Nikita's blog

A Cultural Studies Approach to Frankenstein Introduction: Reading Frankenstein through Cultural Studies Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) is more than a gothic horror story it is a profound critique of human ambition, social exclusion, and moral responsibility. When examined through the Cultural Studies framework, the novel becomes a rich site for exploring issues such as class struggle, colonialism, patriarchy, scientific ethics , and the construction of the “Other.” As part of the Thinking Activity assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad , this blog interprets Frankenstein as a cultural artifact born out of revolutionary times and as a living narrative that continues to evolve in today’s media and digital age. The discussion is organized into two key sections: Revolutionary Births – exploring the historical, political, and cultural context that shaped the novel. The Frankenpheme in Popular Culture – examining how the myth of Frankenstein has been tran...

The Expendable Outsiders: Marginalization from Shakespeare’s Hamlet to Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Introduction: Power, Margins, and Modern Parallels This blog is written as part of the Cultural Studies Thinking Activity given by Dr. Dilip Barad , Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University . In the world of literature, power often defines existence. Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead together offer a compelling study of how those at the margins are trapped in systems far beyond their control. While Shakespeare portrays Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as mere tools within royal politics, Stoppard transforms them into symbols of existential confusion individuals lost in a universe indifferent to their fate. When read through a Cultural Studies lens, their marginalization resonates deeply with the modern corporate world, where employees are often reduced to “resources,” valued only until they ...

 Nagamandala: Love, Myth, and the Serpent’s Secret in Girish Karnad’s Enchanted Tale Introduction Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala (1988) remains one of the most celebrated modern Indian plays for its masterful blending of myth, folklore, psychology, and feminist consciousness . Based on Kannada oral tales, the play examines the complex web of love, identity, and transformation within the framework of traditional Indian storytelling. Through the myth of the serpent and the story of Rani, Karnad reimagines ancient mythic symbols to comment on gender, power, and human desire. The Mythic Frame: Story and Flame Nagamandala opens with a meta-theatrical device — a Playwright cursed to stay awake all night and the Story personified as a living woman who visits him. This frame narrative dissolves the boundary between reality and imagination, establishing the play’s central theme: the power of storytelling as creation . The “Story” recounts the tale of Rani and her husband Appanna, weavin...

Exploring Contemporary Cultural Concepts: Understanding the World through Cultural Studies and AI INTRODUCTION In the twenty-first century, culture is not merely an expression of art or tradition it is a complex network of speed, technology, media, and human interaction. Cultural Studies as a discipline invites us to examine these forces critically, revealing how they shape our lives and identities. This blog explores eight influential concepts S low Movement , Dromology , Risk Society , Postfeminism , Hyperreal , Hypermodernism , Cyberfeminism , and Posthumanism through the lens of AI-assisted learning. Using ChatGPT and Gemini as collaborative tools, this reflection aims to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world experiences. These concepts together illuminate how human beings navigate a world of rapid change, digital illusions, and evolving definitions of identity and progress. 1. Slow Movement Definition: The Slow Movement is a cultural shift that encourages individuals and ...

  Media, Power, and the Truly Educated Person: A Reflection through Cultural Studies Introduction In the contemporary digital age, media has become the most powerful force shaping how individuals think, behave, and interact. It influences not only political beliefs but also cultural identities and educational ideals. In his thought-provoking blog “Cultural Studies: Media, Power and the Truly Educated Person” (2017), Professor Dilip Barad explores how media and education intersect within systems of power and how critical awareness defines true education. Drawing on insights from Jay Van Bavel’s talk “Do Politics Make Us Irrational?”, Eric Liu’s video “How to Understand Power,” and Noam Chomsky’s documentary “Manufacturing Consent,” this reflection examines how media and power influence culture, why critical media literacy is essential, and what it means to be a truly educated person in a world saturated with information. 1. Media and Power: Understanding the Invisible Mechanisms Pro...

A Critical Comparison: Defoe’s Crusoe and Coetzee’s Foe Introduction The enduring fascination with Robinson Crusoe (1719) lies not only in its survival narrative but in how its first-person voice claims authority over a story of isolation, providence, and colonial encounter. Over two and a half centuries later, J. M. Coetzee’s Foe (1986) revisits and unsettles that very narrative by introducing new voices, interrogating narrative authority, and highlighting what gets occluded or silenced in the telling. In this comparative and critical reading, I examine how authorship and narrative authority, voice and silence (especially regarding the “Other”), genre and metafiction, political/postcolonial critique, and ethics/human rights concerns unfold in Crusoe and Foe . I also trace how Foe rearranges the beginning, middle, and ending of the Crusoe myth to expose its ideological assumptions and limits. By the end, it becomes clear that Foe is not merely a sequel or a rewriting, but a su...