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Mapping the ‘terrain’ of Nationalism as a Political and Cultural Phenomenon

  Abstract Nationalism is an ideology embraced by people upholding a strong belief in the values and unique qualities of their own nation and thereby in the process asserting their superiority over other nations. This superiority feeling of the people is grounded in the shared religion, ethnicity, language, culture, or shared values. Nationalism as an ideology makes it possible for millions of people who have never and will never meet each other to care about each, to share a common goal, to kill and die for each- thus, it can be said that Nationalism as an ideology finds its existence in the minds of the individuals, in the symbolic imaginations of the people that creates a feeling of belongingness. This paper talks about the origin of the concept of ‘Nationalism’ as a political and cultural phenomenon. Most research studies have looked at Nationalism as a political phenomenon, but the interrelation of Nationalism and culture has been emphasized since Benedict Anderson’s work on Nat
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Mapping the development of Television in India

  Mapping the development of Television in India Abstract The article traces the journey of Television in India which started as a tool of educating its mass on a variety of themes like family planning, conducting educational programmes, serving as an effective tool for ‘nation integration’ to shifting its attention towards entertainment with advertisers realizing the potential of television to reach a broader audience hence, commercialisation of television becomes inevitable. Doordarshan- the public service broadcaster enjoyed the monopoly in the Indian television market however, drastic changes took place in the media landscape with the advent of private channels transcending geographical borders- global content reaching to the hooks and corners of the Indian household. The article aims to look at the transition in the media landscape with the implementation of liberalization policies in 1991. The article also aims to contextualize Marshall McLuhan’s concept of ‘medium is the messag
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Constructing Gender Identities : A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Language Used in Media Space and Texts

  Constructing Gender Identities: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Language Used in Media Space and Texts Abstract The study aims to lay a look at the social construction of male and female identities that are reinforced through the language used in mass media and texts. Gender identity refers to our sexual self-image- to the fact that we actually feel male or female. A person’s gender identity does not always agree with his or her biological sex. We learn and relearn gender throughout our lives which illustrates the concept of social reproduction. In this regard, gender can be conceived as a social institution, created and recreated in our interaction with others. This paper has attempted to focus on the construction of stereotypical gender identities through discourses and explore the relationships between gender, gender identity and discourse by placing them in diverse and often new contexts. An attempt has been made to delve into the workings of gender in particular domains an
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Destabilizing Misconceptions: Exploring a Few Myths about Sexual Intimacy Among Elderly Individuals

  Destabilizing Misconceptions: Exploring a Few Myths about Sexual Intimacy Among Elderly Individuals Sexual intimacy is an essential component of an individual’s life at all stages of the cycle. The dominant public discourse on sexuality and sexual intimacy, however, that prevails is that sexual intimacy is the province of the young, not for the older people to engage in. The sexual functioning of older persons has received substantially little attention, perhaps springing mainly from the belief that older persons are asexual. It becomes crucial to debunk the myths about sexual intimacy among elderly individuals and promote a more accurate understanding of older person’s sexuality. Here are a few common misconceptions: Older people are no longer interested in sex- Asexuality is one of the prominent stereotypes that one experiences in old age, a product of social norms and religious beliefs. Aging leads to older adults experiencing some sexual changes. A dec
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Deconstructing the workings of consumer capitalism in the construction of an ‘ideal body’

Deconstructing the workings of consumer capitalism in the construction of an ‘ideal body’ If we have a look at the advertising that is constantly displayed around us, we notice that there is one aspect immanent to nearly all of it. It is the usage of the body. The employment of the body and especially the sexualised body in the media is not a new phenomenon but has been a part and parcel of the industry since its inception. What differentiates advertising in the 21st century from before is not so much the use of images of the always perfectly shaped bodies but the presentation of this body as something that inevitably must be obtained through our consumption. Thus, in today’s consumer society that body becomes another site of consumption for the capitalists to garner profit from. And thus, the media fabricates the notion that our body needs constant improvement. Something that is very visible in today’s society is the shift that has taken place from advertising that concentrated on the
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