Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sonish Title: Assessing Human Rights Awareness Among University Students: A Quantitative Study Publication-Status: Published Abstract: Human rights, the fundamental freedoms and entitlements inherent to all individuals, have evolved over millennia, shaped by philosophical, religious, and legal traditions. Human rights are those minimal rights that individuals need to have against the state or public authority by virtue of their being members of the human family, irrespective of any other consideration. This study investigates the level of human rights awareness among undergraduate students at Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi, with particular attention to variations across gender, academic stream, and locality. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 150 students through the Human Rights Awareness Test (HRAT), a standardised tool developed by V. Sood and A. Anand. The results indicate that students, on average, demonstrated a moderate level of human rights awareness (M = 71.92, SD = 16.18). Gender-based analysis revealed a statistically significant difference, with male students scoring higher than female students. However, differences based on locality (rural vs. urban) and academic stream (science, commerce, and social science) were not statistically significant. These findings suggest that while students possess foundational awareness, there remains room for improvement, particularly in addressing gender disparities and integrating human rights education across all disciplines. The study highlights the importance of embedding human rights education more uniformly across university curricula and fostering inclusive learning environments that empower all students, regardless of background. Keywords: Human Rights Awareness; Undergraduate Students; Gender Differences; Academic Stream; Locality Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 1-6 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2249 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/49 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/49/33 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:49 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nusrat Jamal Arshad Title: Good Girl Publication-Status: Published Keywords: Good Girl Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 1-3 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2251 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/51 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/51/35 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:51 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Babli Author-Name: Manabhanjan Mehar Title: Bahujan Politics and Post-Kanshiram Socio-Political Organisations Publication-Status: Published Abstract: Indian politics has been significantly shaped by caste and identity-based movements, with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s legacy continuing to influence Dalit politics long after his death. Kanshiram, a pivotal figure in the post-independence period, carried forward Ambedkar’s vision through various socio-political organisations such as BAMCEF, DS4, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Kanshiram’s approach to Bahujan politics redefined social justice by focusing on caste identity and unity among Dalits, OBCs, and other marginalised communities. The emergence of the BSP, once a powerful force in Uttar Pradesh, marked a transformative phase in Indian politics, but internal fragmentation within the party led to its decline after 2012. This decline has given rise to several post-Kanshiram political organisations and movements across India, each attempting to reclaim and evolve his legacy. These include Waman Meshram’s BAMCEF and Bahujan Mukti Party (BMP), Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Shravan Kumar Nirala’s Ambedkar Jan Morcha (AJM), and Chandrashekhar Azad’s Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party (ASP-K). This paper critically examines these new socio-political formations, assessing whether they can provide viable political alternatives for the Bahujan communities or whether they represent a fragmentation of the movement. By exploring their ideological differences, organisational strategies, and electoral impact, the paper seeks to understand the future trajectory of Bahujan politics in India and the potential for unity or further division within the movement for social justice. Keywords: Kanshiram; Bahujan Politics; Caste; BSP; Dalit Organisations Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 7-12 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2250 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/50 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/50/34 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:50 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shivam Khurana Title: Pathways of Devotion and Domination: Consumption, Caste and the Production of Space at Govardhan Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This paper examines the socio-spatial transformations of Govardhan Mountain, a pilgrimage site in Uttar Pradesh, India. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, combining participant observation, informal interviews, and spatial mapping, it argues that the once-egalitarian ritual of parikrama (circumambulation) has been reconfigured through the rising service economy, caste-based religious brokerage, and consumerist pressures. Employing Lefebvre’s production of space, Bourdieu’s concepts of symbolic capital and habitus, and insights from critical caste studies, the study shows how upper-caste networks dominate temple bidding, direct tourist flows, and commodify ritual goods. Simultaneously, marginalised castes are relegated to precarious e-rickshaw labour and informal markets, where they deploy everyday tactics of alliance and ritual reinterpretation to carve out visibility and dignity. The paper also highlights the ecological toll of adulterated ritual products (synthetic milk) and mismanaged communal resources, revealing a disconnect between various forms of the political economy of space. Policy interventions like plastic bans, cleaning contracts, and mobility regulations often fail due to corruption and a lack of grounding in local life-worlds. By centering both the structural reproduction of caste hierarchies and the tactical agency of marginalised actors, this study argues that space is neither static nor purely spiritual but a contested arena