Kirjahaku

Feminists have long argued that the presence of women in politics provides a means of articulating women’s perspectives and issues. As the number of female MPs increases, it is often claimed that the nature of politics itself will be transformed. But are we really witnessing the feminization of politics? Do women make a difference to political life and, if so, under what circumstances? In this fascinating new book, Joni Lovenduski seeks to answer these questions by exploring the changes in the political representation of women since the 1960s. Focusing primarily on the UK, but drawing on examples from other political systems, Lovenduski goes on to consider how institutions, processes and procedures are affected by the changing number of women in politics. She explores what is at stake when we try to achieve equality of women and men in public office, and draws out the ways in which the constraints and possibilities for political action are gendered. Feminizing Politics makes a vital contribution to debates about the role of women in politics today. It will be of interest to students and scholars of comparative politics and gender studies as well as the interested general reader.

Feminists have long argued that the presence of women in politics provides a means of articulating women’s perspectives and issues. As the number of female MPs increases, it is often claimed that the nature of politics itself will be transformed. But are we really witnessing the feminization of politics? Do women make a difference to political life and, if so, under what circumstances? In this fascinating new book, Joni Lovenduski seeks to answer these questions by exploring the changes in the political representation of women since the 1960s. Focusing primarily on the UK, but drawing on examples from other political systems, Lovenduski goes on to consider how institutions, processes and procedures are affected by the changing number of women in politics. She explores what is at stake when we try to achieve equality of women and men in public office, and draws out the ways in which the constraints and possibilities for political action are gendered. Feminizing Politics makes a vital contribution to debates about the role of women in politics today. It will be of interest to students and scholars of comparative politics and gender studies as well as the interested general reader.

Before the 1980s, women were written out of much of European political science, largely wilfully, on the grounds they had no separate or different political life from men. Joni Lovenduski was one of the feminists who attempted to change the perception that women were political minors, providing evidence of their attitudes and participation as well as rethinking the discipline to accommodate gender relations. This book is a collection of some of the essays that attempted to correct that bias, and includes new introductory and concluding essays that reflect on what has changed in the course of the years.

In this compelling book Pippa Norris and Joni Lovenduski provide the first full account of legislative recruitment in Britain for twenty-five years. Their central concern is how and why some politicians succeed in moving into the highest offices of state, while others fail. The book examines the relative dearth of women, black and working-class Members of Parliament, and whether the evident social bias in the British political élite matters for political representation. Legislative recruitment concerns the critical step from lower levels (activists, local counsellors) to a parliamentary career. The authors draw evidence from the first systematic surveys of parliamentary candidates, Members of Parliament and party selectors, as well as detailed personal interviews. The study explores how and why people become politicians, and the consequences for parties, legislatures and representative government.