Female Political Representation

Dr Skinner will speak to the title of:

‘An archive of activism: gender and public history in postcolonial Africa’

There is a growing body of literature on women’s political participation in Africa. Much of this literature takes its cue from the reintroduction of multi-party democracy during the 1990s, reading women’s mobilisations as a part of a broader renaissance of civil society, and asking how women’s activism can be translated into increased representation in democratic institutions, and under what circumstances increased representation produces progressive gender policies. Dr Skinner’s research takes a different starting point. It returns to the so-called ‘lost decades’ of single-party and military rule (broadly the 1960s, 70s and 80s) and argues that donors can best support the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender equality) by first recognising how African women have organised themselves in specific settings, and the particular issues that have mattered most to them.’

Professor Cheeseman will speak to the title of:

‘The troubled relationship between democracy and gender inequality’

 “Does democracy promote gender equality when it comes to political representation? If not, why not? Over the last twenty years, the introduction of gender quotas has increased the number of women in parliaments around the world. However, these quotas have not been introduced where we might have expected - the world’s most democratic states. Instead, it has been authoritarian states that have led the way. This raises a number of important questions, including why authoritarian governments have prioritised gender equity and whether women who enter parliament in these countries have the potential to actually deliver policies that will bring about greater gender equity in government policy”. 

Session Leads: Professor Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy, Fellow of the Institute for Global Innovation and Dr Kate Skinner, Senior Lecturer in the History of Africa and its Diasporas, Fellow of the Institute for Global Innovation.

Seminar Series: Wednesday Lunchtimes at the IGI  

The IGI are pleased to invite you to our Wednesday lunchtime seminar series. Seminars are led by our theme leads, as well as external speakers. A buffet lunch is available from 12:00 with seminars between 12:30 and 13:30 followed by Q&A and networking opportunities.

All are welcome and are encouraged to promote seminars in their network and groups.