Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T13:54:56.788Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

One Smart Politician: Gendered Media Discourses of Political Leadership in Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2018

Angelia Wagner*
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, 10-16 HM Tory Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H4, Canada
Linda Trimble
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, 12-26 HM Tory Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H4, Canada
Shannon Sampert
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 2E9, Canada
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Which leadership qualities are most likely to be emphasized in news reports about leadership competitions, and are they attributed differently to women and men candidates? To answer this question, we conducted content and discourse analyses of 2,463 articles published by the Globe and Mail newspaper on 10 women and 17 men seeking the leadership of Canadian political parties since 1975. Our results show that women candidates were subjected to more negative and gendered assessments of their communication skills, intellectual substance and political experience than were men candidates. We also found little evidence that gendered media discourses about political leadership have changed over time, especially in the case of women in the strongest position to become the country's first national party leader or prime minister.

Résumé

Quelles qualités de leadership sont les plus susceptibles d'être soulignées dans les reportages sur les campagnes à la direction, et sont-elles attribuées différemment aux femmes et aux hommes ? Pour répondre à cette question, nous avons procédé à des analyses du contenu et du discours de 2 463 articles publiés dans The Globe and Mail sur 10 femmes et 17 hommes briguant le leadership des partis politiques canadiens depuis 1975. Nos résultats montrent que par rapport à leurs homologues masculin, les candidates ont été soumises à des évaluations plus négatives et sexospécifiques tant sur le plan des aptitudes à la communication que de la substance intellectuelle et de l'expérience politique. Notre étude a également trouvé peu de preuves que les discours sexués des médias sur le leadership politique ont changé au fil du temps, surtout dans le cas des femmes les mieux placées pour devenir le premier chef de parti ou le premier ministre du pays.

Type
Research Article/Étude originale
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association (l'Association canadienne de science politique) and/et la Société québécoise de science politique 2018 

