Sustainable Development Goals

A Reflective Practice of Intensive Teaching of EFL to Non-English Majors in a Hybrid Mode: Insights from an EFL Class from Eastern Siberia

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Sidorova L.V. 1 , Lukina N.A. 2    
1Department of Modern Languages in Sciences, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, Russian Federation.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 4, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n4.05
[Article History: Received: 17 September 2023. Revised: 27 October 2023. Accepted: 28 October 2023. Published: 31 October 2023]
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Abstract

The article discusses the intensive English language training for non-English major students at the North-Eastern Federal University, Russia’s Far East region. This study checks out the efficacy of an intensive hybrid teaching model in undergraduate students. The intensive method of teaching is aimed at creating an activating environment for the concurrent development of English skills in non-English major students. The theory of the intensive methodology in the EFL field has been studied in Russian and international research. The intensive hybrid training model combining digital and face-to-face instruction is presented in this article. During the intensive training, 100 undergraduate non-English major students took part in experimental learning. Placement test for students was conducted at the start of the academic year and the final test upon completion of the academic year. The results of the test in the control and experimental groups are also presented. Moreover, the problems in using the intensive hybrid training model are identified.

Keywords: intensive training, communicative competence, interactivity, EFL, short-term learning, hybrid teaching model, English skills, digital learning

Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education
Citation: Sidorova, L.V. & Lukina, N.A. (2023). A Reflective Practice of Intensive Teaching of EFL to Non-English Majors in a Hybrid Mode: Insights from an EFL Class from Eastern Siberia. Rupkatha Journal 15:4. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n4.05 

“I Am Not Just a Man”: Chinese Butterfly’s Identity Anxiety and Ethical Predicament in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly

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Shilong Tao1     & Xi Chen2,*      
1,2 School of Foreign Languages, Hunan University, Changsha, China.
*Corresponding author

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 4, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n4.03
[Article History: Received: 22 September 2023. Revised: 26 October 2023. Accepted: 27 October 2023. Published: 28 October 2023]
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Abstract

M. Butterfly is narrated through the memory of Western white man Rene Gallimard, which makes the audience focus on Gallimard’s behaviors and ignore the Oriental man Song Liling’s emotions, actions, and choices. However, there are many plots portraying Song as a Chinese Butterfly to deconstruct the stereotype of Madame Butterfly. This paper, from the perspective of ethical literary criticism, probes into Song’s brain texts formed in their growth and working experience and analyzes Song’s anxiety and confusion about his multiple and chaotic ethical identities, so as to demonstrate that Song is not a “dragon lady” or a “transvestite”. In China, Song is feminized and marginalized in society as “a son of a prostitute”, “a gay”, and “an Opera actor”. He wants to change the situation, so he becomes “a spy” for the Chinese government and “a lover” for Gallimard. Still, due to the failure of ethical enlightenment in childhood and the cruel social environment in China, Song is trapped in ethical predicaments of “to be or not to be”, struggling in the ethical conflicts between the honor of the individual and the interest of the nation, as well as between the desire for love and the mission from government. The song is a victim of the era and politics, and his identity anxiety and ethical predicament reflect David Henry Hwang’s position as an Asian American playwright and reveal his ethical appeal for gender equality, identity recognition and cultural confidence.

Keywords: M. Butterfly, Chinese Butterfly, ethical literary criticism, brain text, identity anxiety, ethical predicament.

Sustainable Development Goals: Gender Equality, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation: Tao, S., & Chen, X. (2023). “I Am Not Just a Man”: Chinese Butterfly’s Identity Anxiety and Ethical Predicament in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly. Rupkatha Journal 15:4. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n4.03 

Toleration and Tolerance as Human Challenges: The Voice of an Eighteenth-Century Dramatist, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, for the Twenty-First Century

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Albrecht Classen
University of Arizona, Editor-in-Chief, Humanities, MDPI, and Editor-in-Chief, Mediaevistik

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.21
[Article History: Received: 19 August 2023. Revised: 30 August 2023. Accepted: 1 September 2023. Published: 4 September 2023]
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Abstract

In light of countless problems, the modern world faces, especially religious fanaticism, violence, and hatred, it is high time to reflect on some of the older literary statements once again that had already voiced critical concerns about the principles of human interaction determined by good communication, love, and tolerance. Maybe surprisingly, when we turn to Lessing’s Nathan der Weise (1779), we come across a major literary document in which those ideals are formulated convincingly and dramatically. While German scholarship has already discussed this play for a long time, it deserves much wider attention because of its strong advocation of those ideals, which we are in the highest need as of today.

