Gendered Pathways in Non-Elected Political Careers

Abstract

Non-elected political roles make up a large and influential share of contemporary governance, yet they remain underexamined in research on political careers. This panel assembles work that analyzes how gender shapes entry into, experiences within, and advancement through these positions - spanning international delegations and diplomatic posts, ministerial advisory teams, civil service leadership, parliamentary external relations, and political staff roles that often function as pipelines into elected office. By shifting attention beyond electoral arenas, the panel highlights the dynamics that structure women’s political influence in settings where public visibility is low but policy impact can be significant. The papers offer broad empirical range. They examine women’s representation in national delegations to the UN General Assembly, gendered hierarchies and career outcomes in Portugal’s ministerial private offices, the distribution of leadership roles in the European Parliament’s interparliamentary delegations, second-generation bias and restricted access to networks in the Kazakh civil service, how witnessing harassment directed at MPs affects staffers’ political ambition in Germany, the UK, and Austria, and patterns in the appointment of women permanent and deputy representatives across UN headquarters during a period of geopolitical tension and populist backlash. Collectively, the contributions show how gendered norms and organizational cultures interact to shape non-elected career trajectories. They demonstrate that these often overlooked arenas are essential for understanding who acquires expertise, gains strategic access, and ultimately enters or influences the political elite.

Title	Details
Vertical Gender Segregation among Civil Servants: Evidence from Kazakhstan	View Paper Details
The paradox of presence? Testing the negative role model effect of harassment towards MPs on their staffers' political careers	View Paper Details
Representation in a Shifting World Order: Women Diplomats at the UN	View Paper Details
Women's Representation in the Backrooms of Government: Career Pathways from Ministerial Advisers to Parliament	View Paper Details
Women Who? Regime Type and the Gender Imbalance in National Delegations to the UN General Assembly	View Paper Details
“Where are the Women?” Gender and Inter-Parliamentary Delegation Chairs in the European Parliament	View Paper Details