of power, capital, and everyday negotiation. Keywords: Govardhan; Caste and Consumption; Production of Space; Pilgrimage; Tourism; Ritual; Economy; Planning; Design Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 13-20 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2252 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/52 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/52/36 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:52 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Devesh Bisht Title: Who Owns the Myths? An Enquiry into Cultural Appropriation and Proprietorship Publication-Status: Published Abstract: Cultural narratives, particularly mythological texts, have long served as sites of socio-political contestations. Questions of ownership, authority, and representation become deeply entangled with legal and cultural frameworks when we look at how adaptations come under the scrutiny of censorship and incite public outrage. This paper explores these questions by examining two animated film adaptations: Sita Sings the Blues and Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. The paper utilises the concept of cultural proprietorship as a framework to examine the cultural and social forces at work in adapting the Ramayana, which holds a tremendous pull within the public even to this day. By analysing the divergent reception of the two films, it further argues that the existing legal structures of intellectual property rights and ownership often fall short in dealing with the complex questions that arise with the interplay of cultural, political, and social agencies in the case of cinematic adaptations of myths. The paper shows that cultural ownership has become more powerful than any copyright law. This disparity underscores how cultural ownership can function as an exclusionary mechanism that limits creative reinterpretations and alternative readings of myths, reinforcing hegemonic narratives while marginalising dissenting voices. Furthermore, the paper situates this discussion within broader debates on freedom of expression, artistic liberty, and the evolving role of myths and folklore in contemporary societies. This paper argues for a more nuanced understanding of cultural adaptation—one that acknowledges myths as evolving, dynamic entities rather than fixed cultural artefacts monopolised by particular groups. By problematising the intersection of law, culture, and myths, the paper contributes to ongoing discourses on intellectual property, media representation, and cultural hegemony. Keywords: Myth; Cultural Proprietorship; Adaptation; Ownership; Interpretation; Culture; Censorship Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 21-26 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2257 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/57 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/57/40 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:57 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nusrat Jamal Arshad Title: Artificial Intelligence and Feminist Ethics: Evaluating Firdaus’ Moral Choices in Woman at Point Zero Through AI-Driven Moral Judgments Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This study explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) ethics and feminist moral theory, examining attentively the narrative of Firdaus, the main character in Nawal El Saadawi’s book Woman at Point Zero. Living through poverty, violence, and patriarchal tyranny, Firdaus kills a pimp who tried to subjugate her in a last act of protest. The paper looks at how artificial intelligence systems based on utilitarianism, deontology, and virtual ethics of care would judge her decision, often missing the background of gendered violence. Feminist perspectives, particularly Carol Gilligan's ethics of care and intersectional justice theories, feminist viewpoints present a quite different moral lens—one that emphasises connections, autonomy, and resistance to systematic injustice. By integrating literary analysis, real-world AI case studies, and feminist critique, the study exposes how often artificial intelligence condemns behaviours like Firdaus' while feminist ethics view them as morally justified. It emphasises how present artificial intelligence systems ignore the reality of oppression and the complexity of human resistance, so they fail. In response, the article offers a fresh, feminist-informed paradigm for AI morality that stresses fairness, context, and compassion. In the end, it demands moral algorithms that honour the voices and hardships of underprivileged groups. Keywords: Feminist ethics; Nawal El Saadawi; Woman at point zero; intersectional justice; artificial intelligence; gendered violence Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 27-36 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2253 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/53 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/53/37 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:53 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ramsha Aveen Title: Reel Representation: Fostering Justice and Empowerment for the LGBTIQA+ Community Through Indian Cinema Publication-Status: Published Abstract: Media representations hold a significant place in contemporary times, with cinema emerging as one of the most influential and widely consumed mediums. As an ideological state apparatus, cinema has the power to shape discourse and public consciousness. Historically, Indian films have portrayed the LGBTIQA+ community in a negative light, often reinforcing stereotypes and reducing individuals to caricatures used for ridicule, mockery, or villainy. These portrayals reflect the deep-rooted homophobia in Indian society, where, despite the decriminalisation of homosexuality, the community continues to face discrimination in education, employment, legal rights, and daily social interactions. They remain marginalised as ‘others’ within a predominantly heteronormative framework. However, Indian cinema has witnessed a gradual shift—from stereotypical portrayals to more nuanced and empathetic representations of LGBTIQA+ lives. By showcasing complex characters and their struggles within a cis-gendered society, films have the potential to foster empathy, validate identities, and create awareness. Cinema, therefore, emerges not just as a source of entertainment but also as a vital pedagogical tool that sensitises audiences by bringing to light the lived realities of the LGBTIQA+ community. The objective of