Ethnic Identity, Informal Institutions, and the Failure to Elect Women in Indigenous Southern Mexico

Abstract

This article argues that the low levels of descriptive representation of women in local political office in Mexico and Latin America is much more than a problem of the purported patriarchal cultures of indigenous and rural communities. We claim, based on a comprehensive survey of 466 municipal governments in the indigenous state of Oaxaca, that the underrepresentation of women is a function of institutions limiting female candidates. We test this "candidate supply" hypothesis, adapted from USbased studies, against the hypothesis that culture-as measured by indigenous ethnicity-has an independent effect on women's representation. We disconfirm that patriarchal, traditionalist cultures of indigenous communities cause underrepresentation in the election of women and instead find that a particular set of local institutions, which are more prevalent in indigenous municipalities, blocks the supply of potential women candidates. We conclude by considering the normative implications for women's representation in local politics in Mexico and Latin America.

Reducing Stereotypes of Female Political Leaders in Mexico

“…Although legislative quotas in Mexico have been especially successful at increasing the number of women in office (Baldez 2007), to date the increase in the number of female legislators in Mexico has not led to an increased presence of women in mayoral or other executive offices despite evidence suggesting that female legislators in Mexico are at least as successful as men while in office (Kerevel and Atkeson 2013). Furthermore, the political environment for women at the local level in Mexico is relatively inhospitable compared with their success in legislative office (Danielson, Eisenstadt, and Yelle 2013; Vázquez García 2010). This study highlights the potential for increasing the number of women in mayoral office to challenge gender stereotypes that may be hindering the full participation of women in the political process.…”

“…Individuals who are more traditionally oriented, for example, those who are more religious, those who live in rural areas, and those from indigenous communities, may be less likely to be supportive of female political leaders (Danielson, Eisenstadt, and Yelle 2013; Jalalzai 2013; Norris and Inglehart 2001; Welch and Sigelman 1982). To measure traditionalism, we include a number of variables to capture various aspects of traditional cultural and moral values.…”

Exploring Diversity and Inclusion Issues in the Civil Engineering Field in Latin America

“…There are also studies that suggest that institutional factors may also play a role in the representation of women and minorities in civil engineering. For example, Danielson et al (2013) argue that the underrepresentation of women in local political office in Mexico and Latin America LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay. ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, agosto, 2023, Volumen IV, Número 2 p 6328.…”

“…Similarly, implementing measures such as diversity and inclusion initiatives, mentorship programs, and targeted recruitment strategies can help increase the representation of women and minorities in civil engineering. These efforts should be accompanied by addressing the institutional barriers that limit the participation of underrepresented groups (Danielson et al, 2013).…”

Democratic Consolidation: A Theory of Territorial Consolidation

“…The subnational democracy literature also has not provided a theory of the territorial development of democracy within a country. This scholarship has primarily examined the existence and endurance of non-democratic subnational political regimes (Beer, 2003;Beer and Mitchell, 2006;Behrend 2011;Benton, 2012;Borges, 2011;Danielson et al, 2013;Eisenstadt, 2011;Eisenstadt and Rios, 2014;Hale, 2007;Herrmann, 2010;Hill 1994;Gervasoni, 2010;Giraudy, 2015;Lankina and Getachew, 2012;Lawson, 2000;Magaloni et al, 2007;McMann and Petrov, 2000;Mickey, 2015;Montero, 2010;Moraski and Reisinger, 2003;Munro, 2001;Petrov, 2004;Rebolledo, 2012;Saikkonen, 2012;Sidel, 2014;Tudor and Ziegfeld, 2016). Moreover, most studies investigate countries where subnational variation in democracy continues to this day, so their utility in explaining change is limited.…”