Session+Introduction

Gender, Diversity and Politics

Course Aims

• Knowledge Tools for Change

  • The course focuses on developing knowledge and tools essential for advocating change in gender and diversity within politics.

Course Themes

October Sessions

• 3 October:

  • Guest Lecture by Robin Devroe (VUB)

    • Topic: ‘The Role of Institutions and Actors in Shaping Political Diversity’

• 10 October:

  • Guest Lecture by Anne van Bavel (VUB)

    • Topic: ‘Violence against Women in Politics’

  • Lecture: Representation

• 17 October:

  • Guest Lecture by Ruth Candlish (CEU)

    • Topic: ‘Political Representation of Disabled People’

Additional October Sessions

• 24 October:

  • Guest Lecture by Anne Louise Schotel (UvA)

    • Topic: ‘Political Representation of LGBTI People’

  • Guest Lecture by Kenza Amara-Hammou (UCL-VUB)

    • Topic: ‘Political Representation of People in Socio-Economic Precarious Situations’

• 31 October:

  • Recap on Guest Lectures

  • Lecture: Feminist Democratic Representation

November Sessions

• 7 November:

  • Lecture: Legislatures and Executives

  • Guest Lecture by Sarah Childs (Edinburgh University)

    • Topic: ‘Gender and Diversity Sensitive Parliaments’

• 14 November:

  • Lecture: Ideologies

  • Guest Lecture by Archibald Gustin (ULiège-VUB)

    • Topic: ‘Gender, Conservative and Far Right Parties’

Mid to Late November Sessions

• 21 November:

  • Lecture on Gender/Equality Policy

  • Guest Lecture by Noémie Evrard (UCL)

    • Topic: Gender (Intersectional) Mainstreaming and Budgeting

• 28 November:

  • Lecture on Social Movements

  • Guest Lecture by Henry Maes (UCL-VUB)

    • Topic: LGBT and Anti-Gender Movements

December Sessions

• 5 December:

  • Lecture: Political Parties

  • Guest Lecture by Valentine Berthet (University of Helsinki)

    • Topic: ‘Gender, Party Politics and Democracy in Europe’

• 12 December:

  • Q&A Session on Exam Preparation

• 19 December:

  • No Class / Backup Session

Exam Details

• Date: 18 January 2025

  • Format: Written Exam (100% of the grade), on campus

  • Study Materials:

    • Topics discussed during lectures

    • PowerPoints & preparatory readings on Canvas

  • Examples of Exam Questions:

    • Discussed during the last session; no surprises expected!

  • Dutch-Speaking Curriculum:

    • Exam can be taken in Dutch, contact faces@vub.be for details.

The Democratic Promise: Equality and Freedom

• Statistics on Women's Representation

  • World and Regional Averages of Women in Parliaments (1995 and 2024):

    • World Average: 11.3% (+15.6)

    • Americas: 12.7% (+22.4)

    • Europe: 13.2% (+18.4)

    • Sub-Saharan Africa: 9.8% (+17.5)

    • Pacific: 6.3% (+16.2)

    • MENA: 4.3% (+12.2)

    • Asia: 13.2% (+8.2)

  • Quote: "Everyone is equal and free to become a politician"

Challenges to Women’s Representation

Underrepresentation of Women

• Questions to Consider:

  • Why are women underrepresented if all are equal?

  • Why are women increasingly better represented?

• Democratic Answer:

  • Ambition

  • Merit

Research Insights

• Important findings indicate that personal ambition is not the only factor;

• Structural aspects significantly influence representation.

• Ambition and merit are gendered concepts influenced by networking.

Running for Office: The Factors

Structural Factors

• Key Conditions:

  • Related to elections and party dynamics

• Party Competition:

  • Scandal & electoral failure can create a ‘glass cliff’

• Party Ideology:

  • Leftist parties have historically supported women’s movements more than right-wing ones.

Party Organization

• Centralization:

  • Required belief in gender equality principles by party leaders

• Women’s Sections:

  • Past roles included mobilizing female electorate and facilitating intra-party decision-making.

More on Women's Sections

Functions and Effects

• Past Functions:

  • Social & engaging activities; now involved in advocacy

• Effects:

  • Promote women for office and implement quotas

  • Serve as a channel for voicing women’s issues in politics.

Rule Impacts on Representation

Effective Rules

• Formal rules improve access for newcomers (women and ethnic minorities).

• Important Mechanisms: Quotas and reserved seats enhance representation.

Re-evaluating Merit

Merit Debate

• Challenges Faced by Women:

  • Triple whammy of expectations and continuous competence questioning

• Reappraised Qualities:

  • Emphasis on lived experiences, empathy, and authenticity over traditional qualifications.

New Perspectives on Merit

New Quality Criteria

• Emphasize qualities that enable effective representation rather than traditional career paths:

  • Connectedness: Understanding diverse constituents' needs

  • Communication Skills: Essential for relaying ideas effectively

Conclusion

• Benefits of New Criteria:

  • Revaluating ambition fosters inclusivity, acknowledging that both genders can bring valuable perspectives to governance.