Pippa Norris and Joni Lovenduski ask why some politicians succeed in moving into the highest offices of state, while others fail. They examine the relative dearth of women, black and working class Members of Parliament, and whether this evident social bias matters for political representation. 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...

How can women maximize their political influence? Does state feminism enhance the political representation of women? Should feminism be established in state institutions to treat women's concerns? Developed by field experts, this book uses an innovative model of political influence to construct answers to these and other questions in the long-running debate over the political representation of women. The book assesses how states respond to women's demands for political representation in terms of their inclusion as actors, as well as the consideration of their interests in the decision making...

How can women maximize their political influence? Does state feminism enhance the political representation of women? Should feminism be established in state institutions to treat women's concerns? Developed by field experts, this book uses an innovative model of political influence to construct answers to these and other questions in the long-running debate over the political representation of women. The book assesses how states respond to women's demands for political representation in terms of their inclusion as actors, as well as the consideration of their interests in the decision making...

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...

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...

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...