Politicking While Female - (Media and Public Affairs) by Nichole M Bauer & Robert Mann (Paperback)

About the Book

""Politicking While Female" traces the challenges and opportunities that shape the experiences of women who pursue and hold positions of political leadership in the United States. In this volume, Nichole M. Bauer gathers new essays studying the forces that keep women out of political institutions, along with the hurdles faced by female candidates and politicians once they overcome those barriers. Drawing on recent, original data, "Politicking While Female" examines the life cycle of a woman's political career. The first section charts the development of political identities that shape women's participation in politics as voters and as potential candidates, with attention to the patterns of socialization that can discourage women from seeing themselves as political leaders. The next two sections focus on the process of deciding to run for public office, especially the crucial role of mentors, and the challenges female candidates face when campaigning, as they work to raise money, develop effective messages, and overcome voter biases regarding women in leadership roles. The final section explores how women govern once in office, showing the impact of having larger numbers of women in positions of political power. A valuable resource for students, scholars, and voters of all backgrounds, "Politicking While Female: The Political Lives of Women" offers a comprehensive and accessible collection of essays, supported by new research and analysis, that captures central debates in the study of gender and politics"--

Book Synopsis

Politicking While Female traces the challenges and opportunities that shape the experiences of women who pursue and hold positions of political leadership in the United States. In this volume, Nichole M. Bauer gathers new essays studying the forces that keep women out of political institutions, along with the hurdles faced by female candidates and politicians once they overcome those barriers.

Drawing on recent, original data, Politicking While Female examines the life cycle of a woman's political career. The first section charts the development of political identities that shape women's participation in politics as voters and as potential candidates, with attention to the patterns of socialization that can discourage women from seeing themselves as political leaders. The next two sections focus on the process of deciding to run for public office, especially the crucial role of mentors, and the challenges female candidates face when campaigning, as they work to raise money, develop effective messages, and overcome voter biases regarding women in leadership roles. The final section explores how women govern once in office, showing the impact of having larger numbers of women in positions of political power.

A valuable resource for students, scholars, and voters of all backgrounds, Politicking While Female: The Political Lives of Women offers a comprehensive and accessible collection of essays, supported by new research and analysis, that captures central debates in the study of gender and politics.

Review Quotes

In eight rigorously researched essays, this book charts the pathways of women's political careers as citizens, advocates, candidates, and officeholders. The authors impressively demonstrate the value of true interdisciplinarity and methodological innovation to understand complex phenomena.--J. Celeste Lay, author of "A Midwestern Mosaic: Immigration and Political Socialization in Rural America"

The exciting new research presented in this volume illuminates the myriad ways women--voters, candidates, and elected officials--experience politics differently than men do. Notable also are the diversity of women these scholars examine and the opportunities for expanding women's political voice they highlight.--Zoe M. Oxley, coauthor of "Public Opinion: Democratic Ideals, Democratic Practice"

This excellent compilation serves as an invaluable guide to the gendered obstacles women face when running for and holding elective office. It is a must-read for campaign practitioners and scholars alike. Politicking While Female could not be more timely.--Angela L. Bos, coeditor of "The Political Psychology of Women in U.S. Politics"

About the Author

Nichole M. Bauer is the author of The Qualifications Gap: Why Women Must Be Better Than Men to Win Political Office and assistant professor of political communication in the Department of Political Science and the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University.