hat does it really mean to call something a moment? Its true essence goes beyond just an event or happening. It’s more than that – it’s a whole shift, a powerful experience that resonates deeply and carries multiple layers of meaning. It’s something that not only captures attention but also sets trends, influencing the way we think and act. A moment is like a jolt to the core, an experience that hits one with the force of a cold breeze, awakening one’s instincts and shifting their entire perspective. It’s as if one has been in a deep slumber before one awakens in an electrifying instant. It’s hanging onto a cliff, staring at the darkness below, yet feeling more alive than ever before.

Every time I hear it said in an academic discussion that “the post-colonial moment in Pakistan is yet to come,” I think of it this way: while discussions on post-colonial topics have certainly begun and academic circles are now familiar with the jargon of de-colonial studies, the conversation is still in its early stages. Scholars are engaging with concepts such as the relationship between power and narrative, the politics of canonisation and the latent ways of sustaining hegemony and control. However, despite these developments, we cannot yet claim that research in the humanities has fully embraced the necessity of de-colonial approaches.

One reason for this is that the methodologies and methods employed by researchers in Pakistan remain deeply rooted in colonial structures. Additionally, the reluctance – or resistance – in local academia, especially in Urdu literary circles, to engage with theory is troubling and may, in fact, perpetuate colonial tendencies. This avoidance of theoretical engagement limits the potential for truly transformative research in the humanities.

There could be several reasons for this. It might be a trauma response, though this does not seem very likely; or it could be that such resistance enables academia to function as a colonial apparatus.

Like many post-colonial nations, Pakistan has grappled with questions of cultural identity and the politics of nationalism. In Urdu literature, this has often meant a continued focus on the national canon and the preservation of Urdu as a symbol of cultural unity. Engaging with theoretical frameworks – especially those that question colonial history, national identities, or the idea of a fixed literary canon – can be uncomfortable for those who feel that it may destabilise the cultural foundations of post-colonial Pakistan. The resistance to engaging with theory and developing a theoretical framework for research can thus be seen as an attempt to maintain control over the narrative of national identity, one that remains rooted in tradition, established norms and canonised literary forms and styles.

Urdu, as the state-ordained national language, sets the tone and framework for research not only within its own academic circles but also for regional languages. This dominant research paradigm trickles down into the academic practices of various regional disciplines, creating a shared pattern across various linguistic communities.

Within this context, Bunyad, a literary journal focused on Urdu studies, serves as a harbinger for the post-colonial moment that is yet to come. Let us explore why this is the case. The articles selected for publication in Bunyad share several key features that align with international research standards yet remain a rarity in our local academic landscape. Each research-based article is grounded in a clearly defined context and a robust theoretical framework, providing a solid foundation for the entire study. Furthermore, every paper presents a well-defined thesis, with the subsequent analysis and discussions consistently supporting and advancing the central argument of the paper.

This feature of Bunyad highlights an essential truth: researchers from the Global South must shoulder the responsibility of addressing the region’s trauma, particularly in a context where research has historically been a dirty word. This evokes painful memories of exploitation, as the Global South has long been the researched and reduced to a mere subject in the knowledge-production process. Against this backdrop, the research culture Bunyad is nurturing is not only intellectually enriching but also profoundly healing. It encourages local researchers to reclaim ownership of their ways of knowing; engage actively in developing research methodologies; and assert themselves as agents in the knowledge-creation process.

This empowerment instills crucial confidence in post-colonial citizens – the belief that the creation and evolution of knowledge, along with the frameworks within which it thrives, belong to them.

By fostering this sense of ownership, Bunyad directly resists the West’s inclination to marginalise those who originated many foundational ideas while denying them further opportunities to be creators of their own intellectual and academic practices. In doing so, Bunyad becomes a vital platform for reclaiming agency and asserting the dignity of post-colonial indigenous scholarship.

Another important feature of the journal is that each edition is thoughtfully curated around a specific theme, fostering a focused and cohesive scholarly conversation. This approach actively encourages submissions from authors whose research aligns with the chosen thematic concern, providing a platform for in-depth exploration and diverse perspectives on the subject. The selection of the themes is not arbitrary; it is guided by a deliberate effort to situate local discourse within the broader context of global academic conversations.

In doing so, Bunyad facilitates a meaningful exchange of ideas between local and global research communities. Each volume is carefully designed to reflect contemporary academic concerns, ensuring its relevance to ongoing debates in the international research landscape. This dual focus – on local relevance and global engagement – positions the journal as an important contributor to worldwide academic discussions, making it a valuable resource for both Pakistani and international scholars.

