ERIC Number: EJ1172817
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Feb
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1077-5315
EISSN: N/A
Political Ambition: Where Are All the Women?
Erickson, Jennifer; Hill, Dan; Solomon, Victoria
Journal of Extension, v56 n1 Article 1FEA1 Feb 2018
Why do so few women hold elected office on local government bodies? The answer to this question encompasses a combination of barriers to running for office. The research discussed in this article involved two surveys conducted in Wisconsin. The findings indicate that in addition to systemic barriers, such as time away from work, many women are hesitant to serve on local governing bodies for other reasons, including concerns related to confidence and potentially inaccurate perceptions. This cautiousness was not as evident in male potential candidates. Understanding the barriers women face may inform how Extension educators work to address skewed compositions of local governing bodies as part of capacity-building efforts.
Descriptors: Females, Capacity Building, Local Government, Political Candidates, Public Officials, Barriers, Surveys, Extension Education, Gender Differences, Family Work Relationship, Employment Qualifications, Counties, Boards of Education
Extension Journal, Inc. e-mail: joe-ed@joe.org; Web site: http://www.joe.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A