Women and Political Participation

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 t

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ous orientation: some religions still teach the doctrine of patriarchal authority. For whatever reason, not only do men and women differ in terms of political beliefs, men tend to be more political knowledgeable than women, particularly regarding politics on the national level: "When knowledge levels of women are compared to those of men with similar occupational status and levels of income and education, women are found to be less knowledgeable about national government and politics" (47). In general, women are more supportive of the use of government assistance for social services. Women are also less likely to support military programs or the use of force to resolve conflict. In terms of political parties, women align themselves with Democrats more frequently than men. Despite these differences, both women and men hold similar attitudes regarding government bureaucracy and abortion policy. The authors also analyze the circumstances that enhance women's political participation. One of these factors is gender consciousness. Gender consciousness is defined as: "Elements of positive feelings toward other group members, perceptions of group advantage or disadvantage relative to other groups, and a sense of collective dest

Category: Psychology - W