Institute of Social and Cultural Studies - University of the Punjab Lahore

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Dedicated to excellence in teaching, learning, and research since 1955, our Institute focuses on Sociology, Criminology, and Demography, cultivating leaders who drive meaningful social change.

ISCS International Conference: Parallel Session on Integrating Local Knowledge, Lived Experiences, and Technological Inn...
25/05/2026

ISCS International Conference: Parallel Session on Integrating Local Knowledge, Lived Experiences, and Technological Innovation to Build Climate-Resilient Futures

The fifth parallel session of the International Conference on “Lifestyle Challenges and Strategies for Health, Gender, and Climate Sustainability” was held on May 7, 2026, in Room 105 at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS). The conference was jointly organized by ISCS in collaboration with Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD), Indonesia.

Titled “Integrating Local Knowledge, Lived Experiences, and Technological Innovation to Build Climate-Resilient Futures,” the session featured six scholarly presentations and brought together diverse academic perspectives on contemporary climate challenges and resilience strategies. The session was co-chaired by Dr. Reisya Ichwani (Universitas Sumatera Utara) and Dr. Asma Seemi Malik (Lahore College for Women University), while Dr. Muhammad Rizwan Safdar served as the moderator.

The session included contributions from senior, mid-career, and emerging scholars representing Indonesia, Vietnam, and Pakistan. Presenters included Dr. Reisya Ichwani, Dr. Rahmi Karolina, Dr. Adri Huda, and Dr. Le Minh Thang; Mr. Muhammad Safdar; Ms. Armeen Jan and Dr. Fouzia Sadaf; Rimsha Sajjad and Shahid Ali; Zoha Masood; and Ashad Shahid.

The presentations critically engaged with a wide range of pressing issues, including equitable indoor air quality, climate and health in conflict settings, the lived experiences of flood emergency responders, the 2025 cloudbursts in Pakistan, climate-induced vulnerabilities and resilience strategies, advanced nuclear energy as a climate security asset, industrial smog, and artificial weather interventions. The discussions generated thoughtful and intellectually stimulating dialogue on the complex intersections between indigenous knowledge systems, lived experiences, and technological innovation in shaping climate-resilient futures.

The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from a large and engaged audience comprising academics, researchers, and students enrolled in PhD, MPhil, and BS programs. The interactive exchange of ideas fostered a vibrant scholarly environment and underscored the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing contemporary climate challenges.

Attention Prospective Applicants: HEC Mandatory HAT Test Requirement for Fall 2026 Admissions to MPhil and PhD Programs ...
24/05/2026

Attention Prospective Applicants: HEC Mandatory HAT Test Requirement for Fall 2026 Admissions to MPhil and PhD Programs in Sociology at ISCS

It is hereby informed to aspiring candidates seeking admission to the MPhil and PhD Programs in Sociology at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) that the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan has made it mandatory for applicants to appear in the Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) for admission to MPhil and PhD programs.

HEC, through the Education Testing Council (ETC), will conduct the HAT on 05 July 2026 across Pakistan. Candidates applying for MPhil admissions (Fall 2026) are required to appear in HAT-General, while applicants for PhD admissions must take HAT-Subject.

Registration for HAT-General for MPhil programs is currently open at https://etc.hec.gov.pk and will remain open until 07 June 2026.
Registration for HAT-Subject for PhD programs is expected to open in June 2026.

For further information and queries, candidates may visit: https://onlinehelp.hec.gov.pk.

24/05/2026

ISCS Students Showcase Innovative Development Projects

On May 20, 2026, students of BS Sociology, Semester IV, at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) presented their projects as part of their sessional work for the course Sociology of Development. The projects highlighted a range of pressing contemporary social and developmental issues, including climate change, water crisis, climate-induced disasters, sustainable urban planning, and beggary. The primary objective of this creative activity was to engage students with critical social problems by encouraging them to analyze these issues, propose possible solutions, and creatively present their ideas through models and posters.

