Mainstreaming Democratic Backsliding: The Role of Gender Stereotypes

• In Event: Gender and Democratic Backsliding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Abstract

In recent years, illiberal radical-right parties have penetrated into the mainstream of national politics in many liberal democracies, representing a trend of “democratic backsliding.” Historically, such parties have been known as “Männerparteien” – men’s parties. Yet, women politicians have become increasingly prominent in many of them. We argue that women’s visibility as representatives of such agendas makes democratic backsliders, their policies, and their parties seem more legitimate and “acceptable,” and could help account for their growing public acceptance. We propose that the mechanism explaining this mainstreaming effect is the attribution of feminine gender stereotypes to women politicians, which counteract the “masculine” image of democratic backsliders. We test this “Gender Mainstreaming Model (GMM) of democratic backsliding” in a series of experimental studies (N=7203) in Israel, Germany, and the US. In all three contexts, we provide support for the GMM among those segments of the public which are typically most apprehensive about the radical-right.

Authors

• Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler, Reichman University (IDC Herzliya)

• Julia Elad-Strenger, Ben-Gurion University

• Lihi Ben Shitrit, New York University