Thesis (Bachelor of Arts in English)

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    The necessity of an English language preliminary course for the medical college students in Bangladesh: A need analysis study for an ESP course
    (BRAC University, 2022-12) Tabassum, Rubyat; Sultana, Asifa
    The purpose of this research is to assess the breadth and kind of difficulties faced by undergraduate students in various portions of English used in medicine. English is currently largely considered the international language of science, and in the case of medical science, there is hardly any book found in any other language except English. Teaching English in higher education institutions ignores individuals' unique characteristics, needs, goals, interests, and ambitions, independent of their fields of study. The most important and challenging question in teaching and learning is whether the course is effective. The course's efficacy is significantly tied to the learners' needs, deficiencies, and requirements. The essential insight into this approach is to suggest a course design by being attentive to target language learners' needs. In this respect, the English language needs of two medical college students in Bangladesh were investigated by means of a need analysis done on 10 students from two medical colleges with three different mediums of education in their higher secondary level. An open-ended questionnaire was adapted to interview the participants and know about their lacks, wants and suggestions to overcome the problems. The findings of the study suggested an ESP course designed for the students of medical college students before starting their academic life there. The medical jargon, complex sentences, pronunciation, and spelling teaching with the flow of speaking should be part of the course material that the students suggested. The self-evaluation done them shows their poor proficiency level in the English language. The implication of an ESP course would be the best way as came out of the study and the previous research. The course should be equally proper and advantageous specifically for medical college students.
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    The existence and scope of power in females in an assortment of Shakespeare's plays
    (BRAC University, 2022-12) Khan, Mahin; Chowdhury, Rukhsana Rahim
    Shakespeare's vagueness piqued my interest, and when I understood how differently female and male authority functions, I felt driven to write my original opinions on the topic. I have selected Portia, Emilia, Paulina, Desdemona, Juliet, Helen and Rosalind as my Shakespearean plays' female characters for my thesis. I was researching the chosen figures and making an effort to comprehend respective identities inside this framework of the ideals prevalent in Shakespeare's day, that are also reflected in Shakespeare's persona in his writings. My work concentrates on women's components. Despite the fact that females continue to be the story's driving force and finish the production of the overall piece, female characters' significance is often undervalued in literary works. My thesis would examine the very essence and scope of power in females in an assortment of Shakespeare's works, considering the interpretation of both female and power. The portrayal of female characters equally validates and questions the formation of gender. Gender would be described inside the dissertation as gendered stereotyping regarding specific ways of speaking, reasoning and acting that are believed suited to the male or female gender. Main components of my argument include language, and action. Finally, I would want to conclude my argument by pointing out how female gender is concurrently built in the plays. I'll make the point that the formation of gender affects male characters as well. Despite the fact that this structure disproportionately affects women, males may also become victims as a result of it.
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    The paradox of consumption and creation: K-Pop fandom in Bangladesh
    (BRAC University, 2026-02) Apon, Nashita Mahbub; Zaman, Tabassum
    This thesis examines the paradox of consumption and creation within K-pop fandom in Bangladesh, focusing on how fans negotiate between active cultural participation and passive consumption. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on case studies, survey responses, interviews, and media and social media materials to analyze how Bangladeshi fans interact with K-pop as a cultural, social, and economic phenomenon. The research is guided by Marxist theory and Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model to understand fandom as a site of labor, consumption, and meaning-making within a Global South context. The findings show that active K-pop fandom in Bangladesh extends beyond entertainment into performance, skill development, community formation, and selective professionalization. The cases also reveal how global K-pop texts are locally interpreted and re-encoded through performance, negotiation, and embodiment. At the same time, the thesis highlights the central role of passive consumption in sustaining the K-pop industry. Survey and interview data from participants illustrate how listening, streaming, sharing content, purchasing merchandise, and consuming Korean-themed food contribute to commodity circulation and capitalist expansion without requiring creative participation or fan identity. Overall, the study argues that K-pop fandom in Bangladesh operates across a spectrum of engagement, where both active and passive practices play structurally important roles. By situating these practices within Marxist and Hall’s frameworks, the thesis demonstrates how fandom in Bangladesh enables identity formation, cultural translation, and selective mobility while remaining embedded within global capitalist and ideological structures.
