Rural Culture as Soft Power: Ethical and Aesthetic Dimensions in the Short Stories of Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi

Abstract

This research explores the role of rural culture as a form of soft power in the short stories of Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, a prominent figure in Urdu literature. Qasmi's works present a nuanced depiction of village life, where cultural values, traditions, and moral consciousness serve not only as literary content but as subtle forces shaping social perceptions and national identity. This study argues that Qasmi's fiction embodies the aesthetics of rural simplicity and ethical clarity, thus operating as a form of cultural diplomacy or soft power. His characters—rooted in local traditions yet emotionally complex—demonstrate how cultural expression can influence ideas of justice, resistance, empathy, and social harmony. Using frameworks from cultural studies, soft power theory (Joseph Nye), and literary aesthetics, the paper will examine how Qasmi’s narratives promote cultural resilience and offer a counter-discourse to modernity’s materialism. Through this lens, rural storytelling becomes not a nostalgic retreat but a strategic and ethical assertion of identity in postcolonial South Asia.

Key Words: Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Rural Culture, Soft Power, Urdu Fiction, Aesthetics, Ethics, Cultural Identity