Women’s Representation: Challenges and Solutions Flashcards
what is a minority
numerical minorities
minorities in terms of political power
‘minoritized’ groups or communities
who are a minority / minoritized groups in society and politics?
women / people of colour / people with a migration background
descriptive representation
descriptive representatives share some experiences or characteristics with the group they represent (black legislators for black constituents, women for women).
this differs from representatives simply acting on behalf of a group
challenges / criticisms on descriptive representation
essentialism
less quality
eroding unity
wrong focus
diminish accountability / blind loyalty
criticism - essentialism
emphasizing descriptive representation might lead to essentialism, the assumption that all members of a group think and act similarly, which ignores internal diversity
ignoring internal diversity / assumption that all members act similarly
criticism - less quality
concern that focusing on descriptive traits might lower the quality of representatives if the focus shifts from ability to characteristics like gender or race
criticism - eroding unity
fear that descriptive representation may erode national unity by fostering subgroup identification over collective interests
subgroup identification > collective interests
criticism - wrong focus
focus should be on the ability to effectively represent interests through deliberation and decision-making, rather than the representative’s identity.
so substance over identity
criticism - diminished accountability / blind loyalty
may also diminish voter accountability.
voters might place blind trust in representatives simply because they share the same identity, assuming their interests are being effectively represented even when that may not be the case
benefits of descriptive representation
contexts of distrust
construction of social meaning
enhancing regime legitimacy
benefits - context of distrust
in context of mistrust between dominant / subordinate groups, representatives who share experiences with the group facilitate more effective communication
more effective communication in context of mistrust
benefits - construction of social meaning
when political interests are not fully formed or recognized (for example emerging gender issues), descriptive representatives are more likely to notice and advocate for these concerns
notice / advocating for unrecognized issues
benefits - enhancing regime legitimacy
descriptive representation in contexts of historical political subordination helps groups gain a sense of legitimacy, reinforcing their ability to rule and feel politically connected.
new framework for understanding how women’s interests are represented (Celis text)
moving beyond the idea that only women can represent women’s issues in parliament
others (men, non-legislators, bureaucrats, and civil society groups) can also act as critical actors who represent womens concerns
fluid nature of political representation (celis)
shifting the debate from the static question of “do women represent women?” to more dynamic questions like “who claims to act for women?” and “where, how, and why does substantive representation occur?”
Celis text on essentialism
criticizes essentialist views that assume all women share common interests
suggests focusing on the processes through which different actors articulate women’s interests, acknowledging that these interests are often diverse, contested, and shaped by the contexts in which they arise
gender quota’s - acceleration effect
implementation of quotas increases the number of women perceived as qualified for leadership roles
effect is particularly pronounced in municipalities that previously had low female representation, allowing them to catch up with more egalitarian counterparts
increases nr of women seen as qualified
gender quota’s - appointment of women
municipalities where the quota had a significant impact were more likely to select female leaders, although it did not affect the reappointment of existing female leaders
suggests that while quotas can enhance initial access to leadership roles for women, they do not guarantee their continued presence in these positions over time
enhancing acess, do not guarantee reappointment
gender quota’s - influence on quality and quantity
quotas positively influence the quality and quantity of female candidates
in areas where the quota had a greater impact, there was a notable increase in the number of qualified women relative to men, suggesting that quotas can enhance the overall candidate pool for leadership positions
positive effects of gender quota’s
appointment of women
acceleration effect
quality / quantity women
objections to quotas
some say you put less qualified women into office
others argue that you give evenly qualified people a better change
legal quota
require that a minimum amount of candidates are women. usually a binding form of quota.
gives the state the opportunity to enforce sanctions to compel political parties to abide by the standard
voluntary quota’s
mandated either by constitution or by electoral law
equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcome
equality of opportunity = everyone gets the same things to reach objective
equality of outcome = everyone gets the same outcome, so different things to reach objective
