Women In Politics Research Articles

Breaking Barriers: The Struggles and Prospects of Women Leadership in the Gusii Region

Women in the Gusii region of Kenya have struggled to access leadership positions, particularly in politics, where no woman has been elected as a Member of Parliament for over 50 years. This article examines the historical reasons for the exclusion of women from leadership, including cultural practices, the impact of colonialism, and entrenched patriarchal systems. It also explores the challenges women face today, such as cultural norms, financial constraints, and stereotypes that limit their opportunities for success. The study employed both primary and secondary research methodologies. Primary data was gathered through oral interviews with key informants, including women leaders, political aspirants, and personal assistants to female politicians. Secondary data was sourced from books, academic journals, and other relevant literature. The data was analyzed qualitatively, using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes. The results highlight recent progress in gender equality movements and Kenyan laws that support women in leadership. It also discusses the experiences of a few women who have broken barriers and achieved leadership roles. Finally, the article suggests strategies for increasing women's participation in leadership, focusing on education, policy reforms, and shifting cultural attitudes

MISOGYNY AND THE POLITICS OF WOMANHOOD

MISOGYNY AND THE POLITICS OF WOMANHOOD

Far-right cooperation: Gender, political networks, and the cordon sanitaire in the European Parliament

Even as the far-right parties of Western Europe have made broad electoral gains, mainstream parties continue to enact a cordon sanitaire, effectively curtailing their legislative impact. Any potential ability of women far-right politicians to cooperate across party lines would open up important political opportunities not available for them within the far right. This article seeks to address the following question: are women of the far right able to cooperate with members of other political parties in ways that their men colleagues cannot? Using a network analysis of motion co-authorship across three sessions of the European Parliament, I find that there is a double marginalization of far-right women politicians – as women in far-right politics, and as far-right politicians in the European Parliament – which results in women politicians who lack influence within their parties, and within the European Parliament more broadly.

Gender, Politics, and the Glass Ceiling: Comparative Analysis of Male and Female Politicians’ Agenda-Building Efforts in the U.S. Primaries

ABSTRACT This study focuses on investigating whether male and female politicians have an equal opportunity to influence the media agenda through their strategic communication efforts during the 2020 U.S. primary elections. Exploratory in nature, this study is grounded in agenda-building theory. This research employs mixed-method content analysis to compare the campaign press releases and subsequent news coverage of three male and three female candidates from the U.S. primaries. The findings revealed that, while both female and male politicians’ messages significantly correlated with the news agenda across three levels of agenda-building, there was no significant difference by gender. However, issues framed as “masculine” were more strongly linked with the media agenda compared to “feminine” issues. This study contributes to communication research by exploring the current state of gender stereotypes in political media coverage, offering insights into the persistence of a ‘glass ceiling’ in strategic news coverage. Additionally, it contributes to agenda-building research by incorporating gender and the context of primary elections in the U.S. which are underrepresented in the literature, into the complex relationship between political campaign messages and news agendas.

‘Can women have it all?’ Transitions in media representations of Jacinda Ardern’s leadership and identity by a global newsroom

ABSTRACT The paper examines changing media representations of Jacinda Ardern, former Aotearoa New Zealand Prime Minister, from the global broadcaster, BBC News Online, across three key milestones in the politician’s career: her appointment, re-election and resignation. Our socio-semantic analysis of this representation demonstrates how the media intersect her professional identity with age, gender, social class, and later, her identity as a mother. Whilst earlier coverage of Ardern’s career praises her successfully reconciling these aspects of her personal, social and professional identities, later coverage implies that ‘having it all’ was never really possible longer term. We argue that the visibility of this discourse, and the focus on intersectional aspects of Ardern’s personal and social identities, leads to her resignation being positively evaluated as her ‘finally’ succumbing and committing to the ‘natural’ inevitabilities of heterosexual family life. The article considers what such representation means for Ardern and women politicians and leaders more broadly, and contextualises these findings in relation to existing research on media representations of women in politics and leadership. Finally, we also consider the value of a more longitudinal approach to tracking the cumulative effects of the representation of social actors and groups.

Women's Political Participation in South Waziristan: A Community-Based Survey

This study investigates the impact of political reforms on women's political participation in South Waziristan, Pakistan. The sample consisted of 100 females aged 18 to 45 from the region. The survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire, and the Statistical Package (SPSS) was used for the data analysis. The results show a comprehensive knowledge of the current state of political awareness and participation among women in the region, particularly in the context of the 18th Amendment. The study outcome showed significant knowledge about the Amendment's results, which shows a limited impact on women. The majority of respondents (64%) suggested that education initiatives should be implemented to facilitate greater involvement of women in politics. The study focuses on the fact that despite political reforms such as the 18th Amendment, women's political participation in South Waziristan remains limited. This study targeted educational initiatives and community-based efforts to improve political awareness and involvement among women in the region.

