Three Essays on Education and Social Stratification in Pakistan

مرکز و کتابخانه مطالعات اسلامی به زبان های اروپایی

منو

" Three Essays on Education and Social Stratification in Pakistan "
Aftab, Zehra Willoughby, Professor John

Document Type	:	Latin Dissertation
Language of Document	:	English
Record Number	:	1053070
Doc. No	:	TL52187
Main Entry	:	Aftab, Zehra
Title & Author	:	Three Essays on Education and Social Stratification in Pakistan\ Aftab, ZehraWilloughby, Professor John
College	:	American University
Date	:	2019
Degree	:	Ph.D.
student score	:	2019
Note	:	146 p.
Abstract	:	This dissertation consists of three different explorations of the relation between Pakistani education and society. Chapter 1 investigates how the language of instruction in education policies has evolved in Pakistan and why the medium of instruction still remains a contested terrain. The historical record demonstrates the official effort to supplant English with Urdu as the language of instruction in higher education has failed. Indeed, the demand for the use of English in education has moved beyond the elite. The chapter argues that the struggle over language masks a conflict over access to resources, but it is difficult to shift the use of language. Chapter 2 investigates how Pakistani higher education students from different social strata act within the context of a game which allows for cooperation and punishment. We find that both female and male madrassa students are the most generous players. Moreover, we find more gender and social consciousness in men than women when deciding to penalize or not. This research helps us break from social stereotypes which often depict lower income madrassa students as particularly intolerant of other social groups. Chapter 3 aims to learn more about how the lives of enrolled children is different from non-students. Findings show that while girls and boys are substituting unpaid and paid work respectively for the gender neutral activity of learning, there is no evidence to show that school enrolment changes the patterns of gender roles as girls continue to perform more care work and public arenas remain a heavily masculinized space. These three essays indicate that educational institutions in Pakistan more often reflect social inequality than reduce it. It is true that the daily activities of male and female students are more similar than the activities of non-students. Nevertheless, future research on the impact of Pakistani education should be aware of the underlying inequality of Pakistani society.
Descriptor	:	Economics
Added Entry	:	Willoughby, Professor John
Added Entry	:	American University