Final Year Project

Project Title

Women’s Sexuality and Access to Mosques in Karachi, Pakistan

Description

Historically, mosques have served as public spaces intended for communal worship. However, it remains a “contested” space that reflects the cultural and societal values of the communities in which they are built. My thesis aims to explore the perceptions of young university-going women on sexuality in relation to their access to mosques. I undertook an exploratory qualitative study using a feminist lens and employing a rights-based approach to analyze diverse perceptions. The thesis delves into the themes of sexuality, piety, modernity, and culture of fear to determine how a sacred space such as a mosque can be used as tool for the marginalization of certain genders.