Education and Gendered Citizenship in Pakistan: A Postcolonial Investigation
In this presentation, I challenge the uncritical use of the long-held dictum of the development discourse that education empowers women. Situated in the post-colonial and post-structuralist feminist position I argue that in its current state the educational discourse in Pakistan actually disempowers women. Furthermore, through a systematic examination of the educational
discourse in Pakistan, I argue that the educational discourse (through curricula, textbooks, and pedagogical practices) constitutes gendered identities and positions them in a way that exacerbates and intensifies inequalities between men and women on one hand and between the dominant and minority groups on the other. Gendered constitution and positioning of subjects also regulate the relationship between the subjects and the state in a way that women and minorities are excluded from the development and citizenship realms. Finally, I attempt to uncover the mechanisms through which the educational discourse in Pakistan constitutes
a militant nationalism and militaristic nationalistic subjects.
Dr. Naseem holds a Ph.D. in comparative and international education from McGill University. His research interests include feminist theory and philosophy, post-structuralism, diversity in classroom, peace education, democratic and citizenship education. Dr. Naseem has also taught at the Quaid i Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan in the departments of International Relations and Defense & Strategic Studies.