Women In Contemporary Politics

by Stokes, Wendy

• ISBN13: 9780745624990
• ISBN10: 0745624995
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-05-06
• Publisher: Polity

Summary

This innovative textbook provides students with a lively and wide-ranging introduction to the roles and achievements of women in contemporary politics. Accessibly written for an undergraduate readership, the book addresses both theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding women's participation in politics as candidates, party members, elected representatives, cabinet ministers and leaders. It focuses on the presence of women in formal political institutions across a broad range of countries, including the UK, France, Norway, Germany, Russia, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India, to demonstrate that women are, at last, beginning to exert pressure on political affairs by behaving differently from men. The book is divided into sections, each of which focuses on a different area of political activity - for example, the development of women's political activism and feminist engagement with political theory; voting and elections; political parties and the specifics of women's partisanship; parliaments; local and international government. Each chapter contains a concise introduction outlining the core issues for discussion, a concluding summary of key points and an annotated guide to further reading. Women in Contemporary Politics will be an invaluable resource for all students of politics and international relations. It is the only book of its kind to offer such a comprehensive and up-to-date exploration of the theory and practice of politics from the female perspective.

Author Biography

Wendy Stokes is Associate Professor of Politics at Richmond, The American International University in London.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	xii
Acknowledgements	xiii
Introduction	1	(3)
Some Definitions	4	(1)
Outline	5	(6)
PART I Feminist Political Theory	11	(26)
Feminist Theory and Women's Political Activism	13	(13)
Introduction	13	(1)
Women, Feminism and Political Theory	14	(1)
Gender and Democracy	15	(3)
Gender and Representation	18	(3)
The Meaning of Presence	21	(2)
Critical Mass	23	(1)
Conclusion	24	(1)
Further Reading	25	(1)
Applying the Theory	26	(11)
Introduction	26	(1)
Initial Problems of Analysis	26	(1)
Do Women in Politics Make Different Choices from Men?	27	(1)
Do Women in Politics Act on Behalf of Women?	28	(4)
Do Women in Politics Possess a Different Style?	32	(1)
Critical Mass	33	(2)
Case Studies: Northern Ireland and Wales	35	(1)
Conclusion	36	(1)
Further Reading	36	(1)
PART II Voting and Elections	37	(56)
Voting and Elections: Background Information	39	(6)
Introduction	39	(1)
Voting	39	(1)
Global Extension of the Franchise to Women	40	(1)
Women Getting Elected	41	(1)
Electoral Systems	42	(2)
Conclusion	44	(1)
Further Reading	44	(1)
Getting and Using the Vote	45	(15)
Introduction	45	(1)
Achieving the Franchise	45	(1)
Enfranchisement	46	(5)
Research into Women's Political Participation	51	(4)
Gender Gap	55	(3)
Political Parties and Women's Votes	58	(1)
Conclusion	59	(1)
Further Reading	59	(1)
Women and Elections	60	(17)
Introduction	60	(1)
Research into Voting for Women	60	(2)
Barriers to Women's Election	62	(3)
Case Studies	65	(7)
Solutions	72	(3)
Conclusion	75	(1)
Further Reading	75	(2)
Quotas for Women in Parties and Parliaments	77	(16)
Introduction	77	(1)
The Arguments For and Against Quotas	78	(2)
Case Studies	80	(11)
Conclusion	91	(1)
Further Reading	92	(1)
PART III Women and Political Parties	93	(46)
Political Parties: Background Information	95	(5)
Introduction	95	(1)
Membership of Political Parties	95	(1)
