Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender : Impacts On Participation In Elected Local Government, Kathleen Kt Tobin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this research is to analyze women’s underrepresentation in elected local government and to explore the particular constraints associated with this type of political participation. Understanding why there is a dearth of women in elected office, with a focus on actual barriers to entry at the local level, is critical because the lack of gender balanced representation has serious implications for the way our democracy functions and has significant consequences for citizens because of the resultant effects on governance and quality of life. Theorists have identified cultural, political, and social impediments to women's participation in politics, and this …