Women and Politics : Paths to Power and Political Influence

Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Political Influence examines the role of women in politics from the early women's movements to the female politicians in power today. The revised fourth edition includes: a new preface analyzing the 2020 elections, focusing on the historic victory of Kamala Harris and the gendered and racist critiques she endured on the campaign trail. recognition of the centennial of women's suffrage, with greater attention to Black and Indigenous women's often overlooked contributions to the fight for suffrage and expanded rights election results from the historic 2020 elections when more women filed congressional candidacies than ever before and women’s numbers in both Congress and state legislatures reached record highs. analysis of the gender gap in voting in 2020, focusing on both race and gender. updates reflecting President Biden's historic cabinet picks, including Deb Haaland as the first Native American to lead the Department of the Interior and Janet Yellen as the first woman to lead the Treasury Department. coverage of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the nomination and confirmation of her replacement, Amy Coney Barrett. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Copyright Page 3 Brief Contents 4 Contents 6 Figures and Tables 10 Figures 10 Tables 11 Preface: Updated Fourth Edition 12 Running for Congress and DOWN-BALLOT: Lessons Learned from the 2018 Midterms and 2020 Down-Ballot Races 14 The 2020 Congressional and Down-ballot Races: The Year of the Republican Woman? 21 Gender and the 2020 Presidential Election 26 Gender and the Biden Administration: What We Can Expect 31 Acknowledgments 32 About the Authors 36 Chapter 1: Introduction and Theoretical Framework 38 History and Women’s Political Interests 40 Women’s Representation 44 Chapter 2: Women’s Paths to Power 50 Women in Social Movements and Interest Groups 50 Early Women Activists and the Fight For Suffrage 51 Feminism, the Second Wave (1960s–Present) 59 The Equal Rights Amendment 69 Women and Interest Groups 74 Conclusion 90 Chapter 3: The Gender Gap in Elections and Public Opinion 92 Courting the Women’s Vote: The Early Years 93 The Emergence of the Modern Gender Gap 96 The Gender Gaps: Voting Trends Across Different Groups of Women 102 Issues That Explain the Gender Gap 105 Women’s Vote in a Competitive Political Climate 109 Does the Gender Gap Bring Women Political Power? 120 Do Women Vote for Women? 123 Hillary Clinton and the Women’s Vote 126 Conclusion 132 Chapter 4: Gender and the Decision to Run for Office 134 A Confidence Gap: Women Underestimate Their Political Abilities 138 Political Parties’ Efforts to Incorporate Women 142 Family Constraints 149 Symbolic Representation: Does It Matter Whether Women Run for Office? 151 Conclusion 157 Chapter 5: Women on the Campaign Trail 160 Challenges on the Campaign Trail 164 Female Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates 177 Conclusion 193 Chapter 6: Women in Local Politics and Government 196 Descriptive Representation: Women Serving in Local Government 200 Substantive Representation: Does Having Women in Local Government Matter? 218 Women as Political Actors Outside of Government 225 Conclusion 231 Chapter 7: Women in Congress and the State Legislatures 234 Women and Representation 235 Women’s Representation in Legislative Bodies across the World 238 Women’s Representation in Congress and the State Legislatures across Time 241 The Advancement of Women in Congress 245 Women in Congress and State Legislatures: A Distinctive Impact on Policy? 255 Conclusion 276 Chapter 8: Women in the Executive Branch 278 Women’s Access to the Executive Branch 280 Linking Descriptive and Substantive Representation: Do Women Make a Difference? 294 Conclusion 304 Chapter 9: Women in the Judiciary 306 Why the Courts Are Important 309 Women in the Judiciary 311 The Difference Women Judges Make 334 Conclusion 346 BILL OF RIGHTS 352 WE DEMAND 352 REDSTOCKINGS MANIFESTO 353 References 356 Preface 356 Chapter 1 361 Chapter 2 362 Chapter 3 368 Chapter 4 379 Chapter 5 384 Chapter 6 393 Chapter 7 400 Chapter 8 409 Chapter 9 415 Index 422 "This book examines the role of women in politics from the early women's movement to the female politicians in power today. Focusing on women whose stories have not yet been told, this book includes new analysis and scholarship on the experiences and viewpoints of conservative women, women of color, LGBT women, and millennial women"-- Provided by publisher