News & Events

I participated in the 3rd International Conference Renaissance in Economics in Rome, Italy (14–16 May), where I presented my paper “Re/Conceptualizing Well-Being.” The presentation explored how informal work challenges GDP-centered understandings of well-being and highlights the importance of capability-based and gender-sensitive approaches. Prior to the conference, I attended a pre-conference workshop at Roma Tre University on composite indicators, resilience, and sustainable well-being, which provided methodological training on measuring multidimensional concepts for policy and research. Overall, the conference created a productive space for interdisciplinary exchange, particularly in relation to feminist and heterodox approaches to economics. It also strengthened my engagement with debates on well-being and capability theory, building on the broader intellectual tradition associated with scholars such as Bina Agarwal, whose work on gender, resources, and structural inequality continues to inform critical approaches to development and economic thought. The conference also included a social dinner and networking event at Villa Mondragone, providing opportunities for academic exchange and networking with international scholars and participants. FOR MORE 

On 13 February 2026, I participated in a policy consultation organized by the National Commission on the Status of Women (Pakistan) in collaboration with UN Women, titled “Provincial Consultation on Gender Equality in Pakistan’s Private Sector.” The event brought together policymakers, civil society representatives, academics, and other stakeholders from across Punjab to discuss strategies for advancing gender equality in the private sector. The consultation provided a valuable opportunity to engage with policy-oriented networks and gain insights into how gender equality initiatives are framed, negotiated, and implemented within institutional and corporate contexts. Participation in this event also helped connect academic research with ongoing policy debates, highlighting the intersections between scholarship, activism, and governance in promoting women’s rights in Pakistan. FOR MORE 

On 4 February 2026, I conducted a one day participatory workshop titled “Academic Dependency and Decolonial Resistance in Pakistan” at the Department of Gender and Development Studies at Lahore College for Women University. The workshop brought together 19 faculty members from Lahore College for Women University, University of the Punjab, and University of Home Economics Lahore. The session was organized as part of my research project on the Decolonization of Knowledge Production and Higher Education and aimed to create a space for collective reflection on the structural conditions shaping academic research in Pakistan.

Through group discussions and reflective exercises, participants explored how global academic systems—such as publication pressures, journal hierarchies, funding structures, and institutional evaluation mechanisms—influence research priorities and intellectual agendas. The workshop also encouraged participants to imagine alternative research pathways that might emerge in the absence of these constraints. The discussion generated rich reflections on the possibilities of developing more locally grounded and socially responsive research agendas, while also highlighting the institutional challenges scholars face in navigating global academic expectations. FOR MORE 

On 3 February 2026, I participated in a panel discussion titled “Feminist Legacies and the Future,” organized by Lahore University of Management Sciences in Lahore. The event brought together scholars, activists, and students to reflect on the historical trajectories of feminist thought and activism in Pakistan, as well as the challenges and possibilities for feminist scholarship in the current political and academic landscape. The discussion created an important space for dialogue on how feminist knowledge has been produced, institutionalized, and contested within universities and broader civil society.

The event also provided an opportunity to engage with leading feminist scholars and activists working in Pakistan. During the panel, I met, prominent feminist activists and scholars whose work has played a significant role in shaping feminist debates in the country. Our interaction led to an in-depth conversation on the historical development of feminist scholarship, the relationship between activism and academic knowledge production, and the continuing importance of feminist networks in sustaining critical debates on gender equality. FOR MORE 

On 27 January 2026, I conducted a workshop titled “Research and Knowledge Production in the Social Sciences” with graduate students from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Lahore College for Women University. The session brought together 12 graduate students interested in discussing their emerging research interests and the broader challenges of conducting academic research in Pakistan. The workshop formed part of my ongoing research project on the Decolonization of Knowledge Production and Higher Education.

Through an interactive discussion, students reflected on the research topics they are interested in pursuing and the motivations behind these choices. The conversation also addressed the institutional and structural challenges that shape research practices, including limited research resources, methodological training, and expectations around acceptable research themes. The workshop provided a valuable opportunity to understand how early-career scholars navigate these constraints while attempting to develop research that is both academically rigorous and socially relevant. FOR MORE 

As part of the research project Decolonization of Knowledge Production and Higher Education, I conducted an academic field visit to Lahore, Pakistan, from December 2025 to March 2026. During this period, I was hosted as a Visiting Scholar at Lahore College for Women University, which provided an important institutional base for engaging with scholars working in gender studies and related disciplines. The visit focused on collecting qualitative research data through in-depth interviews with faculty members at Lahore College for Women University, University of the Punjab, and University of Home Economics Lahore. These conversations explored how research agendas are shaped within Pakistan’s higher education institutions and how scholars navigate global academic expectations while addressing locally relevant issues. Beyond formal interviews, the visit created valuable opportunities to strengthen academic networks and engage in dialogue on feminist knowledge production in Pakistan. FOR MORE 

In November 2025, I also undertook a one-day academic visit to the Department of International Development at the University of Oxford. During this visit, I had the opportunity to meet with the esteemed Professor Masooda Bano to discuss my ongoing research and explore thematic intersections with her work. Our conversation offered valuable scholarly insights and opened up possibilities for future academic engagement. This short but enriching visit complemented my research stay in Cambridge and contributed to deepening my intellectual connections within the UK academic community. FOR MORE

In November 2025, I completed a visiting scholar stay at the Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge. During this period, I actively engaged with the department’s vibrant academic community by sharing my ongoing research project, participating in seminars, workshops, and other scholarly events, and holding conversations with colleagues and senior faculty working in related areas. These exchanges provided insightful feedback that helped refine my research focus and situate it within broader sociological debates. The visit also enabled me to explore possibilities for future collaboration and strengthen my academic networks, contributing meaningfully to the advancement of my current and future research agendas. FOR MORE

On September 29. & 30. I participated in the annual two-day workshop organized by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), held at the scenic Hotel Marienhof in St. Andrä-Wördern. The workshop brought together women leaders from diverse scientific disciplines to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in higher academic and research leadership positions. Recognizing that the low number of women in science stems not only from systemic, cultural, and organizational barriers but also from individual challenges faced in leadership roles  FOR MORE

As part of the project Decolonization of Knowledge Production and Higher Education, I undertook a four-week field trip to Pakistan in July 2025. The purpose of this visit was to collect baseline data and establish linkages with stakeholders in Pakistani universities, laying the groundwork for the project’s planned activities. This field trip was supported by the Department of Secondary Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore. FOR MORE