this paper is to examine three Indian films that authentically depict the challenges faced by the LGBTIQA+ community. It seeks to highlight how cinema can act as a catalyst for social change, promoting justice, inclusion, and empowerment. Through thoughtful storytelling, films can play a transformative role in building a just and equitable society by normalising diverse identities and encouraging meaningful dialogue. Keywords: homophobia; justice; films; Empowerment; Sexuality; Social Change; LGBTIQA+ Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 37-43 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2258 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/58 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/58/41 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:58 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mahera Imam Author-Name: N. Manimekalai Author-Name: S. Suba Title: From Data to Discrimination: Gender, Privacy, and the Politics of Digital Surveillance Publication-Status: Published Abstract: A greater amount of surveillance of gendered populations has been brought about as a consequence of the era of datafication, which has the effect of reinforcing the structural forms of inequality that already exist.   Taking a critical look at the ways in which surveillance capitalism and algorithmic governance turn privacy into a contentious domain, with a disproportionate impact on women and communities that are excluded, this article examines the ways in which these two factors exacerbate the problem.   The purpose of this study is to analyse the ways in which well-established patriarchal and racial biases contribute to the growth of digital vulnerabilities using technology such as facial recognition and predictive policing.  In order to accomplish this, it makes use of feminist theories and publications that have been issued by Amnesty International (2022) and the United Nations Women (2023).   The digital panopticon has the effect of expanding offline oppression into digital domains so that it can be experienced by a greater number of people. This is in contrast to the data colonialism, which greatly restricts autonomy, particularly in the Global South.   Particularly in light of the expansion of cyberstalking, doxxing, and bias guided by artificial intelligence, the absence of gender-sensitive digital regulations continues to be a significant cause for worry.   In order to argue that surveillance is a political act of control and to suggest that intersectional digital rights frameworks should be implemented, the goal of this study is to be conducted.  It accomplishes this by addressing feminist criticisms that have been made in the past.   This organisation seeks to reimagine privacy as a social and feminist concern in the digital age. Its mission is to work for systemic reforms in the fields of law, technology, and policy for the purpose of achieving this goal. Keywords: Datafication; Surveillance Capitalism; Algorithmic Governance; Data Colonialism; Feminist Digital Rights; Women Empowerment Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 44-54 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2262 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/62 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/62/43 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:62 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mohd Kashif Author-Name: Jawaid Alam Title: Poetry, Politics, and Purity: The Khari Boli–Braj Bhasha Debate in Colonial North India Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This paper explores the Khari Boli–Braj Bhasha debate in colonial North India as a pivotal episode in the politics of language, where literary choices were deeply intertwined with questions of cultural identity, communal affiliation, and linguistic nationalism. At its surface, the debate appeared to center on dialectal preferences in Hindi poetry—Braj Bhasha, the classical medium of devotional verse, versus Khari Boli, the emerging standard for modern prose. However, the controversy reflected deeper ideological anxieties, shaped by the broader Hindi–Urdu controversy and the colonial state’s role in codifying linguistic identities. Supporters of Braj Bhasha viewed the adoption of Khari Boli in poetry as a potential conduit for Urdu’s influence, which they saw as threatening the purity of Hindi and its Hindu cultural roots. In contrast, proponents of Khari Boli emphasized its accessibility, standardisation, and modern potential, viewing it as essential for the future growth of Hindi literature. The debate also invoked arguments around the division of poetic and prose registers, the shared linguistic heritage of Hindi dialects, and the perceived encroachment of Persian and Arabic lexicons through Urdu. Figures like Radha Charan Goswami, Shridhar Pathak, and Pratap Narayan Mishra framed these tensions in both cultural and communal terms. Ultimately, the Khari Boli–Braj Bhasha dispute was not merely about literary form but symbolized the contestation over Hindi’s identity and its autonomy from Urdu. It reveals how literary aesthetics became a vehicle for negotiating broader social, religious, and political concerns in colonial India’s linguistically charged environment. Keywords: Khari Boli; Braj Bhasha; Hindi–Urdu controversy; Colonial India; Language and identity; Literary politics Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 55-61 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2265 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/65 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/65/45 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:65 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Seham Alosaimi Title: Unseen and Unbelieved: Crip Feminism, Narrative Agency, and Disabled Women in Global Psychological Thrillers Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This study employs crip feminism, a framework integrating disability justice and feminist theory, to examine how disabled women protagonists in psychological thrillers navigate surveillance, trauma, and credibility across Western and non-Western contexts. Analyzing Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Caitlín R. Kiernan’s The Drowning Girl, Porochista Khakpour’s Sick, Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police, and Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer, I argue that neurodivergent, chronically ill, and mentally distressed characters subvert ableist labels of "unreliability" through