Keywords: Toleration; tolerance; Gotthold Ephraim Lessing; Nathan der Weise; Enlightenment; religions; truth; love
Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation: Classen, Albrecht. 2023. Toleration and Tolerance as Human Challenges: The Voice of an Eighteenth-Century Dramatist, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, for the Twenty-First Century. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.21

Vietnamese Teachers’ Beliefs About Fostering Learner Autonomy in English Teaching and Learning

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Duyen. N. T. Ngo1, Vy. T. M. Luu2
1Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, Vietnam. ORCID: 0000-0002-7314-1352. Email: duyennnt@uef.edu.vn
2Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, Vietnam. ORCID: 0000-0003-0231-3863. Email: vyltm@uef.edu.vn

[Received 23 January 2023, modified 23 June 2023, accepted 15 July 2023, first published 29 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.27
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Abstract
Driven by rapid technological developments together with social and economic changes, the demand for flexible education has grown in a way that the cultivation of learner autonomy (LA) has become a worldwide phenomenon, especially in language learning and teaching. In this sense, the study reported here makes further contributions to the understanding of teachers’ beliefs in fostering LA in English learning and teaching at the tertiary level in Vietnam. The study adopted a complete qualitative approach to exploring how 10 Vietnamese teachers perceive LA based on their previous teaching experiences. Data analysis from an in-depth interview reveals that participants gave multiple interpretations of LA and admitted that Vietnam’s deep-rooted traditional teaching culture causes the main constraints on developing autonomous learning. Besides, these teachers seem fully aware of the significance of LA but not the “how” in assisting learners with exercising LA both within and beyond educational settings. The findings also propose some pedagogic implications for teacher development as well as curriculum development in English learning and teaching at tertiary levels.

Keywords: teachers’ beliefs, learner autonomy, English language learning, Vietnamese context.
[Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education]

Reminiscences of Kothas: Exploring Spatial Intimacies in Ruth Vanita’s Memory of Light

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572 views

Ankita Chatterjee1 & Sutanuka Banerjee2
1Research Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur. ORCID: 0000-0003-2714-7080. Email: ankita.chatterjee70@gmail.com
2Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur. ORCID: 0000-0002-7219-4778. Email: sutanuka.banerjee@hu.nitdgp.ac.in

[Received May 19 2023, modified 25 July 2023, accepted 28 July 2023, first published 29 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.26
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Abstract
This paper aims to study the representation of same-sex desire in Ruth Vanita’s Memory of Light (2020) and analyze how the socio-spatial dynamics of the kotha helps to reconstruct female-to-female intimacy and convey a different idea of community and a sense of belonging in history. The novel, which traces the relationship between two courtesans, is also a recreation of the pre-modern Lucknow and its vibrant kothas with distinct architectural features. Beyond its overt function of entertaining the male patrons, the kothas as all-female establishments also served as a space of security and intimacy for women. The paper outlines the politics of situating same-sex desire in the historical backdrop of pre-colonial era. It uses concepts from Feminist Theory, Cultural Geography and Memory Studies, to examine the importance of kothas as a material and an ideological space, in facilitating discourses on gender variance, intimacy, and friendship that entered the cultural production of the time. In particular, the analysis intends to emphasize the frequent entanglement between the spatial features and women’s intimate practices as a distinct way of articulating same-sex desire that dissolves the binary understanding of hetero/homosexuality. Therefore, by insisting on the remembrance of kothas, the paper delineates how the ‘memory of places’ carves out two functions in the context of lesbian politics. On the one hand, it generates a ‘symbolic continuum’ to the history of women loving women to reframe postcolonial categorical understanding of ‘lesbian’ in contemporary times, and on the other, by infusing strategic use of metafictional elements, it emerges as a subversive mode of narrating stories of same-sex love while negotiating with the historical erasure of spaces of female-to female desire.

