RESISTING NEOLIBERALISM: A STUDY OF H.M. NAQVI’S HOME BOY

Abstract

Neoliberalism, as a recent capitalism, advances the wellbeing of dominant groups, it corporates elites and the developed economies, particularly of the West, and it has negative implications for the downtrodden classes and third-world countries. Drawing upon the critique of neoliberalism by the recent left-wing writers, this study explores the novel Home Boy’s critique of resistance to the economic issues of neoliberalism. The study makes use of qualitative research, interpretivist paradigm and descriptive-analytical method to explore the novel’s resistance to and critique of neoliberalism. The findings show that Boy portrays precarious condition of the downtrodden and working classes, absence of social protection, job insecurity, global disparity and spatial differentiation under the dominant ideology of neoliberalism. The novel reveals that neoliberal practices grind down the downtrodden, migrant workers and peripheral societies at global level; consequently, neoliberalism engenders resistance and hostility among them. The study is useful in exploring the critique of neoliberalism in literary works, including Anglophone Pakistani writings.

Keywords: Neoliberalism, Resistance, corporate interests, privatization, insecurity, lack of social protection, downsizing, inequality and spatial differentiation.