The Importance of Indifference and Uninvolvement: Household Influence on the Education and Aspirations of Female Pakistani College Students

Households matter. Scholars have found an overwhelmingly positive relationship between household involvement and student educational and aspirational outcomes (Gorard and See 2013; Erdem and Kaya 2020). However, most investigations of this relationship have occurred within a Western context. This study seeks to test this theory within the context of Pakistan. It aims to examine the influence of households on low-income female Pakistani college students’ educational and occupational journeys. The study uses semi-structured interviews with 46 students from Karachi, Pakistan to identify the sources of influence in their academic lives and future aspirations. Through a grounded theory approach, the analysis of the data reveals that households play a central role in the lives of all students. However, household involvement is not always considered beneficial for students. The students who feel most confident about their educational attainment and future aspirations are those who belong to households that are largely indifferent and uninvolved in their lives. The indifference of their households provides students with the freedom and flexibility to explore and pursue their dreams without having to adapt to social expectations or pressures. The benefit of household involvement is dependent on households' alignment with student aspirations and on having the social and cultural capital to be able to appropriately guide them. Involved households that are misaligned with student aspirations or lack the capital required to provide informed advice may produce additional barriers to the attainment of student education and aspirations. This study therefore complicates previous findings by concluding that the impact of parental involvement is context-dependent; it can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the alignment with student aspirations and the household's ability to provide appropriate guidance.