Beyond Boundaries: Embodied Memory and Resilience in Shivani Gupta's No Looking Back

Memory studies emerged in the late 20th century to examine how individuals remember the past and employing concept of Memoryscapes provides a public space to express their experiences and challenge the narratives that can be empowering for marginalized groups*. No Looking Back* is a powerful memoir by Shivani Gupta that deals with the convergence of disability, gender-based violence (GBV), and resilience through the lens of memory studies, an underexplored area focusing on how memory processes trauma, and identity which are uniquely shaped for disabled survivors. In her work, Gupta shares her journey of surviving a life-changing accident that left her with permanent disability leaving her to be helpless or dependent on others which is seen as an easy target of vulnerability. Her story illustrates the dual layers of discrimination that she faces both as a woman and a person with a disability. By utilizing Embodied memory theory reflects on how her traumatic experiences following an accident that left her paraplegic are not just psychological events but are deeply intertwined with her bodily experiences. This paper throws light on a world that is most often marginalizes and stereotypes on women with disabilities who are especially vulnerable to gender-based violence and riddled due to societal stigmas and discrimination. The main objective of this qualitative study is to delve into the personal narrative of disabled women like Gupta that serves as a bridge connecting us with the disabled community, fostering solidarity and shared understanding of the complexities of living with disabilities.

Keywords: Memoryscapes, Disability, Gender-based violence, Embodied memory, Resilience