It's Our Movement Now: Black Women's Politics and the 1977 National Women's Conference

It's Our Movement Now: Black Women's Politics and the 1977 National Women's Conference

Strategi Public Relations Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) untuk Meningkatkan Partisipasi Politik Perempuan: Studi Kasus Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) Kabupaten Semarang

Some groups, particularly those rooted in conservative Islamic interpretations, argue that Islam does not recognize gender equality in political practice. However, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), as an Islamic-oriented party, holds a different view. The issue in this research is the lack of awareness and knowledge about women's roles in politics. Many women may not fully understand the importance of their involvement in politics or know how to participate effectively. To address this, PKS needs to launch an educational campaign aimed at increasing understanding of women's political rights and ways to participate. This research aims to identify and outline the Public Relations strategies employed by the Prosperous Justice Party in Semarang Regency to enhance women's participation and create an inclusive society. The research uses a qualitative method. Data collection techniques in this study include interviews, observations, and documentation. Data analysis techniques consist of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Data validity reflects how accurate and precise the data obtained from research subjects are compared to the data revealed by the researcher. The research findings show that the public relations strategies implemented by PKS in Semarang Regency—namely strategy of publicity, strategy of persuasion, strategy of argumentation, and strategy of image—are effective in increasing women's political participation. PKS has successfully carried out effective educational campaigns through seminars, workshops, and social media to raise awareness and knowledge among women about their political roles, positively impacting increased participation. PKS has addressed the issue of limited information reach by utilizing various communication channels, including local and digital media, and establishing partnerships with community leaders, thereby broadening the dissemination and accessibility of information regarding political opportunities for women. These strategies significantly enhanced women's political engagement in Semarang Regency.

Women's Political and Economic Role in The Empire of Achaemenid

Women played a significant role in the political and economic realms of the Achaemenid Empire. This role is due to the rights given to women by Zoroastrianism and later institutionalized into law within the empire's constitution. This allowed women to actively participate in political decision-making and engage in economic activities of their society. Within the royal palace, women wielded considerable power and influence, often serving as key figures in the ascension of kings to the throne. Therefore, when someone became king with the support of his mother or sister or queen, he could not disobey the queen or mother or sister during his reign. Moreover, women in the palace and among the Persian dynasties formed their own groups, safeguarding their economic interests and political positions. The groups have often been used to spy, kill and oppose those who have acted against the interests and orders of senior women Thus, any discussion of the political and economic field of the Achaemenid state would be incomplete without acknowledging the pivotal role and influence of women within these spheres.

Women governors in the United States use more communal language than male governors in their State of the State addresses and tweets and achieve greater policy success

This study draws on framing theory to argue that the language used by women politicians may make them more effective in achieving their goals. Large numbers of voters around the world perceive men to be more effective political leaders than women. However, this study of the communications of women and male governors in the United States finds that the opposite is true and that women governors emphasize cooperation and compromise much more when communicating, which could be a factor in their greater efficacy. An analysis of 1,088 policy proposals made by governors in their State of the State addresses finds that women enacted their proposals into law at 1.2 times the rate of their male counterparts. An analysis also finds that, between March 2020 and February 2021, states with women governors had significantly fewer excess deaths due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and significantly lower unemployment rates than states with male governors. Analyses of speeches and tweets by governors find that women governors use significantly more communal, cooperative language than their male counterparts, and these frames might catalyze more communal behavior by partners and constituents and thereby help explain their greater efficacy.

Age Bias & Female Leadership: Faulty Cheat Codes

This paper explores the intersection of age bias and gender bias in relation to female leadership. “Cheat codes” is a term originally applied to computer and video games to describe a code that, when used, allows the player to access features, level skips, or capabilities not otherwise available (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). As a metaphor, the term is meant to suggest a shortcut in decision-making toward a desired conclusion or outcome. In the context of this article, “faulty cheat codes” refer to society’s use of misinformed and unfair stereotypes as specious shortcuts to judge the abilities or qualifications of individuals based on their age, leading to incorrect conclusions or inappropriate actions. This piece highlights the detrimental effects of age bias on prominent female politicians, including Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and emphasizes the need for authentic conversations about cognitive abilities. The paper challenges the use of age as a flawed measure of competence and advocates for retiring negative stereotypes about aging. It also discusses the delayed entry of women into political office and the compounding effects of age and gender biases. By promoting positive narratives about aging and addressing ageism in our political discourse, society can create a more fair and inclusive political landscape that values the capabilities of individuals of all ages. The paper concludes by urging a shift in focus toward substantive political discussions and away from shallow indicators of competence based on age.

