Gendered & Partisan Co-sponsorship Behaviours among State Legislators in the U.S

• In Event: Identity & Representation

Abstract

Previous research has highlighted that gender and partisan affiliations influence legislative behaviour in significant ways. However, such studies focus on the legislative behaviour of individual members of parliament (MPs). As such, little is known about how gendered characteristics and partisan affiliations influence relationships among MPs within the parliament. In this article, we focus on the co-sponsorship behaviours of state legislators to understand how gendered and partisanship interests influence how networks of relationships are formed and how this, by extension, determines the extent of effectiveness of the legislators. Using the bill sponsorship and co-sponsorship records of the 93rd to 102nd Illinois House of Representatives assembly, we find that while female MPs prefer to cosponsor with fellow female MPs, men are more outward-facing in their co-sponsorship behaviours. Similarly, while female MPs are less bipartisan in their co-sponsorship behaviours, male MPs are more open to collaborating with others from outside their parties. We argue that these gendered and partisan dynamics in the co-sponsorship network are not just due to an inherent tendency for intra-group homophily in social networks but also the fear of electoral penalties from constituents who may consider such venturing beyond defined partisan and gendered boundaries unacceptable.

Authors

• Ayodeji Temitope Oyekunle, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

• Omomayowa Olawale Abati, Stellenbosch University