The Gendered Academy: Women’s Career Progression in Pakistani Universities

Abstract

Academy in Pakistan is a gendered space that manifests and nurtures various forms of inequalities. This paper examines women’s experiences of working in Pakistani academies focusing primarily on factors influencing their career progression. Data for this paper is drawn from larger qualitative research on the experiences of women in the academy. Phenomenological interviews were carried out with fourteen participants including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and lecturers from two Public universities in Pakistan. The paper unveils the struggles of women academics in sustaining in the academy due to prevailing gender norms. Several organizational challenges were narrated by the participants including; difficulties in conducting and publishing academic research, discrimination in appointments and promotion practices, workplace favoritism, lack of networking opportunities, and absence of mentors for junior faculty. Resultantly, women professors, irrespective of their ranks, qualifications, skills, and confidence, feel frustrated and find it difficult to contribute effectively to teaching and research. The paper contributes to the global debates on gender inequalities experienced by women in the academy. These findings call for a more gender-balanced approach in the academy to include women as equal stakeholders.