Gender Stereotypes and Leadership Evaluations in Comparative Perspective – 4 November, EUI, Florence

Lecture by Jeffrey Karp (Brunel University of London)

A large body of research suggests that female politicians are subject to gender stereotypes. This research, however, has focused primarily on hypothetical figures who are not well known at all or candidates who are not well known. This paper examines whether such stereotypes apply to women who are extremely well known and the extent to which they are advantaged or disadvantaged by these stereotypes. Drawing on data from elections in nine countries over a 30-year period, this paper investigates what difference the gender of a prime minister makes in parliamentary elections. The findings challenge common gender stereotypes in the literature but nonetheless suggest that the gender of a leader matters to voters and can influence leadership evaluations and vote choice.

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