No single topic carries this paper. Smart candidates plan for that spread from day one. The CSS Gender Studies syllabus carries 100 marks. It covers gender theory, feminist thought, gender and development, and women in Pakistani society. Our count of papers from 2016 to 2025 found a flat top. No topic rose above 4 questions out of 63. Four areas tie at the top. They cover the gender versus women studies distinction and the autonomy debate. Western feminist movements also hit 4, and colonial perspectives on gender hit 4 too. Feminist movements in Pakistan drew 3. Masculinities also drew 3. Liberal feminism drew zero, and queer theory drew zero. The UN conferences on women drew zero as well. So read wide instead of deep, and give every theory a Pakistani example. This subject suits social science and humanities graduates. Don’t treat it as a soft option, because flat papers punish candidates who prepare only two favourite topics.
GENDER STUDIES Syllabus (100 MARKS)
I. Introduction to Gender Studies Introduction to Gender Studies Difference between Gender and Women Studies Multi-disciplinary nature of Gender Studies Autonomy vs. Integration Debate in Gender Studies Status of Gender Studies in Pakistan
II. Social Construction of Gender Historicizing Constructionism Problematizing the category of “Sex”: Queer Theory Is “Sex” socially determined, too? Masculinities and Femininity Nature versus Culture: A Debate in Gender Development
III. Feminist Theories and Practice What is Feminism Liberal Feminism Radical Feminism Marxist/Socialist Feminism Psychoanalytical Feminism Men’s Feminism Postmodern Feminism
IV. Feminist Movements Feminist Movements in the West. First Wave, Second Wave and Third Wave Feminism. United Nation Conferences on Women, Feminist Movements in Pakistan.
V. Gender and Development Colonial and Capitalistic Perspectives of Gender Gender Analysis of Development Theories; Modernization Theory, World System Theory, Dependency Theory, Structural Functionalism. Gender Approaches to Development: Women in Development (WID), Women and Development (WAD), Gender and Development (GAD); Gender Critique of Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs). Globalization and Gender
VI. Status of Women in Pakistan Status of Women’s health in Pakistan Status of Women in Education Women and Employment Women and Law
VII. Gender and Governance Defining Governance Suffragist Movement Gender Issues in Women as Voters Gender Issues in Women as Candidates Gender Issues in Women as Representatives Impact of Political Quota in Pakistan
VIII. Gender Based Violence Defining Gender Based Violence Theories of Violence against Women Structural and Direct Forms of Violence Strategies to Eliminate Violence against Women
IX. Case Studies of: Mukhtaran Mai Mallala Yousaf Zai Shermin Ubaid Chinoy
SUGGESTED READINGS
| S.No. | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theories of Women Studies | Eds., Bowles. Gloria and Renate D. Klein |
| 2 | Introduction: Theories of Women Studies and the Autonomy/ Integration Debate in Theories of Women Studies. | Bowles G and Renate, K. |
| 3 | The State of the Discipline of Women Studies in Pakistan in Social Sciences in Pakistan | Saigol, Rubina |
| 4 | The State of Women Studies in Pakistan in Journal of Asian Women Studies | Bari, Farzana |
| 5 | Women’s Law in Legal Education and Practice in Pakistan. | Shaheed, F. and Mehdi, R. (ed.) (1997) |
| 6 | Locating the self: Perspectives on Women and Multiple Identities. | Khan, N.S. et al.(ed.) (1998) |
| 7 | The Social Construction of Gender | Lorber, Judith |
| 8 | Queer Theory | Lorber, Judith |
| 9 | Gender,USA, | Harriet Bradley(2013) |
| 10 | Women of Pakistan: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back. | Mumtaz,Khawar& Shaheed, Farida(1987) |
| 11 | Feminism and its Relevance in South Asia | Saeed K, Nighat & Bahsin, Kamla |
| 12 | Feminist Thoughts | Tong, Rosemarie |
| 13 | Reversed Realities | Kabeer, Naila |
| 14 | Gender Planning and Development | Moser, Caroline |
| 15 | Electoral Politics: Making Quotas Work For Women. | Hoodfar,Homa&Tajali, Mona (2011) |
| 16 | The Gender face of Asian Politics | Ayaz, Aazar & Fleschenberg, Andrea(2009) |
| 17 | Performance Assessment of Women Parliamentarians in Pakistan | Bari, Farzan (2002) |
| 18 | Base line Report: Women’s Participation in Political and Public Life | Zia, Shahla & Bari, Farzana. (1999) |
| 19 | Freedom from Violence | Schuler, Margarte (1992) |
| 20 | Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Report | – |
CSS Gender Studies Frequency Analysis (2016–2025)
