Rab, Maryam; (2010) The life stories of successful women academics in Pakistani public sector universities. Doctoral thesis , Institute of Education, University of London.

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Abstract

This thesis presents a small-scale qualitative research study of women's careers in some of the universities of Pakistan. The area is explored through the in-depth life story interviews of fifteen women professors, in senior positions, in public sector universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The rationale for conducting this research is both personal and professional. My work in public sector higher education for more than a decade has developed the need to explore and research the area of higher education from a feminist perspective. The objective of the study is to understand the lives of these women through their own narratives. I wanted them to share their individual experiences, opinions about their childhood, family, education, work, progress, opportunities and challenges so that I could develop some positive role models for young women aspiring to pursue a career in higher education. The factors identified both negatively and positively influenced their professional journeys within a theoretical framework of patriarchy. Semi-structured interviews were used, which suited the objectives, as it was expected that more information would be gathered through flowing conversations. The data collected through this process was thematised, interpreted and analysed in the context of the selected theories of family, social position, women and higher education, childcare, and work outside homes within the broader framework of patriarchy. These emerging themes are embedded in the patriarchal values and norms of Pakistani society. An attempt to develop a local feminist lens was made so that a linkage can be formed between women working in Pakistani higher education institutions and elsewhere in the world. It is anticipated that this research will be a foundation for future research in the area of successful women in leadership positions in Pakistani higher education institutions, and will fill some of the gaps in existing knowledge in the region. I also expect that this research will contribute to existing knowledge about the issue on a global scale.

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