Special appreciation is extended to the students’ dedicated mentor, Ms. Uroosa Yousaf, whose guidance, support, and encouragement played a vital role in the success of this innovative academic activity. These projects were developed under her course on Sociology of Development, and her mentorship greatly contributed to the quality and excellence of the students’ work.

Director ISCS, Dr. Farhan Navid, along with faculty members Dr. Rahla Rahat, Dr. Fouzia Sadaf, and Ms. Ruhma Binte Shahzad, visited the project display and appreciated the students for their creativity, innovative ideas, and hard work.

23/05/2026

Alarmingly Rising Divorce Rate in Pakistan: Dr. Rizwan Safdar Explains the Complex Reality Behind Failing Marriages

Dr. Muhammad Rizwan Safdar appeared as a guest on Suno News’ morning show Suno Pakistan on May 21 to discuss the increasing divorce rate in Pakistan and its underlying socioeconomic and cultural dynamics.

During the discussion, Dr. Rizwan highlighted the role of unrealistic expectations, growing individualism, social media influences, and the emerging culture of instant judgment and “cancellation” in shaping contemporary marital relationships. He noted that changing lifestyles, digital culture, comparison-driven social environments, and evolving notions of personal fulfillment are significantly influencing perceptions of marriage, commitment, and family life.

Emphasizing a sociological perspective, Dr. Rizwan observed that while individual rights, emotional wellbeing, and personal choice are important, healthy and sustainable relationships also require communication, patience, empathy, compromise, and mutual understanding.

He further underscored that divorce is a complex social phenomenon that cannot be attributed to a single factor. Economic pressures, inflation, unemployment, changing gender roles, communication breakdown, shifting family structures, and broader social transformations all contribute to changing patterns of marriage and divorce in Pakistan.

The discussion called for a balanced, evidence-based understanding of contemporary family challenges and the wider social, cultural, economic, and psychological forces shaping marital relationships in Pakistani society.

ISCS International Conference: Parallel Session on Urbanization, Environmental Risks, and Health ImpactsThe fourth paral...
23/05/2026

ISCS International Conference: Parallel Session on Urbanization, Environmental Risks, and Health Impacts

The fourth parallel session of the International Conference on “Lifestyle Challenges and Strategies for Health, Gender, and Climate Sustainability” was held on May 7, 2026, in Room 103 at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS). The conference was jointly organized by ISCS in collaboration with Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD), Indonesia.

Titled “Urbanization, Environmental Risks, and Health Impacts,” the session featured six scholarly presentations and brought together diverse perspectives on contemporary environmental and public health challenges. The session was co-chaired by Dr. Muhammad Saud (Universitas Airlangga) and Dr. Uzair Amjad (University of Management and Technology), while Ms. Ayesha Bugvi served as the moderator.

The session included contributions from senior, mid-career, and emerging scholars. Presenters included Dr. Ritha F. Dalimunthe; Dr. Rahla Rahat; Mr. Shoaib Liaqat, Ms. Tayyaba Abid, and Mr. Abdul Ur Rehman; Ms. Jawairia Islam and Mr. Shahzaib Manj; Ms. Ayesha Khan Jadoon; and Ms. Ayesha Asghar.

The discussions critically engaged with a range of pressing themes, including the politics of urban green spaces, heat waves and public health, smog-induced green lockdowns, and the predictors of pro-environmental behavior. The presentations generated thoughtful dialogue on the complex intersections between urbanization, environmental vulnerability, and health outcomes in contemporary societies.

The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from a large and engaged audience comprising academics, researchers, and students enrolled in PhD, MPhil, and BS programs, fostering a vibrant and intellectually enriching exchange of ideas.

Dr. Rizwan Safdar Participated in the 1st International Conference on Migration and Labor RightsDr. Muhammad Rizwan Safd...
22/05/2026

Dr. Rizwan Safdar Participated in the 1st International Conference on Migration and Labor Rights

Dr. Muhammad Rizwan Safdar participated as a panelist in the 1st International Conference on Migration and Labor Rights, organized by the Centre for Migration and Labor Affairs, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on 13 May 2026.

