ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts

DIGITAL VISUALITIES AND MEDIA PRACTICES: EXPLORING AI-GENERATED NARRATIVES FOR LEARNER ENGAGEMENT IN ESL CLASSROOMS

2026-05-26T05:43:09+00:00

Background: The development of visual storytelling AI generators (DALL-E, Midjourney) has become a common feature of contemporary English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Nevertheless, the current status and evidence on potential impacts of AI-based visual stories on learners’ engagement exhibit low proficiency.
Purpose: The present research aims at studying the effect of AI-based visual stories on behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement of ESL learners in the context of narrative writing within university settings of selected undergraduate students at random in India.
Methodology: A quasi-experiment with a mixed-methods approach was conducted among 48 B2-level undergraduate ESL learners for eight weeks using the author’s AI visual storytelling tool VisNAR. Data collection methods included validated questionnaires measuring engagement both before and after the intervention, cognitive load measurement scales, task completion time records, and semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 participants. These participants voluntarily agreed to take part in the study.
Results: There was a statistically significant rise in behavioural engagement (from M = 3.12, SD = 0.68 pre to M = 4.01, SD = 0.72 post; t(47) = 6.21, p < .001, d = 0.89) as well as emotional engagement (from pre M = 2.95, SD = 0.81 to post M = 3.88, SD = 0.79; t(47) = 5.94, p < .001, d = 0.78). However, no significant changes in cognitive engagement were observed (from pre-M = 3.45, SD = 0.70 to post M = 3.52, SD = 0.84, p = .557). Perceived cognitive load dropped from M = 5.2 to M = 4.1 (p = .03). According to the results of thematic analysis of qualitative data, visual stimuli were a "spark" to initiate writing activities in 11 out of 12 cases, while cognitive overload occurred in six out of 12 cases owing to the number of visual-stimuli details; moreover, visual fixation and passive imitation of AI-generated content were reported in five out of 12 cases.

COLLECTIVE THINKING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TERRITORIAL PROJECTS

2026-05-26T11:39:20+00:00

This research examines the methodology of collective thinking in the management of territorial projects within the Moroccan context. It traces the evolution of local decentralization and communal administration in Morocco, highlighting their significance in societal development. The study delves into the concept of collective thinking, distinguishing it from groupthink, and explores the principles, importance, objectives, and characteristics of project management. Furthermore, it details the five fundamental stages involved in managing territorial projects, from needs diagnosis and priority setting to resource assessment and project document drafting, emphasizing a participatory and analytical approach. The aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of effective territorial project management through collective methodologies.

CYBERCRIMES IN LIBYAN LAW

2026-05-26T11:03:17+00:00

This study examines the Libyan legislator's policy in confronting cybercrimes, focusing on Law No. 6 of 2022. It analyzes the challenges faced by traditional legal frameworks in addressing the evolving nature of digital offenses and the efforts undertaken at regional and international levels to combat them. The research adopts an analytical-inductive approach to evaluate the Libyan legislation's effectiveness, identifying its strengths and weaknesses in balancing crime deterrence with human rights protection. Key findings reveal legislative shortcomings, inconsistencies in penalties, and a lack of alignment with international agreements, leading to recommendations for redrafting laws, enhancing judicial and security capabilities, and fostering international cooperation to create a robust framework against cybercrime.

IMPROVING RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN BIHAR THROUGH MGNREGA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

2026-05-26T09:24:51+00:00

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a flagship rural employment scheme of the Government of India, aimed at providing a minimum of 100 days of wage-based employment to rural households. In an economically backward state like Bihar, this scheme has made a significant contribution towards improving rural living standards. The objective of the present study is to analyze the impact, challenges, and future prospects of MGNREGA in the rural areas of Bihar. The study utilizes both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through questionnaires and interviews, while secondary data were drawn from government reports, economic surveys, and published research papers. Various studies have found that MGNREGA has played a pivotal role in reducing rural unemployment, enhancing income levels, encouraging women's participation, and building rural infrastructure. Recent evaluation studies in Bihar have also revealed that the scheme has had a positive impact on livelihood security; however, issues such as delayed wage payments, administrative irregularities, and a lack of awareness persist. The study concludes that if transparency, social audits, and digital management mechanisms are strengthened, MGNREGA has the potential to further
bolster the living standards of rural communities in Bihar.