Keywords. kothas, space, intimacy, community, same-sex desire, memory.
[Sustainable Development Goals: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Gender Equality]

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A Study of the Mediating Effect of Work Stress on Work-life Conflict and Turnover Intention in the Private Higher Education Sector in India

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Soni Rathi1 & Praveen Kumar2
1Research Scholar, University School of Business, Chandigarh University.
ORCID: 0000-0002-2997-8622. Email: sonirathi.r20@gmail.com
2Assistant Professor, University School of Business, Chandigarh University.
ORCID: 0000-0002-7503-3531. Email: Praveen.usb@cumail.in. Corresponding Author

[Received June 28 2023, modified 28 July 2023, accepted 28 July 2023, first published 29 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.24
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Abstract
The main focus of this study is to analyze the impact of work-life conflict on turnover intention and examine the impact of work stress as a mediating variable among the teaching employees of private higher education institutions. The current study drew upon samples of 145 teaching employees of private higher education institutions in the education sector of Haryana. A questionnaire was administered to gather the necessary information. Data was evaluated by using the Smart PLS (v.3.2.9) software. In addition, structural equation modeling was conducted to achieve the study’s objectives, and SPSS 25 software was used to compute the demographic profile of teaching employees. The findings indicated that the turnover intention of teaching employees is positively associated with work-life conflict and work stress. In addition, work stress as an intervening variable positively and significantly impacts kinship amid work-life conflict and turnover intention. The teaching employees like to stay in their institutions if there is no work stress. The main concern is not only reducing the work stress of teaching employees but also reforming the quality and level (of work), so they can have less work-life conflict, thus reducing turnover intentions. To dwindle job-related stressors and work-life conflict among employees, various family-friendly benefits and job stress management policies may provide the benefits. This study enhances the understanding of work-life conflicts and work stress. Further, it also has taken into account some antecedents of work-life conflict and work stress, which will aid researchers and academicians in comprehending their impact on turnover intention. The current study has discussed limitations and future directions.

Keywords: Work-life conflict, Work stress, Turnover intention, Teaching employees, Private higher education institutions

[Sustainable Development Goals: Reduced Inequalities, Good Health and Wellbeing, Decent Work and Economic Growth]

Of Maternal Uncles and Mangalik Brides: Sakuni in the Folk Narrations of The Mahabharata

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Seema Sinha1, Kumar Sankar Bhattacharya2 & Sailaja Nandigama3
1Ph.D. and a Post-Doc from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan. Email: p2015101@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in
2Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan. Email: kumar.bhattacharya@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in
3Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan. Email: sailajan@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in

[Received February 10 2023, modified 24 July 2023, accepted 25 July 2023, first published 29 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.23
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Abstract
The timelessness of The Mahabharata lies in its ability to re-invent itself, thereby giving the society a chance to re-negotiate, revise, and revive the discourse. It also gives the so-called ‘villains of the piece’, well established in the ‘rogues’ gallery’, a chance to redeem themselves. One such character is Sakuni, the ‘shrewd’ maternal uncle of the Kauravas, whose negative image in Vyasa’s textual universe is questioned by the folk renditions of the grand epic. The Oriya Mahabharata by Sarala Das views Sakuni not as the master conspirator who brought about the great war, but as a victim who suffered because of the court politics of the Kauravas. The strong popular culture that supports him is also evident in the narratives of the Kalbelias of Rajasthan, and in the folk renderings of the epic in Kerala. This makes us reflect as to why the meta-narrative has vilified Sakuni and treated him with contempt when the folk traditions view him in a more charitable light, or at least give him the benefit of doubt. This paper utilizes narrative research methods to understand the dehumanization of Sakuni in the dominant discourse. It employs the postmodern theories of psychoanalytical criticism and deconstruction in the study of the petite narratives associated with Sakuni to facilitate engagement, plurality, and divergence in the discourse. The paper attempts to read the chronicles of self, society, and social justice in these lesser-known narratives to liberate Sakuni from his filial debt and relocate him into the discursive universe.

Keywords: The Mahabharata, Sakuni, discursive, petite narratives, oral tradition, plurality, social justice

[Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, Reduced Inequalities]

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Exploring the Role of Testimonio Method in Shaping Collective Memory of Indenture History: From Empathy to Empowerment

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Shreya Katyayani
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Humanistic Studies, IIT(BHU). ORCID: 0000-0002-2579-3241. Email: shreyakatyayani.rs.hss19@itbhu.ac.in

