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

Women remain dramatically underrepresented in elective office, including in entry-level political offices. While they enjoy the freedom to stand for office and therefore have an equal legal footing with men, this persistent gender imbalance raises pressing questions about democratic legitimacy, the inclusivity of American politics, and the quality of political representation. The reasons for women's underrepresentation remain the subject of much debate. One explanation--that the United States lacks sufficient openings for political newcomers--has become less compelling in recent years, as states that have adopted term limits have not seen the expected gains in women's office holding. Other accounts about candidate scarcity, gender inequalities in society, and the lingering effects of gendered socialization have some merit; however, these accounts still fail to explain the relatively low numbers. Drawing upon original surveys conducted in 1981 and 2008 by the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) of women state legislators across all fifty states, and follow-up interviews after the 2008 survey, the authors find that gender differences in pathways to the legislatures, first evident in 1981, have been surprisingly persistent over time. They find that, while the ambition framework better explains men's decisions to run for office, a relationally embedded model of candidate emergence better captures women's decision-making, with women's decisions more often influenced by the encouragement and support of parties, organizations, and family members. By rethinking the nature of women's representation, this study calls for a reorientation of academic research on women's election to office and provides insight into new strategies for political practitioners concerned about women's political equality.

More Women Can Run: Gender and Pathways to the State Legislatures

Women's Studies

Women remain dramatically underrepresented in elective office, including in entry-level political offices. While they enjoy the freedom to stand for office and therefore have an equal legal footing with men, this persistent gender imbalance raises pressing questions about democratic legitimacy, the inclusivity of American politics, and the quality of political representation. The reasons for women's underrepresentation remain the subject of much debate. One explanation--that the United States lacks sufficient openings for political newcomers--has become less compelling in recent years, as states that have adopted term limits have not seen the expected gains in women's office holding. Other accounts about candidate scarcity, gender inequalities in society, and the lingering effects of gendered socialization have some merit; however, these accounts still fail to explain the relatively low numbers. Drawing upon original surveys conducted in 1981 and 2008 by the Center for American Women and Politics (Cawp) of women state legislators across all fifty states, and follow-up interviews after the 2008 survey, the authors find that gender differences in pathways to the legislatures, first evident in 1981, have been surprisingly persistent over time. They find that, while the ambition framework better explains men's decisions to run for office, a relationally embedded model of candidate emergence better captures women's decision-making, with women's decisions more often influenced by the encouragement and support of parties, organizations, and family members. By rethinking the nature of women's representation, this study calls for a reorientation of academic research on women's election to office and provides insight into new strategies for political practitioners concerned about women's political equality.

"Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place is impressive in its scope, powerful in its argument, and compelling in its analysis. . . . Using data sources ranging from public opinion surveys to elite interviews to party platforms to presidential speeches, Sanbonmatsu provides a provocative account of how and why the parties' electoral strategies have varied across gender issues. Scholars will be reading and citing this book for years to come." -Susan J. Carroll, Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University "Kira Sanbonmatsu's study contributes to our knowledge of the complexity of the response of the Democratic and Republican parties to the gender issues that emerged on the political scene as a result of the women's movement. She expertly shows how the perspectives of both party activists and the general public need to be taken into account across a range of gender issues for an understanding of the impact of women as a political force in contemporary politics." -Barbara Burrell, Northern Illinois University and author of A Woman's Place Is in the House: Campaigning for Congress in the Feminist Era"Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place is an unusual double-treat-an original study of party politics and a review of how issues created by women's changing roles in society have never quite made it to the top of the political agenda. Readers who care about the obstacles faced by social issues in the political marketplace should not miss this book. They will be richly rewarded." -Doris A. Graber, University of Illinois at Chicago, Political Science Quarterly"[Sanbonmatsu] has done important work in raising the question of the separation between abortion and other gender issues, and has moved us some distance in the direction of understanding this phonomenon. . . . [T]his book makes an important contribution to our understanding of the place of gender in American electoral and party politics in the last three decades." -Gretchen Ritter, University of Texas, Austin, Perspectives on Politics

Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place

Social Sciences

University of Michigan Press

Why don’t more women run for office? Why are certain states more likely to have female candidates and representatives? Would strengthening political parties narrow the national gender gap? Where Women Run addresses these important questions through a rare and incisive look at how candidates are recruited. Drawing on surveys and case studies of party leaders and legislators in six states, political scientist Kira Sanbonmatsu analyzes the links between parties and representation, exposing the mechanism by which parties’ informal recruitment practices shape who runs―or doesn’t run―for political office in America. “Kira Sanbonmatsu has done a masterful job of linking the representation of women in elective office to the activities of party organizations in the states. She combines qualitative and quantitative data to show how women are navigating the campaign process to become elected leaders and the changing role of party organizations in their recruitment and election. It is a significant contribution to the study of representative democracy.”--Barbara Burrell, Northern Illinois University “Sanbonmatsu has produced an excellent study that will invigorate research on the role of political parties and the recruitment of women candidates. Using a variety of methods and data sources, she has crafted a tightly constructed, clearly argued, and exceedingly well-written study. A commendable and convincing job.”--Gary Moncrief, Boise State University “Sanbonmatsu offers important insights in two neglected areas of American politics: the role of political parties in recruiting candidates and the continued under-representation of women in elected office. Connecting the two subjects through careful qualitative and statistical methods, insightful interpretation of the literature and interesting findings, the book is a significant new addition to scholarship on parties, gender, and political recruitment.”--Linda Fowler, Dartmouth College Kira Sanbonmatsu is Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and Senior Scholar at the Eagleton Institute of Politics’ Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). She was previously associate professor at Ohio State University. She is the author of Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women’s Place.

Where Women Run: Gender and Party in the American States

Why don’t more women run for office? Why are certain states more likely to have female candidates and representatives? Would strengthening political parties narrow the national gender gap? Where Women Run addresses these important questions through a rare and incisive look at how candidates are recruited. Drawing on surveys and case studies of party leaders and legislators in six states, political scientist Kira Sanbonmatsu analyzes the links between parties and representation, exposing the mechanism by which parties’ informal recruitment practices shape who runs―or doesn’t run―for political office in America. “Kira Sanbonmatsu has done a masterful job of linking the representation of women in elective office to the activities of party organizations in the states. She combines qualitative and quantitative data to show how women are navigating the campaign process to become elected leaders and the changing role of party organizations in their recruitment and election. It is a significant contribution to the study of representative democracy.” --Barbara Burrell, Northern Illinois University “Sanbonmatsu has produced an excellent study that will invigorate research on the role of political parties and the recruitment of women candidates. Using a variety of methods and data sources, she has crafted a tightly constructed, clearly argued, and exceedingly well-written study. A commendable and convincing job.” --Gary Moncrief, Boise State University “Sanbonmatsu offers important insights in two neglected areas of American politics: the role of political parties in recruiting candidates and the continued under-representation of women in elected office. Connecting the two subjects through careful qualitative and statistical methods, insightful interpretation of the literature and interesting findings, the book is a significant new addition to scholarship on parties, gender, and political recruitment.” --Linda Fowler, Dartmouth College Kira Sanbonmatsu is Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and Senior Scholar at the Eagleton Institute of Politics’ Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). She was previously associate professor at Ohio State University. She is the author of Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women’s Place.

"Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place is impressive in its scope, powerful in its argument, and compelling in its analysis. . . . Using data sources ranging from public opinion surveys to elite interviews to party platforms to presidential speeches, Sanbonmatsu provides a provocative account of how and why the parties' electoral strategies have varied across gender issues. Scholars will be reading and citing this book for years to come."-Susan J. Carroll, Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University"Kira Sanbonmatsu's study contributes to our knowledge of the complexity of the response of the Democratic and Republican parties to the gender issues that emerged on the political scene as a result of the women's movement. She expertly shows how the perspectives of both party activists and the general public need to be taken into account across a range of gender issues for an understanding of the impact of women as a political force in contemporary politics."-Barbara Burrell, Northern Illinois University and author of A Woman's Place Is in the House: Campaigning for Congress in the Feminist Era"Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place is an unusual double-treat-an original study of party politics and a review of how issues created by women's changing roles in society have never quite made it to the top of the political agenda. Readers who care about the obstacles faced by social issues in the political marketplace should not miss this book. They will be richly rewarded."-Doris A. Graber, University of Illinois at Chicago, Political Science Quarterly"[Sanbonmatsu] has done important work in raising the question of the separation between abortion and other gender issues, and has moved us some distance in the direction of understanding this phonomenon. . . . [T]his book makes an important contribution to our understanding of the place of gender in American electoral and party politics in the last three decades."-Gretchen Ritter, University of Texas, Austin, Perspectives on Politics

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sanbonmatsu, Kira. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Sanbonmatsu, Kira

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sanbonmatsu, Kira. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

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

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

More Women Can Run: Gender and Pathways to the State Legislatures

More Women Can Run: Gender and Pathways to the State Legislatures

Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place

Where Women Run: Gender and Party in the American States

Where Women Run: Gender and Party in the American States

Democrats, Republicans, and the Politics of Women's Place