The 15th edition of Buny d focuses primarily on geo-criticism and how spaces and places are constructed in literature. What do these literary landscapes signify, and what importance do they hold in social and cultural contexts? This edition contains a detailed editorial explaining the nuances of geo-criticism in literary studies and the articles included in it employ the geo-critical approach as a research method. These articles present a diverse exploration of the role of space and place in literature.

One study examines Borges’s fiction through Foucauldian concepts of heterotopia and liminal spaces, analysing how the spaces in Borges’s stories function as alternate realms for rethinking power relations, exclusion and the regulation of norms. The central argument is that places, through their existence and role, have the potential to act as agents of political resistance by offering spaces that challenge established structures.

Another article focuses on Iqbal’s poetry, providing a spatial analysis that reveals how specific geographical locations – such as India, Europe, Afghanistan and the Hijaz – have profoundly influenced his poetics and shaped his poetic imagination.

A third article delves into the concept of the bazaar as a spatial metaphor, exploring its treatment in the work of Ghalib and Meer. It investigates how the bazaar embodies the multilayered nature of space, serving as a site where material, social and lived realities intersect, revealing the entangled and complex fabric of human life.

Together, these articles underscore the dynamic relationship between space and literature, offering new perspectives on the ways in which spaces shape and are shaped by literary imagination.

The editorial opens by engaging with one of the perennial debates in the humanities: What is literature, and how can it be defined? It begins by outlining a foundational yet incomplete definition of literature as the finest expression of human experience. Building on this premise, the discussion adopts an Aristotelian approach by posing a fundamental question: How do we define human experience, and what makes it different from the experience of other species?

This inquiry delves into the core elements that shape human experience, offering substantial explanations that lead to an essential proposition for Urdu criticism. The editorial argues that Urdu literary criticism must foreground the concept of place – a significant factor in shaping human experience. It underscores the importance of analysing place not only for understanding imperialist interests tied to spatial representation in literature and other discourses but also for crafting counter-narratives and anti-imperialist strategies. By exploring the radical territorialisation of marginalised or misrepresented spaces, the editorial calls for an engagement with the politics of place. This approach challenges the hegemonic narratives that have historically dominated literary discourses, thereby enriching Urdu criticism and aligning it with broad global intellectual debates.

The other articles related to linguistics and language include an analytical study of Urdu’s first and rare thesaurus, Lughat Muradif, exploring its significance as a foundational resource in Urdu lexicography. Another article focuses on slang – words on the linguistic periphery – highlighting their cultural and social relevance. It explains slang terms used in the northern regions of Pakistan, emphasising their importance in understanding marginalised linguistic expressions.

The articles on poetry include one that explores Habib Jalib as the “popular face of Lahore.” It highlights instances from Jalib’s personal life and poetry to support this viewpoint. Another piece provides a critique of various interpretations of Allama Iqbal’s poem Zauq-o-Shoq. A further article investigates the concept of archetypes by Carl Jung, particularly the shadow archetype, and traces its presence not only in Western literature but also throughout the tradition of Urdu literature.

Another significant contribution in this edition addresses contemporary concerns surrounding the artificial intelligence. This article provides a concise overview of AI’s history and is a groundbreaking work, examining its impact on human creativity and interpretive processes, with particular emphasis on the context of Urdu studies.

The final piece in this edition is a translation of Hélène Cixous’s critical essay, The Laugh of the Medusa, accompanied by detailed annotations and explanations.

The courageous are those who, in the face of adversity, refuse to let hope wither and instead continue to contribute their efforts towards making the world a better place for humanity to flourish and grow. It is easy to succumb to despair, for it brings a deep, suffocating slumber – a temptation to retreat into silence and passivity. True courage lies in harbouring hope in the darkest of times, burning with passion when all other lights seem to flicker out, and lighting the way for generations yet to come.

As GB Shaw beautifully reminds us, the true joy of life is “being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

In this light, initiatives like Bunyad fuel our belief that a brighter tomorrow is within reach. They keep the flame of hope alive, reminding us that the moments we are waiting for – the moments of liberation, epistemic freedom and the creation of a space where pluriversality can thrive – are not distant dreams but are on the verge of becoming a reality.

The writer, an alumna of the Institute of English Studies, Punjab University, has completed her post-graduate studies in the humanities. Currently, she is a research assistant at the Gurmani Centre, LUMS