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APPALLING ACTS OF BRUTALITY WITH SEXUAL SLAVE GIRLS: SUBALTERN COGNIZANCE AND SOCIAL CRUSADING IN SOMALY MAM'S AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL RECOUNT
Corresponding Author(s) : Hassan Bin Zubair
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews,
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2021): March
Abstract
Purpose of the study: This research explores Somaly Mam's The Road of Lost Innocence through the perspective of gender subaltern in which she calls for collective activism to empower sexual slave girls' position and status in society. She raises her voice against the dominant social force to establish her own space and other sexed women's space in society
Methodology: This research is qualitative in nature. To analyze the selected text, few critics and writers have observed the text from different perspectives. Theories of Spivak, Guha, Suzette R Grillot, Heidi Hoefinger, Nicholas Kristof, Abigali Pesta, and Karen Thornber support this research to find the answers to the research questions.
Main Findings: Mam depicts unspeakable acts of brutality with sexual slave girls in brothels. Through writing, she appeals to all people in the world to take the issue of sexuality and girl trafficking seriously which is horrible these days.
Applications of this study: This paper will emphasize Mam's subaltern consciousness which is ambivalent consciousness. Mam requests for collective activism to eradicate women's exploitation from the world. Her activism looks contributory but paradoxical.
Novelty/Originality of this study: The study is novel in its approach and methods of research in autobiographical literature. Despite being an orphan, domestic and sexual slave girl, Mam succeeds to be an activist and reformist through her struggle. Her activism plays important role in the field of sexual slavery and girl trafficking.
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- Bhadra, G. (1989). The Mentality of Subalternity. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
- Chattergee, P. (1989). Caste and Subaltern Consciousness. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
- Chaudhary, A. K. (1995). In search of a Subaltern Lenin. Subaltern Studies V. Oxford University Press.
- Das, V. (1989). Subaltern as Perspective. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
- Gandi, L. (1998). After Colonialism. Post-Colonial Theory. Oxford University Press.
- Grillot, S. R. (2013). Human Trafficking. Board of Regent of the University Oklahoma, 87(4), 6. https://doi.org/10.1353/wlt.2013.0090 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7588/worllitetoda.87.4.0006
- Grmasci, A. (1971). The Prison Notebooks: Selections. Trans. And Eds. Quentin Horace and Geoffery Nowell Smith. International Publisher.
- Guha, R. (1989). Dominance without Hegemony and It's Historiography. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
- Hoefinger, H. (2011). Neoliberal Sexual Humanitarianism and Storytelling: The Case of Somaly Mam. Routledge.
- Kristof, N. (2011). Fighting back: One Brothel Raid at a Time.â€The New York Times.
- Mam, S. (2007). The Road of Lost Innocence. Virago Press.
- Mcleod, J. (2000). Beginning Post-Colonialism. Manchester University Press.
- Pesta, A. (2014). Somaly Mam’s Story: I did not Lie. Newsweek.
- Rocap, A. (2011). The Road of Lost Innocence- A personal account of the atrocities of Cambodia's sex slave industry." Children Legal Rights, 70-75.
- Sayigh, R. (1999). Gendering the Nationalist Subject: Palestinian Camp Women’s Life Story. Subaltern Studies IX. Oxford University Press.
- Singer, A. (1998). Can the Subaltern Speak? Marxism and Interpretation of Culture. Oxford University Press.
- Skartun, G. (1995). A Literary Representation of the Subaltern: Mahasweta Devi's Standayini. Subaltern Studies V. Oxford University Press.
- Spivak, G. C. (1986). Subaltern Studies: Deconstructing Historiography. Subaltern Studies IV. Oxford University Press.
