Institutional Repository

Scholar@UOC is the primary academic repository of the University of Calicut.

This repository is aimed to collect, preserve and distribute the research output of the members of our University. This is an open access system hosted and managed by the University Library.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 38

Recent Submissions

Transcultural herstories exploring memory language and space in select chinese american womens narratives
(Farook College, University of Calicut, 2026) Harsha, A U S; Aysha Swapna, K. A
This thesis examines select personal and fictional narratives by select Chinese American women writers, namely, Jade Snow Wong, Maxine Hong Kingston, Amy Tan, Lisa See, Yiyun Li, and Jean Kwok, to understand how they actively negotiate and embrace their transcultural subjectivities within the contact zones of memory, language, and space, thereby constructing multi-faceted herstories of migration, adaptation, and integration into American sociocultural spheres. It uses the idea of “herstories” to advance gendered, racialised, and historically positioned perspectives that resist dominant cultural narratives, asserting that the select texts are not merely accounts of migration but complex narratives shaped by the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, and class. The introduction situates Chinese American women’s writing as a subset of the wider discipline of Asian American literature and posits the central question: how do these writers negotiate multiple subject positions within the transcultural contexts of American sociocultural life? Drawing on theoretical concepts such as transculturation, contact zones, intersectionality, and Asian American feminist criticism, the study seeks to move beyond assimilationist or binary models of identity. Chapter One focuses on the personal narratives of Wong, Kingston, and Tan, showcasing how memory operates as a metaphorical space where personal trauma, cultural memory, and generational tensions are negotiated through experimental narrative forms. Chapter Two examines how language functions as a site of identity-making in the writings of Kingston, Tan, Li, and Kwok, engaging with issues such as bilingualism, language anxiety, linguistic hybridity, and linguistic exile. Chapter Three considers physical spaces in selectnovels by See and Kwok, including homes, Chinatowns, schools, and dance studios, as contact zones that both constrain and facilitate the formation of transcultural identity. These spaces reflect the pressures of racial and gendered hierarchies but also stimulate possibilities for performance, upliftment, and emotional connection. The thesis concludes that these narratives construct transcultural subjectivities not through fixed categories but through ongoing processes of adaptation, contradiction, and negotiation.
Hope and well being An inquiry into life narratives of select disabled indian women
(Mercy College, Palakkad, University of Calicut, 2025) Krupa; Shyamala, C. G.
Samajik aur soundaryashastriya sangharsh Bharatiya dalit sthree kavitha ke sandarbh mein
(Govt.Arts and Science College.Calicut, University of Calicut., 2025) Rajila O P; Anand, T. A
Social change and the evolving sense of women's identity in India have deeply influenced Indian women's literature. The poetry of Indian Dalit women, in particular, powerfully articulates the intersection of Dalit and female identity, along with themes of social resistance and marginalization. This study aims to analyse how Indian Dalit women poets express social issues, caste-based conflicts, and emerging aesthetic frameworks through their poetry. The thesis, titled "Social and Aesthetic Struggles in the Context of Indian Dalit Women's Poetry" is divided into five chapters. The first chapter, "Indian Dalit Poetry: A Study", examines the concept, ideological foundations, and historical development of Indian Dalit Poetry. It traces its roots in sociopolitical movements and highlights its role as a form of literary resistance. The second chapter, "Concept of Indian Dalit Aesthetics", explores the theoretical dimensions of aesthetics by engaging with both Western and Indian aesthetic traditions. It evaluates how Dalit poetry challenges conventional aesthetic norms and proposes alternative frameworks rooted in lived experience. The third chapter, "Poetic Vision of Indian Dalit Poets", presents a comparative and stylistic analysis of selected poems by prominent Dalit poets across multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam. This chapter highlights thematic convergences and regional diversities in poetic expression. The fourth chapter, "Social Tone and Struggles in Indian Dalit Women's Poetry", analyses the representation of social conflict, oppression, and resistance in the works of Dalit women poets. It foregrounds issues such as caste discrimination, gender inequality, and the politics of voice and representation. The fifth chapter, "Indian Dalit Women's Poetry: Reinterpretation of Aesthetics", discusses the emergence of new aesthetic paradigms in Dalit women's poetry. It examines how these poets reinterpret and challenge traditional Indian aesthetic theories by centering marginalized experiences and alternative epistemologies. This study concludes that the diverse socio-cultural conditions of India have significantly shaped Indian Dalit women's poetry. It finds that social resistance movements, feminist thought, and Dalit reinterpretations of cultural and aesthetic values play a crucial role in defining the thematic and stylistic dimensions of this body of literature. Keywords: Women Identity, Indian Dalit Women Poetry, Social Struggle, Dalit Aesthetics, Reinterpretation
Arabic poetry in Kerala and its role in documenting events and calamities with special reference to poet Kottoor Alavikkutty Moulavi
(Madeenathul Uloom Arabic College, University of Calicut, 2025) Muhammed Ali M.; Muhammes Ali, N.