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    Insanity or mental strife: a psychological exploration of Hamlet and Macbeth’s downfall
    (BRAC University, 2025-10) Tabassum, Amiya; Chowdhury, Rukhsana Rahim
    Madness was more closely associated with its dictionary description during Shakespeare's time: the state of being mentally sick, frenetic or chaotic activity, or stupid action. In Shakespeare's time, becoming mad was frequently the narrative of a plot or the outcome of tragedy or sadness. Hamlet and Macbeth, the two tragic heroes of Shakespeare show signs of madness and mental illness right from the beginning of the play. Hamlet’s constant procrastination causes much suffering for himself and eventually leads to his tragic end while in Macbeth’s case, it was his unrestrained ambition that led to his downfall. The view of Hamlet as an Oedipus predicament stems from the fundamental concepts of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic psychology. Soren Kierkegaard’s existentialist philosophy resonates strongly with the character of Macbeth. Hamlet and Macbeth’s descent into madness is shaped by complicated psychological conflicts as Hamlet’s Oedipal tension and disturbed psyche reveal symptoms of depression and psychosis, while Macbeth’s repressed guilt and paranoia reflect signs of guilt-induced psychosis, illustrating how Shakespeare intertwines mental illness with the tragic downfall of his protagonists.
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    Claiming a new citizenship on Dhaka’s walls: Gen Z’s visual self-expression in July movement graffiti and wall art
    (BRAC University, 2025) Shahin, Fariha; Zaman, Tabassum
    During Bangladesh's July Movement, students employed graffiti and wall art as a dynamic form of communication and resistance, transforming it from a purely political tool to a means of individual and collective self-expression. During this period of change, Gen Z turned public walls into sites that represented their identities, complaints, and aspirations by incorporating wit, internet culture, and symbols into graffiti. Despite having all the critical attention on the study graffiti of July, a significant research gap exists in understanding how it functions as a deliberate performance of a new, self-authorized political identity by Gen Z, rather than just a reactionary protest tool. This research aims to fill that gap by analyzing the protest graffiti and wall writings of the July Movement to identify the ways in which Gen Z creates a new vision of being a citizen. Hence, this study uses qualitative analysis by drawing on images collected through field documentation in Dhaka (July-August 2024) and applying frameworks from Roland Barthes and Charles Sanders Peirce to analyze aesthetic, textual, and rhetorical shifts. The key findings reveal a fundamental transformation in Bangladesh’s visual rhetoric of protest. The study identifies a shift from a tradition of centralized imagery to a new language of decentralized and culturally hybrid expression. This analysis shows that Gen Z’s artistic expression performs three arguments. First, they assert political legitimacy through directly showing themselves in action as “Auditor-Citizens.” Second, they lay out a proactive plan for an alternative nation by showing themselves as “the change.” Third, they demand their hybrid cultural identity to be accepted as a valid foundation for political action. The study’s conclusion states that their graffiti signifies the performance of a new, self-historicizing citizenship, signifying a departure from top-down political culture and reaffirming Gen Z’s position as Bangladesh’s future architects.
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    Features of Bangla child directed speech: a sketch from observation of pre-school children and caregiver interaction
    (BRAC University, 2026-03) Haq, Muntakimul; Rubaiat, Shakika
    The mixed-method study examines the features of Child Directed Speech (CDS) within the Bangla language. The study employs naturalistic data collection from caregiver-child interactions in different families of the Bangla-speaking community. Children of five different age groups from 2-4 years were selected to observe the changes in CDS features as children develop. The features were categorized based on the functional aspect of the adult utterances. The parameters for the functions were set based on the researcher's own understanding of the language as a native speaker and existing literature on CDS features of other languages. The findings showed that there are indeed CDS features in Bangla; some of these features do show age-sensitive patterns. Furthermore, more the study also provides insight regarding the possible cultural influences a language has and how it is also observed in child-directed speech. Lastly, the study adds to the literature of CDS, especially Bangla CDS, which is quite understudied.
