DSPO 25A94 - Gender and Political behavior in a comparative perspective

This course offers a comparative and research-based introduction to the study of gender and politics, with a particular focus on political behavior. It examines how gender shapes political attitudes, voting patterns, participation in institutional politics and social movements, as well as access to political leadership and representation. Drawing on empirical research, the course explores why women and men sometimes differ in their political involvement and preferences, and how gender norms and sexist attitudes influence political behavior and party support. It also addresses feminist debates on the division between public and private spheres and considers how political institutions, parties, media, and public policies both reflect and reproduce gender inequalities. Throughout the course, special attention is paid to intersectionality, highlighting how gender interacts with other social inequalities, and to the normative and political implications of persistent gendered disparities in political participation and power.

The aim of the class is to answer the following question: How does gender shape political participation, attitudes, and access to power in contemporary democracies? To explore this question, the course is structured around a progressive and cumulative logic that moves from broad, structural perspectives to more individual-level mechanisms of political behavior. It begins with a historical examination of women’s access to political citizenship, situating gender inequalities within the development of democratic systems. The course then focuses on key political actors and arenas, including political parties and women’s participation at the elite level, before turning to patterns of political participation and political efficacy among citizens. Building on this foundation, subsequent sessions analyze gender gaps in political attitudes and voting behavior, with particular attention to support for radical right parties and the role of sexist attitudes as a political mechanism. The course concludes by broadening the analysis through an intersectional lens, highlighting how gender interacts with other social inequalities to shape political behavior and representation. Throughout the course, sessions are linked by a transversal focus on how gendered norms, institutions, and attitudes structure political participation and power.

No prior knowledge is required to follow this course. Students are not expected to complete any readings before the first session.

Assessment is based on four components designed to progressively develop students’ analytical and research skills. Students complete a group case study presentation (25%) linking an empirical case to course concepts, a short progress report (15%) outlining the topic, research puzzle, and question for their final project, and a final paper (50%) in the form of a research proposal (approx. 4,000 words) including a research question, engagement with academic literature, and a proposed research design. Active participation throughout the semester (10%) is also required, including preparation of readings and contributions to class discussions.