Journal Articles by Muhammad A. Z. Mughal
GeoJournal, 2023
This paper deals with landscape to examine the ways people associate meanings to their environmen... more This paper deals with landscape to examine the ways people associate meanings to their environment through the cultural perceptions of space and time. It aims to explain the transformation from natural to cultural landscape in the cultural context of socio-spatial and socio-temporal organization in rural Pakistan. It is argued here that spatial and temporal references are pivotal in constructing, perceiving, and memorizing cultural landscape. The paper is based on ethnography of a Pakistani village, using participant observation in addition to interviews from thirty-two participants. These interviews included narratives, photo-elicitation, and memory imagework to analyze the spatial and temporal aspects of landscape from socio-cultural perspectives in rural Pakistan. The study shows that the interrelationship of space and time in rural social organization is evident in the social construction of landscape.
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International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology, 2023
Early anthropological analyses of time produced Western vs. non-Western dichotomies of time. Late... more Early anthropological analyses of time produced Western vs. non-Western dichotomies of time. Later on, anthropology gradually shifted from a modernist to relativist and postmodernist tones in the analyses of time. This shift is the result of the criticism on the dichotomization from within the discipline that considered such dichotomization as West-centric or ethno-centric. Additionally, it is argued here that the anthropology’s interest in studying social change, particularly globalization, has contributed to this shift. This article presents the review of selected literature to discuss the way the Western and non-Western dichotomization was generated and later faded away. It provides an insight into how anthropological analyses related to time have changed throughout the history of the discipline.
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SN Social Sciences, 2023
People respond to social change in diverse ways that are shaped by socioeconomic conditions, ideo... more People respond to social change in diverse ways that are shaped by socioeconomic conditions, ideologies, and other local and global factors. The effects of broader level changes such as globalization and urbanization are mostly studied from macroperspectives. A macroperspective does not primarily focus on how people respond to social change in their everyday lives. This paper aims to highlight people’s attitude toward social change in the context of generational changes caused by globalization and rural urbanization in Pakistan. It argues the ways people narrate social realities of their past and present, and aspirations for their future highlight their perceptions of and responses to social change. This study is based on ethnography of a Pakistani village. It uses peoples’ narratives of the past, the present, and the future from different generations in the village. It shows how social change is perceived as a continuous decline of morality from the past to the future by the older generation. However, the younger generations have developed a different view of the future that is informed by socioeconomic factors.
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Children & Society, 2021
This study explores how children perceive social boundaries in rural Pakistan. It discusses that ... more This study explores how children perceive social boundaries in rural Pakistan. It discusses that children develop and navigate their social relationships through their perception of social boundaries, which are shaped by kinship and sociospatial organisation in rural areas. Children's perception of social boundaries is also mediated through the intersectionality of their age and social group affiliation. An ethnographic case study of a village in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, is presented here. It uses a quantifiable photo-elicitation technique and social mapping to analyse children's everyday mobilities and intersectionality in the cultural context of rural Pakistan to illustrate their perception of social boundaries.
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Asian Journal of Political Science, 2020
This article discusses the complicated relationship between ethnicity, marginalization, and polit... more This article discusses the complicated relationship between ethnicity, marginalization, and politics regarding Saraiki identity and the quest for a new province in Pakistan. Mainstream political parties have started raising the concerns regarding the unequal distribution of economic resources between various regions in the country for various ethnic and political reasons. It is shown here that the social construction of Saraiki identity is associated with cultural and economic marginalization. These various forms of marginalization of Saraiki areas or Southern Punjab over decades have triggered ethnic mobilization, leading to the quest for a new province. Some political implications of the proposed province for the Pakistani state and learning from this case are also analysed.
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Asian Geographer, 2019
Rural urbanization is taking place rapidly in most areas of Pakistani Punjab. Although agricultur... more Rural urbanization is taking place rapidly in most areas of Pakistani Punjab. Although agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, many rural people have abandoned agriculture to adopt different occupations as a consequence of rural urbanization. This paper discusses the changing use of, and attitude toward, land in the rural areas of Pakistani Punjab in the context of rural urbanization. It offers a case study from Southern Punjab as an evidence of the effects of rural urbanization on rural social organization with regard to land and agriculture.
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Transfers, 2019
This article discusses the relationship between women’s education and their everyday mobility in ... more This article discusses the relationship between women’s education and their everyday mobility in the rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Based on an ethnographic case study from a village in Southern Punjab, information from semi-structured interviews and observations is used to demonstrate an enhanced access to education has altered women’s everyday mobility trends. However, questions regarding women’s empowerment remain unresolved. Although some rural women have always been engaged in agricultural activities, there have been limitations on their mobility due to cultural sensitivities. I conclude the nature of social and socio-spatial relationships is being negotiated in some cultural contexts of rural Punjab through the changing facets of women’s mobility associated with modern education.
