International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS)
Welcome to the International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS), a platform dedicated to exploring the relationship between creativity and critical thinking in our constantly changing world. This journal is open to scholars, artists, and educators who are interested in engaging in thoughtful discussions and reflections on the impact of the arts and humanities on our society and our understanding of the world. This journal adheres to the guidelines policies and ethical standards prescribed by the UGC-CARE. Through a multidisciplinary approach, we strive to showcase the diverse perspectives and innovative ideas that emerge when individuals from different backgrounds come together to share their distinct insights and analyses. Delving into various fields including Art history, Philosophy, Literature, and Cultural Studies, the Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies aims to cultivate a holistic understanding of the human experience and the profound influence of creativity on our existence. We firmly support the integration of Arts and Liberal studies into our Education System. These subjects play a vital role in enhancing our critical thinking skills and expanding our horizons. In addition, they have a crucial impact on developing empathy, and compassion and building stronger connections with the world and its inhabitants. By creating an environment that encourages open dialogue and collaboration, our goal is to inspire new viewpoints, challenge traditional beliefs, and enhance the vibrant world of ideas. Join us for an immersive experience in the realm of Arts and Liberal studies, where we'll embark on a captivating journey of discovery, self-reflection, and creativity. We aim for this journal to spark meaningful conversations and collaborations that deepen our understanding of the world and the possibilities that lie ahead. Here's to the powerful influence of Arts and Liberal Studies in sparking inspiration, pushing boundaries, and creating meaningful transformations. Title International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS) Frequency Quarterly ISSN (ONLINE) 3108-1673 ISSN (PRINT) Awaiting approval Publisher Eduschool Academic Research and Publishers Chief Editor Dr. Chitra P M Copyright Eduschool Academic Research and Publishers Starting Year 2025 (Online & Print) Subject Arts/ Recreation/ Entertainment/ Sports Language English Publication Format Online & Print Phone No 0484-2929383 Email Id ijals@eduresearchpublication.com,info@eduresearchpublication.com Website www.eduresearchpublication.com Address Eduschool Academic Research and Publishers Airport Road, Nayathode Kavala, Angamaly-683572, Kerala, India.
Eduschool Academic Research and Publishers
The forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS) presents a rich and intellectually expansive collection of articles that collectively illuminate the evolving contours of the arts and liberal inquiry in a rapidly transforming global context. The contributions in this issue traverse disciplinary boundaries, engaging with pressing questions of creativity, identity, knowledge production, and social responsibility, while foregrounding the continued relevance of the arts and humanities in shaping critical and imaginative futures
Public Art and Urban Identity in Multicultural Societies
Public art occupies a uniquely contested position at the intersection of aesthetics, politics, and urban life in multicultural societies. This article examines the role of public art in the construction and contestation of urban identity by analyzing its diverse functions—from place-making and community building to political resistance and cultural commemoration. Drawing on case studies from global cities and scholarship from art criticism, urban studies, and cultural geography, the analysis addresses contested monuments and the politics of public memory, community-engaged art practices, street art as democratic expression, digital and interactive public art, and the tensions between public art and gentrification. The article argues that public art is not merely decorative but constitutes a vital medium through which diverse communities negotiate questions of belonging, memory, and collective identity, requiring critical attention to power dynamics and social equity
Digital Humanities and The Transformation of Literary Studies
The emergence of digital humanities has profoundly transformed literary studies, introducing computational methods that challenge established methodologies and open new avenues of inquiry. This article traces the evolution of digital humanities from its origins in humanities computing to its current position as a dynamic and contested scholarly field. It analyzes key methodological innovations including Franco Moretti’s distant reading, Matthew Jockers’s macroanalysis, and Stephen Ramsay’s algorithmic criticism, evaluating the theoretical debates these approaches have generated about the nature of literary meaning and the appropriate methods for its study. The analysis further examines the impact of digital archiving on cultural heritage, the challenges of the digital divide and methodological bias, and the implications of artificial intelligence for the future of literary criticism. The article argues that digital humanities represents a powerful complement to traditional scholarship that expands the range of questions literary scholars can productively address.
