The presence of women in Congress is at an all-time high -- approximately one of every five members is female -- and record numbers of women are running for public office for the 2018 midterms. At the same time, Congress is more polarized than ever, and little research exists on how women in Congress view their experiences and contributions to American politics today. Drawing on personal interviews with over three-quarters of the women serving in the 114th Congress (2015-17), the authors analyze how these women navigate today's stark partisan divisions, and whether they feel effective in their jobs. Through first-person perspectives, A Seat at the Table looks at what motivates these women's legislative priorities and behavior, details the ways in which women experience service within a male-dominated institution, and highlights why it matters that women sit in the nation's federal legislative chambers. It describes the strategies women employ to overcome any challenges they confront as well as the opportunities available to them. The book examines how gender interacts with political party, race and ethnicity, seniority, chamber, and district characteristics to shape women's representational influence and behavior, finding that party and race/ethnicity are the two most complicating factors to a singular narrative of women's congressional representation. While congresswomen's perspectives, experiences, and influence are neither uniform nor interchangeable, they strongly believe their presence matters in myriad ways, affecting congressional culture, priorities, processes, debates, and outcomes.

A Seat at the Table: Congresswomen's Perspectives on Why Their Presence Matters

Politics & Social Sciences

Carroll, Susan J.

Dittmar, Kelly

Sanbonmatsu, Kira

Politics & Government

Oxford University Press

Navigating Gendered Terrain: Stereotypes and Strategy in Political Campaigns

From the presidential level down, men and women who run for political office confront different electoral realities. In her probing study, Navigating Gendered Terrain, Kelly Dittmar investigates how gender influences the campaign strategy and behavior of candidates today. Concurrently, she shows how candidates' strategic and tactical decisions can influence the gendered nature of campaign institutions. Navigating Gendered Terrain addresses how gender is used to shape how campaigns are waged by influencing insider perceptions of and decisions about effective campaign messages, images, and tactics within party and political contexts. Dittmar uses survey information and interviews with candidates, political consultants, and other campaign professionals to reveal how gender-informed advertising, websites, and overall presentation to voters respond to stereotypes and perceptions of female and male candidates. She closes her book by offering a feminist interpretation of women as candidates and explaining how the unintended outcomes of political campaigns reinforce prevailing ideas about gender and candidacy.

Women's Studies

Temple University Press

Turn to a cat for thrifty tips and common sense, monetary advice? Are you nuts? Not if it's the Savvy Cat. This fuzzy, tuna loving feline shares his favorite methods of tracking down deals online, off-line and in the hood. He reveals the secret of spending money twice, the thrill of paying as little as possible for everyday expenses, and the ecstasy of free cash and goodies. He also details the basic nuts and bolts of sound purrsonal money management. Young, old, or in-between, everyone will find useful techniques that will stretch your dollars, help you tackle bills, and improve your overall financial health. You will recoup the modest cost of this book, so take a chance and read The Savvy Cat's Guide today!

The Savvy Cat's Guide: To Old Fashioned Money Sense & New Fangled Cyber Savings

Business & Money

Catman, Dr. Oliver Candelario Carmalita

Personal Finance

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

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Books by Dittmar, Kelly