Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective / Edition 3

by Pamela M. Paxton, Melanie M. Hughes

Overview

Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective, Third Edition provides a clear, detailed introduction to women’s political participation and representation across a wide range of countries and regions. Through broad statistical overviews and detailed case-study accounts, authors Pamela Paxton and Melanie M. Hughes document both historical trends and the contemporary state of women’s political strength. Readers see the cultural, structural, political, and international influences on women’s access to political power, and the difference women make once in political office. The text acknowledges differences among women through attention to intersectionality and women from marginalized groups.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483376998
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	01/27/2016
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	520
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Pamela Paxton is professor of sociology and public affairs and the Christine and Stanley E. Adams, Jr. Centennial Professor in the Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in economics and sociology and her Ph D in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has consulted for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Academies. She is the author of numerous scholarly articles on women in politics, which focus on statistical models of women’s parliamentary representation. Her research has appeared in a variety of journals, including American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, Comparative Politics, International Studies Quarterly, and Legislative Studies Quarterly. She is also an author of Nonrecursive Models: Endogeneity, Reciprocal Relationships, and Feedback Loops (2011).

Melanie M. Hughes is associate professor of sociology at The University of Pittsburgh. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001 with a degree in sociology and government and earned her Ph D from The Ohio State University in 2008. Her affiliations include the Department of Political Science; the Ford Institute for Human Security; Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies; and Global Studies. She specializes in political representation of women from marginalized groups. Her research on women in politics has appeared in journals such as American Sociological Review, American Political Science Review, Social Forces, and Politics & Gender. Currently, she is consulting with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Programme to increase the availability of data on women in political leadership and public administration. She is also writing a new book on the political dominance of men from majority racial, ethnic, and religious groups worldwide.

Table of Contents

About the Authors xi

Preface xiii

1 Introduction to Women in Politics 1

Arguments for Women's Representation in Politics 4

The Story of Mukhtaran Bibi: Village Council Justice 5

Wife Beating in Nigeria-Legal Under the Penal Code 6

Delaying the Clarence Thomas Vote-Women Representatives Speak Out 7

Justice Arguments for Women's Representation 9

Utility Arguments for Women's Representation 16

A Brief Overview of Women's Participation in Politics 17

Orienting Theories 21

Power 21

The Dimensions of Power: An Example 23

Gender and Gender Stratification 24

Gender and Power Concepts: Patriarchy, Public Versus Private, and Intersectionality 27