fragmented narratives and embodied resistance. By juxtaposing texts from the UK, US, Japan, and Nigeria, this project reveals how race, class, and cultural context intensify scrutiny of disabled women’s voices, while digital platforms (e.g., social media, health apps) introduce new modes of surveillance. Combining close reading, comparative analysis, crip narrative theory (Siebers, Kafer), and digital ethnography of reader responses on Goodreads/BookTok, I demonstrate that these protagonists reclaim agency against medical gaslighting, institutional erasure, and societal dismissal. The research bridges gaps in feminist thriller scholarship—which overlooks disability (Philips, 2021; Cîrlig, 2022)—and disability studies, which neglects popular genres (Davis, 2017). Findings contest linear, ableist storytelling norms and highlight thrillers as sites for decolonizing literary analysis, offering new insights into inclusive narratives, intersectional oppression, and digital-age resistance. Keywords: Crip Feminism; Disability; Psychological Thrillers; Surveillance; Trauma; Credibility; Intersectionality; Narrative Agency; Feminist Literary Studies; Digital Humanities Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 62-72 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2264 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/64 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/64/44 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:64 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Amritha Renganath Title: The Effectiveness of Brain Gym in Improving Cognitive, Physical, and Social Skills in Children with Special Needs in an Inclusive School: A Qualitative Study Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This qualitative study explores the effectiveness of Brain Gym exercises in enhancing cognitive, physical, and social skills in children with special needs within an inclusive school setting. Brain Gym consists of 26 movement-based activities designed to support coordination, attention, and learning readiness. The study follows five students aged 5–11, each with varying developmental challenges, over a 10-month intervention period. A case study methodology was used, employing daily observation, lesson planning, and tracking of Individualised Education Plan (IEP) goals. Students participated in Brain Gym sessions three to five times per week, with movements tailored to support targeted academic and analysed behavioural goals. Results indicated noticeable improvements in areas such as attention, literacy, motor coordination, and social interaction. While outcomes varied across individuals, trends suggested Brain Gym contributed positively to classroom engagement and skill acquisition. Limitations of the study include the small sample size, absence of a control group, limited representation of the full spectrum of disabilities, potential influence of other teaching methods and therapies, and reliance on observational data without formal triangulation. Although informal feedback was received from teachers and parents, it was not systematically collected or analysed. These findings suggest that Brain Gym may be a valuable complementary tool in inclusive education, warranting further research with larger and more diverse samples and the inclusion of controlled variables. Keywords: Brain Gym; Cognitive; Physical; Social Skills; Special Needs; Inclusive School Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 73-85 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2269 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/69 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/69/49 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:69 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Manzoor Ahmad Parey Title: Dialogic Pedagogy as a Liberatory Praxis in Schooling: Challenging Power Dynamics and Neoliberalism in the Context of Schools in Kashmir Publication-Status: Published Abstract: Dialogic pedagogy positions learners and their lived experiences at the core of education, reimagining schooling as a collaborative process of co-constructing, challenging, and reinterpreting knowledge within its social, cultural, and political contexts. This approach fosters critical consciousness, empathy, and democratic engagement, which are essential for meaningful education, particularly in conflict-affected regions like Kashmir. Amid Kashmir’s complex sociopolitical disruptions, digital divides, and educational inequities, dialogic pedagogy emerges as a transformative alternative to neoliberal, exam-driven, and authoritarian educational models. This paper situates dialogic pedagogy as a liberatory praxis within Kashmiri schooling, integrating foundational theories with recent policy reforms and grassroots innovations. Ten respondents were interviewed across the Kashmir Division as the effective sample to explore various aspects of socio-political narratives in consonance with the implications of dialogic pedagogy. It offers a nuanced critique that acknowledges local resilience, intersectional realities, and the therapeutic potential of dialogic engagement, enhanced by illustrative narratives that humanise the lived experiences of Kashmiri students and educators. The paper explores the post-traumatic development of various socio-political dimensions, where individuals have learnt to both survive and thrive in the face of adversity. The paper also focusses on the impact of the neoliberal and chronic capitalistic approach to present-day schooling, which imposes more exclusion on marginalised groups. The role of dialogic pedagogy is to rise against this notion and impose a strategic limitation on the privatisation and marketing of education, like other potential capitals. The paper suggests that dialogic pedagogy plays a significant role in the Indian context, aligning with the National Education Policy 2020 and other critical measures to promote its importance in this diverse society. Keywords: Conflict zones; dialogic pedagogy; digital divide; education policy; intersectionality; Kashmir; neoliberalism; liberatory praxis Journal: Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Pages: 86-94 Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Year: 2025 Month: June DOI: 10.63960/SIJMDS-2025-2270 File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/view/70 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://sijmds.com/index.php/pub/article/download/70/50 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:ett:sijmds:v:2:y:2025:i:2:a:70