درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Space and Identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian: A Deleuze and Guattarian Reading Abstract This study explores the intricate relationship between space and identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, utilizing the geocritical concepts of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. By examining his novel, the study investigates how the interaction of smooth and striated spaces shapes and reshapes characters' identities. Through the lens of Deleuze and Guattari, the research highlights the fluidity and dynamism of spaces, focusing on the continuous interplay without rigid distinctions between space and place. As the integration of Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of the war machine, nomad, and rhizome is essential to understanding the influence of space on characters' identity, this study begins with examining these key concepts. The rhizome concept parallels the non-linear, interconnected narrative structures in McCarthy's work in which the nomadic existence of characters underscores their search for meaning and survival in a world of constant flux. Through detailed analysis, this study aims to uncover the ways in which McCarthy's characters grapple with their identities amidst perpetual change, offering a nuanced understanding of the interplay between space and identity in contemporary literature. Keywords: Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, Deleuze and Guattari's Geocriticism, Space, Identity

This quantitative correlational study explored the effects of different types of dynamic assessment on the writing proficiency of Iraqi female EFL learners. Fifty-four upper-intermediate female students, aged 17-25, from the Global English Institute in Baghdad, Iraq, participated in the study. The participants were selected based on their performance in the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and were subsequently divided into three groups: interactionist experimental, interventionist experimental, and control. The study employed several instruments, including a participation consent form, the OPT, a writing pre-test and post-test, and writing practices administered during the treatment phase. The intervention covered a full semester, with each group receiving tailored instructional strategies. The interactionist group focused on the Dynamic Mediation Process, while the interventionist group employed targeted interventions based on individual needs. The results, analyzed through pre- and post-tests, demonstrated the efficacy of dynamic assessment techniques in enhancing writing skills, suggesting their potential for broader application in EFL contexts.

This essay explores the psychological tension between the Symbolic and Imaginary orders in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, examining how these tensions relate to trauma through the theories of Jacques Lacan and Cathy Caruth. By analyzing Holden Caulfield's fantasies, rejection of adult "phoniness," and fragmented identity, the study reveals how trauma disrupts the subject’s relation to the Symbolic and manifests in obsessive retreats into fantasy. Drawing on Lacan’s concepts of the Real, Symbolic, and Imaginary orders and Caruth’s theory of trauma as an unassimilated experience, alongside recent critical studies, this essay offers a psychoanalytic reading of Holden’s alienation, illustrating how his attempts to resist symbolic structures ultimately reinforce his trauma. Through an analysis of Holden’s relationships, internal conflict, and interactions with adults, the essay argues that his rejection of the adult world is driven by a fear of corruption, insincerity, and the inevitability of change. Holden's critique of adult society, exemplified through his cynicism toward institutions and adults around him, is contrasted with his idealization of childhood innocence, represented by his fantasies of being "the catcher in the rye." By examining the symbolic significance of Holden’s red hunting hat and his relationships with characters like Phoebe and Jane, the essay highlights his internal struggle and ultimate inability to reconcile the innocence of youth with the complexities of adulthood. The analysis concludes by addressing Holden's self-destructive path, revealing the broader themes of alienation, disillusionment, and the tension between childhood purity and the pressures of growing up in.

This study investigated the direct and indirect relationships between perceived social support and academic procrastination, mediated by Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU), based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. The sample comprised 354 Iranian high school students (60% female), who completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students (PASS). The instruments' validity was confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), while reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The results of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that perceived social support has a significant negative effect on both academic procrastination and PSMU. Moreover, PSMU was found to play a significant mediating role in the link between perceived social support and academic procrastination. Overall, a decline in perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others prompts individuals to seek support through unregulated social media use, which subsequently contributes to academic procrastination.