Trapped Inside Chaar Dewari: Women’s Use of Gossip as a Survival and Protective Strategy in Patriarchal Pakistan

Author

Mahnoor Hassan, Institute of Business Administration, KarachiFollow

Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Date of Submission

2025-07-30

Advisor

Palvashay Sethi

Committee

Aliya Iqbal Naqvi

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Gendered Communication, Gossip, Pakistan, Patriarchal Society, Protection and Survival

Abstract

In a society where women’s speech is often dismissed as frivolous or malicious and where all women’s talk is broadly labeled as gossip, this thesis examines a different perspective on the value gossip holds for women in patriarchal societies. It specifically explores the question of how gossip functions as a form of survival and protection among women in the patriarchal society of Pakistan.

To explore this question in depth, semi-structured interviews with eight women aged 18–25 were conducted, and thematic analysis was used to understand, through their lived experiences, how women use gossip within trusted female circles. The findings reveal that patriarchal norms in Pakistan, such as izzat, haya, and chaar diwari, not only isolate women physically and emotionally but also create conditions where informal conversations become essential. Gossip was used for emotional release, collective reflection, decision-making, and learning from others, highlighting its survival function. It was also used to share warnings, offer reality checks, and solve immediate problems, with a conscious intent to protect each other, reflecting its protective role.

Together, these aspects show that gossip is not trivial talk but a vital practice through which women survive, protect one another, and build informal safety nets in hostile environments. This thesis contributes to the limited literature on gossip, especially in the region of South Asia, offering a perspective grounded in women’s lived experiences and the patriarchal norms of Pakistani society, while laying the groundwork for future studies on women's use of gossip across different social and digital spaces.

Pages

89

Recommended Citation

Hassan, M. (2025). Trapped Inside Chaar Dewari: Women’s Use of Gossip as a Survival and Protective Strategy in Patriarchal Pakistan (Unpublished undergraduate project). Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan. Retrieved from https://ir.iba.edu.pk/sslace/376