"NAVIGATING THE ACADEMIA: AN ODYSSEY OF CHALLENGES FACED BY HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THE PURSUIT OF LEARNING - A MIXED RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE"

2026-05-26T11:03:18+00:00

The primary objective of the study is to identify the various challenges confronted by the students in Higher Education at Colleges and Universities. The respondents of the study comprised of undergraduates, postgraduates and educational supervisors from prominent colleges and universities of India. The participants of the survey totaled to 381 undergraduate and postgraduate students and 22 supervisors of the total population taken into consideration. A 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to the respondents. Analysis of the document was also carried out for every major and or minor course to consummate the syllabus. Data interpretation retrieved ten main learning challenges faced by students of higher education, namely: challenge of cognition, at being an active learner, adaptation with reading material, instructional barriers, language barrier, time management, assignment burden, and cultural variations in higher education. Our astute findings suggest that organizations of higher learning need to cluster on construction of knowledge through the cooperative interaction between lecturer and the students which becomes a platform for the students to evolve as a learning challenger they were not in the past in higher education. The study underscores the significance of addressing students' instructional concerns within educational institutions. It advocates a collaborative approach, defining clear roles and responsibilities, supporting supervisors in developing effective teaching strategies, and aligning teaching and learning outcomes with discipline, ethics, knowledge acquisition, and student well-being. The focus is on nurturing students' holistic development through student-centered learning, emphasizing inquiry, analysis, and critical engagement. Exceptional educators are marked by their commitment to self-reflection and the continuous enhancement of their teaching to ensure meaningful learning experiences for students.

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE, DURABILITY ENHANCEMENT, AND CRACK HEALING TECHNIQUES

2026-05-26T11:39:22+00:00

Bacterial self-healing concrete has proven to be a viable solution to enhance the durability, crack resistance and service life of concrete structures in a more eco-friendly manner. The shrinkage, thermal, chemical and corrosion induced cracking of conventional concrete structures leads to structural deterioration which increases the maintenance costs. While a few review studies have incorporated mechanical performance and durability enhancement, there is limited work that has considered all the above-listed areas in a single study: mechanical performance, durability enhancement, crack healing efficiency, sustainability and industrial challenges. This review critically discusses the recent developments of bacterial self-healing concrete focusing on Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP), bacterial selection, bacterial incorporation methods, and durability performance. The results show that the bacterial concrete can increase the compressive strength by around 10–40% and crack healing efficiency up to 95% and can effectively reduce the permeability, water absorption, and chloride ingress. However, among the bacterial species investigated, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus sphaericus and Sporosarcina pasteurii had the best healing performance. The microstructural analyses showed that the increased durability is due to calcium carbonate precipitation, pore refinement and matrix densification. The review also brings up issues of bacterial survivability, ammonia generation, high initial cost, and the lack of standard guidelines for implementing at field scale.

WORK–LIFE BALANCE CHALLENGES, COPING MECHANISMS, AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG MARRIED WOMEN IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

2026-05-26T09:24:54+00:00

The hospitality industry often portrays itself as being highly demanding, with long hours of work, irregular working times, and emotionally charged roles. This prospective study attempts to examine the constraints and challenges experienced by married women in a hotel environment in terms of balancing their professional and home life. Furthermore, it investigates the means employed by married women to cope with workplace pressures and family responsibilities. Key areas examined in this article include the effects of organisational factors, gender-related issues, and support systems on employees' quality of life and job satisfaction. A systematic narrative review methodology was utilised, using scholarly databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. After completing the PRISMA-based selection process, 35 peer-reviewed studies were selected for inclusion, published between 2020 and 2026. Findings indicate that married women in hospitality experience difficulties achieving their desired work-life balance and job satisfaction due to irregular shifts, an excessive workload, gender discrimination, and limited opportunities for career advancement; however, coping mechanisms, such as time management, emotional resilience, social support, and flexible workplace policies have been shown to improve overall employee welfare and sustainability. The study concludes by supporting the finding that implementing supportive workplace practices and inclusive workplace policies will improve both job satisfaction and overall well-being.

