Democratization and Women's Empowerment: The Effects of Electoral Systems, Participation and Repetition in Africa.
(2004) In Studies in Comparative International Development 39(1). p.28-53- Abstract
- This article investigates three hypotheses suggested in the literature on women's political empowerment, operationalized here as increased legislative representation. These hypotheses are that (1) electoral systems manipulate women's political empowerment; (2) increased popular participation empowers women in particular; and (3) accumulated experience gained over several electoral cycles facilitates increased political empowerment of women. In Africa, as well as in other parts of the world, majoritarian systems discriminate against women, while the effect of large parties in proportional representation systems is more ambiguous, and popular participation and repetitive electoral cycles are increasing women's legislative representation.... (More)
- This article investigates three hypotheses suggested in the literature on women's political empowerment, operationalized here as increased legislative representation. These hypotheses are that (1) electoral systems manipulate women's political empowerment; (2) increased popular participation empowers women in particular; and (3) accumulated experience gained over several electoral cycles facilitates increased political empowerment of women. In Africa, as well as in other parts of the world, majoritarian systems discriminate against women, while the effect of large parties in proportional representation systems is more ambiguous, and popular participation and repetitive electoral cycles are increasing women's legislative representation. This article demonstrates the value of studying gender relations under democratization, even with a narrow institutionalist focus using an elitist perspective. Finally, it shows that institutions can travel over diverse contexts with constant effects. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/156444
- author
- Lindberg, Staffan I LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2004
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Politiska partier, Politik i tredje världen, Politisk makt och demokrati, Statsskick och centrala statsorgan
- in
- Studies in Comparative International Development
- volume
- 39
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 28 - 53
- publisher
- Transaction Publishers
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000222697600002
- ISSN
- 0039-3606
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 83bd84c7-74aa-4368-8543-9b5e24142ac1 (old id 156444)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:28:58
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 20:07:53
@article{83bd84c7-74aa-4368-8543-9b5e24142ac1,
abstract = {{This article investigates three hypotheses suggested in the literature on women's political empowerment, operationalized here as increased legislative representation. These hypotheses are that (1) electoral systems manipulate women's political empowerment; (2) increased popular participation empowers women in particular; and (3) accumulated experience gained over several electoral cycles facilitates increased political empowerment of women. In Africa, as well as in other parts of the world, majoritarian systems discriminate against women, while the effect of large parties in proportional representation systems is more ambiguous, and popular participation and repetitive electoral cycles are increasing women's legislative representation. This article demonstrates the value of studying gender relations under democratization, even with a narrow institutionalist focus using an elitist perspective. Finally, it shows that institutions can travel over diverse contexts with constant effects.}},
author = {{Lindberg, Staffan I}},
issn = {{0039-3606}},
keywords = {{Politiska partier; Politik i tredje världen; Politisk makt och demokrati; Statsskick och centrala statsorgan}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{28--53}},
publisher = {{Transaction Publishers}},
series = {{Studies in Comparative International Development}},
title = {{Democratization and Women's Empowerment: The Effects of Electoral Systems, Participation and Repetition in Africa.}},
volume = {{39}},
year = {{2004}},
}