Year of the Woman or More of the Same? The Status of Women in American Politics after Election 2016

For the first time in U.S. history, women ran for both major party nominations for president in 2016, and a woman may well break the highest, hardest glass ceiling in American politics. But electing a woman president is only one indicator, albeit significant, of women’s status in American politics. How did women fare in the 2016 U.S. elections, from the presidential level down? What explains these results and what do they tell us about gender parity in electoral politics? Finally, what do the gender dynamics of the 2016 campaigns – including candidate strategies, voter behavior, and media coverage – illuminate about women’s progress toward and/or hurdles to greater political power and inclusion in the United States?

Dr. Dittmar will discuss these questions in evaluating the status of women in American politics and the ways in which gender influences candidate strategy and candidate evaluation at various levels of electoral office. Included in this discussion will be reflection on how the U.S. fares globally in terms of women’s political power, including comparisons to Germany.

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