[Received 29 May 2023, modified 25 July 2023, accepted 26 July 2023, first published 27 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.21
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Abstract
The present paper, ‘Exploring the Role of Testimonio Method in Shaping Collective Memory of Indenture History: from Empathy to Empowerment,’ attempts to study how the Testimonio method of study, which is a powerful literary genre rooted in oral history, can be used to study indenture history from the Bhojpuri speaking areas of North India and bridge the gaps and silences of this history using folksongs, folktales, oral accounts, poems, diary, autobiographies, etc. It also highlights the role of Bhojpuri as a lingua franca of the community and its impact on cultural preservation and literary expression, also focussing on the role of Khelauni (baby-sitter) and Ajie (grandmother) culture in the formation of a distinct community in the erstwhile sugar colonies like Fiji, Mauritius, etc., through folk stories and songs narrated to young children. This paper seeks to elucidate the Testimonio method’s effectiveness in unravelling the untold stories of indentured people, and by analyzing a range of testimonial narratives and literary works, it highlights the multifaceted dimensions of indenture history, gender dynamics, and the preservation of cultural identity. It also underlines that the Testimonio method’s unique approach, centred on personal narratives and collective memory, allows for a nuanced understanding of the lived experiences of the Girmitiyas’ struggles and triumphs.

Keywords: Indenture history, oral traditions, cultural identity, agency, diaspora literature

[Sustainable Development Goals: No Poverty, Reduced Inequalities, Decent Work and Economic Growth]

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“You’ve Got to Know How to Speak Animalese”: Literary Explorations of Engagements with the Animal Other

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Jessica Murray
University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: murraj@unica.ac.za. ORCID: 0000-0001-8383-2459

[Received 25 May 2023, modified 26 July 2023, accepted 27 July 2023, first published 27 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.20
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Abstract

As the harmful impact of anthropogenic activity on the environment becomes increasingly glaring, it has become more urgent than ever to find more ethical and sustainable ways of engaging with the other animals with whom we share space. From extreme weather events to food supply disruptions and species extinctions, it is no longer possible to cling to the hubristic myth of an independent human who exercises dominion over nature. Our actions and choices have very real, immediate, and often unintended environmental consequences and our own species survival depends on accepting this inter-dependent reality in a spirit of respectful responsibility. While climate change is now widely considered to be an issue that demands serious attention, this article will argue that any attempt to foster greater environmental care will be compromised if we fail to listen to the voices of the animal other. I will explore the ways in which other animals try to speak and the challenges that inevitably arise when attempting to hear those voices by anchoring my argument in a literary analysis of selected contemporary novels. I will demonstrate that, even when authors represent characters who care deeply about the environment, animals tend to fall through the cracks of their activist commitments, and they repeatedly turn away from opportunities to listen respectfully to the voices of animals.

Keywords:  Animal, voice, listening, climate change, violence, environment, contemporary fiction

[Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land]

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Reflection of Saudi Women’s Participation and Leadership: A Study on the Gender Differences in Leadership and Structural Barriers

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Musrrat Parveen
Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Department of Human Resource Management, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Email mpmohammed@kau.edu.sa

[Received 18 March 2023, modified 25 June 2023, accepted 27 June 2023, first published 18 July 2023′]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.16
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Abstract

This article examines gender disparities and structural barriers in the Saudi Arabian workforce from 2000 to 2022. It proposes measures to promote women’s participation and leadership. Multiple databases, including Emerald, IEEE Explore, Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, were searched using generic terms. Additionally, official Saudi government reports, magazines, newspapers, books, and journals were used as secondary data sources. Torraco’s method analyzed 10 studies on gender gap and gender differences (2011-2023), 16 studies on structural barriers (2000-2012), and 30 studies (2013-2022). The study highlights critical areas of disparities and barriers, including the need for legal and policy reforms, increasing women’s visibility in the economic sector, transforming attitudes towards women’s leadership and participation, addressing time and mobility constraints, reducing wealth and power inequalities, inspiring and supporting women in leadership roles, and providing assistance for the transmission of leadership roles that recognize and promote women’s rights. The findings divulged various implementations and Strategies to overcome the gender gap, gender differences in leadership, and structural barrier to women’s participation by Saudi government. The research emphasizes the importance of policy reform to foster gender equality in the Saudi Arabian workplace. Reforms outlined in the “Saudi Vision 2030” have made significant progress. Policymakers can utilize this study’s findings to promote women’s participation and leadership in the Saudi workforce.

Keywords: Strategies & policies, Structural barriers, Gender differences, Gender gap, Saudi Women Studies

Sustainable Development Goals: Gender Equality