CSS Solved Gender Studies Past Paper 2023 | Write a note on the status of gender studies in Pakistan. Give your views on the autonomy versus integration debate in gender studies
The following question of Gender Studies is solved by Ateeqa Atia Ul Musawar , the highest scorer in CSS Gender Studies. Moreover, the question is attempted on the same pattern, taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Question Breakdown
The focus of this particular article is on the status of gender studies within the context of Pakistan. The central theme of this article would be that, basically, what are the numerous initiatives taken by the governmental and non-governmental institutions to make gender studies an academic subject in Pakistan? As a result, the reader learns about the efforts made by educational institutions and feminists to elevate the status of gender studies in Pakistan. Furthermore, a reader would be able to delineate the concept of autonomy versus integration in real meanings under this question. In addition, this article will unwrap the arguments presented by the two major schools of thought to defend their stance against gender studies as a separate subject or gender studies as an integrated one.
Outline
1- Introductory Remarks
2- Status of gender studies in Pakistan – A holistic view
- ✓ Core aims and objectives
- ✓ Investing in the Plan of Action to promote gender studies as a subject
- ✓ Initiatives under the Curriculum Revision Committee
- ✓ Center of Excellence for Women Studies
- ✓ Alam e Niswa – the cornerstone to gender equality
- ✓ Efforts by Pakistan’s Association for Women Studies
3- Autonomy versus Integration-Understanding the debate in real meanings
- ✓ Opening the debate on the concept of autonomy in the Gender Studies
- Study women in isolation
- The only way to progress
- The way towards radical tendencies
- One would better examine the problems of all genders
- Development of professional identity
- Integration with other subjects means constraints on gender equality
- Autonomy will give more meanings
- Increase in the research culture on the subject
- Women studies – treated as a separate discipline
- ✓ Opening the debate on the concept of the integration of the Gender Studiesviolence
- Greater outreach of the gender studies
- Incorporation of more means the incorporation of big changes
- Understanding of the gender issues by a number of people
- Best way to compel the policymakers
- Will pave the way for the students to do higher studies in gender
- Students will inculcate gender studies into different subjects
- Integration means integration into the social fabric
- Sensitize the masses about gender-discriminating practices
4- Point of critique
5- Conclusive Remarks
Answer to the Question
We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.
Sheryl Sandber
Introductory Remarks
Robina Segal, in The State of Women’s Studies in Pakistan, endorsed that gender studies is a social discipline within the women’s movements and feminist fights that have raged all over the world. Although the topic has only recently been recognised in the field of study, it has a longer history. For millennia, women have learned how to communicate their needs, wants, desires, pains, pleasures, love, and hate. Therefore, in Pakistan, the field of gender studies is currently expanding in all its colors. Women’s and gender studies, as well as theories related to them, developed in the West and are typically viewed from those viewpoints. Studying the current state of gender studies in Pakistan is thus extremely beneficial. Many women now have the opportunity to flourish in a variety of disciplines, thanks to the government of Pakistan’s efforts in establishing the Center of Excellence for Gender Studies in Pakistan in 1989 to influence feminist studies in Pakistan. One of the most significant aspects that influence feminist studies is the autonomy and integration argument, which deals with methods for advancing feminist scholarly work in the academy. To maintain a discipline as a separate field of study at universities and colleges, as opposed to integrating gender and women’s studies with other disciplines, is to maintain autonomy.
Status of gender studies in Pakistan- A holistic view
In Pakistan, women’s issues got much attention in the 1970s due to the sincere efforts of some committed feminists of that time. To introduce the discipline in the country, the Center of Excellence for Gender Studies was established as a project in 1989 by the Ministry of Women’s Development. The ministry of women’s studies and development in Pakistan is committed to the overall development of women, including their education. The ministry includes the particular aims and objects of enhancing the status of women through efforts in the field of gender studies.
- Core Aims and Objectives
- To enhance women’s literacy rate
- To reduce the gender gap by re-orienting the curricula and making them gender sensitive
- Encouraging the generation of information
- Improving the analysis and studies related to women and gender issues.
