Journal of Development and Social Sciences

Gothic Representation in Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A Textual Analysis

Prof. Rajendra Prasad Bhatt — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This paper explores the use of Gothic elements and their importance in Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It examines the dual aspects of human nature by reflecting the conflict between good and evil qualities of individual characters. Stevenson presents the dark aspects of Victorian society through the representation of Gothic techniques such as intense emotions, suspense, mystery and murder. To analyse the role of gothic existence in shaping the novella's themes and narrative structure, this research examines the Gothic atmosphere, psychological conflict and symbolic representation in the text and how these elements contribute to the exploration of identity and repression. This study employs qualitative methodology with a textual analysis approach to examine the role and importance of gothic elements in the novella. Gothic literary theory and psychoanalytic perspectives are used to interpret the psychological conflicts and dark aspects of human nature. The findings reveal that gothic elements presented in the novella effectively expose the fear, anxieties and moral uncertainties of Victorian society. Findings also reveals that repression of forbidden desires leads to psychological conflict and self-destruction. By applying gothic techniques, Stevenson not only creates suspense and horror, he criticizes Victorian hypocrisy to explore the complexity of human identity. This research concludes that gothic existence is central to understanding the novella because it reveals the hidden fears and divided self of modern humanity. This research recommends further studies from feminist and psychological perspectives, as well as comparative analysis with the works of other famous Gothic writers.

Concept of Corruption in Pakistan: Anecdotal Evidence From Pakistan Citizen Portal (PCP)

Asma Ishtiaq, Karim Khan — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0500

Corruption is a multidimensional phenomenon that is defined differently across contexts. In this study, we conceptualize Corruption in Pakistan by providing contextual evidence from Pakistan Citizen Portal (PCP). PCP, on one hand, has deposited huge perceptions of the citizens regarding corruption or structural issues of the country while, on the other hand, as an e-governance tool, PCP highlights how e-governance can reduce corruption. Using institutional theory and principal agent theory as theoretical foundations, this research investigates the main causes of governance failures in Pakistan, with a particular focus on how it has affected the economic and social systems and what is the way forward in terms of e-governance. This conceptualization is based on PCP data on complaints, resolutions of the complaints, and the resulting feedback for the years 2022 and 2023. We find that corruption, bureaucratic resistance, infrastructure weaknesses, and reliable data are challenges to good governance in Pakistan. The study shows that e-governance platforms like PCP contribute to greater transparency and accountability in government operations, which has the potential to improve Pakistan’s performance on corruption indices Alternatively, e-governance through the PCP platform can help combat corruption and can create a more transparent accountable and efficient governance system in Pakistan.

Role of Good Governance and Local Government in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan

Amina Tahir, Dr. Muhammad Muzaffar — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This study examines the role that good governance and local government played in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Pakistan, with the objective of analyzing the gap in how local government's ability to uphold SDGs through decentralization governance, inter-institutional coordination, and accountability is enhanced by good governance. It further describes how national policies of good governance, including rule of law, transparency and accountability, translate into effective community-level action. This framework also explores the challenges faced by both governance including limited inter-institutional capacity, poor decentralization, environmental pressures, and socio-economic demographic factors. The 2030 Agenda of SDGs was adopted in 2015. SDGs were adopted to address poverty, hunger, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation. Pakistan has integrated SDGs into the budgeting process and national policies by incorporating SDG-aligned goals and establishing provincial and federal SDG support units. Pakistan's SDG ranking declined from 122nd to 137th, highlighting a gap between policy commitment and actual implementation. The study used a qualitative research method relying on secondary sources of data, including publications of international organizations, peer-reviewed journal articles, policy documents, government reports, and books. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine the relationship between SDG implementation, local governance, and good governance, and to identify key themes. Thematic analysis was chosen because it provides in-depth information. The results indicate that to close the gap between policy aspirations and practical results, Pakistan must achieve the SDGs through greater fiscal decentralization, better accountability systems, and closer coordination between all governmental levels.