Document Type : scientific-research
Authors
1 University of Tehran
2 Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran
Abstract
Here, a synthesis of the historical sociology (the effect of historical and social mechanisms of the 1960s on the occurrence of land reforms), cultural studies (critique of urban-rural power relations by Al-Ahmad), and communications (production of the novel The Curse of the Earth as a medium) approaches is offered to critically study the novel ‘The Curse of the Earth’ by Jalal Ale-Ahmad. In recent years, ecological critique has fascinated the attention of many researchers and environmental enthusiasts. Given its existing capacities and interdisciplinary nature, this approach has been able to open its place in various scientific disciplines, including natural disciplines and humanities, and through it, the environmental crisis and the need to address this issue have become more prominent than ever. In this paper, an attempt is made to critically evaluate the novel "The Curse of the Earth" using the concepts presented in the ecological approach.
In this novel, the author deals with the relationship between humans and the environment in three main levels. First, the rural environment is contrasted with the urban environment. On another level, the arrival of automobiles in the countryside and the consequences they have had and continue to have on people's culture and attitudes are our second concern. Thirdly, the issue of land reform, with a metaphorical function, informs about human interference in nature and the natural environment. This metaphorical use, as well as the novel's title, which suggests The Curse of the Earth on its inhabitants, provides a platform for ecological criticism, in which all human activities on the natural environment can be scrutinized through a new lens.
One of the major contributions of this paper is the combination of approaches from historical sociology, cultural studies, and communication to understand the temporal and historical context of the production of the novel "The Curse of the Earth". If we had not chosen such a Synthesis, we would not have understood why Al-Ahmad had come to identify the destruction of nature in the 1960s.
Keywords
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