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

Aaldering, Loes and Van Der Pas, Daphne Joanna. 2018. “Political leadership in the media: Gender bias in leader stereotypes during campaign and routine times.” British Journal of Political Science 121. DOI: 10.1017/S0007123417000795.Google Scholar
Aaldering, Loes and Vliegenthart, Rens. 2016. “Political Leaders and the Media. Can We Measure Political Leadership Images in Newspapers Using Computer-Assisted Content Analysis?Quality and Quantity 50(5): 1871–905.Google Scholar
Bain, George. 1994. Gotcha! How the Media Distort the News. Toronto: Key Porter.Google Scholar
Bashevkin, Sylvia. 2009. Women, Power, Politics: The Hidden Story of Canada's Unfinished Democracy. Don Mills: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Beail, Linda and Longworth, Rhonda Kinney. 2013. Framing Sarah Palin: Pit Bulls, Puritans, and Politics. New York and London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Bloomberg News. 2015. “Jean Charest Backs Trudeau's Decision to Appoint 15 Women to Cabinet.” Montreal Gazette, November 5. Google Scholar
Devitt, James. 1999. Framing Gender on the Campaign Trail: Women's Executive Leadership and the Press. Washington, DC: Women's Leadership Fund.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.Google Scholar
Duerst-Lahti, Georgia. 2010. “The Consequences of Gender for Women's Political Leadership.” In Gender and Women's Leadership: A Reference Handbook (Volume 1), ed. O'Connor, Karen. Los Angeles: Sage.Google Scholar
Duerst-Lahti, Georgia and Kelly, Rita Mae. 1995. “On Governance, Leadership, and Gender.” In Gender Power, Leadership, and Governance, ed. Duerst-Lahti, Georgia and Kelly, Rita Mae. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar
Eagly, Alice H. and Carli, Linda L.. 2003. “The Female Leadership Advantage: An Evaluation of the Evidence.” The Leadership Quarterly 14(6): 807–34.Google Scholar
Eagly, Alice H. and Carli, Linda L.. 2007. “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership.” Harvard Business Review (September): 6271.Google Scholar
Falk, Erika. 2008. Women for President: Media Bias in Eight Campaigns. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.Google Scholar
Fridkin, Kim L. and Woodall, Gina Serignese. 2005. “Different Portraits, Different Leaders? Gender Differences in U.S. Senators’ Presentation of Self.” In Women and Elective Office: Past, Present, and Future, ed. Thomas, Sue and Wilcox, Clyde. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gerrits, Bailey, Trimble, Linda, Wagner, Angelia, Raphael, Daisy and Sampert, Shannon. 2017. “Political Battlefield: Aggressive Metaphors, Gender, and Power in News Coverage of Canadian Party Leadership Contests.” Feminist Media Studies 17(6): 10881103.Google Scholar
Gidengil, Elisabeth and Everitt, Joanna. 1999. “Metaphors and Misrepresentation: Gendered Mediation in News Coverage of the 1993 Canadian Leaders’ Debates.” Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 4(1): 4865.Google Scholar
Gidengil, Elisabeth and Everitt, Joanna. 2000. “Filtering the Female: Television News Coverage of the 1993 Canadian Leaders’ Debates.” Women and Politics 21(4): 105–31.Google Scholar
Gidengil, Elisabeth and Everitt, Joanna. 2003. “Conventional Coverage/Unconventional Politicians: Gender and Media Coverage of Canadian Leaders’ Debates, 1993, 1997, 2000.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 36(3): 559–77.Google Scholar
Harmer, Emily, Savigny, Heather and Ward, Orlanda. 2017. “‘Are You Tough Enough?’ Performing Gender in the UK Leadership Debates 2015.” Media, Culture and Society 39(7): 960–75.Google Scholar
Heldman, Caroline, Carroll, Susan J. and Olson, Stephanie. 2005. “‘She Brought Only a Skirt’: Print Media Coverage of Elizabeth Dole's Bid for the Republican Presidential Nomination.” Political Communication 22(3): 315–35.Google Scholar
Herzog, Hanna. 1998. “More Than a Looking Glass: Women in Israeli Local Politics and the Media.” Press/Politics 3(1): 2647.Google Scholar
Hoyt, Crystal L. and Burnette, Jeni L.. 2013. “Gender Bias in Leader Evaluations: Merging Implicit Theories and Role Congruity Perspectives.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 39(10): 1306–19.Google Scholar
Huddy, Leonie and Terkildsen, Nayda. 1993. “The Consequences of Gender Stereotypes for Women Candidates at Different Levels and Types of Office.” Political Research Quarterly 46(3): 503–25.Google Scholar
