''' FAKE NEWS FATE ''' : PHILOSOPHY GLOBAL ESSAY

PAST AND PRESENT RECAST : FALSEHOOD as  essence of a narrative.

THE CONCEPT OF NARRATIVE HOLDS A foundational place in philosophy, literature and social theory - especially when examined through the interwoven lenses of knowledge and power.

A narrative is not merely a recounting of events; it is a constructed representation  shaped by purpose, perspective and ideology. It is through their narratives that individuals and societies ascribe meaning to the world around them.

The narratives are not neutral or benign. Often, they are instruments of persuasion, designed to legitimise particular interests or obscure uncomfortable truths.

This is particularly evident in the context of geopolitical conflict, such as the ongoing confrontation between India and Pakistan, where battle of narratives has eclipsed the facts on the ground.

Here, the narrativization is not always grounded in truthfulness. Instead it is often shaped by strategic falsity, manipulation and  ideological warfare.

While narrative and knowledge are closely related, they differ in crucial respects. Knowledge traditionally aspires toward truth, objectivity and justification, relying on logic and evidence to support its claims.

Narrative, by contrast, is inherently interpretive and emotionally charged. It structures events into meaningful wholes but does so through the prism of cultural norms, power and structures and subjectivity.

WHERE knowledge asks, '' What is the truth? ''  narrative often asks, '' What meaning can be derived from this ? '' '' Who is speaking?'' and '' What agenda is being advanced? ''

This is precisely what makes narratives such a potent - and at times dangerous - force in the realm of international politics.

In an India-Pakistan conflict, the primacy of narratives, especially around contested events, such as border skirmishes, alleged terrorist activity and diplomatic breakdowns, is unmistakable.

The states engage in discursive battles not merely to inform people but to influence and shape public perception, garner international sympathy and solidify internal cohesion.

The narratives often bear little resemblance to verifiable reality and are instead crafted to serve strategic interests. They mobilise patriotism, demonise the ' other ' and reinforce national ideologies.

These falsified or exaggerated accounts are not accidental deviations from truth; they are integral to the mechanics of modern statecraft.

MICHEL FOUCAULT'S insights into the relationship between knowledge and power are profoundly relevant in analysing the dynamics of historical narratives in countries like India and Pakistan.

Foucault's concept of '' regimes of truth '' refer to the idea that what is considered to be true within a society is not a simple reflection of objective reality, but the product of socially constructed and regulated discourses.

This Master Publishing continues. The World Students Society thanks Professor Tahir Kamran, of the Faculty of Liberal Arts at the Beaconhouse National University, LAHORE.