Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T15:13:29.720Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Public Support for Increasing Women and Minority MPs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2019

Catherine Bolzendahl Open the ORCID record for Catherine Bolzendahl [Opens in a new window]  and
Hilde Coffé
Catherine Bolzendahl
Affiliation:
University of California, Irvine
Hilde Coffé
Affiliation:
University of Bath
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Most democracies fail to provide equal representation and tend to have an overrepresentation of men from the upper class and the majority racial or ethnic group. We investigate public support for increasing the number of women and indigenous Māori members of parliament (MPs) in the New Zealand Parliament, both in general and through specific mechanisms such as quotas and reserved seats. We offer three explanations: descriptive (group identity), substantive (issue alignment), and symbolic (socioeconomic and political equity concerns). Using data from the 2014 New Zealand Election Study, we found that shared identity (descriptive) matters for all measures of increased representation, but especially for Māori respondent support of increased Māori MPs. Support for increasing the proportion of Māori MPs is also strongly driven by substantive concerns, as measured by support for keeping the Treaty of Waitangi in law. Support for increasing the number of women MPs is driven most strongly by symbolic concerns (measured as increased government social spending and efforts to reduce income differences). Overall, respondents favor retaining the current number of reserved seats for Māori MP representation, whereas informal efforts (rather than quotas) are strongly preferred for increasing the number of women MPs.