This dissertation examines Arabic poetry in Kerala and its role in documenting events and calamities, with special reference to the poet Kottoor Alavi Kutty Moulavi It is an academic study that highlights the status of Arabic poetry in Kerala and its cultural and documentary role across the ages. The research has been prepared for submission to the Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Arabic Language and Literature at Madeenathul Uloom Arabic College, Pulikkal, affiliated with the University of Calicut, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Arabic Language and Literature. The study demonstrates that Arabic poetry in Kerala originated and flourished more than five centuries ago in a fertile scholarly and cultural environment, which contributed to the emergence of a large number of writers and poets who gained renown in both Arab and non-Arab circles. The scholars of Kerala adopted Arabic as a medium to express their ideas, emotions, and aspirations, indicating the deep-rooted presence of the Arabic language in religious, social, and intellectual life, and its use in everyday interactions as well as in scholarly and literary composition. The research also highlights the distinguished position attained by poetic works produced in Kerala, in terms of the diversity of their themes and their adherence to the various classical Arabic metres. At the same time, these works employed local melodies and rhythmic patterns that reflect the cultural specificity of Keralite society. The themes of this poetry range from religious and social concerns to national issues, in addition to the expression of individual and collective experiences, reflecting the vitality of the poetic scene and the multiplicity of its intellectual and artistic trends. The study focuses on the analysis of selected contemporary poetic samples collected from primary sources through personal interviews and digital communication. It provides biographical accounts of the poets and an assessment of their literary contributions, along with an analysis of the thematic content of their poetry, particularly in relation to the poetic documentation of events and calamities in a powerful and evocative style. Among the most prominent poets examined is Kottoor Alavi Kutty Moulavi, whose poetry encompasses a wide range of social, political, cultural, religious, educational, and historical themes. He also composed short didactic poems for children in concise metres and limited lines, incorporating educational content and riddles, set to short chants based on metres such as ramal, hazaj, and rajaz. The study is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter explores the emergence of Arabic poetry in Kerala and its development under the influence of Islamic presence and educational traditions that contributed to the flourishing of the Arabic language. The second chapter discusses the role of Kerala’s poets in documenting historical events and natural and social calamities through their poems, which combined aesthetic expression with a documentary function. The third chapter is devoted to the life of Moulavi Alavi Kutty Kotturi, examining his educational background, literary activities, and the distinctive features of his poetic personality. The fourth chapter presents an analysis of a selection of his poems that address events and calamities experienced in Kerala, highlighting how the poet portrayed collective suffering and articulated it in a poetic language with both humanistic and documentary dimensions. The study concludes that Arabic poetry in Kerala—particularly the poetry of Moulavi Alavi Kutty Kotturi—has played a significant role in documenting the social and emotional history of the Muslim community. It deserves further scholarly attention as an integral part of the Arab-Islamic heritage in the Indian subcontinent
Pharmacognostic characterization phytochemical profiling and biological activities of selected species of syzygium gaertner myrtaceae endemic to western ghats
(Government Victoria College Palakkad, University of Calicut, 2026) Snehalatha, V. R.; Rasmi, A. R.
The genus Syzygium, known for its diverse medicinal applications, is represented by numerous endemic species in the Western Ghats. This study focused on the morpho- anatomical, pharmacognostic, and bioactive profiling of three such endemic species: S. laetum, S. occidentale, and S. palghatense. Detailed macroscopic examination revealed distinctive morphological features, including leaf shape, venation, and flower structure, that aid in species differentiation. Microscopically, variations in stomatal type, secretory structures, and crystal deposition were observed, reflecting their adaptation to the humid evergreen forest ecosystem. Histochemical studies demonstrated the presence of pharmacologically significant compounds such as tannins and oils, while powder microscopy and fluorescence analysis provided unique diagnostic markers for quality control. Physicochemical analyses showed significant nutritional and chemical differences across species, with S. laetum leaves rich in phenolics and vitamin C, S. occidentale bark high in fibre and minerals, and S. palghatense bark showing elevated extractive values and mineral content. A novel aspect of this study was the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using methanol extracts of S. palghatense bark. Comprehensive bioactivity assays revealed that these AgNPs exhibit potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, and anticancer activities. The antioxidant capacity of the AgNPs surpassed standard antioxidants in free radical scavenging assays, while antimicrobial tests demonstrated broad-spectrum efficacy, including disruption of biofilms by pathogenic bacteria. Anti-inflammatory assays showed multi-target enzyme inhibition comparable or superior to conventional drugs. The anthelmintic effect on Lumbricus terrestris was rapid and potent, and cytotoxicity assays on cancer cell lines indicated significant induction of apoptosis. The biological activity studies revealed that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from the methanol extract of S. palghatense bark exhibited significantly higher activity than both the isolated compound and the crude methanol extract alone. The enhanced efficacy of AgNPs is due to their nanoscale size, which improves bioavailability and interaction with biological targets. Among tested activities, AgNPs showed superior antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, andanticancer effects, followed by the isolated compound and lastly the crude extract. This demonstrates the promising potential of green-synthesized nanoparticles to amplify the therapeutic effects of natural plant compounds. Complementing experimental work, molecular docking and dynamic simulations provided mechanistic insights into the interaction of key phytochemicals and isolated compounds with protein targets, advancing the potential for drug discovery. The compound 2-Phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one, isolated from S. palghatense, consistently exhibited strong bioactivities across assays. This study not only clarifies taxonomic ambiguities through integrated morpho-anatomical and pharmacognostic data but also highlights the high medicinal potential and ecological importance of these Western Ghats endemics. Ultimately, the research supports their sustainable utilization in developing novel phytomedicines and nanomedicines, fostering conservation and validating traditional medicinal claims.