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SHAPING CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES: DIGITAL INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

2026-05-26T09:24:57+00:00

The study examines the potential of “information technology (IT)” and digital innovation to address and support the “culture and creative industries (CCIs)” transformation into a more competitive and sustainable “new knowledge economy (NKE)”. The study employed a quantitative research design and data were collected from 200 respondents from all the cultural and creative sectors of Delhi NCR, India using structured questionnaires. The analysis of digital innovations' effectiveness, assessed in relation to their use, statistical tools such as correlation/regression analysis have been used to measure the relationships with IT use and the various outputs such as growth, cultural sustainability and creativity. The results demonstrate the positive impact digital innovation can have on the organisation's performance and competitiveness and the organisation's productivity across its various tools and expansion possibilities thanks to AI. In general, there appears to be a moderate but significant relationship between the digital innovation and cultural sustainability, showing the value of technology for the protection and preservation of cultural values. The study shows necessity for embracing digital technologies to create a resilient economy and a sustainable future approach in order to realize the future economy in the field of the creative economy.

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF VISUAL ART IN COPING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

2026-05-26T11:03:19+00:00

Psychological stress among undergraduate students is a growing global mental health concern that negatively affects emotional well-being, academic performance, and quality of life. Recently, visual arts have been recognized as a potential coping strategy that supports emotional expression, psychological relief, and resilience. The research design used was a qualitative phenomenological research design. The study was carried out in a higher education institute in Chennai, India. A purposive sampling method was employed to identify 15 undergraduate students who frequently used drawing, painting, sketching, and/or digital illustration as a coping strategy for stress. In-depth interviews were used as a qualitative data collection technique, and Colaizzi's phenomenological method was employed to analyse the data. The trustworthiness was assured by applying the criteria of Lincoln and Guba. Fifteen undergraduate students aged 18–24 years participated in the study. The participants were chosen based on their experiences of psychological stress and involvement in emotional coping through visual art practices. Data collection consisted of individual, in-depth interviews that were 40-60 minutes long. Interviews were recorded, with consent, with field notes taken to assist in capturing non-verbal communications as well as contextual information. Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method was employed to identify significant statements, build meanings, cluster themes and create an exhaustive description of the phenomenon to uncover the essential structure of lived experience. The seven main themes are: (1) visual art as expression of feeling, (2) psychological relief through art, (3) creativity and self discovery, (4) emotional regulation through art, (5) resilience and hope through art, (6) social connectedness through art, and (7) visual art as mindfulness and healing. Participants valued visual art as a viable coping mechanism that helped them to express their emotions, gain insight into themselves, reduce stress and build psychological strength.

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN ENCOUNTERING WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION IN AMÉLIE NOTHOMB’S NOVELS

2026-05-26T11:03:20+00:00

Discrimination is an unequal treatment of individuals belonging to a minority group on the basis of an illegitimate criterion. In labor relations, stereotypes take the form of unfavorable cognitive biases that keep out productive workers belonging to minority groups, promote inter-society among members of the majority group and undermine the free market. In this sense, the costs of discrimination are not only social, but also economic, since they adversely affect national growth.
It also takes into consideration the indicators linked to the discriminatory situation women face in the labor market, in particular the type of contract, verbal and physical harassment, freedom of choice of work, compensation, women's salary progression after maternity, insurance and unionization, dismissal due to maternity, access to responsibility, vocational training, etc. Discrimination must therefore be tackled, not only in the labor market, but also in other sectors of society. This being the case, the professional sector, in the broadest sense of the term, is a strategic entry point for combating discrimination, not only in employment and occupation, but also in other sectors. This study focus on the works of Amélie Nothomb who is Belgian originated Francophone writer. She is apparently addressing the problems faced by women in workplace discrimination such as dishonor, humiliation and integration failures occur at working place in the work of Amélie Nothomb. This study highlights these discriminations that how she addressed these problems in her writing.