This comparative study aims to analyse the issue of the underrepresentation of women in the national parliament and local government in Australia and Bangladesh. The empirical analysis consists mainly of data derived from semi-structured interviews with the elected female representatives from the parliament and local government in the two countries.
This thesis finds that with few exceptions, women in Australia and Bangladesh have to overcome similar hurdles to their participation in elected office.
Many proponents of modernization theory assert that economic growth leads inevitably to social development. Ronald Inglehart, Pippa Norris and Christian Welzel, in their revised modernization theory, claim that along with socio-economic development, modernization fosters cultural change that in the long run leads to greater gender equality in all sectors including politics. However, they have identified structural, institutional and cultural barriers to the political participation of women; cultural being the strongest force that sometimes resists gender equality despite economic development.
Women are now participating in all sectors of politics. However, globally they are marginal in politics as candidates, elected representatives, ministers, the prime minister, political leaders, mayors and so on, regardless of the level of socio-economic development within countries. There is no country either developed or developing that has ensured equal participation of women in politics.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Chapter 1 Women in Politics -An Introduction
- 1.1 Introduction
- 1.2 Statement of the Problem
- 1.3 Importance of the Book
- 1.4 Methodological Issues
- 1.4.1 Unit of Comparison
- 1.4.2 Why Australia and Bangladesh?
- 1.4.3 Data Collection
- 1.4.4 Problems of Data Collection
- 1.5. Organization of the Book
- 1.6. References
- Chapter 2 Women in Politics -Historical Overview
- 2.1. Introduction
- 2.2. History of Achieving Political Rights
- 2.3 Women as Head of State, Head of Government and Minister
- 2.4 Women in Local Government: Current Status
- 2.5 Conclusion
- 2.6 References
- Chapter 3 The Theoretical Framework
- 3.1 Introduction
- 3.2 Defining the Key Terms
- 3.2.1 Politics
- 3.2.2 Political Participation
- 3.3 Modernization Theory
- 3.3.1 Controversy over Modernization Theory
- 3.4 Modernization Theory: A Revised Version
- 3.4.1 The Two Value Dimensions
- 3.4.2 Types of Societies
- 3.5 Modernization and Women
- 3.6 Inglehart on Modernization and Gender Equality
- 3.7 Criticisms of Inglehart
- 3.8 Position of Australia and Bangladesh according to the World Value Survey (WVS) and Inglehart
- 3.8.1 Value Set on Gender Equality: Australia and Bangladesh
- 3.9 Conclusion
- 3.10 References
- Chapter 4 Political Participation of Women in Australia
- 4.1 Introduction
- 4.2 Political System in Australia
- 4.3 International and National Strategies to Promote Gender Equality
- 4.4 Current Status of Women in Australia
- 4.5 Political Participation of Women in Federal Parliaments
- 4.5.1 Extension of Political Rights to Women
- 4.5.2 Women's Participation as Candidates in Federal Parliament
- 4.5.3 Women's Participation as Elected Representatives at Federal Parliament
- 4.5.4 Women as Candidates and Elected Representatives at State Parliament
- 4.5.5 The Role of Political Parties
- 4.5.6 Women in Political Leadership Positions
- 4.6 Women in Local Government
- 4.7 Conclusion
- 4.8 References
- Chapter 5 Political Participation of Women in Bangladesh
- 5.1 Introduction
- 5.2 Political System in Bangladesh
- 5.3 International and National Strategies to Promote Gender Equality
- 5.4 Current Status of Women in Bangladesh
- 5.5 Women's Participation in Bangladesh Parliament
- 5.5.1 Extension of Political Rights to Women
- 5.5.2 Women's Participation as Candidates in National Parliament
- 5.5.3 Women's Participation as Elected Representatives in National Parliament
- 5.5.4 The Role of Political Parties
- 5.5.5 Women in Political Leadership Positions
- 5.6 Women in Local Government
- 5.7 Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This book examines the underrepresentation of women in politics in Australia and Bangladesh, highlighting the persistent social barriers that hinder their participation in elected office. The study explores the applicability of the revised modernization theory in explaining these challenges, considering the distinct cultural and socio-economic contexts of the two countries.
- The underrepresentation of women in electoral politics in Australia and Bangladesh.
- The role of cultural and social factors in shaping women's political participation.
- The relevance of modernization theory in understanding women's political engagement.
- The similarities and differences in the challenges faced by women in politics across different socio-economic contexts.
- The impact of patriarchal structures and values on women's political participation.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the research, outlining the problem of women's underrepresentation in politics, the significance of the study, and the methodological approach employed. It also presents the rationale for choosing Australia and Bangladesh as the countries of focus and details the data collection methods used. Chapter 2 offers a historical overview of women's political participation in Australia and Bangladesh, examining the historical context of achieving political rights and analyzing the current status of women in both countries.
Chapter 3 delves into the theoretical framework used to analyze the underrepresentation of women in politics. It defines key terms such as politics and political participation and critically examines the modernization theory and its revised version. It discusses the relationship between modernization and gender equality, drawing insights from the work of Ronald Inglehart and highlighting the criticisms surrounding his theories. The chapter concludes by analyzing the positions of Australia and Bangladesh according to the World Value Survey (WVS), providing insights into the prevailing values related to gender equality in both countries.
Chapter 4 focuses on the political participation of women in Australia, examining the country's political system, international and national strategies for promoting gender equality, and the current status of women. It analyzes women's participation in federal and state parliaments, exploring their roles as candidates and elected representatives, the influence of political parties, and the representation of women in political leadership positions. The chapter concludes by examining women's participation in local government in Australia.
Chapter 5 delves into the political participation of women in Bangladesh, examining the country's political system, international and national strategies for promoting gender equality, and the current status of women. It analyzes women's participation in the Bangladesh parliament, exploring their roles as candidates and elected representatives, the influence of political parties, and the representation of women in political leadership positions. The chapter concludes by examining women's participation in local government in Bangladesh.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This book explores the key themes of women's political participation, gender equality, modernization theory, cultural and social barriers, patriarchal structures, electoral politics, Australia, and Bangladesh. The research highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by women seeking to enter and advance within the political arena, particularly in the context of diverse cultural and socio-economic settings. The key concepts explored include political rights, representation, political leadership, political parties, and the impact of modernization on gender equality.
- Citation du texte
- Fardaus Ara (Auteur), 2017, Women in Electoral Politics. Does Development Matter?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1041386
