Delimiting research culture
What is knowledge? How is knowledge produced? What are the factors that contribute to the production of knowledge? What is the quality of the knowledge being produced in Pakistan and…
Rethinking agriculture
The poverty of social science in Pakistan is reflected in the fact that there have been few attempts to rethink the political economy of agriculture and industry and the linked…
Counsel for ideologies
The Council of Islamic Ideology is rarely in the news for reasons it is likely to appreciate. That may just be in the architecture of its DNA. Those who think…
Changes in the family
As a teacher of sociology, I have observed the changes taking place in the family structure of Pakistan for quite some time. Noted architect and town planner Arif Hasan mentioned…
A civilization in decline?
In a significant move, the Chinese government has allowed couples to have three children. The permission replaces the two-child policy introduced in 2016. Until then, a one-child policy had remained…
Environment and life
In a fast-changing world where development is linked to technology and decision-making is influenced by social media, it is important to take cognizance of non-traditional threats to human security and…
Looking for the black cat
It is not often that a column elicits such a response as ‘On reading’ did last week. There was a steady stream of emails and messages – from abroad and…
Constitution and the SNC
A lot has been written about the proposed Single National Curriculum (SNC) and how it is detrimental to the 18th Constitutional Amendment which has devolved education at all levels to…
Rebel with a cause
Those of us who believe in scientific reasoning as a core base of analysis in the development of human society and individuals, would not buy the general beliefs about ‘gifted…
The Chakwal test
THE Government Postgraduate College for Boys Chakwal (GPGC) is now a just a memory. An institution that had educated a generation of students from middle, lower-middle and poor backgrounds —including…
