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CSS written syllabus
CSS Gender Studies Syllabus
Gender Studies is a 100-mark Group V optional subject in the CSS written exam, examined in one three-hour paper. Below is FPSC's official syllabus, word for word: every section, topics and suggested readings.
- Marks
- 100
- Papers
- 1
- Time
- 3 hours a paper
- Group
- Group V
- Subject code
- 31
The paper
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
- 1.Theories of Women StudiesEds., 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 PakistanSaigol, Rubina
- 4.The State of Women Studies in Pakistan in Journal of Asian Women StudiesBari, 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 GenderLorber, Judith
- 8.Queer TheoryLorber, 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 AsiaSaeed K, Nighat & Bahsin, Kamla
- 12.Feminist ThoughtsTong, Rosemarie
- 13.Reversed RealitiesKabeer, Naila
- 14.Gender Planning and DevelopmentMoser, Caroline
- 15.Electoral Politics: Making Quotas Work For Women.Hoodfar,Homa&Tajali, Mona (2011)
- 16.The Gender face of Asian PoliticsAyaz, Aazar & Fleschenberg, Andrea(2009)
- 17.Performance Assessment of Women Parliamentarians in PakistanBari, Farzan (2002)
- 18.Base line Report: Women’s Participation in Political and Public LifeZia, Shahla & Bari, Farzana. (1999)
- 19.Freedom from ViolenceSchuler, Margarte (1992)
- 20.Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Report
Past papers
FPSC's Gender Studies papers from 2016 to 2026, as text. Open a year, or see them all.