This edited collection explores how party politics impacts the implementation of gender quotas in political representation across Europe. Contributors identify actors, institutions, and cultural legacies shape how quotas are put into practice. The volume's subtitle, Resisting Institutions, points to the myriad ways in which parties and other institutions in Europe over time have resisted the inclusion of women into politics. As voluntary party quotas and legislative quotas gained prominence, so did strategies to undermine them. At the same time, Resisting Institutions also indicates that gender equality actors have developed ways to counter such blockages and advance the cause of parity in their legislatures. 17 country cases explore the current state of quota implementation and the effects of confronting androcentric institutions.

Investigates the 'how' of recruiting and selecting more women into politics Claims that much of the actual potential of policy measures to enhance gender equality depends on their implementation Produces innovative comparative knowledge on women's representation across Europe

Autorentext

Sabine Lang is Professor of International and European Politics, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, USA.

Petra Meier is Professor of Politics, Department of Political Science, University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Birgit Sauer is Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, University of Vienna, Austria.

Inhalt

1. Party Politics and the Implementation of Gender Quotas: Resisting Institutions.- 2. Practices and Strategies of Gender Representations in Danish Political Parties.- 3. How Gender Quotas Work in Switzerland.- 4. Nested Newness and Critical Junctures: Quota Implementation Flaws in the Austrian Party Democracy.- 5. From Party Quotas to Parity? Legislative Gender Representation in Germany at a Crossroads.- 6. Implementing Special Measures for Political Representation and Gender in Sweden.- 7. The Implementation of Equality-Based Candidate Selection Decisions in the British Labour and Conservative Parties.- 9. 25 Years of Gender Quotas, still a Man's World? Implementation in the Belgian Case.- 10. Only Stand-ins? Women's Parliamentary Representation and Quota Implementation in Croatia since 2011.- 11. Twenty Years of Parité under the Microscope in France: parties Play with rather than by the Rules.- 12. Ireland: Understanding Gender Quotas as a Stepping-Stone to Gender Transformation and Empowerment.- 13. Gender Quota and Local Political Parties: Varieties of Implementation in Italy.- 14. The Least That Could Have Been Done? The Ambiguous Effects of Gender Quotas in Polish Parliamentary Elections.- 15. Implementing Gender Quotas in Portugal - a Success Story?.- 16. Legislative Quotas and Political Representation in Serbia.- 17. Legislative Gender Quotas in Slovenia - Implemented but not Internalized.- 18. "It's the Party, Stupid!": Success of and Resistance to Gender Quotas in Spain.