Empowerment versus backlash: gender quotas and critical mass theory

AbstractKarpowitz, Mendelberg, and Mattioli [Politics, Groups, and Identities 3 (1): 149–177. doi:10.1080/21565503.2014.999804] present an important new contribution to debates on critical mass theory, exploring the conditional effects of women's increased presence in organizations stemming from the use of different decision-making rules. Distinct from other work, they focus on the process of representation, theorizing gendered opportunities and constraints for women to exercise political influence. Like other critical mass scholars, however, they overlook the possibility of backlash and resistance in the face of women's growing numbers – dynamics which undercut women's ability to participate as equals and thus potentially undermine recent policy initiatives like gender quotas to elect more women and give women greater voice in policy-making processes.Keywords: gender and politicsgender quotascritical mass theorybacklash theory FundingThe research and writing of this article was supported by the National Science Foundation's Early Career Development (CAREER) Program [Award SES-1341129].Notes1. Inter-Parliamentary Union, “Women in National Parliaments: Situation as of 1 January 1997,” at http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/arc/world010197.htm.2. Inter-Parliamentary Union, “Women in National Parliaments: Situation as of 1 December 2014,” at http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/world.htm.3. Interview, 6 August 2014.