Climbing the Hill: Gender Conflict in Congress [Hardcover]

Herbert N. Foerstel (Author), Karen P. Foerstel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0275949141 | ISBN-13: 978-0275949143

Climbing the Hill explores the history and current status of women members and staff on Capitol Hill. It traces the difficult history of women in Congress, their slow and painful path to political power and their hopes and fears of today. It presents a comprehensive analysis of women's success at the polls and within the congressional hierarchy—legislatively, politically, and socially. Through in-depth research and extensive personal interviews, the authors reveal the deep-rooted sexual divisions within the U.S. Congress and the continuing struggle of women to break into the old boy network. The book's comprehensive coverage is unique and up-to-date and will be of interest to scholars, students, and interested layreaders.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Karen Foerstel, a senior reporter with Congressional Quarterly, and Herbert Foerstel, head of Branch Libraries at the University of Maryland and author of Surveillance in the Stacks: The FBI's Library Awareness Program (Professional Reading, LJ 1/91), bring their researching skills and "insider" information together to trace the history of women's slow, not always steady, struggle to attain election to and power in Congress. In the second half of their book, they document with interesting anecdotal examples the difficulties Congresswomen have continually faced getting respect and recognition from their male colleagues. The final section is a fascinating report of the discrimination and harassment women experience working on personal office and congressional committee staffs. Recommended for academic, law, and public libraries with strong women's studies collections.?Jill Ortner, Sch. of Information and Lib. Studies, SUNY at Buffalo
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The Foerstels open this study with an overview of the history of women elected to Congress, providing a context for the myriad challenges and obstacles faced by women in the political arena. Reviewing the current situation, the authors go on to trace election highs and consequent defeats during the 1992 and 1994 election years. With keen insights, they illuminate the process of party politics and offer a critique of the committee system. This analysis touches on those issues most pertinent to women. The Foerstels also assess the gender quotient among congressional staff, following the path from employee to elected official and examining examples of discrimination. In essence, they indicate there is little cause for optimism while the male-dominant power structure is still in control. Alice Joyce

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Praeger (February 28, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275949141
• ISBN-13: 978-0275949143
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,714,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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