Political Women and American Democracy [Paperback]

Christina Wolbrecht (Author), Karen Beckwith (Author), Lisa Baldez (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521713846 | ISBN-13: 978-0521713849 | Publication Date: March 24, 2008 | Edition: 1

What do we know about women, politics, and democracy in the United States? The last thirty years have witnessed a remarkable increase in women's participation in American politics and an explosion of research on female political actors, and the transformations effected by them, during the same period. Political Women and American Democracy provides a critical synthesis of scholarly research by leading experts in the field. The collected essays examine women as citizens, voters, participants, movement activists, partisans, candidates, and legislators. The authors provide frameworks for understanding and organizing existing scholarship; focus on theoretical, methodological, and empirical debates; and map out productive directions for future research. As the only book to offer "state of the field" essays on women and gender in U.S. politics, Political Women and American Democracy will be an invaluable resource for scholars and students studying and conducting women and politics research.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Thorough and insightful, this edited collection will benefit scholars at every level of expertise....Indeed, it brings to light the gendered nature of institutions and culture. In doing so, it sets the stage for rethinking the fairness of those things that are taken for granted as the ways a democracy 'should' work, and for establishing new standards against which traditions, old and new, should be measured....If the potential of Political Women and American Democracy is ultimately recognized, its influence will ultimately go beyond the gender and politics subfield, to shape the work of the broader U.S. politics field, inspiring scholars previously unaware of gender's centrality to their own work to think in new ways."
Debra L. Dodson, Girl Scout Research Institute, Politics & Gender

"...the book covers a refreshingly wide range of topics centered on a single broad and important question: "What do we know about women, politics, and democracy in the United States" (p. ix)?...[it contributes] greatly to the content of our knowledge in America politics."
Perspectives on Politics, Ange-Marie Hancock, University of Southern California

Book Description

Political Women and American Democracy provides a critical synthesis of scholarly research by leading experts in the field of women and politics research. The collected essays examine women in various political roles and provide theoretical and methodological frameworks for understanding existing scholarship and mapping directions for future research.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (March 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521713846
• ISBN-13: 978-0521713849
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #891,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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