Activism in Political Parties	96	(1)
Party and Electoral Systems	97	(1)
Women and Political Parties	98	(1)
Conclusion	98	(1)
Further Reading	99	(1)
Women in Political Parties in the United Kingdom	100	(13)
Introduction	100	(1)
National Party Organization in the United Kingdom	100	(7)
Parties in Regional Assemblies in the United Kingdom	107	(4)
Conclusion	111	(1)
Further Reading	111	(2)
Political Parties outside the United Kingdom	113	(16)
Introduction	113	(1)
The Republic of Ireland	113	(2)
The Nordic Countries	115	(2)
France	117	(1)
Germany	118	(2)
Russia	120	(1)
The United States of America	121	(1)
Canada	122	(1)
Australia	123	(3)
New Zealand	126	(1)
Conclusion	127	(1)
Further Reading	127	(2)
Women's Parties	129	(10)
Introduction	129	(1)
Women's Parties Defined	129	(1)
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition	130	(1)
Icelandic Women's Alliance	131	(1)
Women of Russia and Women's Parties in the Former Soviet Republics	132	(4)
Other Women's Parties	136	(1)
Conclusion	137	(1)
Further Reading	138	(1)
PART IV Parliaments and Governments	139	(34)
Members and Ministers	141	(5)
Introduction	141	(1)
Women in Parliaments	141	(1)
Women in Governments	142	(2)
Conclusion	144	(1)
Further Reading	145	(1)
Women in Elected Assemblies in the United Kingdom	146	(11)
Introduction	146	(1)
The Conservative Party in Parliament	147	(1)
The Labour Party in Parliament	148	(2)
Scotland	150	(2)
Wales	152	(1)
Northern Ireland	153	(2)
Conclusion	155	(1)
Further Reading	155	(2)
Women in Elected Assemblies outside the United Kingdom	157	(16)
Introduction	157	(1)
The Republic of Ireland	157	(1)
The Nordic Countries	158	(1)
France	159	(2)
Germany	161	(1)
Russia	161	(2)
The Curious Case of the USA	163	(1)
Canada	164	(2)
Australia	166	(1)
New Zealand	166	(1)
Japan	167	(1)
India	168	(1)
Some Other Countries	169	(2)
Conclusion	171	(1)
Further Reading	172	(1)
PART V Women in Sub-National Government	173	(34)
Women in State and Local Government	175	(4)
Introduction	175	(1)
International Co-ordination and Data	176	(2)
Conclusion	178	(1)
Further Reading	178	(1)
Women in Local Government in the United Kingdom	179	(14)
Introduction	179	(1)
Women's Early Entry into Local Government	179	(1)
The System of Local Government in the United Kingdom	180	(1)
Local Government Elections	181	(2)
Local Councillors	183	(4)
Women's Committees	187	(4)
Conclusion	191	(1)
Further Reading	191	(2)
Women in Sub-National Government outside the United Kingdom	193	(14)
Introduction	193	(1)
The Republic of Ireland	193	(1)
The Nordic Countries	194	(2)
Belgium	196	(1)
Russia and Central-Eastern Europe	197	(1)
The United States of America	198	(1)
Canada	199	(1)
Australia and New Zealand	200	(1)
India and its Neighbours	201	(2)
Some Other Countries	203	(1)
Conclusion	204	(1)
Further Reading	205	(2)
PART VI Women in International Governmental Organizations	207	(25)
Women and the European Union	209	(14)
Introduction	209	(1)
Structure of the European Union	209	(3)
Equality and the European Union	212	(1)
The Role of the European Parliament	212	(1)
Women Members of the European Parliament	213	(4)
Sex Equality Bodies	217	(1)
Sex Equality Legislation and Directives	218	(2)
Action Programmes	220	(1)
Mainstreaming	221	(1)
Conclusion	221	(1)
Further Reading	221	(2)
Women and the United Nations	223	(9)
Introduction	223	(1)
The Structure of the UN	223	(1)
Sex Equality and the UN	224	(1)
Women in the General Assembly	225	(1)
Sex Equality Institutions within the UN	226	(2)
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)	228	(1)
International Conferences	229	(1)
Women as Employees of the UN	230	(1)
Conclusion	231	(1)
Further Reading	231	(1)
Conclusion	232	(2)
Notes	234	(4)
References	238	(20)
Index	258