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Double Standards : The Role of Gender and Intraparty Politics in Swedish Cabinet Appointments

Baumann, Markus LU ; Bäck, Hanna LU orcid and Davidsson, Johan Bo LU (2019) In Politics and Gender 15(4). p.882-911
Abstract

Are female politicians less likely to be promoted to specific ministerial posts, and is it important for them to toe the party line? This article focuses on whether the selection of ministers has a gender-specific dimension. Building on role congruity theory and research showing that female and male politicians are evaluated in a different manner in leadership positions, we present some original hypotheses. For example, we hypothesize that female politicians are less likely to be appointed to cabinet when they have held gender-incongruent committee positions in parliament. We also hypothesize that women are less likely to be appointed to cabinet posts when they have previously deviated from the party line. In an empirical analysis of... (More)

Are female politicians less likely to be promoted to specific ministerial posts, and is it important for them to toe the party line? This article focuses on whether the selection of ministers has a gender-specific dimension. Building on role congruity theory and research showing that female and male politicians are evaluated in a different manner in leadership positions, we present some original hypotheses. For example, we hypothesize that female politicians are less likely to be appointed to cabinet when they have held gender-incongruent committee positions in parliament. We also hypothesize that women are less likely to be appointed to cabinet posts when they have previously deviated from the party line. In an empirical analysis of Swedish ministerial appointments in six cabinets, we find that female politicians were less likely to be appointed to cabinet posts when they have held positions in 'masculine' parliamentary committees and when they deviated from the party line in their parliamentary speeches. These results suggest that women are more harshly judged when holding positions that are not in line with traditional gender stereotypes and have important implications for our understanding of gender and political leadership.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cabinet appointments, female politicians, intraparty politics, ministerial selection, role congruity theory
in
Politics and Gender
volume
15
issue
4
pages
882 - 911
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85057326391
ISSN
1743-923X
DOI
10.1017/S1743923X18000673
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f0c2a9b9-1677-4695-94ed-32682aed9b20
date added to LUP
2018-12-06 09:34:08
date last changed
2024-02-14 12:31:47
@article{f0c2a9b9-1677-4695-94ed-32682aed9b20,
  abstract     = {{<p>Are female politicians less likely to be promoted to specific ministerial posts, and is it important for them to toe the party line? This article focuses on whether the selection of ministers has a gender-specific dimension. Building on role congruity theory and research showing that female and male politicians are evaluated in a different manner in leadership positions, we present some original hypotheses. For example, we hypothesize that female politicians are less likely to be appointed to cabinet when they have held gender-incongruent committee positions in parliament. We also hypothesize that women are less likely to be appointed to cabinet posts when they have previously deviated from the party line. In an empirical analysis of Swedish ministerial appointments in six cabinets, we find that female politicians were less likely to be appointed to cabinet posts when they have held positions in 'masculine' parliamentary committees and when they deviated from the party line in their parliamentary speeches. These results suggest that women are more harshly judged when holding positions that are not in line with traditional gender stereotypes and have important implications for our understanding of gender and political leadership.</p>}},
  author       = {{Baumann, Markus and Bäck, Hanna and Davidsson, Johan Bo}},
  issn         = {{1743-923X}},
  keywords     = {{cabinet appointments; female politicians; intraparty politics; ministerial selection; role congruity theory}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{882--911}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Politics and Gender}},
  title        = {{Double Standards : The Role of Gender and Intraparty Politics in Swedish Cabinet Appointments}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1743923X18000673}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S1743923X18000673}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}