Decolonizing Liberal Arts Curricula For a Global Era
The liberal arts tradition faces a profound crisis of legitimacy as scholars and activists worldwide challenge the Eurocentric epistemological foundations upon which Western higher education has been constructed. This article examines the movement to decolonize liberal arts curricula by tracing the colonial legacies embedded in Western educational institutions, analyzing the theoretical frameworks that inform decolonization efforts, and evaluating practical initiatives undertaken by universities in Africa, Latin America, and the Global North. Drawing on postcolonial theory, indigenous epistemology, and critical pedagogy, the analysis engages with key concepts including epistemicide, epistemic disobedience, and the ecology of knowledges. The article argues that decolonizing the liberal arts is not merely a matter of representational diversity but a necessary condition for producing knowledge that is genuinely universal in its scope, relevance, and responsiveness to the interconnected challenges of the twenty-first century.
Music Education's Role in Cognitive and Emotional Development
The relationship between music education and cognitive development has been the subject of sustained and increasingly rigorous scholarly inquiry. This article provides a comprehensive examination of how musical training influences brain development, executive function, academic performance, and emotional regulation in children and adolescents. Drawing on neuroscience, developmental psychology, and education studies, the analysis synthesizes longitudinal and experimental evidence demonstrating that structured music education produces measurable enhancements in auditory processing, working memory, reading ability, and social-emotional competence. The article further addresses the equity and access challenges that shape the distribution of music education opportunities and argues that music instruction represents a fundamental component of holistic education rather than a peripheral enrichment activity, with significant implications for curriculum design and educational policy.
Theatre as Resistance: Drama and Contemporary Social Justice
Theatre has long served as a powerful instrument for social critique, political resistance, and community mobilization. This article examines the role of drama as a form of contemporary social justice advocacy, tracing the theoretical lineage from Bertolt Brecht’s epic theatre and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed to present-day participatory and digital performance practices. Drawing on scholarship from applied theatre, performance studies, and community-based arts, the analysis evaluates how contemporary practitioners have adapted theatrical traditions to address twenty-first-century challenges including climate change, racial injustice, and mental health stigma. The article argues that theatre’s unique capacity for embodied, dialogical engagement makes it an indispensable medium for advocacy in an era of political polarization and digital alienation, while acknowledging the ethical complexities and measurement challenges inherent in assessing theatre’s social impact.
Artificial Intelligence and The Future of Creative Authorship
The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence tools capable of generating visual art, literary text, and musical compositions has fundamentally challenged longstanding assumptions about creativity, authorship, and artistic originality. This article examines the philosophical, legal, and ethical implications of AI-generated creative works by drawing on scholarship from aesthetics, computer science, intellectual property law, and art criticism. It traces the debate over whether machines can be genuinely creative, interrogates the copyright and ownership challenges posed by generative algorithms, and evaluates the impact of AI on artistic practice and education. The analysis argues that the future of creative authorship lies not in a binary opposition between human and machine but in collaborative frameworks that leverage the distinctive strengths of both, requiring new legal, pedagogical, and aesthetic paradigms to navigate the transformative potential of AI in the arts.
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS)
Peopling of India as Disclosed by Genetic Data
To India, there arrived people in several waves. Those having the Y chromosome and mitochondrial haplogroups Y- D + mt- M, N, R arrived India about 65,000 years ago. Those having the haplogroups Y- F, H, K + mt- U2 arrived India about 40,000 years ago; Those having the haplogroups Y- L + mt- ?? arrived India about 30,000 years ago. Those having the haplogroups Y- G + mt- H, V, K, J, T arrived India about 8,300 years ago bringing the agriculture. The Aryans, having the haplogroups Y- R1a-Z93 + mt- U5 arrived India about 3,500 years ago. There is still open the question, whether the Y chromosome haplogroup O formed in India and expanded east.
The forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS) brings together an intellectually rich collection of research that demonstrates the continuing relevance of the arts and liberal education in shaping democratic, cognitive, and creative capacities in contemporary society. The articles in this volume reflect how artistic practice, liberal education, and digital scholarship together contribute to the cultivation of reflective, engaged, and innovative individuals
Digital Humanities and the Transformation of Scholarly Practice: An Empirical Investigation of Methodological Integration and Knowledge Production
This study examines the integration of digital methods into humanities scholarship, investigating how computational approaches are transforming research practices, knowledge production, and disciplinary boundaries. The research employed a mixed methods design combining bibliometric analysis of 4,267 digital humanities publications, surveys of 486 humanities scholars, and in-depth interviews with 64 researchers actively engaged in digital scholarship. The study assessed adoption patterns of digital methods across humanities disciplines, examined the relationship between digital tool use and research outcomes, and explored tensions between computational and traditional interpretive approaches. Findings reveal substantial growth in digital humanities scholarship with distinct patterns across disciplines, with literary studies and history showing highest adoption rates. Quantitative analysis demonstrates that digitally-engaged scholars produce more collaborative and interdisciplinary work, though citation impact varies by methodology and field. Qualitative data illuminate ongoing negotiations between computational and hermeneutic traditions, with successful integration requiring both technical proficiency and deep humanistic expertise. The research identifies institutional factors supporting digital scholarship development and barriers impeding wider adoption. Results contribute to understanding of how digital transformation is reshaping humanities research and offer implications for graduate training, institutional support structures, and disciplinary evolution.
Visual Arts Education and the Development of Creative Thinking: A Mixed Methods Investigation of Pedagogical Approaches and Student Outcomes
This mixed methods study examines the relationship between visual arts education pedagogical approaches and the development of creative thinking abilities among secondary school students. The research was conducted across 28 schools involving 64 art teachers and 1,847 students over two academic years. The study assessed multiple dimensions of creativity including fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration, examining how different instructional approaches influenced creative development. Quantitative data from standardized creativity assessments and portfolio evaluations were complemented by qualitative observations and interviews exploring the creative process and student experiences. Findings reveal that inquiry-based and studio-centered pedagogical approaches significantly outperformed traditional technique-focused instruction in fostering creative thinking, with effect sizes of 0.52 standard deviations for divergent thinking measures. The research identifies critical pedagogical elements including open-ended problem framing, iterative experimentation, reflective practice, and supportive classroom climate as key contributors to creative development. Results demonstrate that visual arts education, when implemented with creativity-focused pedagogy, cultivates transferable creative thinking skills applicable beyond artistic domains. The study contributes theoretical insights regarding the mechanisms of creative development and offers practical guidance for art educators seeking to maximize creativity outcomes.
Music Education and Cognitive Development: A Longitudinal Investigation of Musical Training Effects on Executive Function and Academic Achievement
This longitudinal study examines the effects of sustained music education on cognitive development and academic achievement among elementary and middle school students. The research tracked 1,286 students across 24 schools over four years, comparing students receiving intensive instrumental music instruction with matched comparison groups. Cognitive assessments measured executive function components including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, while academic outcomes were assessed through standardized achievement tests in mathematics and language arts. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with propensity score matching to control for selection effects associated with music program participation. Findings reveal that students receiving sustained instrumental music instruction demonstrated significantly greater gains in executive function compared to comparison students, with effect sizes of 0.43 standard deviations for working memory and 0.38 for cognitive flexibility. Academic achievement analyses showed significant positive associations between music instruction duration and mathematics performance, with moderate effects on reading comprehension. Mediation analyses indicate that executive function improvements partially explain music instruction effects on academic outcomes. The research identifies practice intensity, instructional quality, and student engagement as moderators of music education effects. Results contribute to understanding of music training's cognitive benefits and inform educational policy regarding arts education.
Liberal Arts Education and the Cultivation of Critical Thinking: A Longitudinal Study of Curricular Approaches and Cognitive Development
This longitudinal study examines the relationship between liberal arts education and the development of critical thinking abilities among undergraduate students. The research tracked 2,156 students across 18 higher education institutions over four years, comparing students in liberal arts curricula with those in professional and pre-professional programs. Critical thinking was assessed using multiple measures including the Cornell Critical Thinking Test, the Collegiate Learning Assessment, and course-embedded assessments of analytical reasoning. The study examined curricular features including breadth requirements, writing-intensive courses, discussion-based seminars, and integrative capstone experiences. Findings demonstrate that liberal arts curricula emphasizing interdisciplinary breadth, intensive writing, and Socratic dialogue produced significantly greater critical thinking gains than narrowly specialized programs, with effect sizes of 0.47 standard deviations over four years. The research identifies pedagogical practices most strongly associated with critical thinking development, including argumentation analysis, perspective-taking exercises, and evidence evaluation tasks. Results also reveal that critical thinking gains transfer to novel domains and contexts beyond those in which skills were developed. The study contributes empirical evidence to ongoing debates regarding the value of liberal education and offers implications for curriculum design and pedagogical practice.