During the panel discussion titled "Migration in Transition: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Responses,” Dr. Rizwan joined a distinguished panel along with eminent academics, policymakers, and practitioners including Prof. Dr. Andreas Bürkert (University of Kassel, Germany), Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad (Vice Chancellor, Ghazi University, D.G. Khan), Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Maan (Department of Rural Sociology, UAF), Prof. Dr. Asif Kamran (Director, Agriculture Policy, Law and Governance Centre, UAF), Ms. Shahzia Rafique (Senior Counsellor, Migrant Resource Centres–Pakistan, ICMPD, Islamabad), Prof. Dr. Abdul Ghafoor (Director, IBMS, UAF).

In his discussion, Dr. Rizwan highlighted the uses and misuses of social media in the migration landscape, emphasizing how digital platforms increasingly shape public perceptions, migration aspirations, and access to information. While acknowledging the positive role of social media in information sharing and connectivity, he also cautioned against misinformation, deceptive narratives, unregulated online content, and misleading portrayals of overseas opportunities that may expose potential migrants to exploitation and risk.

He further elaborated on the role of mainstream media in promoting awareness regarding regular migration, safe migration pathways, and labour rights in Pakistan. He stressed that media institutions have a crucial responsibility in disseminating accurate, evidence-based information, educating the public about legal migration channels, workers’ protections, and rights awareness, and countering myths and misinformation surrounding migration.

Dr. Rizwan underscored that in the contemporary digital age, both social and mainstream media can play a transformative role in supporting informed migration decisions, safeguarding migrant workers, and strengthening public understanding of labour rights and migration governance in Pakistan.

The conference brought together prominent scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and experts to deliberate on migration challenges, emerging opportunities, and policy responses in the fields of migration and labour rights. We congratulate the organizers for successfully convening a conference on an issue of profound contemporary significance.

Qualitative Inquiry as a Contested Philosophical and Methodological Terrain: Dr. Ahmed Usman Problematizes Long-Standing...
21/05/2026

Qualitative Inquiry as a Contested Philosophical and Methodological Terrain: Dr. Ahmed Usman Problematizes Long-Standing Research Debates in a Workshop with PhD Scholars in Media and Development Communication

On May 14, 2026, Dr. Ahmed Usman delivered a workshop titled “Beyond the Inductive–Deductive Binary: Problematizing the Philosophical, Conceptual, and Methodological Foundations of Contemporary Qualitative Research” to PhD and MPhil scholars undertaking their coursework at the Department of Media and Development Communication, University of the Punjab.

This advanced workshop commenced by critically interrogating the epistemological limitations of the conventional inductive–deductive divide that has long structured methodological debates within qualitative research. Moving beyond procedural understandings of method, the workshop engaged deeply with the philosophical conditions through which qualitative knowledge is produced, interpreted, legitimized, and contested. In discussing research design alongside the ethnographic and analytical cycle of inquiry, particular attention was devoted to the inadequacy of linear models of reasoning in capturing the recursive, emergent, and theoretically mediated character of qualitative research. Participants were introduced to dialogical, iterative, and reflexive modes of knowledge production that challenge rigid methodological binaries.

Rather than treating methods as neutral technical instruments, the session problematized methodology as a contested philosophical terrain in which questions of ontology, ethics, interpretation, and epistemic authority remain fundamentally embedded. With a special emphasis on grounded theory, the workshop critically explored how analytical categories emerge through interpretive engagement and how contemporary qualitative inquiry negotiates tensions among rigor, reflexivity, validity, and situated forms of knowledge. Through sustained conceptual and methodological engagement, the PhD scholars were encouraged to reconceptualize qualitative research not as a fixed methodological toolkit, but as an evolving intellectual and interpretive practice grounded in critical reflexivity, theoretical rigor, and epistemological self-awareness.

