Narrative analysis

Given the fact that few studies have investigated the English language needs of EAP students in Iran, the present study was an attempt to analyze the needs of Iranian EAP learners of Humanities and Social Sciences. To this end, 114 EAP learners at different educational levels (BA, MA, and PhD) and with different English proficiency levels (elementary, intermediate, and advanced) were asked to provide their responses to a questionnaire. Moreover, ten EAP learners and eight EAP instructors were asked to write narratives about their experiences in EAP courses. Their narratives were then analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin's (1998) systematic approach. The results revealed that the EAP courses did not pay the deserved attention to writing, speaking, and listening skills, while the coverage of the sub-skills (grammar and vocabulary) was successful. Moreover, it was revealed that the EAP textbooks were insufficient in terms of the inclusion of language skills, community-specific cultural issues and conventions, and the topical knowledge. The analysis of the EAP learners’ needs also showed that not all interaction types happened in the EAP courses. Furthermore, the analysis of the narratives of EAP learners and EAP instructors indicated that the EAP curriculum, EAP textbooks and also EAP assessment should include the four language skills, provide a communicative venue for EAP learners to practice their disciplinary issues, and design communicative materials. It can be concluded that the current EAP curriculum needs revision to fulfill the EAP learners’ present and target situation needs.

This paper aims to investigate the portrayals of Hindu-Muslim relations in recent Bollywood movies with a specific emphasis on the Tanhaji movie. The movie narrates and depicts a religious struggle in the 17th century for the liberation of India. While Hindu-Muslim relations and conflicts have had many fluctuations throughout the history of India, evidences indicate that the contemporary situation of Muslims have worsened in the country. In parallel with the discriminatory discourses that are becoming prevalent against Muslims in the mainstream Indian society, different types of media represent and justify these actions. Cinema as the most significant type of popular entertainment in India has played an important role in this regard. The results of the present study indicate that by introducing Hindus as heroes who are smart, loyal, brave, diligent and dedicated to their motherland, and Mughal Muslims as violent, cruel and irrational, certain Bollywood movies have provided a significant contrast between the two groups.

This article seeks to show the representation of gender and Muslim women in Hollywood cinema with a narrative analysis approach. Thus, using the approach of postcolonial theory in the critique of Orientalism discourse and the construction of gender in Eastern and Muslim women, and liberal feminism, Analyzes the narrative of "In the Land of Blood and Honey" (Angelina Jolie, 2011). This film is one of the most important Hollywood films that has dedicated its main narrative to the representation of a Muslim woman. The findings of this study show that the narrative of this film follows Orientalist gender stereotypes and, well, shows the contrast between the liberal and postcolonial feminist approaches. As the Eastern and Muslim woman is humiliated by both her Western sister and her community. Muslim woman in the narrative of this film; Is also the Orientalist object of American cinema; She is subjected to both sexual and gender clichés and is accused of treason against the world system and is considered worthy of death. Narrative analysis of this film can open new perspectives on postcolonial feminism.