Arts Engagement and Democratic Citizenship: An Empirical Investigation of Cultural Participation, Civic Attitudes, and Public Life
This study examines the relationship between arts engagement and democratic citizenship, investigating how participation in cultural activities influences civic attitudes, community involvement, and public discourse. The research employed a mixed methods design combining large-scale survey data from 8,462 adults across diverse communities with in-depth qualitative interviews of 124 participants representing varied patterns of cultural engagement. The study assessed multiple dimensions of arts participation including visual arts attendance, performing arts engagement, literary activities, and active artistic practice, examining relationships with civic outcomes including political participation, community volunteerism, social trust, and tolerance for diversity. Findings reveal significant positive associations between arts engagement and multiple indicators of democratic citizenship, with particularly strong effects for participatory arts involvement and engagement with challenging or unfamiliar artistic forms. Mediation analyses indicate that arts engagement influences civic outcomes partly through enhancing empathic capacity, perspective-taking abilities, and comfort with ambiguity and complexity. The research identifies socioeconomic disparities in cultural access that moderate the arts-citizenship relationship and explores how community-based arts initiatives can democratize cultural participation. Results contribute to theoretical understanding of how cultural engagement shapes civic life and offer implications for cultural policy aimed at strengthening democratic participation through expanded arts access.
The International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies (IJALS) proudly present its latest issue, which explores the evolving intersections of art, philosophy, technology, and society. True to the journal’s vision, this issue brings together diverse scholarly perspectives that illuminate how the arts and humanities continue to shape and be shaped by the complexities of the modern world. Each article in this volume exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary inquiry in deepening our understanding of human creativity, ethical responsibility, and cultural transformation.
Socioeconomic Diversity in the Arts: The Underrepresentation of Working-Class Individuals in Creative Industries
This study examines the persistent underrepresentation of individuals from working-class backgrounds in contemporary creative industries. Drawing on interdisciplinary research across sociology, cultural studies, and economics, it analyzes both structural and cultural barriers that prevent socioeconomic diversity in artistic fields. The research identifies five key mechanisms of exclusion: financial barriers to entry, cultural capital deficits, network disadvantages, class-based discrimination, and self-elimination. Findings indicate that despite the arts' progressive self-image, they remain among the most socioeconomically exclusive professional domains. The paper concludes with policy recommendations and practical interventions at institutional, educational, and governmental levels that could meaningfully address class-based exclusion in creative sectors. This research contributes to a growing body of scholarship on inequality in cultural production and argues that meaningful diversity in the arts must include class alongside other dimensions of identity.
Theatre for Social Change: Contemporary Drama as Catalyst for Climate, Racial, and Mental Health Advocacy
Contemporary theatre has emerged as a powerful medium for addressing critical social issues, functioning as both artistic expression and activist platform. This paper examines how modern theatrical productions serve as catalysts for social change by engaging with three pressing contemporary concerns: climate change, racial justice, and mental health awareness. Through analysis of innovative dramatic forms, community-based theatre initiatives, and audience engagement strategies, this study demonstrates that contemporary theatre transcends traditional entertainment boundaries to become a vital tool for social advocacy. The research reveals that theatre's unique capacity for empathy-building, community organizing, and narrative reframing positions it as an essential component of contemporary social movements. The paper argues that theatre for social change represents a significant evolution in performance studies, offering new methodologies for understanding the intersection of art and activism in the twenty-first century.
