A View from Below: How Students See the Subject of Pakistan Studies

Abstract

Social cohesion is one of the key policy objectives of education systems across the globe. In context of Pakistan, the subject of Pakistan Studies was introduced as a mandatory subject in schools and college with the objective of promoting national integration. However, research literature has highlighted and critiqued the subject for promoting hatred towards ethnic and religious minorities, glorification of wars, and propagating views that are discriminatory towards socially disadvantaged groups with most of the studies focusing on the analysis of the textbooks, the research literature exploring the views and perceptions of the students about Pakistan Studies is slim. This study is exploratory research, with the aim of providing foundation for further studies. It explores the key areas of investigation such students’ trust on the content of textbooks, their perception about the teachers of the subject, parental views on the history, and students’ personal heroes. The study reveals a minimal influence of the subject in shaping students’ personal beliefs, views on history, culture, and political ideology.