Appreciation is extended to Dr. Ayesha Ashfaq, Chairperson of the Department of Media and Development Communication at University of the Punjab, for fostering an academic space that encouraged reflective dialogue and collectively advanced new horizons in qualitative research within the social sciences.

20/05/2026

ISCS Celebrates the Grand Success of the International Conference

On May 19, 2026, the faculty and staff of the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) came together to celebrate the successful organization of the International Conference on “Lifestyle Challenges and Strategies for Health, Gender, and Climate Sustainability,” held on May 7, 2026. The conference was jointly organized by ISCS in collaboration with Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD).

The gathering provided an opportunity not only to acknowledge the contributions of the faculty members, but also to sincerely appreciate the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the dynamic ISCS staff, whose tireless efforts played a vital role in making the conference a remarkable success.

A big round of applause to Team ISCS for this outstanding achievement.

ISCS International Conference: Parallel Session on the Intersection of Gender, Health Inequities, and Climate RisksThe t...
19/05/2026

ISCS International Conference: Parallel Session on the Intersection of Gender, Health Inequities, and Climate Risks

The third session of the International Conference on “Lifestyle Challenges and Strategies for Health, Gender, and Climate Sustainability” was held on May 7, 2026, in Room 102 at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS). The conference was jointly organized by ISCS in collaboration with Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD), Indonesia.

Titled “Intersection of Gender, Health Inequities, and Climate Risks,” the session featured six scholarly papers. It was co-chaired by Dr. Meutia Nauly (Universitas Sumatera Utara) and Dr. Falak Sher (Director, Chiniot Sub Campus, Government College University Faisalabad), while Dr. Fouzia Sadaf served as the moderator.

The session brought together contributions from senior, mid-career, and early-career academics. The presenters included Dr. Meutia Nauly; Dr. Sadaf Mahmood, Dr. Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, Dr. Muhammad Sultan, and Dr. Farhana Nosheen; Mr. Muhammad Shahzad; Ms. Shahbano Wattoo; Ms. Sidra Abbas, Mr. Aftab Ahmad Sindu, and Mr. Hayyat Ullah Khan; and Mr. Shahid Ali.

The discussions engaged a range of critical themes, including a gender-responsive social systems approach to community resilience, gender inequality and social inclusion, climate change exposure, climate change and occupational health, and climate justice alongside local knowledge in climate change adaptation.

The session witnessed strong participation from a large and engaged audience comprising academics, researchers, and students enrolled in PhD, MPhil, and BS programs, fostering a dynamic and intellectually enriching exchange.

BS Criminology Hosts Farewell Party for Outgoing Seniors, Session 2026Continuing the cherished tradition of honoring gra...
18/05/2026

BS Criminology Hosts Farewell Party for Outgoing Seniors, Session 2026

Continuing the cherished tradition of honoring graduating students, the BS Criminology program at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) hosted a farewell party for its outgoing seniors. The event, held on May 11, 2026, was organized by the students of BS Criminology (Session 2023–2027) to bid farewell to their seniors from Session 2022–2026.

The celebration brought together students and faculty members in an atmosphere filled with joy, camaraderie, and a deep sense of belonging. The event was graced by the presence of Dr. Muhammad Rizwan Safdar, Coordinator of the Criminology Program, along with Dr. Akhlaq Ahmad, Dr. Rahla Rahat, Dr. Fouzia Sadaf and Ms. Mehwish Khalid.

With thoughtful planning and creativity, the junior students organized an evening full of lively performances, engaging activities, and heartfelt tributes, making it a memorable occasion for everyone in attendance. The event not only celebrated the achievements of the graduating batch but also strengthened the bond between junior and senior students.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the outgoing students of BS Criminology, Session 2022–2026, on successfully completing their degree. May their future be filled with success, growth, and a continued commitment to excellence and integrity in both their professional and personal endeavors.

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Institute Of Social And Cultural Studies, Quaid-i-Azam Campus
Lahore
54590

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Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 17:00

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