Abstract
This paper has been drawn from a larger PhD research project on women’s experiences of
academic leadership in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. This qualitative study aims to examine the
influence of socio-cultural factors on women’s leadership experiences in higher education. In-depth interviews
were taken from eleven participants, who were selected through purposive sampling method. The data analysis
is informed by Foucauldian discourse analysis. This paper argues that leadership norms are discursively
produced, according to the cultural system of Pakistani society, to limit women’s participation at senior
leadership positions in higher education. This research article encompasses a combination of four themes
highlighting the cultural dynamics in women academic leadership: (a) socialization of women as leaders
(b) gender stereotypes and labeling women in academic leadership (c) harassment and critical attitudes and
(d) discursive construction of the balance between family and profession. The findings reveal that women
leaders confront with gendered leadership discourses, stereotypes, harassment, and overwhelming personal
and professional commitments. While, strong socialization, family support, housemaids and mentors facilitate
them in their professional success. It is suggested that women should utilize the culturally informed strategies
to negotiate discriminative practices and widely share their success stories with other women to improve their
visibility in higher educational leadership.
Aisha Bhatti, Rabia Ali. (2020) Gender, Culture and Leadership: Learning from the Experiences of Women Academics in Pakistani Universities, Journal of Education & Social Sciences, Volume 8, Issue-2.
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