https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/16 2026-09-22T06:16:05Z 2026-09-22T06:16:05Z Hossain, Rabiah Binthe https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1565 2026-09-02T11:35:15Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Qawwali and the quest for divine truth Hossain, Rabiah Binthe This thesis examines how Sufi devotional expression, particularly within the qawwali tradition, reorients faith away from fear and reward toward an overwhelming attachment to divine love. Through readings of “Chaap Tilak,” “Saqia Aur Pila,” “Tu Kuja Man Kuja,” and “Tajdar-e-Haram,” it traces how motifs of wine, intoxication, annihilation (fanaa), and distance operate as symbolic modes through which nearness to the Divine is articulated. Rather than opposing Islamic orthodoxy, these texts inhabit a liminal theological space in which inward experience unsettles the certainty of outward structures. Drawing on frameworks such as transgression and apophatic thought, this study shows that qawwali does not resolve doctrinal tension but sustains it, allowing metaphor to carry meanings that exceed rational and juridical language. Within this framework, heaven is no longer the final horizon of devotion. Instead, faith emerges as an ongoing movement shaped by longing, where nearness to the Divine is sought not as arrival but as continuous orientation. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature (EL), 2026.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Chowdhury, Fahmida https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1564 2026-09-02T11:05:15Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

The human beyond means-end rationality: a reading of the video games The Talos Principle and Mass Effect 3 Chowdhury, Fahmida This thesis looks into two video games pertaining to the genre of speculative fiction and examines how these narrative worlds dramatize the philosophical tension between human sensibilities and agency, and instrumental rationality seeking to reduce it to mere function. Using Max Horkheimer’s *Eclipse of Reason* as a theoretical foundation, this thesis argues that means-end thinking, often embodied by technological systems, cannot fully erase those human capacities that exceed instrumental logic. The study analyzes Croteam’s *The Talos Principle* (2014) and BioWare’s *Mass Effect 3* (2012) as literary texts that stage this conflict in diverse ways. In *The Talos Principle*, humanity emerges through moments of sublimity, meaning-making through imagination, and rebelling against a system governed by instrumental logic. In *Mass Effect 3*, the conflict culminates in Commander Shepard’s final choice, where technological solutionism is resisted through an assertion of agency and self-determined destiny. The purpose of this research is to contribute to literary, humanities, and game studies discourse by demonstrating how these narrative games serve as philosophical sites for exploring contemporary anxieties about technology, rationality, and personhood, while affirming the persistence of human freedom, reflection, and meaning. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature (EL), 2026.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Ekram, Aryana https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1563 2026-09-02T11:05:16Z 2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

Indigenous narratives and inclusive English language teaching (ELT) in Bangladesh: a critical discourse analysis of Mahale voices Ekram, Aryana This qualitative thesis explores how indigenous narratives can inform a more inclusive English Language Teaching (ELT) curriculum in Bangladesh. Using document analysis and Faircloughian Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), it examines *Mahale Voices* (Towhid Bin Muzaffar, Haroonuzzaman, & Santosh Hemrom, 2025) to identify themes of cultural displacement, identity negotiation, resilience, caregiving, and counter-discourse. Findings reveal that the narratives both document structural marginalization (poverty, limited schooling, health precarity) and enact agency through memory, local knowledge, and cultural practices. Pedagogically, the study recommends integrating scaffolded indigenous excerpts into secondary ELT modules, teacher training in culturally responsive pedagogy and CDA, bilingual scaffolding that validates home languages, and community partnerships that bring oral histories into classrooms. Two lesson modules, a training outline, and assessment rubrics operationalize these recommendations. Reflexivity is foregrounded, with the researcher’s elite English-medium schooling shaping interpretive choices. Limitations and a future research agenda conclude the study. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Language Teaching (ELT), 2026.

2026-05-01T00:00:00Z Khan Nayan, Nadim Mahmud https://ar.iub.edu.bd/handle/11348/1562 2026-09-02T10:05:19Z 2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

Exploring Bangladeshi university students’ challenges in academic writing in an AI-supported learning environment Khan Nayan, Nadim Mahmud This study looks at the challenges Bangladeshi university students face when writing academic texts in an AI-supported learning environment. Many students find academic writing difficult due to problems with grammar, vocabulary, organization, critical thinking, and referencing. Today, AI tools are becoming increasingly popular, and students use them to get quick feedback and suggestions on their writing. However, not all students know how to use these tools properly or ethically. The study explores students’ real experiences, opinions, and difficulties while using AI for academic paragraph writing. The study follows a quantitative research approach and collects data through a survey questionnaire administered to 60 university student participants. The survey gathers students’ responses regarding their experiences, challenges, and opinions about the use of AI tools in academic writing. This method enables the researcher to identify common patterns and trends in the participants’ responses. The results show how AI helps these students improve their academic writing and highlight the challenges that still remain. This research will help teachers and universities understand how to use AI tools more effectively in academic writing classes in Bangladesh. This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Language Teaching (ELT), 2026.

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