“GENDER STUDIES”

SYLLABUS
1) Introduction to Gender Studies
a) Introduction to Gender Studies
b) Difference between Gender and Women Studies
 Define and discuss the discipline of Gender studies and also differentiate between
women studies and gender studies. (2017)
• What are the fundamental differences between Gender Studies and Women's
Studies? Substantiate your argument(s) with examples. Highlight the current status
of women studies in Pakistan (20) (2018)
• . How do you differentiate the discipline of Gender Studies from that of Women
Studies? Historically trace the need for the establishment of Gender Studies as a
distinct discipline and its scope and significance with especial reference to Pakistan.
(20) (2019)
c) Multi-disciplinary nature of Gender Studies
 Define and discuss the discipline of Gender studies and also differentiate between
women studies and gender studies. (2017)
d) Autonomy vs. Integration Debate in Gender Studies
 Write a comprehensive note on autonomy versus integration debate in gender
studies. (2017)
• Discuss in detail what the autonomy and Integration debate in gender studies have
important contribution for the development of the field of knowledge. (2021)
• Write a note on status of women's studies in Pakistan and give your views on the
autonomy/integration debate in Women's Studies. (2016)
Status of Gender Studies in Pakistan
• Write a note on status of women's studies in Pakistan and give your views on the
autonomy/integration debate in Women's Studies. (2016)
e) Status of Gender Studies in Pakistan

1) Social Construction of Gender

 What are the theories of social construction of gender? (2016)
• Gender has multiple meanings. How do you deconstruct the word “GENDER”
(2020)
a) Historicizing Constructionism
b) Problematizing the category of “Sex”: Queer Theory
c) Is “Sex” socially determined, too?
d) Masculinities and Femininity
Masculinity and femininity are the deeply engraved realities since distant past
in human history. Discuss various theoretical debates on the construction of
masculineity and femininity to make it explicit that the formation of both is
either natural or social reality Support your arguments with real life
examples. (2021)
 e) Nature versus Culture: A Debate in Gender Development
o Write a comprehensive essay on the ‘sex versus gender debate’ in feminist
philosophy and social sciences, reflecting nature versus nurture argument. (20)
(2018)
2) Feminist Theories and Practice
What type(s) of feminism can elevate the social-cultural, economic and
political status of women in Pakistan? (20) (2018)
(1) What is Feminism
(2) Liberal Feminism
(3) Radical Feminism
 what is feminism? In what way Radical feminism is different
from Socialist feminism? (2016)
d) Marxist/Socialist Feminism
a. Marxist feminism is a philosophical variant of feminism that incorporates
and extends Marxist theory and analyzes the ways in which women are
exploited through capitalism and the individual ownership of private
property. Discuss the development of Marxist/Socialist feminism and the
philosophical stance they hold to discuss gender issues and exploitation
(202!
e) Psychoanalytical Feminism
a. Psychoanalytic feminism is a theory of oppression, which asserts that men
have an inherent psychological need to subjugate women. As elaborated,
give a detailed analysis of the gender oppression and women’s
subordination promulgated by Psychoanalytic Feminism. (2021)
f) Men’s Feminism
g) Postmodern Feminism
i. Short Note- Postmodern Feminism (2019)
3) Feminist Movements
a) Feminist Movements in the West. First Wave, Second Wave and Third Wave
Feminism. United Nation Conferences on Women, Feminist Movements in
Pakistan.
a) Outline and explain the three major waves of feminist movements in
the West. Discuss the influence of these waves on feminist movements
in Pakistan.(20) (2019)
4) Gender and Development
f) Colonial and Capitalistic Perspectives of Gender
How the colonial era influenced the status of women in subcontinent?
(2020)
g) Gender Analysis of Development Theories; Modernization Theory, World System
Theory, Dependency Theory, Structural Functionalism.
Modernization Theory blames internal cultural factors WID for women’s
subordination in the developing world. Discuss and elaborate the given
statement in respect to Modernization Perspectives. (2021)
• Explain the relevance of Modernization Theory and Dependency
Theory to gender equality. Critically analyze the subordination of
 women in modern societies in the light of these two theories. (20)
(2019)
h) Gender Approaches to Development: Women in Development (WID), Women and
Development (WAD), Gender and Development (GAD); Gender Critique of Structural
Adjustment Policies (SAPs).
Critically review the Gender and Development Approaches on
the following:
• Women in Development (WID)
• Women and Development (WAD)
• Gender and Development (GAD) (2016)
• (b) Gender and development (2017)
• Critically analyze the various approaches to women’s
development focusing on Women in Development (WID),
Women and Development (WAD) and Gender and Development
(GAD) (2020)
i) Globalization and Gender
"Powerful forces of globalization have highlighted various
gender issues across culture and throughout the globe."
Discuss by quoting examples from developing countries. (2017)
• In the last two decades, globalization has had a huge impact
on the lives of women in developing nations, including Pakistan.
What are the impacts of global political economy on Pakistani
women? (20) (2018)
• The process of globalization has connected nations worldwide
and has made the world a global village, yet it has also
increased inequalities across nations. Discuss the gendered
inequalities created and promoted by the process of
globalization in contemporary societies worldwide.(20) (2019)