- Generating awareness among the masses about the real concept of equality
- Critical examination of all the factors which are responsible for rendering women invisible in scientific investigation and development.
- Creating awareness of women’s issues.
- Development of introductory courses for the students of the universities.
- Investing in the Plan of Action to promote gender studies as a subject
The plan of action was endorsed by the government of Pakistan. In 1989, the women’s development division issued a 5-year plan to make gender studies a possible academic subject under this initiative. In this plan, it was said that gender studies will be a proper subject in academia so that women can be made more visible.
- Initiatives under the Curriculum Revision Committee
The curriculum revision committee was established to provide a number of recommendations through which way gender studies is added as a subject in academic studies. Its recommendations include
- Addition of gender studies in competitive exams such as the civil services exam
- Active collaboration between different departments
- Urdu translation of the available material on the gender studies
- The higher education commission should create a special fund.
- Centre of excellence for women studies
The women’s studies centres in Pakistan can be divided into the public sector, which is funded by the government, and the private sector, which is funded by international donors and others. In 1989, the ministry of women’s development established women’s studies centres in numerous universities, initially as a five-year project. Centers of excellence for women’s studies were at the top of the list. It was established in 1989 at the University of Karachi with the aim of focusing on women’s studies. The first MA programme in women’s studies in Pakistan began in 1996 at the University of Karachi. In 2002, centres initiated MPhil and Ph.D. programs. In 2004, the discipline of women’s studies was introduced as a subsidiary course at the first-year (hons) level.
- Alam -e – Niswa-The cornerstone to gender equality.
Alam -e- Niswa is a research journal dedicated to raising awareness about women’s issues and problems. It was first issued in 1994, and since then it has been published twice a year. Alam-e-Niswa demonstrates to be one of the cornerstones for making gender studies a subject available in Pakistani universities.
- Efforts by Pakistan Association for women’s studies (PAWS)
The Pakistan Women’s Association has also been working actively since its inception in 1991. Currently in Pakistan, at the university and doctoral level, women’s and gender studies are flourishing swiftly. Many local and government universities are offering gender studies to let people know about the problem of other genders and figure out the solution. Some of the universities that offer gender studies as a subject include
- Allama Iqbal Open University
- Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi
- University of Sindh, Jamshoro
- Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad
- University of Baluchistan
- University of Punjab
“We realized the importance of our voice when we are silenced”
-Malala Yousaf Zai
Autonomy versus Integration – Understanding the debate in real meanings
While deciding how to deal with women’s problems and the question of the subordinate position of women in society, two streams of thought emerged in society. These are the concepts of autonomy versus integration. The thoughts had opposing views on how to approach studying women’s issues. It was an important discussion about whether women’s studies organisations should be independent units at universities or whether they should be incorporated into the conventional discipline.
✓ Opening the debate on the concept of autonomy of the Gender Studies
Autonomy in gender studies means keeping the discipline an independent field of study in universities and academia. The proponents of autonomy present staunch arguments for keeping gender studies in the autonomous field of study.
- Study women in isolation
The advocates of the autonomous school of thought focused entirely and solely on the study of women. They believe that by studying just women and bringing their problems to light, they will be more successful in empowering women. For them, studying women’s issues through the lens of already existing norms and values is to diminish the importance of the predicaments faced by women.
- The only way to progress
According to the proponents of gender studies, autonomy basically fosters the concept of separatism. They are of the stance that “we can progress only if we keep the field autonomous and free of other disciplines.” They think that by being free from the influence of other subjects, they will progress in a better way.
- The way toward radical tendencies
The proponents of the autonomous school of thought have the perspective to harbor radical tendencies in their arguments. This is because the autonomy perspective calls for the complete isolation of women’s problems and a complete end to patriarchal norms. Thus, they demand a complete change in the way society operates.
- One would better examine the problems of all genders
Proponents of the autonomy debate argue that by studying gender for all years, one would be able to observe all genders’ steps and daily life routines. This one would better examine the problems and difficulties associated with all genders.
- Development of professional identity
The autonomy of gender studies will create a professional identity for the students. They will be able to make independent decisions. An independent decision-making body is thought to be important for legitimizing feminist scholarship and guaranteeing its future.
