Working Women and Political Participation, 1952-1972

This paper examines the extent to which the sex differences in political participation (specifically participation in election campaigns) have narrowed over the last twenty years, and finds that the change is due to a particular group of women-those employed outside the home-who now participate at a rate equal to that of men. The possibility that sociodemographic changes in this group of women account for their increased participation is examined, as well as the connection between feminism and participation and the role of the 1972 election in mobilizing working women.