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Religion, Gender, and Representation in American Politics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2021

Alixandra B. Yanus Open the ORCID record for Alixandra B. Yanus [Opens in a new window]
Alixandra B. Yanus*
Affiliation:
High Point University
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Abstract

Several recent analyses have examined the effects of religious beliefs, belonging, and behaviors on the representation of women in American politics. Taken collectively, these studies present an interesting puzzle. Specifically, they demonstrate that religious adherents express attitudes that are less supportive of women in positions of political leadership and that at every stage of the process, from primary candidacy to general-election victory, women are less likely to run and win in districts with greater numbers of religious adherents. However, this does not appear to be the result of even the most devout voters’ unwillingness to support women candidates in general elections. This body of work, therefore, suggests that the effect of religion on the representation of women manifests at earlier stages of the process, including individual vote choice in primary elections, party and elite recruitment, and potential candidates’ strategic entry decisions.

Type
Article
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 54 , Issue 3 , July 2021 , pp. 402 - 405
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the American Political Science Association

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