The Causes and Consequences of Male Over-Representation – A Research Agenda

While there are many studies on gender and politics, nearly all of them focus on women rather than men. And while there are many studies of male elites, almost none of them recognises that men, as well as women, are gendered subjects. We propose a new direction of research that focuses on a gendered analysis of male elites. We are interested in the ways in which male elites reproduce, and the mechanisms by which they wield and maintain power. We consider the networks, socialisation, culture, and patterns of behaviour that reinforce male dominance within politics. We are also interested in masculinity and the way that this manifests itself within the political realm. How does this masculinity influence working environments and cultures, the kind of people who can enter politics and the types of outcomes that might emerge as a result? Finally, we are interested in exploring the domain of men’s interests, challenging the notion that these are met automatically in countries where men are over-represented within positions of political power. Examining politics through a gendered focus on men rather than women invites a raft of new questions that have yet to be explored systematically. Our paper proposes a research agenda for opening up a new field of study on men, masculinities and politics. We consider what causes and sustains male over-representation in politics, and what the consequences of male over-representation are for the performance and outcomes of politics.