Socio-Economic Determinants of Perception Regarding Women's Political Rights: A Provincial Analysis

This study examines the determinants of women's political rights and, their essential role in promoting gender equity in Pakistan. The data is taken from world value survey (WVS) wave 7. The study is based on two theories that explain the determinants of women’s political rights in Pakistan; life cycle theory and, modernization theory. The Logit models is used for spanning both long-term and, short-term data, regional and, urban-rural analyses, and, gender-wise comparisons. It unveils the complex dynamics influencing these perceptions. The findings emphasize the importance of high income, political engagement, and, opposition to military rule in shaping support for women's political rights. Regional disparities within Pakistan highlight the need for tailored policy approaches.

Women's political participation in the United States after women's suffrage: women's representation in the legislature of the house of representatives and the senate

Historically, women have confronted formidable barriers to political participation, entrenched by patriarchal norms. Despite the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in the United States, which granted women voting rights, substantive representation remains elusive. This study investigates the persistent gender gap in political representation, focusing on the 113th congressional elections. Employing liberal feminist theory and democratic principles, it aims to elucidate the urgency of addressing women's underrepresentation in legislative bodies. Through literature review and quantitative analysis of electoral data, this research seeks to uncover the impact of electoral systems on women's political engagement. Results reveal stark contrasts between countries like the US and Rwanda, emphasizing the critical role of electoral mechanisms in fostering gender parity. By illuminating these disparities, this study underscores the imperative for policy interventions to ensure equitable political participation for women, thereby advancing democratic ideals and societal progress.

Journalists’ Ethical Responsibility: Tackling Hate Speech Against Women Politicians in Social Media Through Natural Language Processing Techniques

Social media has led to a redefinition of the journalist’s role. Specifically on Twitter, these professionals assume an influential position and their discourse is dominated by personal opinions. Taking into consideration that this platform has proven to be a breeding ground for polarization, digital harassment and hate speech, notably against women politicians, this research aims to analyze journalists’ involvement in this complex scenario. The investigation aims to determine whether, immersed in online and gender defamation campaigns, journalists enhance the quality of public debate or, on the contrary, they reinforce the visibility of this hostile content. To this end, we examined a sample of 63,926 tweets published from 23 to 25 November 2022 related to a campaign of political violence against the Spanish Minister of Equality using Natural Language Processing tools and qualitative content analysis. Results show that during those three days, at least half of the tweets contained hate speech and improper language. In this climate of hostility, journalists participating in the debate not only have an ability to attract likes and retweets but also exhibit polarization and use hate speech. Each ideological position—for and against the Minister—is also reflected in their own uncivil strategies. Under the umbrella of free speech and regardless of argumentative discourses, those journalists who lean towards ideological progressivism tend to insult their opponents, and those on the political right use divisive constructions, stereotyping and irony as attack techniques.

Jiang Qing, the Iconic Anti-icon: Visual Dissection of Female Political Power in Post-Mao People's Republic of China

This article examines how, in the years following the end of the Cultural Revolution (1966–76), Jiang Qing 江青 (1914–91) became a negative icon of a liberated woman in high office in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). During the Cultural Revolution, Jiang Qing transformed herself into a model female political leader. After her arrest in 1976, however, political caricatures systematically deconstructed her curated image by transforming her into the antithesis of the ideal powerful woman in a socialist society. Since a model liberated female politician was not yet available, Jiang Qing served as an “iconic anti-iconic” of women in politics under state socialism. Acknowledging the importance of Jiang Qing as a historical figure in Maoist China, this article analyzes how post–Cultural Revolution caricatures of her provide us with an understanding of the Chinese Communist Party’s anxieties about women in power, and it raises questions about the absence of an iconic woman-leader in the PRC’ s political visual culture despite years of campaigning to achieve women’s liberation.

Combining Natural Language Processing and Statistical Methods to Assess Gender Gaps in the Mediated Personalization of Politics

The media attention to the personal sphere of famous and important individuals has become a key element of the gender narrative. In this setting, we aim at assessing gender gaps in the mediated personalization of a wide range of political office holders in Italy during the period 2017–2020 by means of a combination of NLP and statistical methods. The proposed analysis hinges on the definition of a new score for each word in the corpus that adjusts the incidence rate for the under representation of women in politics. On this basis, evidence is found that political personalization in Italy is more detrimental for women than it is for men, with the persistence of entrenched stereotypes including a masculine connotation of leadership, the resulting women’s unsuitability to hold political functions, and a greater deal of focus on their attractiveness and body parts. In addition, women politicians are covered with a more negative tone than their men counterpart when personal details are reported. By distinguishing between different types of media, we also show that the observed gender differences are primarily found in online news rather than print news. This suggests that the expression of certain stereotypes may be favored when click baiting and personal targeting have a major impact.

