"The State of Social Sciences in Pakistan": An Overview
ISLAMABAD 26th April: Department of Anthropology in collaboration with ActionAid International organized a seminar on "The State of Social Sciences in Pakistan: An Overview" here at the Department of Anthropology, Quaid-i-Azam University today. Renowned social scientists presented their papers on the neglecting of Social Sciences in Pakistan and its effect on the growth of society in the country.
While speaking on the occasion Ms.Aqsa Khan Manager social and Womens Rights Unit ActionAid Pakistan said that both the realities and mythologies of globalization are shaping the policies around the world. Education is being altered to suit the demands of the so called global economy. These globalized templates of education offer very little space for social science arts, literature and humanities.
She further said that ActionAid in this regard has produced a book titled "Education under Globalization: the case of Pakistan" which contains very good papers written by educationists in Pakistan.
Mr. M Muhammad Qasim Jan, Vice Chancellor QAU said that we are passing through a critical stage of uncertainties and evolutions in this area. Social sciences are important in understanding the success and failures of the civilizations and their analysis in context with the past civilizations. Social sciences in Pakistan have remained a neglected area.
He further said that the interaction between natural and social sciences in increasing day by day and the linkages are improving one cannot run without the other and both can only function with close coordination and interconnection.
Dr.Inayat Ullah, President Council of Social Sciences, pointed out that QAU was the first to create an institute for social sciences. Quantitatively social sciences have gained grounds as compared to the past in terms of number of institutes, disciplines and departments. But the real improvement is required in qualitative terms.
He also said that there is lack of professional research and dedication in the field of social sciences in Pakistan. Our social scientists have not made much contribution to the field of social sciences on the international level.
He also said that self criticism and self evaluation lacks in our social scientists and we do not examine our own work very critically.While presenting some research data he said that in 1963, 11% of teachers were female and in 1987, 21% of the teachers were female while in 2001 only 35% of the teachers are female. Participation of females as teachers is increasing but it is not increasing with regard to foreign qualified teachers. As among all the foreign trained teachers the state of female teachers is in 1963, 12% of the female teachers were foreign qualified and in 1987, 5% were foreign qualified while in 2001 only 13%female teachers were foreign qualified.
Dr Ishrat Hussain, Chairman National Commission for Government Reforms also addressed the seminar. He said that the commission has set a rule for every student going to natural sciences to be exposed to a course of social sciences and every student going for social sciences to have an exposure course on natural sciences which is very important for quantitative research.
He pointed out that HEC has provided huge funds for social sciences but the utilization rate of these funds is pathetic .Resources are there but there are no users for these resources. He further said that the teachers and faculty members at several universities are not aware of the resources available to them and the ways to make use of these resources.
He stresses the need for more interdisciplinary and applied research by saying that "Interdisciplinary research provides new sites and horizons for expanding our vision. We should break the barriers between disciplines and there should be no barriers of hierarchy and age. He also said that We should work in leveled field where respect comes not for the designation and status but for the contribution that we have made to our profession."
Scholars presented their papers on different topics highlighting the state of social sciences in Pakistan ,the presenters included Prof,Dr.Tariq Rehamn,Pakistan Studies ,QAU, Dr.Nabila Zaka ,PhD student Anthropology,Dr Farzana Bari ,Director Center of Excellence Gender Studies and Ms Anila ,Lectured Anthropology Department..
The participants were of the view that the world, today, is being defined by an on-going process of economic, social and political restructuring generically referred to as globalization. Both the realities and the mythologies of globalization are shaping public policy and institutions throughout the world. And education is no exception. The impact can be felt in education, from funding priorities to institutional governance to curriculum development and classroom priorities.
The current context couches education in the language of the market underpinned by human capital measures and education as a 'product'. This commodification of knowledge as a purchasable and saleable good displaces the creation and passing on of knowledge from the social sphere to the sphere of production. Displacing and reinterpreting knowledge under these conditions raises many fundamental questions from the purpose of education, to the content, and the ethical obligation to make knowledge freely available to those who seek it.
The purpose of the seminar was to highlight the issues related to corporatization of knowledge in Pakistan and its effects on education over all and on higher education in particular.
