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Title: Positing Women Volunteers as Planetary Humanists Amid Refugee Crisis: A Literary Perspective
Authors: Sara Rashed
Journal: Journal of Asian Development Studies
Publisher: Centre for Research on Poverty and Attitude pvt ltd
Country: Pakistan
Year: 2024
Volume: 13
Issue: 1
Language: English
DOI: 10.62345/jads.2024.13.1.81
Keywords: Global-Humanist ApproachRefugeeNon-Refugee Women
The role of women is critical to both addressing the refugee crisis and promoting a planetary humanist perspective. By recognizing and valuing the contributions of women, we can work towards more equitable and sustainable solutions to global challenges. The paper attempts to explore the role of women as ‘volunteers’ who play a crucial role in supporting and assisting the refugees in Nadia Hashmi’s novel “when the moon is low” (2015). A lot of research has been carried out on women refugees in terms of trials and tribulations that they face in their migration journey including how their experiences as refugees are different from those of males taking into account factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, class, and sexuality, but no significant work has been done on the non-refugee women who volunteer themselves, both formally and informally, to support and assist the refugees on ground level. Such a concept presents a positive step towards a planetary humanist approach. Thus, the study proposes that it is paramount to consider the role of non-refugee women as volunteers in moving towards an all-inclusive planetary approach. To accomplish this, this paper aims to build a synapse between the notions of planetary humanism, refugee crisis, and volunteerism as presented by numerous theorists on the relevant areas such as Gilroy (2002), Phipps (2019), Lahusen, and Grasso (2018). Moreover, most of the work on volunteerism comprises field work based on quantitative analysis. This study however, applies this idea to the refugee narrative.
To explore the role of non-refugee women volunteers in supporting refugees, linking their actions to a planetary humanist approach, by analyzing their portrayal in Nadia Hashmi's novel "When the Moon is Low."
Qualitative analysis of literary characters in Nadia Hashmi's novel "When the Moon is Low" to examine the contributions of female volunteers in the context of the refugee crisis and planetary humanism.
graph TD;
A["Identify Literary Work: 'When the Moon is Low'"] --> B["Analyze Female Characters as Volunteers"];
B --> C["Examine acts of support and care"];
C --> D["Connect actions to Planetary Humanism"];
D --> E["Formulate Conclusions on Women's Role"];
The paper argues that the contributions of women volunteers in refugee crises are often overlooked, with research typically focusing on the experiences of refugee women. By analyzing literary representations, the study highlights how these volunteers, through acts of kindness and solidarity, embody planetary humanism by transcending national boundaries and offering compassionate assistance. Their actions challenge the notion of refugees as mere burdens and instead position them as individuals deserving of dignity and support.
Female characters in the novel, both informal (Raisa, Hayal, Mimi) and formal (Roksana) volunteers, demonstrate crucial support and care for refugees, embodying acts of hospitality and advocacy. These women, often from disadvantaged backgrounds themselves, act as intermediaries and sources of strength, contributing to a planetary humanist approach by providing essential aid and emotional support when state institutions falter.
The study concludes that women volunteers play a vital, yet often unrecognized, role in addressing the refugee crisis. Their formal and informal acts of support and care are instrumental in promoting more just and equitable social organizations and governance, serving as agents of planetary humanism in a world where state support is often insufficient or absent.
- Nadia Hashmi's novel "When the Moon is Low" was published in 2015.
- Paul Gilroy's book "The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness" was published in 2002.
- The Journal of Asian Development Studies is cited as Vol. 13, Issue 1 (March 2024).
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