Gendered governmentality and women's decision-making power in higher education: A Qualitative inquiry into challenges and opportunities

Abstract

While there now exists a body of quantitative data regarding gendered governmentality in Pakistan's higher education institutions, the life-world realities behind these numbers are under-theorized. Using open-ended data gathered through a survey of 385 women academics at public-sector women colleges in the Multan Division of South Punjab, this study explores the obstacles and possibilities for women in making decisions amid multiple forms of governance –liberal, neoliberal, and authoritarian. Through a three-stage thematic analysis process consisting of data familiarization and coding, axial coding, and interpretative coding based on governmentality studies within a Foucauldian framework, six major themes have been identified: (1) gender discrimination and institutional bias; (2) work-life balance and cultural barriers; (3) leadership and professional development restrictions; (4) impediments to research, publication, and funding; (5) insufficient institutional support and policy implementation; and (6) mentoring, familial support, and individual empowerment as enablers. Results indicate that formal policy measures exist alongside informal exclusions which normalize male dominance by way of nuanced regulations, a feature of gendered governmentality. At the same time, stories of participants shed light on the agency exercised by women to negotiate such barriers. This article will provide a context-sensitive understanding of women’s leadership within the patriarchal, bureaucracy-centric education sector. It will also offer relevant suggestions for policy improvement in HEIs in South Punjab and similar environments.