“ Where we will go for a job after this degree. For example, one of the respondents from the study shared: Low market utility of a degree in gender studiesĬoncerns related to employability of a gender studies degree in the job market are highlighted in the lived experiences of students pursuing gender studies.It is true that students feel burdened to use certain type of language and jargons, hence feeling burdened by the discipline rather than enjoying it. Bari reflections, I point out that at times teachers’ in terms of assignments, reflection papers, and critical essays from students are unrealistic as they come with a specific cultural baggage and presuppositions. In other words, pedagogy in our context involves unpacking these assumptions. In term papers, students are often more concerned about using terminology and jargon, instead of grasping a deeper understanding of concepts such as social constructionism, feminism, and patriarchy. Misplaced focus on jargon rather than lived experiences by the students and teachers.In this sense then, teaching gender studies has become a deconstructive project (Bari 1996). As a result, students are often oblivious or unaware about the richness of this discipline and its diversity. Moreover, feminist activism, soon after the emergence of Pakistan as an independent state, has remained confined largely within the bounds of bourgeois respectability, thereby misunderstood, and sometimes even despised, by the masses. Feminism and feminist activism are some of the most controversial terms in the context of Pakistan, viewed as being against the Pakistani society and harming its social fabric. The foremost assumption among the new students is that gender studies, as a field, is limited to studying about patriarchy and social construction of gender, and hence focusing on these issues makes one a feminist. Assuming that studying gender studies makes one a feminist.I have categorised these perceptions into the following themes: There is also the additional factor of master’s degree programs all over Pakistan, since 2020, being replaced by four-year bachelor’s degree programs, thereby translating into additional cost of pursuing higher education for students across Pakistan.Īs part of this study, I also conducted in-depth interviews with students to further unpack the enrolment trend and perceptions held by students towards gender studies as a discipline. Another reason could be the considerable reduction in the higher education budget in Pakistan in the past few years, leading to limited financial aid and scholarship support for new students. One possible reason for this interesting enrolment trend could be that new study programs usually garner a lot of attention initially from students, but gradually the numbers decline as students begin to question the market utility of the degree, particularly if there is a sizeable number of past students who remain unemployed post-graduation, with bleak prospects for employment. While it is unsettling to see such low interest among young people towards this discipline, these findings not only reflect the low awareness and commitment in Pakistan toward gender justice, but also illuminate how factors such as merit, affirmative action, and broader socio-cultural dynamic in Pakistan contributes towards certain academic disciplines being perceived as less important or prestigious than others.

The data to examine perceptions towards the discipline of gender studies has been gathered from show that between 2008-2020, only 37% students outlined gender studies as their first choice for field of study in university application. Myths and misconceptions associated with Gender Studies among students

Moreover, overall, the total number of students who applied for gender studies increased after 2008, although there was also a decline observed in the number of students who enrolled in the program in 2015. The data show that between 2008-2020, more women (252) applied to study gender studies than men (220). The master’s program in Gender Studies was first started in 2008 at the Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies. However, the student body is quite diverse, with students from across Pakistan enrolled at the university. The university is renowned internationally, and attracts many foreign students, although gaining an admission is fairly competitive. Quaid-i-Azam University is a public university, established in July 1967 under the Act of National Assembly, and offers research programs for PhD and MPhil degrees across several disciplines.

Pakistan gender studies