CSS Gender Studies is a 100-mark optional paper under Group V of the CSS optional subjects — Natural Sciences and Literature — sitting alongside Zoology, Botany, Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Sciences, Urdu Literature, and English Literature. FPSC sets the CSS Gender Studies syllabus to cover gender theories, feminism, women’s rights, gender and development, gender in Pakistani society, and international gender frameworks including CEDAW. CSS aspirants from social sciences, humanities, and law backgrounds consistently select this subject for its preparation efficiency — covering Gender Studies strengthens Current Affairs, Pakistan Affairs, and CSS Essay answers simultaneously. Review the full CSS optional subjects syllabus for combination rules and group requirements before confirming Gender Studies as your optional subject choice.
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)