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    Examination culture in Bangladesh: impact on students, teachers and society
    (BRAC University, 2026-02) Akhter, Suhala; Amin, Md Al
    The culture of examinations has long embedded in the education system in Bangladesh. Although examinations were first meant to measure the learning process, for a long time getting a good score in the examination become the primary aim of teaching and learning in the classroom. In Bangladesh context, the examinations, particularly the high-stakes examinations have a profound impact on teaching, learning, and society as a whole. This study explores the impact of this culture of examination on students, teachers and the society as a whole. Specifically, this study explores how examination-based education affects the learning behavior, motivation and psychological well-being of students, teaching to the test and the impact on the society. The study further investigates the role of family expectations and social pressure in strengthening exam dependence and advancing inequality in education. The study was conducted using the qualitative approach, taking the form of in-depth interviews with teachers, students and parents. This approach allowed me to document and present the experiences of the participants under the pressure of the exam and how they would see the learning and teaching under the exam-based system. The findings reveal that the high focus on examinations promotes memorization as opposed to in-depth knowledge and critical thinking. Guidebooks, coaching notes and model answers are used by students as a means of delivering good results and this limits creativity and independent thinking. The constant exam stress has adverse effects on the mental health of students, which causes stress, anxiety, emotional burnout, and low motivation to study. There is also pressure on teachers to give high performance in exams, which do not give them a chance to implement creative and student-centered teaching techniques. Furthermore, the curriculum is highly examination based and there is no room to develop skills and have holistic learning. The study also shows that the culture of exam has broader social implications since academic success associates closely with social status and family anticipations. It puts pressure on the students and parents and enhances inequality by prevalence of private coaching. The study concludes that excessive dependence on examinations restricts the real meaning of education and there is need to reform the assessment systems to encourage meaningful learning, creativity, and student wellbeing.
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    The cultural impact of YouTube travel vlogging in Bangladesh: negotiating homogenization, hybridity, and youth identity
    (BRAC University, 2026-02) Sayem, Rafin Rahman; Tabassum, Samirah
    Digital media has emerged as a cultural force in the modern world which reshapes how individuals imagine the world, form their identities and consume entertainment. Among all digital platforms, Youtube is one of the central mediums where travel vlogging creates cultural flows, blending the local and global cultural aesthetics. This paper investigates how travel vlogging creates cultural homogenization, hybridity and creating a different youth identity formation in Bangladesh and the focus travel content creators are Nadir On The Go, Salahuddin Sumon, Md Fizz. The travel content creator Nadir On The Go, represents globalized travel content with national and international audience highlighting different destinations like Switzerland, Bangkok, Turkey showcases the cosmopolitan leisure practices and normalizes the consumption practices. Also, his narratives reveal Bangladeshi youth attracted to global aspirations of mobility, lifestyle and cultural emphasis on cultural homogenization. Salahuddin Sumon, in contrast, a travel journalist and vlogger illustrates Bangladeshi heritage, historical description and rural landscape. His works manifest cultural hybridization, blending global worldwide trends with local culture to create unique and genuine videos. Another travel vlogger is Md Fizz who make mixture of adventure, humour and lifestyle content to connect with audience. He offers digital storytelling which reflects hybrid youth culture shaped by the global media but in the local way. By analysing the case studies, the research highlights how Youtube travel vlogs have the mix effect on local cultures. They dilute culture by promoting global trends clothing, food and what is considered as fun also preserve culture by showcasing the local tradition, authentic food, community pride, helping to share and maintain unique cultural identities.
