When Women Matter: The Relationship Between Women's Presence and Policy Representation in Western European States

Abstract

OF THE DISSERTATION When Women Matter: The Relationship Between Women’s Presence and Policy Representation in Western European States by Diana Z. O’Brien Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Washington University in St. Louis, 2012 Matthew J. Gabel, Chair In recent years, increasing women’s participation in electoral politics has become a priority for a number of activists, politicians, and international governing organizations. This focus can largely be attributed to the belief that doing so provides normative benefits for women through increased policy representation. Despite the prevalence of this assumption, research connecting women’s numeric and policy representation generates mixed results. At the same time, this work often fails to adequately theorize the link between the presence of female legislators and attention to women on the political agenda. Inspired by these policy debates, this dissertation asks when women’s policy representation emerges in Western European countries and whether the presence of female politicians explains this phenomenon. Beginning with the frequently espoused hypothesis of a direct relationship between women’s numeric and policy representation, the theoretical framework underpinning the project outlines three more nuanced connections between the two forms of representation. First, the intervening relationship argues that the link between women’s presence and policy representation is not direct, but instead occurs through women’s increased access to political leadership positions. Second, the vote-seeking relationship posits that in order to explain women’s representation, it is necessary to account