Deck 9: Women and Politics

Question 1

Which of the following statements about gender quotas in the political sphere is true?

A)Quotas are one of the least effective electoral reforms for increasing the number of women in formal political positions.
B)Quotas are foolproof solutions to the problem of women's representation in elected politics.
C)Critics have claimed that quotas promote the election of unqualified women and may become a ceiling on women's political participation.
D)All of the different types of quotas are more or less equally effective.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

As of 2010,no woman has ever won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Most available evidence suggests that women,more than men,favor liberal or left-wing parties.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In the context of the types of electoral systems,identify a characteristic of plurality/majority systems.

A)There is usually only one seat per district.
B)Three or more parties prepare lists of candidates for election from each district.
C)Seats are allocated roughly in proportion to the votes each party receives.
D)There are five or more representatives per district.

Question 5

Zipper systems have legislated candidate quotas requiring a certain percentage of women on party lists,along with the alternation of male and female candidates.

Question 6

Women's participation in ________ may include voting,representation in parliaments and congresses,and women as heads of state.

A)formal politics
B)informal politics
C)gender realignment
D)accidental activism

Question 7

As traditional gender roles wane in a country,women's voting patterns shift from being more conservative to becoming more liberal than men's.This process is called ________.

A)ideological drift
B)absolute alignment
C)accidental liberalization
D)gender realignment

Question 8

There are three types of electoral systems,each with different effects on women's election to national legislative office.Which of the following is NOT one of the three types of electoral systems?

A)party/district magnitude systems
B)single member district systems
C)mixed systems
D)party list/proportional representation systems

Question 9

Simply having the legal right to vote does not always ensure that women can or will do so.Describe some of the non-legal barriers that stand in the way of women participating in the electoral process.Be sure to explain the roles of coercion,political literacy,and economics.

Question 10

Political literacy refers to women's knowledge of politics and the political process.

Question 11

According to West and Blumberg,sometimes women's informal political activity is an extension of their mother role.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about women's involvement in politics is false?

A)Although they make up approximately half of the population,women constitute only 23.3 percent of legislatures.
B)As of 2010,approximately one half of the world's countries had reached critical political mass or 30 percent female representation.
C)There is a positive correlation between the number of female legislators a country has and the extent to which legislation is enacted addressing social issues such as peace,child labor,and social justice.
D)Women politicians often come from educated and privileged backgrounds and may not represent the interests of other women in their societies.

Question 13

The first three female heads of state were elected to office,and served their first terms,in the ________.

A)1990s
B)1980s
C)1970s
D)1960s

Question 14

The realm of formal politics includes local community-based action and national and international social movements.

Question 15

Although relatively rare,powerful female leaders,or rulers,can be found throughout history; examples include all of the following,EXCEPT:

A)Cleopatra (Egypt).
B)Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (North America).
C)Catherine the Great (Russia).
D)Tz'u-Hsi (China).

Question 16

The United Nations estimates that women need to constitute at least 30 percent of a legislative body in order to exert a meaningful influence on politics.This 30 percent threshold is sometimes called ________.

A)the political percentile marker
B)absolute alignment
C)critical political mass
D)the critical realignment barrier

Question 17

In the United States,government cabinet members are called secretaries.

Question 18

Obtaining voting rights for women,or women's suffrage,was a major aim of the early feminist movement.Although the nineteenth amendment was passed in ________,some women were still restricted from participating in the electoral process.For example,Native American women were not allowed to vote until ________.

A)1920; 1924
B)1920; 1972
C)1968; 1972
D)1958; 1964

Question 19

District magnitude refers to the number of seats a party expects to win in a district.

Question 20

In the context of the types of gender quotas,identify a true statement about legislated candidate quotas.

A)They put aside a certain percentage of seats for women.
B)They are implemented through special electoral procedures.
C)They specify the gender composition of candidate lists.
D)They are adopted by political parties for their own candidate lists.

Question 21

There are many explanations for gender inequality in political representation.However,most of these reasons can be placed into one of two categories: ideological or cultural explanations and structural or institutional explanations.Briefly describe and provide an example for each of these categories.Also,discuss some of the steps that can be taken to increase female representation in politics along with criticisms that such steps commonly face.

Question 22

According to the textbook,there are four general types of issues that tend to draw women into social protest.Identify,describe,and provide specific examples that typify each of these four categories.Conclude by discussing some of the potential dangers that are commonly faced by female activists.

Question 23

The representation of women in politics is important for both symbolic and practical reasons.Use specific examples to explain what this means.Be sure to discuss ways in which female legislators are able to make a difference in the political realm without directly influencing policy.