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South Asia Research, 2018
In recent decades, the nature of exchange relations in rural Pakistan appears to have undergone s... more In recent decades, the nature of exchange relations in rural Pakistan appears to have undergone significant transformations due to the gradual shift from seasonal agriculture to a market-based economy, rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. Change and continuity in exchange relations are particularly manifested in rituals and ceremonies associated with childbirth, marriage and death, with socioeconomic transformations in the rural economy triggering shifts in ways of conducting such rituals and ceremonies. This article seeks to highlight such change but argues that the continuing centrality of religion, kinship and economic inter-dependencies, marked by rural social organisation, remains evident in how these rituals and ceremonies are conducted. After discussing the social meanings of such rituals and ceremonies in rural Pakistan, the article demonstrates through detailed ethnographic study certain modifications in exchange relations as a consequence of recent socioeconomic change.
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World Cultures, 2017
The most widespread model of the natural world by Northern Punjabi farmers appears to leverage a ... more The most widespread model of the natural world by Northern Punjabi farmers appears to leverage a powerful supernatural domain, which includes Allah, as a sole God, plus, various non-human spirits or jinn, who can be both benign and malicious, and a bewildering array of spiritually powerful saints, or pir-fakir, to whom individuals can pray and seek some form of intervention. These pir-fakir do not themselves perform miracles, typically, but they are beloved by Allah and are somehow in a position to sway His actions in some people's favor. For Barlevi Sunni Muslims, this influence continues even after death, which means that the gravesite of powerful pir-fakir themselves become sites of religious worship and devotion. The remainder of the 'natural' world, including non-human animals, plants, weather and so forth, appear to be part of the benevolent offering from God. There is no evidence to suggest widespread animist models of such things having independent relations to one another, as opposed to being the product of a single deity.
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Asian Ethnology, 2017
This paper aims to highlight that daily and weekly rhythms, being a part of the social organizati... more This paper aims to highlight that daily and weekly rhythms, being a part of the social organization of time, mediate people’s responses to social change in rural Pakistan. Indigenous ways of measuring different stages of the day have recently been replaced by clock time as a consequence of industrialization and urbanization. Further, changing socioeconomic circumstances have given rise to a new temporal rhythm, which unfolds in daily time allocation for different activities. The debate regarding whether Sunday or Friday should be the weekend in Pakistan points to the contested notions of time that can be explained on the basis of temporal identity, religion, and urbanization. By using an ethnographic example, this study also discusses how daily and weekly rhythms are maintained in rural Pakistan through the socioeconomic realities of everyday life.
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Structure and Dynamics: eJournal of Anthropological and Related Sciences , 2016
Pakistani politics are characterised by strong corporate social links through kinship and caste t... more Pakistani politics are characterised by strong corporate social links through kinship and caste that impose reciprocal obligations and rights. Marital maps enable allow for accurate prediction of allegiances and decision making and contribute to a transparent assessment of political processes in the country. While much of the focus on reciprocal relations has understandably been on descent relations (dynasties), the complex network of marital alliances that cut across lineage and sectarian divides helps explain notable levels of stability despite the fragility of the state and other public institutions. Using the example of one of the most successful political dynasties in post independence Pakistan, we show the extent of cross lineage, region and even party alliances that shape this political kinship network.
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South Asia Research, 2015
This article explores the changing use and management of domestic space and socio-spatial relatio... more This article explores the changing use and management of domestic space and socio-spatial relationships constructed in a Pakistani rural setting. It offers a case study which highlights the central position of domestic space as a residential and social unit in rural Pakistan. It discusses how domestic space is appropriated in multiple ways into a social unit through social practice. Given that changes in the physical structure of any place lead to negotiation of social relationships, it is shown how recent modifications in design and structure of houses are indicative of, and to some extent facilitate, social change in rural Pakistan.
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Anthropological Notebooks, 2015
In this article, I discuss the fact that doing “anthropology at home” involves the same core anth... more In this article, I discuss the fact that doing “anthropology at home” involves the same core anthropological methodology as undertaking research abroad. This implies that while doing anthropology at home may have some advantages concerning field practicalities but is equally challenging. There are certain ethical and methodological essentials involved in every anthropological research undertaking. Through my personal experiences of conducting ethnography in Pakistan, I explain that doing anthropology at home does not make exceptions for the researcher in terms of these ethical and methodological aspects.
