Is Federalism Gendered? Incorporating Gender into Studies of Federalism

Abstract

This article provides a roadmap for what gender scholarship offers scholars of federalism. It argues that applying a gender perspective can enrich the field by introducing new concepts, questions, hypotheses, and debates. Gender scholarship’s focus on power and change will also make theorizing about federalism more dynamic. The article shows how the “gendering democracy” project’s indices will help scholars measure federalism’s role in women’s continuing political marginalization and incorporation. It also highlights the importance a gender perspective confers on social movements, social policies, and normative issues. Finally, the article speculates that gender analysis could promote a new research theme exploring how different state architectures affect and are affected by interactions between territorial and nonterritorial interests and identities.