1. Women’s Political Participation and the Influence of Contagion

Abstract

This introductory chapter notes the variation in women's paths to participation in public institutions, where that path is open, where it is not, and what accounts for the differences in women's access. It analyzes the representation of women in political institutions in the years 1945–2006, considering the factors that might affect representation within a single institution while also accounting for the contagion effect, or how the representation in one institution may influence another. The political institutions considered include legislatures, cabinets, courts, and quota laws. By looking cross-nationally, cross-institutionally, and across time, this study aims to gain a more complete perspective on women's representation. Moreover, it offers a lot of opportunities for generalization, especially as countries consider alternate constitutional arrangements.