Trends and Practices in the Social Sciences
(13 – 14 November 2025)
The Lahore School of Economics held its 7th Social Sciences Conference, titled “Trends and Practices in the Social Sciences,” on November 13–14. Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector of the Lahore School of Economics, welcomed the speakers and participants from universities across the country. He emphasized the need for academia to contribute to policy prescriptions for pressing issues such as the climate crisis confronting Pakistan.
Day 1 featured an engaging focus on the role of language and literature in identity construction. Dr. Sonia Irum (International Islamic University) presented how contemporary critical fiction negotiates the notions of environment, power, and resistance in present-day contexts. Dr. Zakia Rashid Ehsan (Kinnaird College) discussed how literary texts are contextualized within localized cultural settings. Dr. Fauzia Janjua (International Islamic University), Dr. Tayyaba Tamim (LUMS), and Ms. Nida Saeed (Lahore School) shared their findings on class, language, education, and empowerment—particularly of marginalized communities. Dr. Nabiha Fatima Shahram, a sociologist at Lahore School, presented her research on the transgender community in Punjab and called for effective policymaking to equip them with the skills needed for a socially respected life. Dr. Afaf Manzoor (University of Education) examined the role of education in bridging inequalities.
In addition, Dr. Mariam Zia, a critical theorist based at Lahore School, shared her research, focusing on contextualizing gender in Indo-Persian storytelling. Dr. Sameer Ahmad (GCU) and other distinguished scholars also contributed valuable insights. Dr. Osama Siddique, a renowned novelist and academic, and Dr. Maria Garcia, a linguist based at Punjab University, chaired two sessions and contributed to the discussions, emphasizing the role of local languages in education, learning, and social empowerment.
On Day 2, Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry addressed the audience, underscoring the importance of linking academic practices with policy outcomes, including the uplift of women across all spheres of life. Following his remarks, Dr. Ali Usman Qasmi, a LUMS-based historian, critically examined colonial frameworks that continue to shape politics, society, and academia in Pakistan. He argued for the meaningful inclusion of indigenous learning traditions—particularly oral and social histories—from subaltern perspectives.
In the panel on international geopolitics, Dr. Ejaz Hussain, a political scientist based at Lahore School, argued that CPEC has slowed due to political and security challenges that both governments must address in terms of community engagement, neutralizing bureaucratic hurdles, ensuring political stability, and countering terrorism. Dr. Aisha Younus (Quaid-i-Azam University) discussed Pakistan–US relations, noting their sustained engagement despite periodic irritants. Dr. Sadia Khanam (Bahria University Islamabad) presented an empirical analysis of Afghan women’s repatriation, while Dr. Rabia Chaudhry (FCCU) shared her research on mitigating urban flooding in Lahore. Dr. Rabia Kamal (LUMS) offered a necropolitical analysis of the Gaza war.
Dr. Shahzad Akhtar (UCP) argued that Pakistan continues to face terrorism in the erstwhile FATA region, a challenge that can be addressed through substantive political engagement with the Taliban alongside measures to address structural factors such as poverty. Dr. Umbreen Javaid (Lahore School) focused on women’s empowerment in the agriculture sector. The session chairs, Dr. Asma Hameed (Kinnaird College) and Dr. Salma Malik (QAU), also urged the need to engage youth in academic discourses.
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Lahore School of Economics Sixth Annual Social Sciences Conference