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Asian Anthropology, 2015
The mosque occupies a central position in the social as well as religious life of Muslims. It is ... more The mosque occupies a central position in the social as well as religious life of Muslims. It is not only a place of worship where rituals are performed, but also serves as a social space where Muslims take part in welfare activities. The design and architecture of the mosque have local as well as global influences, representing religious, economic, and esthetic dimensions of Muslim social organization. Therefore, Muslims' association with the mosque has much significance from social, political, and economic perspectives. Based on an ethnographic example, this report aims to highlight the use of mosque space in the cultural context of rural Pakistan. In addition to discussing the sociospatial relationships around the mosque, I discuss how Muslims' beliefs about the world and the afterlife shape these relationships.
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History and Anthropology, 2014
Time is an important element of social organization. The temporal models such as the calendar pro... more Time is an important element of social organization. The temporal models such as the calendar provide social rhythm by regulating various activities. The changing ways of managing time are indicative of social change. This paper presents the changing use of different calendars in Jhokwala Village, Lodhran District, Pakistan. Three calendars are used in most parts of the Punjab to varying degrees for various purposes. These are Bikrami, Islamic Hijri and Gregorian calendars. Each of these calendars has a specific history of use. This paper highlights that people choose between various alternatives in the course of history and the changing use of calendars tells the story of change and continuity in culture and people's attitude towards modern technology and social change.
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Recreation and Society in Africa, Asia and Latin America, 2014
Various qualities and expressions of time, such as temporality, timing, and tempo are unequivocal... more Various qualities and expressions of time, such as temporality, timing, and tempo are unequivocally involved in the physical activities of sport. Similarly, social, managerial, economic and political aspects of sport are also intertwined with time. In the contemporary world, where sport is a big industry and implicates international economic and political dynamics, the politics of time is critical to the management and impact of sport on the socio-economic and political dynamics of countries and regions. This special issue of Recreation and Society in Africa, Asia and Latin America on time and sports aims to highlight the role of time in sports by presenting examples of the political and economic context of sports in which time plays a pivotal role.
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Omeertaa: Journal for Applied Anthropology, 2008
Time concepts in a given culture are the reflection of social order maintained by that culture an... more Time concepts in a given culture are the reflection of social order maintained by that culture and it is very difficult for a culture to adapt a new conceptualization of time that opposes its social order. Change is an inevitable phenomenon and is part of the culture dynamics. A community accepts the change in socio-cultural sphere only if it is provided with a great incentive. Studying temporal organization of a culture not only provides knowledge about the socio-cultural scenario but also indicates the nature, direction and strength of change taking place in that culture because time provides ground for change to takes place. The current study aims to analyze the time concepts in a Pakistani village Sarwar aali with reference to its social order and tries to explain how time and change are interconnected in the socioeconomic set up of the community.
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Book Chapters by Muhammad A. Z. Mughal
Nationalism in a Transnational Age, 2021
Pakistani national identity has always been associated with Islam since the country was created i... more Pakistani national identity has always been associated with Islam since the country was created in 1947. Therefore, Pakistani identity and nationalism are represented through symbols and narratives of Muslim identity in specific religious, historical, and political contexts. The production and dissemination of these symbols and narratives have been limited to traditional media for local consumption until recently. However, an overwhelming use of digital technologies, particularly social media, has given rise to new trends in expressing Pakistani identity, which involve religious symbolism, narratives of modernity, regional cultures, and digital art forms. These expressions in new media, particularly social media, have reasserted the central ideas associated with Pakistani identity while shaping up the ways of representing national symbolism differently in a globalized world. This contribution explores the expressions of Pakistani national identity and nationalism in new media as a transnational space.
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Cultural Models of Nature: Primary Food Producers and Climate Change, 2019
This chapter examines the relationship between complex, generative conceptual cultural models and... more This chapter examines the relationship between complex, generative conceptual cultural models and the actions and decisions farmers make in their agricultural lives. It is part of an international collaboration that focused specifically on primary food producers in different parts of the world. In part, the motivation was to develop a better understanding of the significance of idea systems and their practical manifestations. Lurking beneath the esoteric anthropological questions about knowledge production and its impact on behaviors, however, were very practical concerns about the effects of changing context of primary food producers.
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Encyclopedia Articles by Muhammad A. Z. Mughal
Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability, 2012
Pakistan is situated between India to the east, China to the northeast, Afghanistan to the northw... more Pakistan is situated between India to the east, China to the northeast, Afghanistan to the northwest and north, Iran to the west, the Arabian Sea to the south, and is separated from Tajikistan by the narrow and rugged Wakhan Corridor (part of Afghanistan) to the north. Created in 1947, Pakistan is a relatively a new country, but it is home to the ancient Indus Valley and subsequent civilizations. It has a diverse geography and some unique species of fauna and flora. Pakistan is actively concerned with addressing environmental issues, though solutions require consideration of complex governmental and societal structures.
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Journal Articles by Muhammad A. Z. Mughal
Book Chapters by Muhammad A. Z. Mughal
Encyclopedia Articles by Muhammad A. Z. Mughal