Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist
This paper explores the complex relationship between Pakistani identity and cultural legacy in the framework of Mohsin Hamid's "The Reluctant Fundamentalist," with an emphasis on helping young people feel like they belong. The research tries to explore the manner in which the story navigates the challenges of cultural identity in a globalized society by drawing on sociocultural theories, especially Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model and Homi K. Bhabha's notions of hybridity and third space. Through the protagonist's trip, we are able to study the conflict between tradition and modernity, as well as East and West, and get insights into the processes that shape Pakistani identity today. This study compiles the body of research on juvenile development and cultural identity. The research aims to shed light on methods for promoting a sense of belonging among Pakistani youth, encouraging cross-cultural understanding, and building a more inclusive and interconnected global society by examining how the protagonist's cultural heritage affects how they perceive themselves and others.
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Pakistani Cultural Heritage, Sense of Belonging, Hybridity, Third Space, Othering
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(1) Muhammad Iqbal
Department of English, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
(2) Rizwana Ahmad
MPhil Scholar, Institute of Southern Punjab, Multan, Pakistan.
(3) Muhammad Umair
Lecturer, Department of English, University of Layyah, Punjab, Pakistan.
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Cite this article
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APA : Iqbal, M., Ahmad, R., & Umair, M. (2023). Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist. Global Sociological Review, VIII(III), 43-49. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2023(VIII-III).04
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CHICAGO : Iqbal, Muhammad, Rizwana Ahmad, and Muhammad Umair. 2023. "Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist." Global Sociological Review, VIII (III): 43-49 doi: 10.31703/gsr.2023(VIII-III).04
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HARVARD : IQBAL, M., AHMAD, R. & UMAIR, M. 2023. Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist. Global Sociological Review, VIII, 43-49.
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MHRA : Iqbal, Muhammad, Rizwana Ahmad, and Muhammad Umair. 2023. "Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist." Global Sociological Review, VIII: 43-49
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MLA : Iqbal, Muhammad, Rizwana Ahmad, and Muhammad Umair. "Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist." Global Sociological Review, VIII.III (2023): 43-49 Print.
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OXFORD : Iqbal, Muhammad, Ahmad, Rizwana, and Umair, Muhammad (2023), "Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist", Global Sociological Review, VIII (III), 43-49
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TURABIAN : Iqbal, Muhammad, Rizwana Ahmad, and Muhammad Umair. "Fostering a Sense of Belonging among Pakistani Youth: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Reluctant Fundamentalist." Global Sociological Review VIII, no. III (2023): 43-49. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2023(VIII-III).04