PSCI225 - SEX AND POWER

Gender has been a primary way of organizing power relations throughout history.This class asks how transformations in the global economy, technological change, new patterns of household formation, and social movements, have influenced women's access to economic and political positions over the past two centuries. We will examine how women's mobilization contributed to the abolition of slavery, reform of property and franchise laws, and to the formation of the welfare state. Next, we turn to thinking about how women's increasing labor force participation was hindered by institutions like marriage bars and union policy. Third, we look at cross-national patterns of women's political participation and descriptive representation including whether and how the adoption of electoral quotas influences gender equality more generally. Finally we study how institutional norms and gender stereotypes affect political representation. This class will draw on examples from around the world, and will look a experiences of women from all economic, social, and ascriptive backgrounds.