Navigating Gender and Sectarian Affiliation: An Analysis of Young Voters’ Bias Against Female Politicians in Lebanon

In May 2018, a record-breaking number of 86 women candidates ran for parliamentary elections in Lebanon, a country with a power-sharing, consociational, sect-based system that guarantees the representation of 18 legally recognized sects (i.e. religious confessions). Yet, only six women were elected. This article explores whether and how sectarianism trumps gender and support for female candidates in general in vote intention. In doing so, it addresses the interaction between sectarian/ethnic and gender voting in contexts where both identities intersect. This intersection emerges when vote intention is influenced by factors that stem from the patriarchal nature of society and structures of sectarianism, creating interdependent systems of disadvantage. Building on a countrywide pre-electoral survey on the attitudes of young voters in Lebanon, I test ethnic voting and gender-affinity theories and develop fine-grained conceptual links between gender and the wider norms of inclusion and exclusion under sectarian-based political systems in post-conflict countries.

Representation of Indonesian women politicians (Media analysis to G30S PKI incident coverage from 1965 to 2015)

Background: The G30S/PKI incident that occurred in 1965 is known for the murder of six generals by the PKI (Indonesian Communist Party). The “New Order” (Orba) regime under Suharto carried out the extermination of hundreds of PKI members and supporters, imprisoning thousands of people, including members of Gerwani and those who were neither PKI nor Gerwani members, due to biases and assumptions. Since the Reformation era of 1998, many historical facts about G30S/PKI have been questioned by the public. Over the past 50 years, issues related to G30S/PKI have fluctuated in media coverage. Today, the representation of female politicians cannot be separated from the negative memories of the tragedy and the militant image of Gerwani. Methods: The research questions are: How consistent is media reporting when covering the same issue in different political contexts? How does the media, as a means of value socialization, influence the collective memory of society regarding women's activities in politics?. The research is conducted using content analysis of a national newspaper from 1965 to 2015 to examine the visibility of Gerwani-related issues over time. Discourse analysis is also used to explore the role and position of Gerwani. Findings: The results indicate that the media tends to side with the dominant group, namely the rulers, and does not voice the interests of weaker groups. Women's interests are framed and represented through the perspective of men. Conclusion: In this context, female politicians receive more appreciation from society when they do not emphasize militant methods in advocating their ideas but instead focus on a caring approach. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The originality of this study lies in its focus on the evolving portrayal of Gerwani over different political eras and its examination of the media's role in shaping collective memory and gender biases. It uniquely integrates the political economy of communication, collective memory, and feminist perspectives to explore how media representation impacts societal views on women in politics.

Voices Unveiled: Navigating Intersectionality in the Political Landscape of Chinese Women in Peninsular Malaysia

This study explores the factors influencing Chinese women's involvement in politics in Peninsular Malaysia, using qualitative interviews with ten participants selected via purposive sampling. Key informants include female political representatives, male politicians, academics and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) activists. The research applies intersectionality theory to analyze how internal and external agents of political socialization and various challenges shape women's political engagement and culture. Internal socialization agents encompass education, economic status, family background, religion, ethnicity, and gender. External agents include Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), political parties, and community networks. The study identifies multiple challenges that Chinese women face, such as gender competition, cronyism, low political interest, time management conflicts, racial sentiments, sexist remarks, male dominance, competition from political opponents, and ideological barriers. These agents and challenges are intertwined and impact Chinese women's political culture, which, in turn, influences their empowerment in political, economic, and social spheres. The intersectionality framework reveals how overlapping social identities and systemic barriers shape their political experiences and efforts towards empowerment. This study provides insights into the complex dynamics affecting Chinese women's political participation and highlights the need for comprehensive strategies to enhance their roles in politics and broader societal contexts.

Polish Mother and (Not) Her Children: Intersectional State-Violence against Minors in Poland

This article seeks to explain the political responsibility that Polish right-wing female politicians directly associated with the 2015–2023 Polish government and the then-ruling Law and Justice Party bear in the state-sanctioned violence against minors in the context of LGBT- and immigration-related issues. Its main assumption is that, in times of the nationalist surge that has been sweeping Poland, women using anti-LGBT and anti-immigration discourses helped to legitimize discriminatory state practices and, consequently, made a significant contribution to the enactment of white, Christian, and heteronormative identity on Polish children. Drawing upon Critical Discourse Analysis, this work examines the anti-LGBT and anti-immigration political talk by female politicians who, in their narrative strategies, adopt the position of a “Polish mother” on a mission to save a “child in danger”. Through my analysis, I aim to demonstrate that anti-LGBT and anti-immigration discourses are equally significant areas of women’s political engagement. Despite the prevalent cultural norms of caring motherhood, women do exercise their agency in political struggles as supporters of discriminatory state policies directed against minors by re-politicizing a symbolic figure of the “Polish mother”.