Gender and Political Representation

16–18 June 2025

Gender is deeply intertwined with politics, presenting opportunities to explore gendered questions across nearly all political science research topics. This module introduces students to foundational work on gender and politics as well as newer perspectives in the field. It covers canonical topics—such as the sources of gender inequality and gender gaps in political participation and representation—alongside emerging research on masculinity and sexuality in politics. The course aims to provide students with the tools to: i) apply an EITM approach to gender and politics research; and ii) incorporate a gender and politics perspective into their existing projects that already employ an EITM approach. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to begin generating research ideas that build on their expertise and leverage EITM skills to offer new perspectives on gender and politics.

Diana Z. O'Brien is the Bela Kornitzer Distinguished Professor in Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis. She is a leader in the field of gender and politics. Her work has frequently been published in the discipline’s top political science journals, and her service and editorial roles have significantly contributed to shaping the field.