Cultural Institutions in Pakistan: Promoting Cultural and National Identity

Abstract

The study reviews existing scholarship on identity politics. It explores the preservation of cultural and national identity within Pakistani cultural institutions, examining how we collectively identify with or differentiate ourselves from others. Another important dimension is the state's function as a regulator in forming the identity for the population, especially in divisions based on ethnicity, culture, or religion. The study used a qualitative approach to analyze various resources, including books, internet sources, and interviewed nine senior staff members from cultural institutions and universities in Islamabad, as well as provincial officials in Sindh, to gain valuable insights into Pakistan's cultural preservation efforts. Study’s findings, Pakistan has several cultural institutions tasked with preserving its cultural and national identity. However, these institutions frequently serve the cultural agenda, blurring the line between their respective objectives. This study suggests understanding the issues surrounding cultural and national identity in Pakistan, highlighting recent works on identity, becoming familiar with scholarship on these topics, and developing models for policymakers to incorporate these issues into provincial and national policy development.