- Integration with other subjects means constraints on gender equality
Autonomy will also allow gender studies and feminists to focus all of their energy on gender studies teachings and explaining a new concept, whereas in the case of integration, the focus will be diverted and constraints imposed on the field and work of feminists.
- Autonomy will give more meanings
Autonomy will give more meaning as if one would integrate gender studies with other subjects, it will lose track for gender studies was basically started. Autonomy will give direction to the er studies in order to progress in the real meanings.
- Increase in the research culture on the subject
The autonomous school of thought among feminists argues that people will be able to do more research on gender studies. The vision of feminist scholarship would be increased if gender studies were treated as autonomous subjects.
- Women studies – treated as a separate discipline
Since the autonomy perspective wants to focus solely on women, they endorsed the discipline of women’s studies. They believe that by studying history and society through the lens of discrimination against women, they will be able to help elevate the status of women. Women’s studies programs are free to focus all of their energies on teaching and scholarship about women.
✓ Opening the debate on the concept of the integration of the Gender Studies
Integration means incorporation. It means combining gender studies as an equivalent subject along with other subjects. Proponents of gender integration studies present several arguments to make their stance strong.
- Greater outreach of the gender studies
The proponents believe that by integrating the subject, the subject will have greater outreach. A wide range of students will read it, and students from various academic fields will be exposed to gender issues.
- Incorporation of more means the incorporation of big changes
According to the proponents of integration, there is a need to bring about big changes in society related to gender and gender-based issues. This change can only be brought about by integrating gender studies into other major disciplines.
- Understanding of the gender issues by a number of people
The inculcation of gender studies in all the disciplines would let a lot of people study the problems of a different gender. They would come to know the problems associated with different genders’ living, earning, etc.
- Best way to compel the policymakers
Interactionists also argue that the incorporation of gender studies in any other major discipline is the only way to compel policymakers to keep in mind gender while formulating a policy.
- Will pave the way for students to do higher studies in gender
Studying gender studies along with other subjects will be an option for students to do higher studies in gender. It will be easy for them to do a master’s MPhil, or PhD in gender studies.
- Students will inculcate gender studies into different subjects
Students will be able to infuse gender studies into different subjects and shapes as they study the behaviour of different genders in the present, past, and future as they study gender studies alongside other subjects.
- Integration means integration into the social fabric
The advocates of the integrating school of thought talk about how women should be made a part of society by becoming integrated in the school at the social, economic, political, and cultural spheres. It propounds the view that women are part of society and should be treated as such.
- Sensitize the masses about gender-discriminating practices
The integration perspective believes that women’s problems can be dealt with by creating awareness about the rampant discrimination that takes place against women. They believe that due to the fact that the dichotomy between genders has been practiced for centuries, discriminatory practices more often than not happen unconsciously. Elimination of these practices would thus require an understanding of why such women possess a subordinate position in society.
- Greater outreach of the gender studies
Though integration is a moderate strategy in its limited focus on academics and its acceptance of the slow pace that any real change always demands, its ultimate goals for how the academy should be transformed are stated in the most radical terms.
Point of Critique
At present, most contend that autonomy and integration can coexist. Many other disciplines are studied as separate disciplines as well as in conjunction with other disciplines. It will be difficult for students to decide whether to study it as a complete discipline or just to get through it, but they will learn about the major issues confronting all genders in society.
“It is both a discipline and interdisciplinary field”
– Jan Fax O’ Barr
Conclusive Remarks
Though the autonomy and integration debate originated in women’s studies and from there entered gender studies, the arguments of both separatists (autonomy) and interactionists (integration) make it an integral concept of gender studies itself. Both separatists and interactionists have their strong arguments, and it is important to take them into consideration before taking any steps. Since the arrival of autonomy, the status of women has changed because it was more than just a feminist viewpoint, so both perspectives must be viewed critically from the ground up. In the current age and time, there is a dire need to not only integrate gender concerns in established disciplines of social sciences but also to introduce it as an optional subject to enhance the status of gender studies in Pakistan.
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