In this episode of Literary Rides, we examine Nissim Ezekiel—widely regarded as the foundational voice of Indian English modernism. Moving away from romantic nationalism, Ezekiel brought irony, urban realism, and psychological introspection into Indian poetry written in English.

We explore his Jewish-Indian identity, his engagement with post-Independence Bombay, and his role in shaping a new poetic idiom rooted in the city's lived realities. From “Night of the Scorpion” to “The Professor,” his work captures middle-class anxieties, secular doubt, and cultural negotiation with sharp clarity and restraint.

The episode also situates him within the informal literary networks of Bombay’s little magazines and independent presses, alongside contemporaries such as Arun Kolatkar. Designed as a complete study guide for postgraduate students, UGC NET aspirants, researchers, and teachers, this masterclass offers a comprehensive assessment of Ezekiel’s life, works, and lasting placement in Indian English poetry.

A thoughtful journey into the making of Indian modernist voice—urban, ironic, and intellectually disciplined.

What makes English “correct”? Is it grammar, authority, tradition, or power?

In this episode of Literary Rides, we examine how Standard English was historically codified through dictionaries and grammar manuals, often reflecting the speech patterns of social elites. From the prescriptive rules of eighteenth-century grammarians to the modern debates between descriptive linguistics and linguistic gatekeeping, the discussion reveals how language norms are shaped by history and hierarchy.

We explore symbolic power, linguistic capital, global English varieties such as Indian and Nigerian English, and the Plain English movement’s attempt to make public communication more accessible. The episode also considers how digital communication continues to reshape grammatical conventions.

Designed as a comprehensive study guide for postgraduate students, UGC NET aspirants, researchers, and educators, this masterclass clarifies the politics of “correct English” while foregrounding linguistic diversity and social justice.

An essential exploration of how language standards are made—and why they matter.

What does it mean to be human in an age of artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and ecological crisis? In this episode of Literary Rides, we explore the philosophical and literary dimensions of posthumanism—a movement that challenges the idea of the human as autonomous, central, and superior.

From cyborg theory and artificial consciousness to ecological interconnectedness and bioengineered futures, contemporary literature imagines worlds in which the boundaries between human, machine, and nature dissolve. These narratives do not merely speculate about technology; they interrogate identity, agency, ethics, and survival in a rapidly transforming world.

Designed as a complete study guide for postgraduate students, UGC NET aspirants, researchers, and teachers, this episode clarifies foundational concepts while examining how fiction becomes a space for philosophical experimentation.

An essential exploration of how literature redefines what it means to exist in a relational, posthuman age.

Few writers embodied their philosophy as dramatically as Oscar Wilde. In this episode of Literary Rides, we explore the life, works, and enduring legacy of one of Victorian literature’s most brilliant and controversial figures.

From his role in the Aesthetic Movement and his declaration of “art for art’s sake” to the dazzling wit of The Importance of Being Earnest and the dark moral complexities of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde transformed literary style through paradox, satire, and intellectual audacity.

The episode also traces his public trials, imprisonment, and the poignant shift in tone in De Profundis and The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Far from being merely a clever epigrammatist, Wilde emerges here as a profound critic of Victorian hypocrisy and a writer whose life and art remain inseparable.

Designed as a complete study guide for postgraduate students, UGC NET aspirants, researchers, and teachers, this masterclass situates Wilde within Aestheticism while foregrounding his broader literary and cultural significance.

Wit, beauty, scandal, tragedy—and a legacy that continues to provoke and inspire.

Accent is never just pronunciation. It signals where we come from, how we are perceived, and how we are positioned within systems of power.

In this episode of Literary Rides, we explore how accent functions as a marker of social identity and how linguistic profiling shapes opportunities in hiring, housing, and education. Moving from sociolinguistic theory to empirical research, the discussion examines standard language ideology, covert discrimination, and the subtle ways pronunciation becomes a proxy for race and class.

We also consider the psychological impact of accent bias, global perspectives on English varieties, and the politics of “neutral” speech. Designed as a comprehensive study guide, this episode is ideal for postgraduate students, UGC NET aspirants, researchers, and educators interested in language, identity, and social justice.

A rigorous exploration of how speech carries power—and why the politics of pronunciation matter.

What does it mean to understand a text? Is interpretation a method, a dialogue, or a fundamental condition of human existence?

In this episode of Literary Rides, we trace the intellectual evolution of hermeneutics—from its roots in Biblical exegesis to its transformation into one of the most influential philosophical movements of the twentieth century. Beginning with Schleiermacher and Dilthey’s efforts to ground the human sciences in empathy and historical reconstruction, we move through Heidegger’s ontological turn and Gadamer’s powerful idea of the “fusion of horizons.”

The episode also explores the tension between a hermeneutics of faith and a hermeneutics of suspicion, examining how thinkers such as Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud reshaped interpretive practice through critique and demystification.

Designed as a complete study guide for postgraduate students, researchers, and UGC NET aspirants, this masterclass clarifies major concepts, debates, and contemporary applications in literary theory, law, feminist studies, and beyond.

A foundational exploration of meaning, understanding, and the art of interpretation.

In this episode of Literary Rides, we explore the life and legacy of Derek Walcott — poet, playwright, Nobel Laureate, and one of the most influential voices of the Caribbean. Moving beyond a single text, this masterclass traces Walcott’s artistic evolution from early lyric poetry to his monumental epic Omeros, while also examining his powerful contributions to Caribbean theatre.

We examine how Walcott negotiates colonial inheritance, cultural hybridity, and the tension between European literary tradition and Caribbean lived experience. His poetry transforms landscape into history, the sea into memory, and myth into a vehicle of cultural recovery.

Designed as a complete study guide for UGC NET aspirants, postgraduate students, researchers, and teachers, this episode provides a structured overview of his major works, stylistic features, critical debates, and lasting global impact.

An immersive journey into the imagination of a writer who reshaped the literary map of the postcolonial world.

In this episode of Literary Rides, we explore one of the most fascinating intersections in sociolinguistics: the relationship between language and gender. Do men and women really speak differently? Are these differences biological, cultural, or socially constructed? Or is gender something we actively perform through language?

Beginning with early theoretical models such as the Deficit, Difference, and Dominance approaches, this episode carefully traces the evolution of gendered language studies. We examine key linguistic features associated with male and female speech patterns—tag questions, hedging, politeness strategies, interruptions—and move towards contemporary theories of performativity and queer linguistics that challenge rigid binaries.

The discussion also extends beyond traditional frameworks to consider transgender and non-binary communication practices, pronoun politics, intersectionality, and even gender bias in artificial intelligence.

Designed as a complete study guide, this episode is ideal for UGC NET aspirants, postgraduate students, researchers, and teachers of English Studies. By the end, listeners will have a clear conceptual map of the field, major theorists, critical debates, and examination relevance.

A masterclass in sociolinguistics—accessible, rigorous, and intellectually expansive.