IRP 300- Women in International Politics
Introduction to Women’s Representation and History of Women’s Suffrage
Week 2
09.03.24
Women’s Representation vs. Participation
- What is political representation?
o Women representing women
o Women in cabinets, judges, women in committees etc.
- What is political participation?
o Voting, proposal bills, talking to our elected office, forming
committees etc.
- Why does Representation Matter?
o Different perspectives, the equality gap would only rise, women’s
values are not represented, different approaches to addressing
problems
o Intersectionality is highlighted because women are often in
multiple sections (ex. gay, poor, POC, etc.)
4 different types of arguments for why women should be equally represented
in politics:
1. Formal representation:
a. “legality of rights “ “using law to represent women”
b. Using the law as a way to ensure women have the rights they are
guaranteed, and that those rights are continuously protected
c. women have the legal right to participate and be equal to men,
must have the equal right to vote and stand for office, as well as
discriminatory laws
d. consequences for trying to take women’s rights are primarily
only allowed through legal routes
2. Descriptive representation:
a. Representation should be proportional to the population of
women, and that representation should go beyond legal rights
b. Don’t just stop at the very basic requirements or gender quotas,
go further
c. Obstacles exist that laws are not enough to ensure equal
representation of women in power ( religion, culture, social ideas
etc.)
3. Substantive representation:
a. Formal and descriptive representation are insufficient
b. Not all women represent all women (think 1st feminist wave
which was about rights for white straight women (feminine
mystique))
c. Women officials must actually represent their constituents, not
their own goals
d. Elect feminists
, i. Are the committees of elected women filled with men?
ii. Are women running with their own ideas and policies, or
are they running with policies of those who are funding
them ( primarily white men)?
4. Symbolic representation:
a. Women’s representation inspires women
b. Women are different
c. All types of women must be represented.
i. Different identities being represented in politics, different
women care about different things, or place importance on
different things. Being seen and being supported by a
woman who is similar, looks similar, cares about similar
values etc.
09.05.24
History of Women’s Suffrage:
1. Abolitionist movement (anti-slavery movement):
a. Women considered it a very educative process, they learned
about mobilization, political campaigns, research and speech
skills, as well as understanding political elements
b. The addition of male identities who were not white, led to the
idea that more identities were able to be officially apart of
society, if black men and Indian men were able to have rights,
why couldn’t women?
2. 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, New York
a. Women were not allowed to speak or truly participate in the
movement; the men had voted on it and even though women
had travelled from the US to London and had been working
alongside the men during the abolitionist movement. They went
back to the US and then the Seneca Falls Convention was
created.
b. Women were not primarily present, there were many men who
came and spoke at the convention, rather than actual women at
the Women’s Convention.
c. First time ( on a national level) women worked toward getting
the right to vote
i. Suffrage movements were happening all over the world,
became an international movement
3. 1869 Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony founded the
National Woman’s Suffrage Association (NWSA)
a. Division broke out within the movement when the 15th
amendment was passed which allowed all men to vote.
b. Radical opinions regarding women (such as Anthony) were angry
that black men could vote before white women from privilege
were able to have the right. Then these opinions led to Lucy
Introduction to Women’s Representation and History of Women’s Suffrage
Week 2
09.03.24
Women’s Representation vs. Participation
- What is political representation?
o Women representing women
o Women in cabinets, judges, women in committees etc.
- What is political participation?
o Voting, proposal bills, talking to our elected office, forming
committees etc.
- Why does Representation Matter?
o Different perspectives, the equality gap would only rise, women’s
values are not represented, different approaches to addressing
problems
o Intersectionality is highlighted because women are often in
multiple sections (ex. gay, poor, POC, etc.)
4 different types of arguments for why women should be equally represented
in politics:
1. Formal representation:
a. “legality of rights “ “using law to represent women”
b. Using the law as a way to ensure women have the rights they are
guaranteed, and that those rights are continuously protected
c. women have the legal right to participate and be equal to men,
must have the equal right to vote and stand for office, as well as
discriminatory laws
d. consequences for trying to take women’s rights are primarily
only allowed through legal routes
2. Descriptive representation:
a. Representation should be proportional to the population of
women, and that representation should go beyond legal rights
b. Don’t just stop at the very basic requirements or gender quotas,
go further
c. Obstacles exist that laws are not enough to ensure equal
representation of women in power ( religion, culture, social ideas
etc.)
3. Substantive representation:
a. Formal and descriptive representation are insufficient
b. Not all women represent all women (think 1st feminist wave
which was about rights for white straight women (feminine
mystique))
c. Women officials must actually represent their constituents, not
their own goals
d. Elect feminists
, i. Are the committees of elected women filled with men?
ii. Are women running with their own ideas and policies, or
are they running with policies of those who are funding
them ( primarily white men)?
4. Symbolic representation:
a. Women’s representation inspires women
b. Women are different
c. All types of women must be represented.
i. Different identities being represented in politics, different
women care about different things, or place importance on
different things. Being seen and being supported by a
woman who is similar, looks similar, cares about similar
values etc.
09.05.24
History of Women’s Suffrage:
1. Abolitionist movement (anti-slavery movement):
a. Women considered it a very educative process, they learned
about mobilization, political campaigns, research and speech
skills, as well as understanding political elements
b. The addition of male identities who were not white, led to the
idea that more identities were able to be officially apart of
society, if black men and Indian men were able to have rights,
why couldn’t women?
2. 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, New York
a. Women were not allowed to speak or truly participate in the
movement; the men had voted on it and even though women
had travelled from the US to London and had been working
alongside the men during the abolitionist movement. They went
back to the US and then the Seneca Falls Convention was
created.
b. Women were not primarily present, there were many men who
came and spoke at the convention, rather than actual women at
the Women’s Convention.
c. First time ( on a national level) women worked toward getting
the right to vote
i. Suffrage movements were happening all over the world,
became an international movement
3. 1869 Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony founded the
National Woman’s Suffrage Association (NWSA)
a. Division broke out within the movement when the 15th
amendment was passed which allowed all men to vote.
b. Radical opinions regarding women (such as Anthony) were angry
that black men could vote before white women from privilege
were able to have the right. Then these opinions led to Lucy