The Ethics of AI-Generated Literature: Originality, Authorship, and Literary Value in the Age of Large Language Models
The advent of sophisticated large language models capable of generating poetry and fiction has fundamentally challenged traditional conceptions of authorship, originality, and literary value. This paper examines whether AI-generated literature can be considered original creative work and analyzes the implications for authorship in literary theory and practice. Through an examination of recent empirical studies, legal frameworks, and theoretical foundations from Roland Barthes's "Death of the Author" to contemporary digital humanities scholarship, this analysis reveals that AI-generated literature exists in a liminal space between human creativity and algorithmic reproduction. While AI systems can produce texts that are indistinguishable from human-written works to non-expert readers, questions of originality and authorship remain deeply problematic. The paper argues that AI-generated literature challenges but does not necessarily invalidate traditional notions of authorship, instead requiring new frameworks for understanding creative collaboration between humans and machines. The implications extend beyond literary theory to questions of intellectual property, educational integrity, and the fundamental nature of creative expression in the digital age.
The Impact of Social Media on Public Discourse: How Platforms Like TikTok and Twitter Shape Political and Cultural Discussions
This article examines the transformative impact of social media platforms on contemporary public discourse, with particular attention to Twitter and TikTok. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining media studies, political communication, and digital sociology, this research analyzes how these platforms' unique affordances, algorithmic systems, and user cultures distinctively influence political and cultural discussions. The study demonstrates how platform-specific features. Twitter's text-based immediacy and TikTok's audiovisual storytelling create different communicative environments that shape both content and participation patterns. Drawing on case studies from recent political events, cultural controvrsies, and social movements, this research identifies key mechanisms through which social media reconstructs public discourse: by fragmenting audiences into ideological communities, accelerating information cycles, democratizing participation while simultaneously amplifying certain voices, and blurring boundaries between entertainment and political communication. The findings suggest that while these platforms have expanded opportunities for diverse participation in public discourse, they have also created new challenges including misinformation proliferation, context collapse, and affective polarization. This research contributes to our understanding of how digital communication technologies fundamentally reshape democratic deliberation and cultural meaning-making processes, while highlighting the need for more nuanced platform-specific analysis in digital media research.
Memory and Trauma in Art and Literature: Exploring Representations of Historical Trauma
This article examines the complex relationship between memory, trauma, and artistic representation in visual art and literature. Through an interdisciplinary lens, it explores how artists and writers have developed aesthetic strategies to engage with collective historical traumas such as war, genocide, and displacement. The research analyzes key works from the post-Holocaust era, the aftermath of colonial violence, contemporary war narratives, and responses to forced migration, demonstrating how these artistic expressions function as both testimonial artifacts and sites of cultural memory. Drawing on trauma theory, memory studies, and aesthetic philosophy, this article argues that art and literature serve not merely as representations of traumatic events but as active interventions that can reshape cultural memory, foster empathetic engagement, and contribute to processes of individual and collective healing. Furthermore, it examines the ethical complexities and limitations inherent in artistic representations of trauma, proposing that the most effective works acknowledge the tension between the imperative to witness and the fundamental inadequacy of representation. This research contributes to our understanding of how creative practices participate in the crucial work of bearing witness to historical trauma while creating spaces for reflection, reconciliation, and resistance.
The Philosophy of Minimalism in Art and Life: Exploring Minimalism as Both an Artistic Movement and a Lifestyle Philosophy
This article examines minimalism as a dual phenomenon both as an influential artistic movement of the mid-20th century and as a contemporary lifestyle philosophy that advocates simplification and intentionality. Through a critical analysis of key minimalist artists including Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, and Sol LeWitt, alongside contemporary minimalist lifestyle advocates, this research explores the philosophical underpinnings that connect these seemingly disparate manifestations. The study reveals how minimalism in both domains shares fundamental principles: reduction to essentials, emphasis on negative space, rejection of excess, and the pursuit of meaning through simplicity. Drawing on phenomenological frameworks and theories of aesthetic experience, this article suggests that minimalism represents more than a stylistic approach or organizational method it constitutes a coherent philosophical stance toward existence that responds to the complexities and excesses of modern consumer society. Through this dual investigation, the research illuminates how minimalist principles transcend disciplinary boundaries to offer a unified approach to both creating and living.