The adoption of women's legislative caucuses worldwide. Issue 2 (15th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Adams, Melinda J.; Scherpereel, John A.; Wylie, Kristin N.
• Is Part Of: International feminist journal of politics. Volume 21:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 270
• Publication Date: 2019-03-15
• Subjects: Gender -- representation -- legislatures -- parliaments -- women -- caucus -- gendered institutions -- feminist institutionalism -- diffusion -- gender-focused parliamentary institutions; Feminist theory -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; Gender identity -- Periodicals; Sex role -- Periodicals; Women -- Periodicals; 305.42
• DOI: 10.1080/14616742.2018.1543550
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-6742

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Recent decades have witnessed the rise, across a wide range of countries, of political institutions designed to promote gender equality and women's political representation. Existing studies have shown how international diffusion processes have contributed to the adoption of two kinds of such institutions – gender mainstreaming and gender quotas. Mounting evidence suggests that institutional reforms within legislatures constitute the latest wave of gendered institutional reform. This article identifies and explains trends in the adoption of one kind of gender-focused parliamentary institution – women's legislative caucuses (WLCs). We use a discrete time duration model to assess the effect of several factors on WLC establishment. While there is theoretical room to expect diffusion, structural and institutional variables to affect the likelihood of caucus adoption, we find the strongest empirical support for diffusion and institutional factors. A parliament's likelihood of adopting a WLC rises when sub-regional peers have created WLCs, when women's international non-governmental organizations are active in the country and when the country has implemented a gender quota. Understanding the factors that affect the adoption of gender-focused parliamentary institutions is critically important, we argue, since such bodies provide space to confront masculinized institutionalized rules and norms.