How do we reconcile women’s persistent under-representation in elected office with recent historical gains by women leaders at all levels of government? Are “women” a distinct political group in American politics?  This class examines the historical foundations of gender in American politics, including early Constitutional debates and the fight for women’s suffrage; competing explanations for women’s persistent under-representation in elected office; the role of interest groups, social movements, the media, partisanship, and other factors, in shaping representation; the construction of “women’s interests,” including the roles of race, ethnicity, and class; and many more topics. Throughout the semester, we will also engage in critical debates about issues raised by the #MeToo and Women’s March Movements, as well as historic female candidacies in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, and what they mean for representation in the future.

This course cross-counts with the Women’s Studies Program (it has been approved as counting towards the major or minor degree in Women’s Studies).