prevalent system of child-marriage and dowry which has infested the so-called modern society asserts to bring the estimation of women at par with that of men.

Parents as Role Model for Social Behavior of Children: A Case Study of the Short Story “A Doll’s House” by Katherine Mansfield

Farahnaz Yousefi — 2023-11-17

This research article investigates the parental influence on children's social behavior within the context of Katherine Mansfield's short story, "A Doll's House." The study primarily adopts a library-based approach and employs a descriptive analytical methodology. The research aims to explore the impact of parents and other family members on children's socialization and their conduct in society, with a specific focus on their interactions with peers and classmates. Additionally, the article examines the ramifications of social norms and social classes on parental figures. The involvement of school officials, peers, classmates, and their interactions with other children is also examined. The findings of the study indicate that the parents depicted in the story do not serve as positive role models for the socialization of their children. While the majority of children tend to imitate and perceive their parents as positive role models, one child does not blindly imitate the parents and may exhibit behaviors that deviate from parental expectations. These findings are useful as they contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics between parental influence and children's social behavior, especially in the literary context of the short story. They shed light on the complex relationship between parents, children, and societal expectations as portrayed in the story, which can be relevant for literary analysis, child psychology and sociology. The findings may have implications for understanding the potential consequences of negative role modeling by parents and how it can influence a child's behavior and choices.

English Language Teachers’ Professional Development at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects

Md Abdullah Al Younus — 2023-11-16

This study delves into the complex landscape of tertiary teachers' professional development in Bangladesh, examining both the formidable challenges and promising prospects that shape the growth and effectiveness of educators in the nation's higher education system. In Bangladesh, tertiary education plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of its youth and the nation's economic progress. However, the quality of higher education hinges on the quality of instruction, making professional development for teacher’s imperative. The study unveils the significant challenges faced by these educators, including the burden of heavy workloads, financial constraints, limited access to development opportunities, and resistance to change. These challenges collectively hinder the professional growth of teachers, which, in turn, affects the quality of higher education. Conversely, the study illuminates the substantial prospects of professional development for tertiary teachers in Bangladesh. It underscores the vital role professional development plays in enhancing teaching skills, aligning curricula with industry needs, and preparing graduates to excel in the global job market. Strategies such as institutional support, technology integration, faculty collaboration, and needs assessments have been identified as avenues to address these challenges effectively and unlock the potential of growth for educators in Bangladesh's higher education landscape. In conclusion, while Bangladesh grapples with obstacles that impede the professional development of tertiary teachers, the prospects remain optimistic. By recognizing the importance of continuous learning, investing in institutional support, harnessing the power of technology, and implementing strategic policies, the nation can empower its educators to thrive in their roles. This, in turn, promises a brighter future for higher education, better-prepared graduates, and a stronger national economy.

Out-of-time Experiences in Four Iconic Twentieth Century European Modernist Novels Including Zeno's Conscience: A Psychosynthetic Analysis

Zsuzsanna Tóth-Izsó — 2023-12-08

On the centenary of the release of Italo Svevo's Zeno's Conscience in 1923, it is opportune to explore the renowned psychoanalytical novel from a fresh perspective—one that not only refrains from contradicting the traditional interpretation but also enhances and complements it. The psychosynthetic approach that I intend to employ in analyzing the transpersonal experiences depicted in "Zeno's Conscience" will demonstrate its efficacy as a valuable tool for attaining a more profound comprehension of the protagonist's—potentially reflecting Svevo's—complex personality. As Assagioli, the founder of psychosynthesis, articulates, it delves into the concept of multiple minds. In this first article of the two, transpersonal experiences of Zeno are identified, followed by descripting similar experiences in three iconic 20th-century European modernist novels, Ulysses, Time Regained and The Man Without Qualities, by using appropriate quotes. The common main feature of these four novels is the steadily flowing time, the natural medium of the "horizontal" processes of personal psychosynthesis (Chronos). My focus here is, however, on the detectable – although rather sporadic – "vertical" episodes of transpersonal psychosynthesis, which are, in a sense, "out of time" (Kairos). Moreover, Zeno's transpersonal experiences are compared with that of the characters’ of the selected three iconic modernist novels.