A universal pattern of gender imbalance exists in the recruitment of women toelite political positions. Yet the reasons for this imbalance have not beenfully ex... » 

A universal pattern of gender imbalance exists in the recruitment of women toelite political positions. Yet the reasons for this imbalance have not beenfully explored.Politics Feminism and the Reformation of Gender considers the participationand representation of women in politics using empirical data drawn from 300indepth interviews. Research carried out in Scotland is used as a basis forcomparison with the more extensive research available in American literature.The experience of women in the former Soviet Union and in Finland IcelandNorway and Germany is also analyzed.Jennifer Chapman combines empirical and theoretical work to argue that thedistinct attributes of women do not constitute advantages in terms ofrecruitment in a maledominated political world. She explores the extent towhich the orientation of women to politics differs from that of men anddiscusses the effects of feminism and of recent changes in womens socialconditions on the resources motivations and prospects of young women nowentering the political realm. «