8. Status of Women in Pakistan

 What are the sites and forms of violence against women in
Pakistan and how in your view this menace can be
eliminated from our society? (2016)
• What are the pros and cons of gender quota in politics?
Give your views on the impact of gender quota in politics in
Pakistan. (2016)
• Write a note on women's movement in Pakistan. What are
its strengths and weaknesses? (2016)
• Women active political participation could stabilize
democracy and boost economic development". Comment on
this statement within context of socio-economic realities of
Pakistani society. (2017)
• What are the reasons responsible for ranking Pakistan as
the second-worst country in the world for gender inequality
despite Pakistan commitment to many international
conventions and strong commitment to gender equality in
1973 constitution? (20) (2018)
• Women’s participation in labor force has increased
 recently yet women continue to perform their reproductive
roles. Discuss the challenges encountered by women as a
result of their paid employment worldwide with especial
reference to Pakistan.(20)
j) Status of Women’s health in Pakistan
 What is the status of women's health in Pakistan? How it
could be improved within the available economic resources?
k) Status of Women in Education
l) Women and Employment
m) Women and Law
5) Gender and Governance
o Women need to be in leadership positions to pull more
women into leadership roles. Is this suggestion that women
need to “pull each other up” a useful one, or is that
inappropriate preferential treatment.
i) Defining Governance
ii) Suffragist Movement
i. Suffragist movement (2019)
Gender Issues in Women as Representatives
• Women active political participation could stabilize democracy and
boost economic development". Comment on this statement within
context of socio-economic realities of Pakistani society. (2017)
iii) Gender Issues in Women as Voters
iv) Gender Issues in Women as Candidates
v) Gender Issues in Women as Representatives
vi) Impact of Political Quota in Pakistan
o Despite the entry of women legislators into polities on a 17 percent
quota in national and provincial assemblies, still there are voices
that “is Pakistan’s Gender Quota in parliament showing results?”
Rethink und discuss that how quotas can lead to political
mainstreaming of women in Pakistan. (2021)
6) Gender Based Violence
o What are the different forms of gender based
violence and, in your opinion, what could be
the workable strategies to eliminate gender
based violence from Pakistani society (2016)
• Short-note- Honor Killing (2017)
• Short Note- Government Initiative for
combating the menace of violence against
women (2018)
i) Defining Gender Based Violence
i. Comment on the power and control relationship in gender based
violence (2020)
ii) Theories of Violence against Women
 iii) Structural and Direct Forms of Violence
iv) Strategies to Eliminate Violence against Women
8) Case Studies of:
a) Mukhtaran Mai
ii. Explain the structural and direct forms of violence against women
in the Pakistani society by highlighting the case study of Mukhtaran
Mai.(20)
b) Mallala Yousaf Zai
c) Shermin Ubaid Chinoy
i. Discuss the background of the two Oscar winning documentaries by
Sharmeen Obiod.

MISCELLANEOUS

• .Believing in the statement that “women cover half the sky”, do you think we need equal
number of women in all spheres of public domain, especially in politics? (20) (2018)
• ‘Gender Strategic Needs’ and ‘Gender Practical Needs’ (2018)
• APWA and WAF
• 'Language is gendered', what does this imply? Explain with examples
• “For realizing, in letter and spirit, the ideals of a democratic welfare state, it is necessary
to institute a system which fully guarantees human rights, generates conducive
environment for the pragmatic use and beneficial enjoyment of human rights and provides
operative safeguards and expeditious remedy against any violation of human rights”.
Critically evaluate the statement with specia reference to Pakistan. (2020)