Keywords

GenderwomenMāoriindigenous populationrepresentationpublic opinionNew Zealand
Type
Research Article
Information
Politics & Gender , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , September 2020 , pp. 681 - 710
Copyright
Copyright © The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allen, Peter, and Cutts, David. 2016. “Exploring Sex Differences in Attitudes Towards the Descriptive and Substantive Representation of Women.” British Journal of Politics & International Relations 18 (4): 912–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barker, Fiona, and Coffé, Hilde. 2018. “Representing Diversity in Mixed Electoral Systems: The Case of New Zealand.” Parliamentary Affairs 71 (3): 603–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnes, Tiffany D., and Córdova, Abby. 2016. “Making Space for Women: Explaining Citizen Support for Legislative Gender Quotas in Latin America.” Journal of Politics 78 (3): 670–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bauer, Nichole M. 2018. “Untangling the Relationship between Partisanship, Gender Stereotypes, and Support for Female Candidates.” Journal of Women, Politics & Policy 39 (1): 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolzendahl, Catherine. 2011. “Beyond the Big Picture: Gender Influences on Disaggregated and Domain-Specific Measures of Social Spending, 1980–1999.” Politics & Gender 7 (1): 35–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broockman, David E. 2013. “Black Politicians Are More Intrinsically Motivated to Advance Blacks’ Interests: A Field Experiment Manipulating Political Incentives.” American Journal of Political Science 57 (3): 521–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brooks, Clem, and Manza, Jeff. 2007. Why Welfare States Persist: The Importance of Public Opinion in Democracies. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, Nadia E. 2014. Sisters in the Statehouse: Black Women and Legislative Decision Making. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burstein, Paul. 2003. “The Impact of Public Opinion on Public Policy: A Review and an Agenda.” Political Research Quarterly 56 (1): 29–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, Rosie, and Heath, Oliver. 2017. “Do Women Vote for Women Candidates? Attitudes toward Descriptive Representation and Voting Behavior in the 2010 British Election.” Politics & Gender 13 (2): 209–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Celis, Karen. 2006. “Substantive Representation of Women: The Representation of Women's Interests and the Impact of Descriptive Representation in the Belgian Parliament (1900–1979).” Journal of Women, Politics & Policy 28 (2): 85–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clayton, Amanda. 2014. “Women's Political Engagement Under Quota-Mandated Female Representation: Evidence From a Randomized Policy Experiment.” Comparative Political Studies 48 (3): 333–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cowell-Meyers, Kimberly, and Langbein, Laura. 2009. “Linking Women's Descriptive and Substantive Representation in the United States.” Politics & Gender 5 (4): 491–518.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cowley, Philip. 2013. “Why Not Ask the Audience? Understanding the Public's Representational Priorities.” British Politics 8 (2): 138–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cutler, Fred. 2002. “The Simplest Shortcut of All: Sociodemographic Characteristics and Electoral Choice.” Journal of Politics 64 (2): 466–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dawson, Michael C. 1995. Behind the Mule: Race and Class in African-American Politics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DiMaggio, Paul. 1997. “Culture and Cognition.” Annual Review of Sociology 23:263–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dolan, Kathleen. 2010. “The Impact of Gender Stereotyped Evaluations on Support for Women Candidates.” Political Behavior 32 (1): 69–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dolan, Kathleen. 2014. “Gender Stereotypes, Candidate Evaluations, and Voting for Women Candidates.” Political Research Quarterly 67 (1): 96–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dolan, Kathleen. 2004. Voting for Women: How the Public Evaluates Women Candidates. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Google Scholar
Dolan, Kathleen, and Lynch, Timothy. 2014. “It Takes a Survey: Understanding Gender Stereotypes, Abstract Attitudes, and Voting for Women Candidates.” American Politics Research 42 (4): 656–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dovi, Suzanne L. 2002. “Preferable descriptive representatives: Will just any woman, black, or latino do?” American Political Science Review 96 (4): 729–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Electoral Commission of Wellington, New Zealand. 2014a. “Candidate Handbook. General Elections.” http://www.elections.org.nz/candidate-handbook.Google Scholar
Electoral Commission of Wellington, New Zealand. 2014b. “Māori Electorate Option 2013.” http://www.elections.org.nz/candidate-handbook.Google Scholar
Enders, Adam M., and Scott, Jamil S.. 2019. “The Increasing Racialization of American Electoral Politics, 1988–2016.” American Politics Research 47 (2): 275–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Espírito-Santo, Ana. 2016. “Citizens’ Attitudes Towards Descriptive Representation: The Case of Women in Portugal.” European Journal of Women's Studies 23 (1): 43–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gidengil, Elisabeth. 1996. “Gender and Attitudes Toward Quotas for Women Candidates in Canada.” Women & Politics 16 (4): 21–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goetz, Anne Marie. 2007. “Political Cleaners: Women as the New Anti-Corruption Force?” Development & Change 38 (1): 87–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Griffin, John D. 2014. “When and Why Minority Legislators Matter.” Annual Review of Political Science 17 (1): 327–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gwiazda, Anna. 2019. “The Substantive Representation of Women in Poland.” Politics & Gender 1–23.Google Scholar
Hänni, Miriam. 2017. “Presence, Representation, and Impact: How Minority MPs Affect Policy Outcomes.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 42 (1): 97–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Htun, Mala. 2004. “Is Gender like Ethnicity? The Political Representation of Identity Groups.” Perspectives on Politics 2 (3): 439–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huddy, Leonie, and Carey, Tony E.. 2009. “Group Politics Redux: Race and Gender in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries.” Politics & Gender 5 (1): 81–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huddy, Leonie, and Terkildsen, Nayda. 1993. “Gender Stereotypes and the Perception of Male and Female Candidates.” American Journal of Political Science 37 (1): 119–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hughes, Melanie M. 2011. “Intersectionality, Quotas, and Minority Women's Political Representation Worldwide.” American Political Science Review 105 (3): 604–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutchings, Vincent L., and Valentino, Nicholas A.. 2004. “The Centrality of Race in American Politics.” Annual Review of Political Science 7 (1): 383–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
