Decolonizing Pakistani Culture: An Ethnographic Study of the Impact of Western Values on Muslim Students of Bahria University and Quaid-E-Azam University, Islamabad

Abstract

The research aims to explore the influence of Western culture among Pakistani Muslim students at Bahria University and Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, examining their broader consequences for cultural dynamics in Pakistani society. It explores how Muslim students at Bahria and Quaid-E-Azam University perceive Western values and their impact on their own cultural identity. It also Examine the role of educational institutions in either promoting or countering the influence of Western values. Ethnographic research was done in which semi-structure interviews from students and the university administration, participant observation and focus group discussion were conducted. Two universities were taken for the data collection one is Bahria University Islamabad E-8 campus which is a public sector university but it follows the mechanism of a private sector university and the other one is the Quaid-E-Azam University Islamabad which is a public sector university, this was done for the generalizability of the data. The study sample consisted of 35 respondents, including three faculty members, one student affairs representative, and 31 students from Bahria University and Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. Among the students, 17 were from Bahria University and 14 from Quaid-e-Azam University. Additionally, two focus groups were conducted, each comprising four participants, one from each university. The findings reveal the growing influence of Western culture in every aspect of our lives, often leading to an identity crisis. Youth are the most affected ones due to the usage of modern gadgets. It also reveals the importance of educational institutions in promoting and encountering the effects. In the future this influence will grow more risking our indigenous cultural and religious identity. The findings can contribute to the development of educational and cultural policies that foster a balanced approach, encouraging students to engage with global ideas while maintaining a strong connection to their cultural and religious roots.