Shared Precariousness And Ethicality In Literary Discourse: An Eco-anarchist Analysis Of Kashmiri Anglophone Writings

Abstract

There has often been misrepresentation of Kashmir in literary discourse. The complex history and sociopolitical realities of Kashmir has often been overlooked by a plethora of literary production created from outside perspectives. Literature frequently presents Kashmir from an idealized, and exoticized perspective, ignoring the ongoing war’s ecological implications in favor of highlighting the area’s natural beauty and cultural diversity. This has perpetuated stereotypes and trivialized the realities of Kashmiri lives. Furthermore, an increasing number of works have started to link the impending catastrophes to the workings of corporate capitalism and the regimes that support and let it to continue unchecked but the cause of military intervention in Kashmir as a root cause of aggravating ecological as well as human cost of the damage has seldom been given attention. This paper seeks to highlight this underrepresented area in literary scholarship and argues that Kashmiri Anglophone writers are compelled by ethical concerns and explicate the mutual precariousness of nature and humans, illustrating how the protracted armed struggle impacts both the environment and its people and serve as clear reminders of the interdependence of ecological and human well-being. These literary works present a depressing image of Kashmir, illustrating how fields, woods, orchards, meadows become caught in the crossfire, resulting in the devastation of habitats and harvests thus impacting the ecological setup and also the people who live there. The study makes use of eco-anarchist lens and employs qualitative research, interpretivist paradigm and descriptive-analytical method to explore the shared precariousness exhibited by Anglophone Kashmiri writers Agha Shahid Ali, Basharat Peer, Shahnaz Bashir, and Mirza Waheed.