Volume-2, Issue-5, May 2026
1. Love in the Age of Machines: Emotional and Erotic Intimacy in Jeanette Winterson's Frankissstein
Authors: Rajesh Kumar Maity
Keywords: Emotional Intimacy, Artificial Intelligence, Erotic Desire, Hybrid Identity, Posthumanism.
Abstract
Jeanette Winterson's Frankissstein (2019) interrogates the evolving limits of intimacy in a society increasingly reliant on technology. By comparing the historical genesis of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1816) with contemporary developments in artificial intelligence, this paper explores how Winterson destabilizes traditional frameworks of gender, desire, and human consciousness. Examining Ry Shelley's hybrid identity and Victor Stein's pursuit of digital reanimation, the research investigates the ontological and ethical consequences of sexbots and technological resurrection. The paper argues that although Winterson's narrative illustrates AI's capacity to mirror and satisfy human emotional needs, it also establishes a fundamental difference between digital simulation and authentic human connection. Through the lens of posthumanist theory, this research critiques the commodification of intimacy and suggests that Winterson's work invites a necessary reconsideration of love, agency, and ethical responsibility in the posthuman era.
Keywords: Emotional Intimacy, Artificial Intelligence, Erotic Desire, Hybrid Identity, Posthumanism.
References
[1] Ayyıldız, N. E. (2023). Posthuman enquiry in the grip of the binaries in Jeanette Winterson's Frankissstein. Agathos: An International Review of the Humanities and Social Sciences, 14(1), 29–46.
[2] Braidotti, R. (2013). The posthuman. Polity Press.
[3] Hayles, N. K. (1999). How we became posthuman: Virtual bodies in cybernetics, literature, and informatics. University of Chicago Press.
[4] Herbrechter, S., & Callus, I. (2008). What is a posthumanist reading? Angelaki, 13(1), 95–111.
[5] Shelley, M. (2003). Frankenstein; or, The modern Prometheus. Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1818)
[6] Winterson, J. (2019). Frankissstein: A love story. Grove Press.
Keywords: Emotional Intimacy, Artificial Intelligence, Erotic Desire, Hybrid Identity, Posthumanism.
2. The Performative Dialogue: Communication Theories and the Construction of Masculinity
Authors: Dr Syed Azeem Ali
Keywords: Masculinity, Gender Performativity, Hegemonic Masculinity, Communication Theory, Queer Theory.
Abstract
This article examines the construction of masculinity through the lens of communication theories, arguing that masculinity is not an innate biological identity but a socially produced and communicatively performed phenomenon. Drawing upon Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the study explores how masculinity is continuously enacted through verbal and nonverbal communicative practices, including speech patterns, bodily gestures, emotional restraint, and social interaction. The article further employs Raewyn Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity to analyse how dominant masculine ideals are maintained through symbolic power, media representation, institutional discourse, and interpersonal communication. By incorporating Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, the discussion highlights the role of observational learning and media influence in shaping masculine identities, particularly through digital culture, advertising, and celebrity modelling. The article also investigates the psychological consequences of rigid masculine norms, including emotional suppression, hypermasculinity, and sex role strain. Through critical communication studies and queer theory, the paper deconstructs the binary understanding of gender and emphasizes the fluidity and plurality of masculinities. It argues that alternative and dialogic masculinities grounded in empathy, vulnerability, and collaborative communication can challenge patriarchal structures and foster more inclusive social relationships. Ultimately, the article demonstrates that communication is both the mechanism through which hegemonic masculinity is reproduced and the primary site through which it can be resisted, reimagined, and transformed in contemporary society.
Keywords: Masculinity, Gender Performativity, Hegemonic Masculinity, Communication Theory, Queer Theory.
References
[1] Akesse-Brempong, E., & Cudjoe, E. C. (2023). The alcohol man: Portrayals of men in popular Ghanaian alcoholic beverage advertisements. Advances in Journalism and Communication, *11*(2).
[2] Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.
[3] Butler, J. (1988). Performative acts and gender constitution: An essay in phenomenology and feminist theory. Theatre Journal, *40*(4), 519-531.
[4] Carney, D. R., Hall, J. A., & LeBeau, L. S. (2005). Beliefs about the nonverbal expression of social power. Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour, *29*(2), 105-123.
[5] Connell, R. (2005). Masculinities (2nd ed.). University of California Press.
[6] Msutwana, N. (2025). Constructing masculinity through Ulwaluko: A scoping literature review. Cogent Social Sciences, *11*(1).
[7] Perry, J. (2021). Nonverbal communication and masculinity in public space [Doctoral dissertation/Independent study? Note: "MSU Denver" as publisher suggests a thesis or capstone; bracketed description needed but type unspecified]. MSU Denver.
[8] Pleck, J. H. (1981). The myth of masculinity. MIT Press.
[9] Portell, E., & Pulido, C. (2012). Communicative acts which promote new masculinities. Masculinity and Social Change, *1*(1), 61-80.
[10] Queer masculinities: A critical reader in education. (2026, April 13). ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/ [Note: Incomplete citation – missing author/editor; provided as appears]
Keywords: Masculinity, Gender Performativity, Hegemonic Masculinity, Communication Theory, Queer Theory.
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