Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Polarizing Issues In The American Political Parties: Women In Party Platforms, Hannah Vail

Honors College

This thesis is designed to investigate the relationship between the rise of cultural issues in political discussion and growing levels of polarization in the American political system. Current research within the field proposes many causes, forces, and tactics behind this growth of polarization. The corresponding increase in the prevalence of cultural issues in American politics is one such proposed cause or symptom. This thesis will provide an expansion on existing research through an exploration of the relationship between increased polarization and increasing prevalence of cultural issues in the United States.

The focus of this thesis is on the relationship between …

“These Very Impelling Reasons Against My Running”: Maine Women And Politics, Mary Cathcart

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay Mary Cathcart reflects on women in politics and describes her own trajectory in coming to serve in the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate. She discusses the upcoming (2009) launch of the Maine NEW Leadership program at the University of Maine, a national education program for college women

The Boundaries Of The Role Of Women In Political Life, Erin Flynn

Maine Policy Review

Each year, the Margaret Chase Smith Library sponsors an essay contest for Maine high school seniors. We feature here Erin Flynn’s 2008 first place prize-winning essay. Students were asked to assess whether the ideals of the 19^th Amendment, granting voting rights to women, have been fulfilled and to discuss the social and cultural barriers remaining for women to overcome in the pursuit of political power, long after legal barriers to equal participation have been removed.