A Critical Assessment of Functionalism and Aestheticism as Frameworks for Literary Analysis
Zaccheaus Ojo Joseph (Ph.D), Department of Performing Arts, School of Humanities, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, Nigeria.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | Page 01 to 14
Abstract
This study critically examines Functionalism and Aestheticism as frameworks for literary analysis, assessing their respective contributions, limitations, and applicability in understanding literary texts. Functionalism emphasizes the social, political, and moral dimensions of literature, considering texts as instruments for reflecting and influencing society. Aestheticism, in contrast, prioritizes artistic form, beauty, and autonomy, often detaching literary works from social and historical contexts. While each framework provides unique insights, relying exclusively on one lens results in partial and onedimensional interpretations. Functionalist approaches may overlook stylistic, linguistic, and imaginative qualities, whereas aestheticist approaches may ignore social, cultural, and ethical relevance. Through a qualitative and comparative approach, this study analyzes selected literary texts, including works by Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka, applying both frameworks to demonstrate their strengths and limitations. The analysis reveals that an integrative or eclectic approach, which combines Functionalist and Aesthetic perspectives, offers a more comprehensive understanding of literature as both an artistic creation and a social document. By highlighting the interplay between aesthetic sophistication and social significance, this study underscores the value of multi-dimensional literary criticism and contributes to contemporary debates on the purpose of literature. The findings have implications for literary scholarship, teaching, and postcolonial studies, advocating for critical approaches that balance artistic appreciation with social awareness.
Keywords: Functionalism, Aestheticism, Literary Analysis, African Literature, Literary Criticism
MEDIA EXPOSURE, KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS AMONG FARMERS IN SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA
Uwem Asuquo Akpan, Department of Mass Communication, Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | Page 01 to 19
Abstract
This study investigated the media exposure, knowledge and adoption of agricultural innovations among farmers in South-South Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives were to examine the extent of farmers’ exposure to media messages on agricultural innovations in South-South Nigeria; assess the level of farmers’ knowledge of agricultural innovations acquired through media exposure in South-South Nigeria; and determine the extent to which media exposure influences the adoption of agricultural innovations among farmers in South-South Nigeria.The study was anchored on Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Davis’ Technology Acceptance Model, both of which provided explanatory insights into how innovations spread and the factors that shape farmers’ decisions to accept or reject them. The survey research design was adopted, with a population of 4,218,890 registered farmers across six South-South states, from which a sample size of 400 respondents was drawn using Taro Yamane’s formula. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using bar charts. Findings revealed that while a fair proportion of farmers were aware of innovations, awareness was largely at a moderate level; knowledge was similarly moderate, with many respondents lacking the depth required for effective application; and adoption remained low, constrained by infrastructural deficits, institutional gaps and socio-economic barriers. The study concluded that farmers in South-South Nigeria have moderate exposure to media messages on agricultural innovations, which translates into moderate knowledge and adoption levels. This pattern indicates that while media platforms effectively raise awareness, their impact on practical adoption remains limited by economic, institutional, and infrastructural constraints. It was recommended that extension agencies, agricultural media units, and development partners should expand and diversify media campaigns on agricultural innovations using radio, community broadcasts, and social media platforms that farmers in South-South Nigeria can easily access. Strengthening such exposure will ensure that information reaches even remote communities in timely and comprehensible formats.
Keywords: Agricultural innovation; Farmers; Knowledge; Awareness; Adoption; South-South Nigeria
Parochialism and Divarication in the Reparation, Restitution and Restoration Colloquy in African History
Njekang Dieudonne Nkwati, Part-time Lecturer, Department of History, Heritage and International Studies, The University of
Bamenda, Cameroon.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | Page 01 to 32
Abstract
Africa’s experiences with the west is informed by three major historical periods: The slave trade era, marked by the most brazen dehumanization of the African person and toughest restriction of her potentialities; the era of colonialism wherein, colonialists established themselves in Africa to exact maximum profit for repatriation and so, institutionalized ‘growth without development’ in Africa and the neo-colonial era (which dovetailed with the age of globalization); the most pernicious, for western exploitation this time around, was in connivance with megalomaniac African. Against this osmotic background the backlash was felt in every aspect of the African life. From this backdrop, this paper draws from extant authoritative secondary literature and oral information, to argue that since the slave trade, colonialism and neo-colonialism left almost indelible and ineffaceable hideous imprints on the African continent, the effusing acts and literary discourses on restitution and/restoration to Africa should be correspondingly holistic and eclectic. It follows that, the incipient phase of the restitution colloquy that confines itself to the reparation and repatriation of African cultural and human remains lodged in western museums relapses into parochialism and dimwittedness in the context of the length and depth of western plunder and pillage in Africa. Again, considering that the lead-up for the recent flurrying of restitution literature, seminars and conferences was president Emmanuel Macron’s 2017 speech delivered in Ouagadougou and the ensuing Sarr and Savoy report, this paper further contends that the restoration of African artistic works does not fall short of a smokescreen to other western pernicious schemes in Africa. It is an expression of the Eurocentric cliché notion that only the west can prescribe the panacea for Africa malaise. The thread of reasoning sustained in this paper aligns with the view of Achille Mbembe who intimates that, Europe would not have the right to restitute African objects as it would close easily a difficult chapter of history
Keywords: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Colonialism, Neocolonialism, Emmanuel Macron, Achille Mbembe