Gender Studies Past Papers Analysis

I. Introduction to Gender Studies

1. Critically examine the theoretical arguments of social constructionism and queer theory regarding the categories of sex and gender. How do these arguments illuminate contemporary debates about transgender rights and the controversies over the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 in Pakistan? Support your answer with examples from legal debates and activism. (2026)

2. Differentiate between gender studies and women's studies. Discuss in detail the multidisciplinary nature of gender studies. (2023)

3. Write a note on status of gender studies in Pakistan. Give your views on the autonomy verses integration debate in gender studies. (2023)

4. Discuss in detail the multidisciplinary nature of gender studies. (2022)

5. 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 special reference to Pakistan. (2019)

6. 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. (2018)

7. Define and discuss the discipline of Gender studies and also differentiate between women studies and gender studies. (2017)

8. Define and discuss the discipline of Gender studies and also differentiate between women studies and gender studies. (2017)

9. Discuss in detail what the autonomy and Integration debate in gender studies have important contribution for the development of the field of knowledge. (2021)

10. Write a comprehensive note on autonomy versus integration debate in gender studies. (2017)

11. 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)

12. 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)

II. Social Construction of Gender

1. Using intersectionality as an analytical framework, examine the experiences of marginalized groups of women in Pakistan, including rural women, ethnic and religious minorities, and differently-abled women. How do overlapping systems of oppression shape their access to health, education and employment? (2026)

2. Give a detailed analysis of the intersectionality of Gender with Other Social Identities. (2025)

3. Write short notes on the following: (2024)

III. a. Is “Sex” also a social construct?

1. Define the terms masculinity and femininity. In your opinion where do traditional gender roles come from? (2023)

2. Discuss in detail Gender Critique of Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs). (2022)

3. Gender has multiple meanings. How do you deconstruct the word "GENDER" (2020)

4. What are the theories of social construction of gender? (2016)

IV. Feminist Theories and Practice

1. Critically analyse Women in Development (WID) and Gender and Development (GAD) models. Discuss its basic principles and limitations in addressing women’s needs in developing countries. (2025)

2. Write short notes on the following: Radical Feminism (2024)

3. Describe the two Western Schools of thought about Feminism in detail. (2022)

4. Shed light on the first wave and third wave of feminism. (2022)

5. Masculinity and femininity are the deeply engraved realities since distant past in human history. Discuss various theoretical debates on the construction of masculinity 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)

6. 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 (2021)

7. 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)

8. Short Note- Postmodern Feminism (2019)

9. What type(s) of feminism can elevate the social-cultural, economic and political status of women in Pakistan? (2018)

10. What is feminism? In what way Radical feminism is different from Socialist feminism? (2016)

V. Feminist Movements

1. Trace the evolution of the Feminist Movement in Pakistan from the activism of the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) against the Hudood Ordinances in the 1980s to the digital activism of the 2020s. How has the locus of resistance shifted from "Legal Rights" to "Bodily Autonomy"? (2026)

2. Write in detail the impact of Western Feminist Movements on the feminist movement in Pakistan. Compare the Pakistani feminist movements from past with the emerging trends of feminist activism and their effects. (2024)

3. Outline and explain the three major waves of feminist movements in the West. Discuss the influence of these waves on feminist movements in Pakistan. (2023)

4. Discuss in detail Feminist movements in Pakistan. (2022)

5. Outline and explain the three major waves of feminist movements in the West. Discuss the influence of these waves on feminist movements in Pakistan. (2019)

VI. Gender and Development

1. Evaluate Pakistan’s performance in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025. Identify the socio-economic and political factors contributing to Pakistan’s ranking, including labour force participation, education, health and political empowerment. (2026)

2. Critically evaluate the concept of "gendered globalisation" focusing on the World System Theory and how the globalisation of capitalism has created new forms of patriarchal powers to increase gender inequalities. (2025)

3. Write a note on the colonial and capitalistic perspectives of gender. Throw light on the thesis that development is the new name of coloniality in context with the emerging perspectives of gender. (2024)

4. Give a critical gender analysis of development theories. (2024)

5. Modernization Theory blames internal cultural factors WID for women subordination in the developing world. Discuss and elaborate the given statement in respect to Modernization Perspectives. (2021)

6. How the colonial era influenced the status of women in subcontinent? (2020)

7. 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. (2019)

8. Structural Functionalism (2019)

VII. Gender Approaches to Development

1. Critically examine the "NGO-ization" of the women’s movement in Pakistan. Has the donor-driven agenda of Gender Mainstreaming depoliticized the feminist struggle, converting it into a technocratic "project" rather than a social revolution? Use the WAD (Women and Development) critique in your answer. (2026)

2. 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)

3. Gender and Development (2017)

4. Critically review the Gender and Development Approaches on the following: (a) Women in Development (WID), (b) Women and Development (WAD), (c) Gender and Development (GAD) (2016)

VIII. Status of Women in Pakistan

1. Climate change has gendered impacts. Drawing on feminist environmentalism and ecofeminist perspectives, critically analyse how recent floods and heat waves in Pakistan have affected women differently. (2026)

2. According to your opinion, what are the main issues for women as representatives in Pakistan? (2022)

3. 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? (2018)

4. 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)

IX. Gender and Governance

1. Gendered implications of digital transformation and the narrowing mobile gender gap in Pakistan (2024-2025), including the fact that eight million more women came online and the mobile internet gender gap fell from 38% to 25%. (2026)

2. Is political participation a human right? If so, what are the obstacles faced by women politicians of Pakistan to pursue a career in politics? What is the impact of political quota system on this? (2024)

3. 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. (2020)

4. Suffragist movement (2019)

5. 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)

X. Gender-Based Violence

1. What are the root causes that led to gender-based violence? How these factors intersect and perpetuate violence against women in Pakistan? (2025)

2. What is gender-based violence? What forms of gender-based violence are given in the “Punjab protection of women against gender-based violence act 2016”? What are the consequences of gender-based violence on women? (2024)

3. Define gender-based violence. Explain various forms of violence against women in Pakistan and devise some practical strategies which can be helpful in the eradication of gender-based violence from our society. (2023)

4. Comment on the power and control relationship in gender-based violence (2020)

5. Short Note- Government Initiative for combating the menace of violence against women (2018)

6. Short-note- Honor Killing (2017)

7. What are the different forms of gender-based violence and, in your opinion, what could be workable strategies to eliminate gender-based violence from society (2016)

XI. Case Studies

1. Explain the structural and direct forms of violence against women in the Pakistani society by highlighting the case study of Mukhtaran Mai. (2023)

2. Discuss the background of the two Oscar winning documentaries by Sharmeen Obaid. (2023)

XII. Miscellaneous

1. Write a detailed note on the colonial and capitalistic perspectives of gender. (2023)

2. What are the Capitalistic Perspectives of gender? Explain. (2022)

3. "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 special reference to Pakistan. (2020)

4. 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? (2018)

5. 'Gender Strategic Needs' and 'Gender Practical Needs' (2018)

6. a. APWA and WAF (2020)

7. 'Language is gendered', what does this imply? Explain with examples. (2020)

Gender Studies CSS Preparation

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