Party Politics · 1999 · 672 citations · 7 references
Women's RightGender IdentityWomen's EmpowermentOrganizational StructureGender StudiesFeminist ScholarshipWomen Party ActivistsFeminist PerspectiveFeminist Political TheoryGender EqualityPolitical BehaviorGender DivideParty CharacteristicsFeminist TheoryPolitical ScienceSocial Sciences
Parties vary substantially in the proportion of women they send to parliament. I examine how party characteristics affect women's representation in the parliamentary parties of 12 advanced industrial nations over time. A temporal sequence is proposed in which these factors and electoral rules directly and indirectly affect women's representation. Four party‑level factors—organizational structure, ideology, women party activists, and gender‑related candidate rules—explain variations in representation, with activists and rules acting as the most direct mechanisms, and New Left values combined with high activist levels increasing the likelihood of implementing gender‑related rules.
Parties vary substantially in the proportion of women they send to parliament. I examine how party characteristics affect women's representation in the parliamentary parties of 12 advanced industrial nations over time. Four party-level factors have some explanatory power: organizational structure, ideology, women party activists and gender-related candidate rules. A temporal sequence is proposed in which these factors and electoral rules directly and indirectly affect women's representation. Women party activists and gender-related rules are the more direct mechanisms affecting women's legislative representation. Further, New Left values and high levels of women activists within the party both enhance the likelihood that gender-related candidate rules will be implemented.
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