- Stephens, J. (1989). Feminist Fictions: A Critique of the Category ‘Non-Western Woman’ in Feminist writings on India. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
- Thornber, K. (2013). Global Health and World Literature: Translating silences in Cambodian Writing on Sex Slavery. John Hopkins University Press, 31(2), 235-255. https://doi.org/10.1353/lm.2013.0018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/lm.2013.0018
- Visweswaran, K. (1996). Small Speeches, Subaltern Gender: Nationalist Ideology and It’s Historiography. Subaltern Studies IX. Oxford University Press.
- Yasin, G., Waqar, S., Javed, N., & Naeem, A. (2021). Endurance of the Subaltern: A Study Of A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khalid Hosseini. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 9(3), 745-753. https://doi.org/10. 18510/hssr.2021.9373 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2021.9373
- Zubair, H. B. (2021). The World is Divided into Center-Periphery Structures: Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West Presents the Fiasco of Western Grand Narrative of Globalization. Psychology and Education, 58(5), 2842-2849.
References
Bhadra, G. (1989). The Mentality of Subalternity. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
Chattergee, P. (1989). Caste and Subaltern Consciousness. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
Chaudhary, A. K. (1995). In search of a Subaltern Lenin. Subaltern Studies V. Oxford University Press.
Das, V. (1989). Subaltern as Perspective. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
Gandi, L. (1998). After Colonialism. Post-Colonial Theory. Oxford University Press.
Grillot, S. R. (2013). Human Trafficking. Board of Regent of the University Oklahoma, 87(4), 6. https://doi.org/10.1353/wlt.2013.0090 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7588/worllitetoda.87.4.0006
Grmasci, A. (1971). The Prison Notebooks: Selections. Trans. And Eds. Quentin Horace and Geoffery Nowell Smith. International Publisher.
Guha, R. (1989). Dominance without Hegemony and It's Historiography. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
Hoefinger, H. (2011). Neoliberal Sexual Humanitarianism and Storytelling: The Case of Somaly Mam. Routledge.
Kristof, N. (2011). Fighting back: One Brothel Raid at a Time.â€The New York Times.
Mam, S. (2007). The Road of Lost Innocence. Virago Press.
Mcleod, J. (2000). Beginning Post-Colonialism. Manchester University Press.
Pesta, A. (2014). Somaly Mam’s Story: I did not Lie. Newsweek.
Rocap, A. (2011). The Road of Lost Innocence- A personal account of the atrocities of Cambodia's sex slave industry." Children Legal Rights, 70-75.
Sayigh, R. (1999). Gendering the Nationalist Subject: Palestinian Camp Women’s Life Story. Subaltern Studies IX. Oxford University Press.
Singer, A. (1998). Can the Subaltern Speak? Marxism and Interpretation of Culture. Oxford University Press.
Skartun, G. (1995). A Literary Representation of the Subaltern: Mahasweta Devi's Standayini. Subaltern Studies V. Oxford University Press.
Spivak, G. C. (1986). Subaltern Studies: Deconstructing Historiography. Subaltern Studies IV. Oxford University Press.
Stephens, J. (1989). Feminist Fictions: A Critique of the Category ‘Non-Western Woman’ in Feminist writings on India. Subaltern Studies VI. Oxford University Press.
Thornber, K. (2013). Global Health and World Literature: Translating silences in Cambodian Writing on Sex Slavery. John Hopkins University Press, 31(2), 235-255. https://doi.org/10.1353/lm.2013.0018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/lm.2013.0018
Visweswaran, K. (1996). Small Speeches, Subaltern Gender: Nationalist Ideology and It’s Historiography. Subaltern Studies IX. Oxford University Press.
Yasin, G., Waqar, S., Javed, N., & Naeem, A. (2021). Endurance of the Subaltern: A Study Of A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khalid Hosseini. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 9(3), 745-753. https://doi.org/10. 18510/hssr.2021.9373 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2021.9373
Zubair, H. B. (2021). The World is Divided into Center-Periphery Structures: Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West Presents the Fiasco of Western Grand Narrative of Globalization. Psychology and Education, 58(5), 2842-2849.