Varieties of Power - (Columbia Studies in Middle East Politics) by Marwa Shalaby

About the Book

Drawing on a decade of fieldwork and a vast data set collected across the Middle East and North Africa, Marwa Shalaby develops a new theory of women's political representation in authoritarian regimes.

Book Synopsis

The introduction of gender quotas has significantly increased women's representation in national legislatures--not only in democracies but also in many autocracies. To what extent has the growing number of women in authoritarian legislatures granted them more power and influence? What conditions help or hinder women's political participation under autocratic regimes? And what does the role of women tell us about the politics of authoritarianism today?

Drawing on a decade of fieldwork and a vast data set collected across the Middle East and North Africa, Marwa Shalaby develops a new theory of women's political representation in authoritarian regimes. She examines the dynamics of women's political inclusion in three Arab monarchies, Morocco, Jordan, and Kuwait, with varying levels of quota implementation and where the strength and capacity of political parties differ widely. Shalaby demonstrates that the degree to which individual parties have been institutionalized plays a significant role in women's legislative behavior and political power. Parties play integral roles in recruiting, cultivating, supporting, and elevating female candidates in contexts where women have been excluded from existing networks of power, in nondemocratic systems as well as democracies. Although the introduction of quota systems has expanded women's numerical presence, the absence of institutionalized parties has limited their ability to gain influence. Nuanced and incisive, Varieties of Power offers grounded, comparative insights into the study of gender and politics, political representation, and authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa.

Review Quotes

Shalaby has written an outstanding account of women's substantive political representation in MENA. She insightfully argues that political party institutionalization is important for women's representation. Through careful qualitative and quantitative case study research in Morocco, Jordan, and Kuwait, Shalaby showcases the ways in which authoritarianism impedes women's political empowerment.--Amaney A. Jamal, Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics and International Affairs Dean, Princeton University

Varieties of Power offers an authoritative and significant contribution to political science. Through compiling and analyzing an expansive and robust dataset on women's representation and political participation in the Middle East and North Africa, Shalaby seriously engages with the phenomenon of "genderwashing" in authoritarian regimes--where the inclusion of women is seen as a means to project a progressive image while diverting attention from authoritarian practices. She challenges prevailing views that often overlook the agency and preferences of women politicians in such contexts, arguing that these perspectives oversimplify the role of contextual factors, particularly the strength and presence of political parties. The book is a comprehensive and pioneering work that not only sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of women's political participation in authoritarian regimes but also contributes significantly to broader discussions on gender, authoritarian politics, and comparative political parties.--Nermin Allam, Associate Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University-Newark

Varieties of Power is a fascinating and groundbreaking study of women's political representation in authoritarian contexts. Shalaby provides compelling empirical evidence from the Middle East and North Africa to examine whether this trend is translating into real political power, focusing on the crucial role of party institutionalization in shaping women's political influence. The book is a cornerstone for scholars of authoritarianism and gender and politics in the region.--Aili Mari Tripp, Vilas Research Professor of Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Empirically rich and theoretically interesting, Marwa Shalaby's Varieties of Power offers insights to students of authoritarianism, gender, institutions, political parties, representation, and Middle East politics. An important contribution to the study of comparative politics.--Ellen Lust, Cornell University and the University of Gothenburg

About the Author

Marwa Shalaby is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the coeditor of Empowering Women After the Arab Spring (2016).