Sheer Numbers: Critical Representation Thresholds and Women's Political Representation

Beckwith, Karen; Cowell-Meyers, Kimberly

doi:10.1017/s153759270707154x

Cited by 160 publications

(121 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

111

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…11 Despite this, however, women's substantive interests cannot be advanced simply by increasing the "sheer numbers" of women in public office. 12 Representation and the advancement of women in society takes place in non-political contexts too-on the boards of multinational companies, in news media, blockbuster films, social movements, and more. The realm of electoral politics is one-albeit crucial-arena where women's substantive representation occurs, but it is mutually dependent on women's representation in other areas of civil society.…”

Section: Gender and Self-presentation In Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Talk “Like a Man”: The Linguistic Styles of Hillary Clinton, 1992–2013

Jones¹

2016

Perspect. polit.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hillary Clinton is arguably the most prominent woman in American politics today. Past research suggests female politicians conform to masculine communication styles in an attempt to evade the "double bind." Clinton's long and varied career thus provides an important and useful case study for investigating how female politicians present themselves strategically. Drawing on research in political psychology, political communication, social psychology, and linguistics I examine whether Clinton talked "like a man" as she navigated a path toward political leadership by conducting a quantitative textual analysis of 567 interview transcripts and candidate debates between 1992-2013. Results on Clinton's linguistic style suggest her language grew increasingly masculine over time, as her involvement and power in politics expanded. I also consider Clinton's language in the context of her 2007-2008 presidential campaign. In 2007, Clinton's linguistic style was consistently masculine, supporting widespread accounts of Clinton's campaign strategy. Beginning in late 2007, however, Clinton's language became more feminine, reflecting a shift in the self-presentational strategies advised by her campaign staff. Throughout the 2008 campaign period, Clinton's language fluctuated dramatically from one interview to the next, reflecting a candidate-and campaign-in crisis. This study reveals hidden insight into the strategies Clinton used as she navigated through the labyrinth toward leadership. Changes in Clinton's linguistic style reflect the performance of gendered roles, expectations of political leaders, and the masculine norms of behavior that permeate political institutions.

show abstract

Section: Gender and Self-presentation In Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Talk “Like a Man”: The Linguistic Styles of Hillary Clinton, 1992–2013

Jones¹

2016

Perspect. polit.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…According to Beckwith and Cowell-Meyers (2007), the 'critical representation threshold' is 15%. Thus, if the percentage of women elected to an assembly is 15% or higher (especially when those women are elected by leftwing parties), then women's substantive representation in policy terms will be more likely to occur than when it is below 15% (557).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While scholars caution against assuming that women's interests are the same across time and place (e.g. Beckwith and Cowell-Meyers, 2007), it is still argued that women's interests remain gendered even though they may vary (e.g. Phillips, 1995).…”

Section: The Making Of Women-friendly Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Do Women Represent Women in France? The Case of Brittany's Regional Council

Opello

2008

Fr Polit

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this paper, I examine the policies of the regional council of Brittany, France to determine whether the recent dramatic increase in the number of female officeholders resulted in an increase in women's substantive representation. I question whether the number of women-friendly policies rose after the number of female officeholders increased and if so, whether this increase is attributable to the sheer number of female councilors or to something else. I find that the number of women-friendly policies in Brittany increased when women held a majority of regional council seats, but that these policies were primarily due to the critical acts of certain male and female officeholders operating within a specific regional, national, and international political context.

show abstract

“…like race complicate what are considered women's issues as well (Beckwith 2007). The term problematically suggests that the work of women legislators is narrow.…”

Section: Women's Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The priorities and accomplishments of Kentucky legislators : is there a gender difference?

Allen¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Sheer Numbers: Critical Representation Thresholds and Women's Political Representation

Cited by 160 publications

References 44 publications

Talk “Like a Man”: The Linguistic Styles of Hillary Clinton, 1992–2013

Talk “Like a Man”: The Linguistic Styles of Hillary Clinton, 1992–2013

Do Women Represent Women in France? The Case of Brittany's Regional Council

The priorities and accomplishments of Kentucky legislators : is there a gender difference?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About