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    The role of cooperative learning in developing communicative competence in ELT classrooms: a qualitative study of secondary-level students in Bangladesh
    (BRAC University, 2026-01) Arpa, Zarin Tasnim; Tafannum, Atiya
    Many students of Bangladesh struggle to reinforce their English communicative competence regardless of learning English for several years. Recently in Bangladesh, cooperative learning has been widely practiced in BLT classrooms. Nevertheless, its influence on learners' communicative competence remains insufficiently investigated. This qualitative study explores the role of cooperative learning in developing communicative competence while focusing on students' perspectives, peers' and teachers' roles, and experienced advantages and challenges during the cooperative learning process. Data is collected through semi-structured online interviews with ten secondary-level students from class 7 to class 10 aged 13-15 years studying in different schools in Bangladesh. The data is analyzed by applying thematic analysis to recognize repetitive patterns and core themes of the study. Findings illustrate that cooperative learning improves students' grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, and strategic competence with a slight limited enhancement of discourse competence. Learners emphasize peers performing as scaffolders, correction and feedback givers, and inspiring figures, whereas teachers' major role during cooperative learning is to monitor, facilitate, and provide feedback. The advantages of cooperative learning reported by the learners include instant correction and feedback and more opportunities to practice and expand knowledge, together with easy and comfortable learning. However, the results display challenges encompassing conflicts, unequal participation, domination, insecurity, and fear of judgement among peers. The study concludes that despite cooperative learning remarkably improving the communicative competence of learners in BLT classrooms, the effectiveness depends on equal and fair participation, proper formation of groups, language-based learning, and appropriate classroom management.
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    Through the black colonial lens, viewing slavery and focusing on A Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass
    (BRAC University, 2024-01) Abir, Md. Tasnimul Hasan; Mowtushi, Mahruba
    In this paper, I will be exploring how colonialism spread and how colonialism has changed the world. When European colonizers settled in Africa and Asia, they established colonies and started ruling new foreign lands around the world. Through colonization, they controlled trade around the world. The colonized people had nothing to do with the powerful military approach of the colonizers, as the Europeans claimed to be more superior and civilized. The colonizers claimed that they would civilize and educate the savage natives. White colonizers settled in various parts of America and strengthened colonial rule. Plantations in colonial America required labor. Which they brought from Africa as the colonizers started trade with the African blacks. Thus, slaves had been brought in exchange for British goods. The slaves were transported through the middle passage, which is known by the name of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. So, I am arguing that colonial rule led to chattel slavery. Chattel slavery was different as it addressed slaves as private property and gave them no rights. The number of slaves involved in the trans- Atlantic slave trade makes it a significant event in American history. The slaves were treated like animals on the plantations; they were not even properly fed. The torture and beating slaves endured during the course of slavery cannot be explained in words. Slave masters had the power to do anything with their slaves and could order anything to be done. White masters had sex with the black slaves, which was a common practice among masters. A black woman could not do anything to protect her chastity, as she had no rights to do so. Inhumane treatment and harsh conditions only gave slaves agony and sorrow. Black slaves, who were men, could not even protect their wives or children from the master. If a master wanted to have sex with any slave, there was no stopping him; any slave could do nothing against him. For the slaves, the master was always right, no matter what. Until slavery was abolished, the suffering of the slaves continued. The abolition of slavery was not easy, as the Americans had a biblical justification for slavery and it was a source of free labor for their plantations. But the key fact here is that chattel slavery began in America as a result of colonialism. Fredrick Douglass was a slave himself who had nothing to wear or eat; he slept on the floor and suffered from the harsh realities of slavery. He had seen the cruelty of slavery with his own eyes and gave readers a glimpse of it in his novel A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. During his time as a slave, he saw how slaves suffered. He saw the suffering and inhumane conditions of slaves. But as he grew up, he started learning from a mistress and understood that education can bring some light into his dark. Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were like friends and had a profound impact on the abolishment of slavery. So, in this paper, I will be analyzing how Chattel slavery started from colonialism from a colonial lens, and through the analysis of A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, I will try to briefly analyze how slaves were treated in the plantation and what the life of an African slave was like. I will also be exploring things that helped British colonialism spread across the globe. Europeans used trade, education, religion, and weapons to colonize the natives of Africa and Asia. Other continents were bound to trade only with the British Empire, and this helped the Europeans control the economies of these regions. When white Europeans first came to Africa and Asia, they told the natives that the whites were civilized and educated, so they would civilize and educate the native people through colonialism. But their true purpose was to achieve their own interests and make slaves suffer in the process.