| Syllabus Topic | Number of Questions | Years Appeared | Percentage Weightage | Trend (High / Medium / Low / Dormant) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Introduction to Gender Studies | ||||
| Introduction to Gender Studies | 1 | 2020 | 1.59% | Low |
| Difference between Gender and Women Studies | 4 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 | 6.35% | Medium |
| Multi-disciplinary nature of Gender Studies | 2 | 2022, 2023 | 3.17% | Medium |
| Autonomy vs. Integration Debate in Gender Studies | 4 | 2016, 2017, 2021, 2023 | 6.35% | Medium |
| Status of Gender Studies in Pakistan | 2 | 2016, 2023 | 3.17% | Medium |
| II. Social Construction of Gender | ||||
| Historicizing Constructionism | 1 | 2016 | 1.59% | Low |
| Problematizing the category of “Sex”: Queer Theory | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Is “Sex” socially determined, too? | 2 | 2018, 2024 | 3.17% | Medium |
| Masculinities and Femininity | 3 | 2020, 2021, 2023 | 4.76% | Medium |
| Nature versus Culture: A Debate in Gender Development | 1 | 2018 | 1.59% | Low |
| III. Feminist Theories and Practice | ||||
| What is Feminism | 1 | 2022 | 1.59% | Low |
| Liberal Feminism | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Radical Feminism | 2 | 2016, 2024 | 3.17% | Medium |
| Marxist/Socialist Feminism | 2 | 2016, 2021 | 3.17% | Medium |
| Psychoanalytical Feminism | 1 | 2021 | 1.59% | Low |
| Men’s Feminism | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Postmodern Feminism | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| IV. Feminist Movements | ||||
| Feminist Movements in the West. First Wave, Second Wave and Third Wave Feminism. | 4 | 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 | 6.35% | Medium |
| United Nation Conferences on Women | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Feminist Movements in Pakistan | 3 | 2016, 2022, 2024 | 4.76% | Medium |
| V. Gender and Development | ||||
| Colonial and Capitalistic Perspectives of Gender | 4 | 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 | 6.35% | Medium |
| Modernization Theory | 2 | 2019, 2021 | 3.17% | Medium |
| World System Theory | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Dependency Theory | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| Structural Functionalism | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| Women in Development (WID) | 1 | 2021 | 1.59% | Low |
| Women and Development (WAD) | 1 | 2021 | 1.59% | Low |
| Gender and Development (GAD) | 1 | 2021 | 1.59% | Low |
| Gender Critique of Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs) | 2 | 2018, 2022 | 3.17% | Medium |
| Globalization and Gender | 3 | 2017, 2018, 2019 | 4.76% | Medium |
| VI. Status of Women in Pakistan | ||||
| Status of Women’s health in Pakistan | 3 | 2017, 2023, 2024 | 4.76% | Medium |
| Status of Women in Education | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Women and Employment | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| Women and Law | 2 | 2018, 2020 | 3.17% | Medium |
| VII. Gender and Governance | ||||
| Defining Governance | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Suffragist Movement | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| Gender Issues in Women as Voters | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Gender Issues in Women as Candidates | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Gender Issues in Women as Representatives | 4 | 2017, 2020, 2022, 2024 | 6.35% | Medium |
| Impact of Political Quota in Pakistan | 4 | 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024 | 6.35% | Medium |
| VIII. Gender Based Violence | ||||
| Defining Gender Based Violence | 1 | 2024 | 1.59% | Low |
| Theories of Violence against Women | 1 | 2020 | 1.59% | Low |
| Structural and Direct Forms of Violence | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| Strategies to Eliminate Violence against Women | 3 | 2016, 2017, 2023 | 4.76% | Medium |
| IX. Case Studies of: | ||||
| Mukhtaran Mai | 1 | 2019 | 1.59% | Low |
| Mallala Yousaf Zai | 0 | None | 0% | Dormant |
| Shermin Ubaid Chinoy | 1 | 2020 | 1.59% | Low |
Gender Studies Top 5 Most Repeated Topics in (2016–2025)
1. Difference between Gender and Women Studies (4 appearances)
2. Autonomy vs. Integration Debate in Gender Studies (4 appearances)
3. Colonial and Capitalistic Perspectives of Gender (4 appearances)
4. Impact of Political Quota in Pakistan (4 appearances)
5. Feminist Movements in the West. First Wave, Second Wave and Third Wave Feminism. (4 appearances)
6. Gender Issues in Women as Representatives (4 appearances)
