A Theory of Gendered Political Authority under Quotas

• In Event: Emerging Trends in the Study of Bureaucracy in the Developing World

Abstract

How do women gain political legitimacy in settings where they have historically lacked influence? In particular, how do they navigate bureaucracies, the main institution that shapes their ability to implement policies, which has predominantly been represented by men? In this chapter, I link how women's primary pathway into politics globally—gender quotas—creates conditions that limit their institutional and political authority after they are elected to office. I examine this question in India, where approximately 95% of women at the village level are elected through gender quotas. By entering through this pathway, women are perceived as being elected through "easy to win'' seats with less competition and with lesser experience than non-quota candidates. Subsequently, women may face a penalty when they interact with the bureaucracy. This chapter theorizes how women's entry into politics through quotas shapes bureaucrats' perceptions of their competence, ability to mobilize citizens for policies, and their networks within politics and bureaucracy. It then expands on why bureaucratic perceptions of these three factors shape their incentives to assist men politicians over women politicians, who are significantly more likely to be non-quota candidates, in resource-constrained settings.

Author

• Bhumi Purohit, Georgetown University