James, David R., and Redding, Kent. 2005. “Theories of Race and State.” In The Handbook of Political Sociology, ed. Janoski, T., Alford, R., Hicks, A. and Schwartz, M. A.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 187–98.Google Scholar
Keenan, Lisa, and McElroy, Gail. 2017. “Who Supports Gender Quotas in Ireland?” Irish Political Studies 32 (3): 382–403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kittilson, Miki Caul. 2006. “In Support of Gender Quotas: Setting New Standards, Bringing Visible Gains.” Politics & Gender 1 (4): 638–45.Google Scholar
Krook, Mona Lena. 2006. “Reforming Representation: The Diffusion of Candidate Gender Quotas Worldwide.” Politics & Gender 2 (3): 303–27.Google Scholar
Krysan, Maria. 2000. “Prejudice, Politics, and Public Opinion: Understanding the Sources of Racial Policy Attitudes.” Annual Review of Sociology 26 (1): 135–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lefkofridi, Zoe, Giger, Nathalie, and Holli, Anne Maria. 2018. “When All Parties Nominate Women: The Role of Political Gender Stereotypes in Voters’ Choices.” Politics & Gender 1–27.Google Scholar
Lončar, Jelena. 2016. “Electoral Accountability and Substantive Representation of National Minorities.” East European Politics & Societies 30 (4): 703–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDermott, Monika L. 1998. “Race and Gender Cues in Low-Information Elections.” Political Research Quarterly 51 (4): 895–918.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, Raymond. 2015. Democracy in New Zealand. Auckland, NZ: Auckland University Press.Google Scholar
Minta, Michael D. 2009. “Legislative Oversight and the Substantive Representation of Black and Latino Interests in Congress.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 34 (2): 193–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paxton, Pamela and Hughes, Melanie M.. 2007. Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective. Los Angeles, CA: Pine Forge Press.Google Scholar
Paxton, Pamela, Hughes, Melanie M., and Green, Jennifer L.. 2006. “The International Women's Movement and Women's Political Representation, 1893–2003.” American Sociological Review 71 (6): 898–920.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paxton, Pamela, Hughes, Melanie M., and Painter, Matthew A.. 2010. “Growth in Women's Political Representation: A Longitudinal Exploration of Democracy, Electoral System and Gender Quotas.” European Journal of Political Research 49 (1): 25–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillips, Anne. 1995. The Politics of Presence. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
Pitkin, Hannah. 1967. The Concept of Representation. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plutzer, Eric, and Zipp, John F.. 1996. “Identity Politics, Partisanship, and Voting for Women Candidates.” Public Opinion Quarterly 60:30–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preuhs, Robert R. 2006. “The Conditional Effects of Minority Descriptive Representation: Black Legislators and Policy Influence in the American States.” Journal of Politics 68 (3): 585–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preuhs, Robert R. 2007. “Descriptive Representation as a Mechanism to Mitigate Policy Backlash:Latino Incorporation and Welfare Policy in the American States.” Political Research Quarterly 60 (2): 277–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ridgeway, Cecilia L. 2011. Framed by Gender: How Gender Inequality Persists in the Modern World. New York: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenthal, Cindy Simon. 1995. “The Role of Gender in Descriptive Representation.” Political Research Quarterly 48:599–611.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saalfeld, Thomas, and Bischof, Daniel. 2013. “Minority-Ethnic MPs and the Substantive Representation of Minority Interests in the House of Commons, 2005–2011.” Parliamentary Affairs 66 (2): 305–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanbonmatsu, Kira. 2002. “Gender Stereotypes and Vote Choice.” American Journal of Political Science 46 (1):20–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanbonmatsu, Kira. 2003. “Gender-Related Political Knowledge and the Descriptive Representation of Women.” Political Behavior 25 (4): 367–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schneider, Monica C., and Bos, Angela L.. 2011. “An Exploration of the Content of Stereotypes of Black Politicians.” Political Psychology 32 (2): 205–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwindt-Bayer, Leslie A., and Mishler, William. 2005. “An Integrated Model of Women's Representation.” Journal of Politics 67 (2): 407–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sigelman, Carol K., Sigelman, Lee, Walkosz, Barbara J., and Nitz, Michael. 1995. “Black Candidates, White Voters: Understanding Racial Bias in Political Perceptions.” American Journal of Political Science 39 (1): 243–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Swers, Michele. 2002. The Difference Women Make: The Policy Impact of Women in Congress. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tate, Katherine. 1994. From Protest to Politics: The New Black Voters in American Elections. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Tate, Katherine. 2003. Black Faces in the Mirror: African Americans and Their Representatives in the US Congress. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Tesler, Michael. 2012. “The Spillover of Racialization into Health Care: How President Obama Polarized Public Opinion by Racial Attitudes and Race.” American Journal of Political Science 56 (3): 690–704.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tesler, Michael. 2015. “The Conditions Ripe for Racial Spillover Effects.” Political Psychology 36: 101–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vowles, Jack, Coffé, Hilde, and Curtain, Jennifer. 2017. A Bark But No Bite: Inequality and the 2014 New Zealand General Election. Canberra: Australian National University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wängnerud, Lena. 2009. “Women in Parliaments: Descriptive and Substantive Representation.” Annual Review of Political Science 12 (1): 51–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xydias, Christina V. 2007. “Inviting More Women to the Party: Gender Quotas and Women's Substantive Representation in Germany.” International Journal of Sociology 37 (4): 52–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zetterberg, Pär. 2009. “Do Gender Quotas Foster Women's Political Engagement? Lessons from Latin America.” Political Research Quarterly 62 (4): 715–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Bolzendahl and Coffé supplementary material

Bolzendahl and Coffé supplementary material 1

Download Bolzendahl and Coffé supplementary material(File)
File 35 KB