Women and Political Participation examines the fundamental cultural changes that have occurred in women's lives which have influenced their political activism. To a large extent, their participation has been dependent on whatever political socialization process they have undergone. The authors analyze women's political participation in terms of gender differences, women's group consciousness, involvement in politics (ranging from community activism to voting), and membership in the political elite. Although a male standard continues to dominate American politics, Women and Political Participation makes it clear that a revolution in women's political activism is taking place.
The main point of the book is that women's political participation is a product of cultural change. To illustrate this point, the authors begin the book with a historical overview of women and politics. From colonial times to the 19th century, women focused their efforts on overcoming the barriers to full participation in political activities. The authors discuss women's political status prior to and after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. The progress made by early women activists is astonishing, considering the formidable institutional barriers against them: "All the major institutions of society--state and national legislatures, the courts, the political parties, the press, religious organizations--were arrayed against the women's movement" (11). Fortunately, since the enactment of the Nineteenth Amendment, there have been radical changes in the political socialization process that have facilitated women's involvement in politics.
The authors present a useful way of assessing cultural changes in women's lives, the psychological concept of the "social clock." The social clock describes society's expectations of individuals' achievements at various stages of their lives. These expectations are different for men and women. As recently as ...