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EXPLORING IDENTITY AND BELONGING IN THE CONTEXT OF PARTITION OF 1947 A SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY ANALYSIS OF TRAIN TO PAKISTAN BY KHUSHWANT SINGH

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20 Pages : 204-215

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-I).20      10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-I).20      Published : Mar 2023

Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh

Abstract

    This study explores the theme of identity and belonging in Khushwant Singh’s novel, ‘Train to Pakistan’, by investigating how the characters develop their sense of identity and belonging within the socio-political context of the Partition of India in 1947. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, analyzing the novel through close reading and thematic analysis. The study applies the Social Identity Theory to examine the novel’s categorization, social comparison, and identification processes. The research reveals that religious, cultural, and national affiliations significantly influence the characters’ identities and sense of belonging. It highlights the complexities of identity construction during conflict and demonstrates that characters’ identities are subject to external categorizations. However, the study also observes the characters’ agency in negotiating their identities and challenging societal expectations. The study explores identity dynamics, emphasizing the importance of social and contextual factors in shaping individual and collective identities, particularly within historical and cultural narratives.

    Identity, Belonging, Social Identity Theory, Partition of India, Categorization, Social Comparison, Identification, Khushwant Singh, Train to Pakistan

    (1) Bushra Saeed
    M.Phil Scholar, Department of English Literature, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
    (2) Shahzeb Shafi
    M.Phil. Scholar, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (3) Muhammad Hamzah Masood
    Lecturer, Department of Linguistics and Communications, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
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Cite this article

APA

    APA : Saeed, B., Shafi, S., & Masood, M. H. (2023). Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh. Global Language Review, VIII(I), 204-215. https://doi.org/10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-I).20

CHICAGO

    CHICAGO : Saeed, Bushra, Shahzeb Shafi, and Muhammad Hamzah Masood. 2023. "Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh." Global Language Review, VIII (I): 204-215 doi: 10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-I).20

HARVARD

    HARVARD : SAEED, B., SHAFI, S. & MASOOD, M. H. 2023. Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh. Global Language Review, VIII, 204-215.

MHRA

    MHRA : Saeed, Bushra, Shahzeb Shafi, and Muhammad Hamzah Masood. 2023. "Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh." Global Language Review, VIII: 204-215

MLA

    MLA : Saeed, Bushra, Shahzeb Shafi, and Muhammad Hamzah Masood. "Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh." Global Language Review, VIII.I (2023): 204-215 Print.

OXFORD

    OXFORD : Saeed, Bushra, Shafi, Shahzeb, and Masood, Muhammad Hamzah (2023), "Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh", Global Language Review, VIII (I), 204-215

TURABIAN

    TURABIAN : Saeed, Bushra, Shahzeb Shafi, and Muhammad Hamzah Masood. "Exploring Identity and Belonging in the Context of Partition of 1947: A Social Identity Theory Analysis of 'Train to Pakistan' by Khushwant Singh." Global Language Review VIII, no. I (2023): 204-215. https://doi.org/10.31703/glr.2023(VIII-I).20