Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy

How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens

Magda Hinojosa and Miki Caul Kittilson

Presents a new theory: the visible cue theory of representation
Employs unique panel survey data that provides the best possible test of the effects of women's descriptive representation on how citizens connect to government and politics
Includes interviews with Uruguayan parliamentarians and other elites
Argues that the election of women to political office strengthens the connections between women and the democratic process.

Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy

How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens

Magda Hinojosa and Miki Caul Kittilson

Description

Under what conditions do citizens most effectively connect to the democratic process? We tend to think that factors like education, income, and workforce participation are most important, but research has shown that they exert less influence than expected when it comes to women's attitudes and engagement. Scholars have begun to look more closely at how political context affects engagement. This book asks how contexts promote women's interest and connection to democracy, and it looks to Latin America for answers. The region provides a good test case as the institution of gender quotas has led to more recent and dramatic increases in women's political representation.

Specifically, Magda Hinojosa and Miki Caul Kittilson argue that the election of women to political office--particularly where women's presence is highly visible to the public--strengthens the connections between women and the democratic process. For women, seeing more "people like me" in politics changes attitudes and orientations toward government and politics. The authors untangle the effects of gender quotas and the subsequent rise in women's share of elected positions, finding that the latter exerts greater impact on women's connections to the democratic process. Women citizens are more knowledgeable, interested, and efficacious when they see women holding elected office. They also express more trust in government and in political institutions and greater satisfaction with democracy when they see more women in politics. The authors look at comparative data from across Latin America, but focus on an in-depth case study of Uruguay. Here, the authors find that gender gaps in political engagement declined significantly after a doubling of women's representation in the Senate. The authors therefore argue that far-reaching gender gaps can be overcome by more equitable representation in our political institutions.

Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy

How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens

Magda Hinojosa and Miki Caul Kittilson

CHAPTER ONE
Women and Politics Across Latin America

CHAPTER TWO
How Visibility Matters: The Visible Cue Theory of Representation

CHAPTER THREE
Women's Political Inclusion in Latin America: The Challenges of Gauging Visibility

CHAPTER FOUR
Invisible Laws, Visible Gains: Gender and Politics in Uruguay

CHAPTER FIVE
Piquing Political Interest, Forging Political Engagement

CHAPTER SIX
Inspiring Trust in Institutions, Building Political Support

CHAPTER SEVEN
Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy

Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy

How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens

Magda Hinojosa and Miki Caul Kittilson

Author Information

Magda Hinojosa is Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. She is the author of Selecting Women, Electing Women: Political Representation and Candidate Selection in Latin America. She has also authored numerous book chapters and articles that have appeared in journals, including Politics & Gender, Latin American Politics & Society, and Party Politics.

Miki Caul Kittilson is Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on challenges to democratic inclusion across a variety of countries. She has previously published articles and books on women, gender and politics, political parties, courts, and political participation. She is the co-author of The Gendered Effects of Electoral Institutions: Political Engagement and Participation (with Leslie Schwindt-Bayer). Her research has also appeared in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, International Organization, Comparative Political Studies, Politics, Groups and Identities, Perspectives on Politics, Party Politics, Political Behavior and Politics & Gender.

Seeing Women, Strengthening Democracy

How Women in Politics Foster Connected Citizens

Magda Hinojosa and Miki Caul Kittilson

Reviews and Awards

"Hinojosa and Kittilson's superb book compels us to rethink conventional arguments about why electing women matters. Their original theoretical framework puts the visibility of elected women at its center, predicting attitudinal change not simply when women's presence in office grows, but when the public notices increases in the number of women elected. The book's sophisticated research design incorporates cross-national analysis and in-depth study of one crucial case, and the data sources include original surveys, elite interviews, and newspaper coverage. The book is essential reading not just for those interested in gender and politics but for all students of political behavior. The key take-away from the book is that visible gains in women's office-holding are integral to sustaining strong democracies." -- Susan Franceschet, Professor of Political Science, University of Calgary

"Combining innovative methodological approaches, Hinojosa and Kittilson demonstrate that quotas enhance women's political participation and engagement. Thoroughly and systematically researched, as well as eloquently written, their findings confirm the importance of women's presence for bolstering democracy. This book is an outstanding addition to the gender and politics literature and will be an excellent resource for years to come." -- Farida Jalalzai, Associate Dean of Global Initiatives and Engagement, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech University

"Seeing women in office makes citizens — especially women — more politically engaged. In this important book, Magda Hinojosa and Miki Kittilson use data from Latin America to show that when countries elect more women, and these women are visible, citizens' political participation increases. Their work offers an urgent and timely reminder for why breaking men's political dominance matters. Scholars and policymakers need to hear this message: increasing the visible diversity of elected officials ensures that democracy inspires and motivates all citizens." -- Jennifer M. Piscopo, Associate Professor of Politics, Occidental College