Title: Why don't women rule the world? : understanding women's civic and political choices /
Authors: Jenkins, Shannon, 1971-; Strachan, J. Cherie, 1970-; Poloni-Staudinger, Lori,
Year: 2020
Subjects: Women political activists.; Leadership in women.; Male domination (Social structure); Women political activists; Leadership in women; Male domination (Social structure)
Abstract: "Why don't women rule the world, and why don't they have more influence over the way the world is structured? This book begins to explore this question by looking at how underrepresentation of women manifests comparatively and also by exploring how it plays out in policy. Why Don't Women Rule the World? is written by 4 high-profile leaders who teach, publish and head up national and international academic caucuses on Women and Politics. They have collaborated on a project that not only offers grounded theory with practical job-related activities; but, also with an important comparative politics perspective. The book distinguishes itself from other Women and Politics texts due to three unique features: First, each chapter explores concepts from not only a U.S. perspective, but also a comparative one, expanding students' awareness of their own intersectional identities and the varying effects of patriarchy on women worldwide. Second, each chapter also has a policy feature, focusing on one or two policy areas allowing students to see the ways in which theories and concepts discussed in the chapter manifest in their lives. Finally, each chapter includes a political engagement feature with activities and prompts purposefully intended to bolster political interest, efficacy, and ambition. The book provides a thorough and theoretical introduction to the study of Women and Politics, while also meeting the growing demand for higher education to play a more prominent role in bolstering students' political interest, ambition and efficacy"--
Contents: 1. Why don't women rule the world? -- The creation of patriarchy -- Reification and the social construction of reality -- Conclusion -- Plan of the book -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 2. History of women in politics -- Colonial history -- The first wave -- The second wave -- The third wave -- Conclusion -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 3. Public opinion -- How individuals form opinions about gender issues -- How sex influences public opinion -- Partisan preferences and voting behavior -- Conclusion -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References --  4. Political ambition -- Promoting women's access and ambition -- Gender socialization and political ambition -- Traditional family role orientations -- The masculinized ethos of politics -- Women's gendered psyche -- Conclusion -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 5. When women run-- When and where women candidates emerge -- campaign finance -- Women as candidates in 2018 -- Dismantling the masculine ethos of politics in 2018 and beyond -- Conclusion -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References  -- 6. Women in legislatures -- Women's representation in legislatures around the world -- Theories of representation -- The effect of women's representation in legislative bodies -- The behavior of individual women legislators -- Women as institutional leaders -- Effects outside the institution -- How to increase the number of women in legislative office -- Conclusion -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 7. Women in the executive -- Patriarchy, military masculinity, and executive stereotypes -- Gender stereotypes in leadership and the presidency: public support and media -- Descriptive representation in parts of the executive -- Women in cabinets: The United States and in comparative perspective-- Women's policy agencies -- Women in state and local institutions -- Substance and symbolic representation in executive institutions -- Conclusion -- Review Questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 8. Women in the judiciary -- Women as lawyers and in law school -- Women as public legal officials -- The impact of women in the judicial branch -- The effect of the courts on women's lives -- Increasing the representation of women in the judicial branch -- Conclusion -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 9. Women in social movements -- Interest groups, social movements, and social movement organizations -- Challenges for women's and feminist movements -- Conclusion: intersectional resistance in the post-Trump era -- Review questions -- Ambition activities -- Key words -- References -- 10. Conclusion -- The first step: admit that patriarchy exists -- The second step: listen to women's complaints and take their anger seriously -- The third step: understand the roots of women's anger -- The fourth step: monitor progress and backlash to establish priorities -- The fifth step: decide what to do and act -- Review questions -- Ambition activity -- Key words -- References.