I dedicate this page with deep gratitude to my parents, especially to my mother - who is not only the soul that brought me into this world, but the soul behind my character, my achievements, and the person I am today - a woman who started and built her life abroad on her own, a woman who learned to stand on her own feet, a Doctor, a teacher, a yogi, a swimmer, a self-made woman travelling across 70 countries through her own effort, finances, confidence and determination. And, also a big gratitute to my other family, friends and peers.

To My Family

I lovingly dedicate this part of my journey to my sisters and nieces, whose presence has kept me emotionally strong and stress free. Their smiles, hugs, and constant love gave me comfort during the most demanding phases of my PhD journey, and supported me through many other dreams, including my travels. Their duas and prayers have been a quiet source of strength that I carry with me wherever I go. I feel proud to be the first Doctor (PhD) of my family who own a SWORD of honor and a doctoral traditional hat and created an example for her siblings, nieces and generations to come. I also feel thankful to my brothers for thier support so far in my journeys. A special thanks to Adeel Yousaf for his support througout my PhD journey and beyond.

To My Friends & Peers

My deepest gratitude goes to my best friend, Ammber Nosheen, who has been a pillar of strength and courage throughout my PhD journey. She has listened to my struggles, lifted my spirits in difficult times, and prayed for my success as if it were her own. Her belief in my dream of earning a doctorate has meant the world to me, and I know no one will feel prouder of this achievement than her. I am also grateful to her father for his kind prayers for my success.

I also extend heartfelt thanks to Mami Nazia Kamran, who has treated me like her own daughter and always believed in my dream of pursuing a PhD abroad, even when others struggled to understand its importance to me. She never questioned my ambition but instead prayed wholeheartedly for it to come true. A very special thanks to Hamna Kamran, who, despite being younger than me, has become one of my dearest friends. Her kindness, laughter, and unwavering support have brought me comfort and joy throughout this journey. A big hug to my friends (Faria Ijaz, Rida Kamal, Tanzeela Bashir, Hira Adnan, Ayesha Jawad, Liina Sinnelä, Maria Hokkinen, Jessica Blackburn, Jasmine Kaur, Mai, Silvi Akter, Savitri Jeeto, Katriina Hautala and others) for being available for discussions, meetings and sharing life's ups and downs.

I am deeply grateful to my supervisors, Professor Gunilla Widén and Dr. Eeva-Liisa Eskola, for their guidance, encouragement, and support throughout my PhD journey. I also thank my examiners, Professor Tuomas Harviainen and Associate Professor Jamie Johnston, for their valuable time and insightful feedback. My sincere thanks go to Hilda Ruokolainen for stepping in during the final stage of my PhD and providing thoughtful support. I am thankful to Kristina Eriksson-Backa, Jose Teixeira Apolinario, Farhan Ahmad, Tayo Nagasawa, and other colleagues for their support and enriching discussions, as well as to Shahrokh Nikou for our collaboration and research support. I am especially grateful to Karen Fisher for her advice and encouragement. Finally, I warmly thank Helena Francke, Ola Pilerot, and colleagues at the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, University of Borås, for the inspiring experience of working with them as a visiting researcher.