Kahn, Kim Fridkin. 1996. The Political Consequences of Being a Woman. New York: Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Krippendorff, Klaus. 2004. Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Lazar, Michelle M. 2005. “Politicizing Gender in Discourse: Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis as Political Perspective and Praxis.” In Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis: Gender, Power and Ideology in Discourse, ed. Lazar, Michelle M.. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.Google Scholar
Lunenborg, Margreth and Maier, Tanja. 2015. “‘Power Politician’ or ‘Fighting Bureaucrat’: Gender and Power in German Political Coverage.” Media, Culture and Society 37(2): 180–96.Google Scholar
Murray, Rainbow, ed. 2010. Cracking the Highest Glass Ceiling: A Global Comparison of Women's Campaigns for Executive Office. Santa Barbara: Praeger.Google Scholar
Neveu, Erik. 2002. “Four Generations of Political Journalism.” In Political Journalism: New Challenges, New Practices, ed. Kuhn, Raymond and Neveu, Erik. London and New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Niven, David. 2005. “Gender Bias? Media Coverage of Women and Men in Congress.” In Gender and American Politics: Women, Men, and the Political Process, ed. Tolleson-Rinehart, Sue and Josephson, Jyl J.. New York: M.E. Sharpe.Google Scholar
Peele, Gillian. 2005. “Leadership and Politics: A Case for a Closer Relationship?Leadership 1(2): 187204.Google Scholar
Prentice, Deborah A. and Carranza, Erica. 2002. “What Women and Men Should Be, Shouldn't Be, Are Allowed To Be, and Don't Have To Be: The Contents of Prescriptive Gender Stereotypes.” Psychology of Women Quarterly 26(4): 269–81.Google Scholar
Rosas-Moreno, Tania Cantrell and Bachmann, Ingrid. 2014. “Becoming Less Gendered: A Comparison of (Inter)national Press Coverage of First Female Government Heads Who Win Again at the Polls.” In Women in Politics and Media: Perspectives from Nations in Transition, ed. Raicheva-Stove, Maria and Ibroscheva, Elza. New York: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar
Sjoberg, Laura. 2014. “Feminism.” In The Oxford Handbook of Political Leadership, ed. Rhodes, R.A.W. and Hart, Paul ‘t, New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Stevens, Anne. 2012. “Comparing and Assessing Gender Effects in Political Leadership.” In Comparative Political Leadership, ed. Helms, Ludger, London: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Taras, David. 1999. Power and Betrayal in the Canadian Media. Peterborough, Ont.: Broadview Press.Google Scholar
Tolley, Erin. 2016. Framed: Media and the Coverage of Race in Canadian Politics. Vancouver: UBC Press.Google Scholar
Trimble, Linda. 2017. Ms. Prime Minister: Gender, Media, and Leadership. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar
Trimble, Linda and Arscott, Jane. 2003. Still Counting: Women in Politics Across Canada. Peterborough: Broadview Press.Google Scholar
Trimble, Linda and Everitt, Joanna. 2010. “Belinda Stronach and the Gender Politics of Celebrity.” In Mediating Canadian Politics, ed. Sampert, Shannon and Trimble, Linda. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada.Google Scholar
Trimble, Linda, Wagner, Angelia, Sampert, Shannon, Raphael, Daisy and Gerrits, Bailey. 2013. “Is It Personal? Gendered Mediation in Newspaper Coverage of Canadian National Party Leadership Contests, 1975–2012.” International Journal of Press/Politics 18(4): 462–81.Google Scholar
Van Zoonen, Liesbet. 1994. Feminist Media Studies. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Ward, Orlanda. 2017. “Intersectionality and Press Coverage of Political Campaigns: Representations of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Female Candidates at the U.K. 2010 General Election.” International Journal of Press/Politics 22(1): 4366.Google Scholar
Kahn, Kim Fridkin. 1992. “Does being male help? An investigation of the effects of candidate gender and campaign coverage on evaluations of U.S. Senate candidates.Journal of Politics 54(2): 497517.Google Scholar
McNair, Brian. 2002. “Journalism and democracy in contemporary Britain.” In Political Journalism: New Challenges, New Practices, eds. Kuhn, Raymond and Neveu, Erik, London and New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Trimble, Linda. 2007. “Gender, political leadership and media visibility: Globe and Mail coverage of Conservative party of Canada leadership contests.Canadian Journal of Political Science 40(4): 969993.Google Scholar
