Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Crisis of representation and the opportunity for change: A case study of women’s representation in Chile between 2015-2022

Lundholm, Albin LU (2023) STVK02 20222
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis is a descriptive case study of the institutional measures to improve women’s representation in Chile between 2015 and 2022. Women in Chile have historically been underrepresented because of two institutions introduced by former dictator Pinochet: the 1980 constitution and the binomial electoral system.
In 2015, Chile reformed its electoral system to replace the binomial system with a system of proportional representation (PR), while also introducing a national gender quota. Following national protests in 2019, the country began the process towards a new constitution. The convention elected to draft this constitution was the first in the world to ensure gender parity among its members.
The theoretical framework applies Hanna... (More)
This thesis is a descriptive case study of the institutional measures to improve women’s representation in Chile between 2015 and 2022. Women in Chile have historically been underrepresented because of two institutions introduced by former dictator Pinochet: the 1980 constitution and the binomial electoral system.
In 2015, Chile reformed its electoral system to replace the binomial system with a system of proportional representation (PR), while also introducing a national gender quota. Following national protests in 2019, the country began the process towards a new constitution. The convention elected to draft this constitution was the first in the world to ensure gender parity among its members.
The theoretical framework applies Hanna Pitkin’s four dimensions of representation to examine the electoral reform and the constitutional convention. These are formal (meaning the electoral system), descriptive (meaning the numerical presence of women), substantive (meaning policy responsiveness) and symbolic (meaning institutional trust) representation.
The electoral reform and introduction of a gender quota is ultimately found to have limited effect on descriptive representation, and none on symbolic representation. Descriptive representation in the constitutional convention had significant substantive effects, but also failed to influence trust as the constitution failed to pass. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lundholm, Albin LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK02 20222
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Chile, constitution, women’s representation, gender quotas, institutional trust.
language
English
id
9105515
date added to LUP
2023-02-22 13:45:21
date last changed
2023-02-22 13:45:21
@misc{9105515,
  abstract     = {{This thesis is a descriptive case study of the institutional measures to improve women’s representation in Chile between 2015 and 2022. Women in Chile have historically been underrepresented because of two institutions introduced by former dictator Pinochet: the 1980 constitution and the binomial electoral system. 
In 2015, Chile reformed its electoral system to replace the binomial system with a system of proportional representation (PR), while also introducing a national gender quota. Following national protests in 2019, the country began the process towards a new constitution. The convention elected to draft this constitution was the first in the world to ensure gender parity among its members. 
The theoretical framework applies Hanna Pitkin’s four dimensions of representation to examine the electoral reform and the constitutional convention. These are formal (meaning the electoral system), descriptive (meaning the numerical presence of women), substantive (meaning policy responsiveness) and symbolic (meaning institutional trust) representation. 
The electoral reform and introduction of a gender quota is ultimately found to have limited effect on descriptive representation, and none on symbolic representation. Descriptive representation in the constitutional convention had significant substantive effects, but also failed to influence trust as the constitution failed to pass.}},
  author       = {{Lundholm, Albin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Crisis of representation and the opportunity for change: A case study of women’s representation in Chile between 2015-2022}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}