PSCI416 - Representation and Identity Politics

Identity lies at the heart of political conflict. Who we are and which groups we align with influences the set of issues that we may support, and shapes our visions for just governance. In this course we examine the relationship between representative bodies, elected leaders, and identity groups to understand the effects of identity politics on political outcomes. We look for connections across categories of identity, including gender, race, class, ethnicity, national affiliation, sexual orientation, partisanship and age, in order to ask the following questions: What is an identity group and what does it mean for members of these groups to be represented in and by political institutions? What allows some some identity groups to organize around a common cause and take political action? How do electoral institutions affect the distribution of power among identity groups? And what is the impact, if any, of descriptive representation of representation on substantive outcomes, both in terms of legislation that favors the identity group, and with other aspects of political engagement?