College of Arts

Master’s Thesis Defense: “The Interplay of Memory and Place in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, Zadie Smith’s NW, and Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half”

On Monday, June 30, 2025, the Department of English at the College of Arts convened for the defense of a Master’s thesis titled “The Interplay of Memory and Place in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club (1989), Zadie Smith’s NW (2012), and Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half (2020).” The defense was attended by Professor Dr. Hatem Fahd Al-Tai, Dean of the College, Dr. Mahmoud Saleh Saeed, Head of the Department, and several faculty members.

The study, submitted by postgraduate student Marwa Qasim Mohammed Sadiq from the Department of English, provided a comprehensive background on attachment theory, tracing its origins to John Bowlby, who describes attachment as a lasting psychological bond between humans.

The thesis aimed to investigate the interplay between memory and place in the aforementioned novels. It offers a unique perspective on how personal and collective memories are intricately linked with specific locations, ultimately influencing the characters’ perceptions of themselves and their communities.

Examination Committee:

• Assistant Professor Dr. Zainab Abdullah Hussein / College of Education for Girls / University of Tikrit (Chairperson)
• Assistant Professor Dr. Qutaiba Shihab Ahmed / College of Arts / University of Mosul (Retired) (Member)
• Assistant Professor Dr. Shaima Zuhair Hammoudi / College of Arts / University of Mosul (Member)
• Professor Dr. Hassan Mu’ayyad Hamid / College of Education for Human Sciences / University of Mosul (Member and Supervisor)