Feminist Institutional ism 29

Overview of the Book 30

2 Women Struggle for the Vote: The History of Women's Suffrage 33

Social Movement Concepts 34

Suffrage in the United States 36

Women's Suffrage and the U.S. Constitution 36

Women and the Antislavery Movement: The Struggle Begins 37

The Leadership, Organization, and Tactics of the Early Suffrage Movement 38

"Ain't I a Woman?" By Sojourner Truth, 1851 41

The State Suffrage Movement: Why the West Was Best 42

Partnering With the Progressive Movement 46

Opposition to Women's Suffrage 46

Women Gain the Vote: The Events Leading to the Passage of the 19th Amendment 48

Suffrage Movements Outside the United States 51

Time Period 54

Movement Size, Composition, and Alliances 54

Goals and Ideology 56

Movement Opposition 57

Tactics and Level of Militancy 59

The International Women's Movement 61

Women's Suffrage After 1945 63

Women Exercising Their Vote 65

3 Women Struggle for Representation: Accessing Positions of Power 69

First Women Members of Parliament 70

Women Access Parliaments: Historical Patterns of Representation 73

Flat Countries: Women's Representation Does Not Change Over Time 73

Increasing Countries: Women Make Steady Gains in Representation 75

Big Jumps: Women Make Sudden Gains 77

Low Increasing: Women Catching Up? 79

Plateaus: Women Fall Back 80

Women in Top Leadership Positions 82

How Women Attain Top Leadership Positions 90

Difficulties Faced by Women Leaders 94

Women in Cabinet Positions 99

Moving Up the Ladder: Women in Local Governance 104

4 Explaining the Political Representation of Women-Culture 109

A Woman's Place in History: Women in Political Philosophy 111

A Woman's Place Today: The Continuing Power of Culture 114

Regional Differences 114

Religion 115

Cultural Attitudes 119

Culture and Women's Representation in Politics 124

Ambition 126

Role Model Effects 129

Media 130

5 Explaining the Political Representation of Women-Social Structure 135

Money 136

Time 138

Civic Skills and Community Participation 140

Education 141

Work 142

Economic Power 144

Informal Networks 145

Structural Arguments: The Evidence 146

Larger Structural Forces: Oil Extraction and Mineral Production 148

6 Explaining the Political Representation of Women-Politics 151

Democracy 152

Electoral Systems 155

Why Are Proportional Representation Systems Good for Women? 157

Types of Political Representation Systems 158

Are the Same Systems and Rules Good for All Women? 160

Characteristics of Political Parties 161

From Candidate to Legislator 165

Quotas 169

What Kinds of Quotas Are There and Which Are Better? 172

Threshold for Representation 172

Candidate Quotas, Political Party Quotas, and Reserved Seats 175

Which Groups Are Regulated 187

189

Looking Beyond National Legislatures 190

The Adoption of Gender Quotas 196

7 Explaining the Political Representation of Women-International Factors 201

The International Women's Movement 202

A Brief History of Women's Activism in the United Nations 203

Does It Make a Difference? 209

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 211

8 Do Women Make a Difference? 215

Thinking Differently: Women's Views on Women and Their Policy Priorities 216

Acting Differently: Women's Voting Patterns and Bill Sponsorship 219

Acting Successfully: Women's Legislative Effectiveness 227

Legislating Differently: Women's Legislative Style 231

Do Numbers Matter? Critical Mass and Women's Impact 233

Women's Movements and Women's Policy Machinery as Alternative Sources of Influence 238

Winning Hearts and Minds: Symbolic Representation 240

9 Women From Marginalized Groups 243

Thinking Intersectionally 243

Double Barriers 245

When Identities Come in Conflict: Gender Versus Minority Status 247

Strategic Opportunities 250

Gender and Ethnic Quotas in Burundi 252

Incentives to Elect Women From Marginalized Groups 254

Acknowledging Differences 255

Indigenous Women 257

Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Women 258

10 Regions: The West and the United States 263

The Geography of Women in Politics 263

Western Industrialized Countries 265

Nordic Success 267

France and Parity 269

Women in the European Union 270

Middle of the Pack: The United States 273

Women in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives: Growing Slowly 274

Women in the States 278

Women in the State Legislature 278

Women Governors 280

Women and the American Presidency 281

A Woman as Commander in Chief? 283

Explanations-Culture 284

Explanations-Structure (Eligibility) 288

Explanations-Politics 290

Gender Gaps in American Politics 293

Party Affiliation 294

Voter Turnout 296

When Does the Gender Gap Matter? 296

Campaign Activities 297

11 Eastern Europe and Central Asia 299

The Fall of the Soviet Union: Women Fall Too 301

Variation in Recovery 303

Explaining Women's Political Power Since 1990 305

Eastern and Central Europe and the European Union 309

12 Latin America and the Caribbean 311

Legacies of Culture in Latin America 315

Democratization and Women's Political Empowerment 317

Women's Participation in Guerrilla Warfare and Revolutionary Movements 318

Women's Participation in Protest Movements 320

Women's Current Activism 322

Participation to Representation? 324

Gender Quotas 325

13 Middle East and North Africa 331

An Overview and Brief History of the Region 334

Explaining Women's Underrepresentation 335

Changes Come to Women of the Gulf Region 338

The Blue Revolution: Women's Struggle for Suffrage in Kuwait 339

Forces for Change in the Region 341

Gender Quotas: A Look at Early Adopters 341

Raising Awareness About Women's Political Underrepresentation in Turkey 343

Women and the Arab Spring 346

14 Asia and the Pacific 355

Cultural Obstacles 360

Confucianism 361

Buddhism 362

Culture and Women Candidates 363

Family Ties and Clientelism 364

Gender Quotas in Local Politics 366

Local Gender Quotas in India: Women in the Panchayat Raj 366

The Political Representation of Women From Marginalized Groups 370

Women in Afghanistan 370

15 Sub-Saharan Africa 377

Colonialism 382

One-Party Rule, Democracy, and Democratization 385

Women, Ethnicity, and Ethnic Politics 387

Armed Conflict: Devastation Yet Hope? 389

Increasing the Supply of Women Candidates 390

Changing Culture 391

Changing Politics 392

Continuing Challenges 395

16 Where Do We Go From Here? And How Do We Get There? 399

Where Are We Now? 399

Where Are We Going? 402

How Do We Get There? 403

Furthering Women's Position in the Social Structure 403

Influencing Culture 404

Disrupting Politics as Usual 405

In Conclusion: What Would a 50/50 World Look Like? 406

Glossary 407

References 415

Index 479

Editorial Reviews

Women, Politics, and Power is a well-organized and clearly written text. Its multidisciplinary approach synthesizes research on women’s political power around the world, and its case studies provide valuable context and support.”

Miriam Levitt

This edition of Women, Politics, and Power is the best book that I have seen on the subject of women and politics. Combining theory and data in a detailed yet very readable text, the authors show the progress that women have made in politics, where they stand now, and the obstacles remaining to full political equality for women, comparatively and globally. It definitely warrants serious consideration by anyone teaching in this area.”

Stephen Robertson