Broadbent, Ed. 2002. “Why I am supporting Jack Layton.” Globe and Mail, November 28, A21.Google Scholar
Corcoran, Terence. 1993. “Substance lurks within Tory candidates.” Globe and Mail, June 12, B2.Google Scholar
Delacourt, Susan. 1990a. “Well-liked Chretien sits in driver's seat, but ride will be rocky.” Globe and Mail, January 16, A4.Google Scholar
Delacourt, Susan. 1990b. “Leadership contenders bracing for debate.” Globe and Mail, April 21, A4.Google Scholar
Fraser, Graham. 1993. “Charest reigns in French debate.” Globe and Mail, April 22, A4.Google Scholar
Globe and Mail. 1976. “Three for the Tories.” Globe and Mail, February 13, 6.Google Scholar
Globe and Mail. 1993a. “Kim Campbell, for all we know.” Globe and Mail, March 26, A22.Google Scholar
Globe and Mail. 1993b. “Campbell incompetent, Chretien contends.” Globe and Mail, May 21, A6.Google Scholar
Globe and Mail. 1993c. “On balance, Jean Charest.” Globe and Mail, June 9, A20.Google Scholar
Globe and Mail. 2004a. “Ms. Stronach regrets.” Globe and Mail, February 6, A20.Google Scholar
Globe and Mail. 2004b. “Harper is the leader for the Conservatives.” Globe and Mail, March 17, A18.Google Scholar
Gray, John. 2003. “The making of a Prime Minister.” Globe and Mail, September 20, F5.Google Scholar
Howard, Ross. 1989. “Barrett widens the field.” Globe and Mail, September 30, D1.Google Scholar
Howard, Ross. 1990. “Chrétien's opponents scramble to block first-ballot leadership bid.” Globe and Mail, May 19, A3.Google Scholar
Howard, Ross. 1993. “Campbell attacks Charest.” Globe and Mail, June 4, A9.Google Scholar
Ibbitson, John. 2004a. “Old guard in a new dress.” Globe and Mail, January 21, A17.Google Scholar
Ibbitson, John. 2004b. “Things get interesting for the Conservatives.” Globe and Mail, February 16, A15.Google Scholar
Lunman, Kim. 2002. “Broadbent expected to support Layton bid.” Globe and Mail, November 27, A8.Google Scholar
Lunman, Kim. 2003. “Nystrom lobs accusations at his rivals in NDP race.” Globe and Mail, January 7, A4.Google Scholar
MacGregor, Roy. 2004. “Blundering Belinda: a campaign off the rails even before it got on track.” Globe and Mail, January 22, A2.Google Scholar
Manning, Preston. 2004. “Group hug for the right.” Globe and Mail, January 13, A19.Google Scholar
Martin, Lawrence. 2006. “Greens battle for limelight.” Globe and Mail, August 1, A15.Google Scholar
McCarthy, Shawn. 2003. “Okay, we get the message: barring a train wreck, he's going to be the next prime minister. But what on earth makes St. Paul so special?” Globe and Mail, July 26, F1.Google Scholar
Newman, Christina. 1976. “Despite meaty policy sessions, PC convention's style in high fakery.” Globe and Mail, February 21, 1.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 1984. “They're off: who's leading the leadership race?” Globe and Mail, March 1, A7.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 1989. “Second string in the NDP race.” Globe and Mail, September 6, A6.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 1990. “Jean Chrétien's comfort zone.” Globe and Mail, January 24, A6.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 1993a. “Being front-runner means months of intense scrutiny for Kim Campbell.” Globe and Mail, March 4, A22.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 1993b. “The gnawing question: just who is she?” Globe and Mail, June 14, A15.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 2003. “Can Paul Martin be the butcher of Sussex Drive?” Globe and Mail, August 23, A21.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 2004. “Can Belinda buy the job of prime minister?” Globe and Mail, February 21, A27.Google Scholar
Timson, Judith. 2004. “Is Stronach's lack of experience really ‘refreshing’?” Globe and Mail, March 3, C1.Google Scholar
Winsor, Hugh. 1989. “Keen organization and networking compensated for lacklustre speech.” Globe and Mail, December 4, A10.Google Scholar
Winsor, Hugh. 2001. “‘Ello, ‘ello, what's this? A Dauphin?” Globe and Mail, August 15, A11.Google Scholar
Winsor, Hugh and Howard, Ross. 1993. “Tortoise runs out of time and luck.” Globe and Mail, June 14, A1.Google Scholar
Whyte, Kenneth. 1993. “How a good ol’ girl went courtin’ the country vote.” Globe and Mail, May 1, D2.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Wagner et al. supplementary material

Appendices B, C and D

Download Wagner et al. supplementary material(File)
File 76.1 KB