Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

11-2013

Abstract

Although home to the majority of the world's women, Asia is the continent with the smallest proportion of women in Parliament. Rarely studied from a comparative perspective, this article examines the uneven representation of women in the lower houses of contemporary Asian parliaments. While socio-economic modernization and industrialization are generally expected to increase the proportion of women in positions of political influence, we find that differences in electoral and party systems across Asia play a greater role than levels of female literacy, urbanization, or per capita income. In particular, Asian parliaments with strict quotas and a higher number of (three of more) major political parties had significantly more female MPs. We also found cultural attitudes supportive of women in the public sphere to make a difference along with multi-member districts and parties on the political left. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2013.

Keywords

Asia, Parliament, Political Parties, Representation, Women

Discipline

Asian Studies | Political Science | Politics and Social Change | Public Administration

Research Areas

Political Science

Publication

African and Asian Studies

Volume

12

Issue

4

First Page

352

Last Page

372

ISSN

1569-2094

Identifier

10.1163/15692108-12341272

Publisher

Brill

Copyright Owner and License

Publisher

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1163/15692108-12341272

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