Magda Hinojosa is Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. She is the author of Selecting Women, Electing Women: Political Representation and Candidate Selection in Latin America. She has also authored numerous book chapters and articles that have appeared in journals, including Politics & Gender, Latin American Politics & Society, and Party Politics. Miki Caul Kittilson is Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on challenges to democratic inclusion across a variety of countries. She has previously published articles and books on women, gender and politics, political parties, courts, and political participation. She is the co-author of The Gendered Effects of Electoral Institutions: Political Engagement and Participation (with Leslie Schwindt-Bayer). Her research has also appeared in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, International Organization, Comparative Political Studies, Politics, Groups and Identities, Perspectives on Politics, Party Politics, Political Behavior and Politics & Gender.
Hinojosa and Kittilson's superb book compels us to rethink conventional arguments about why electing women matters. Their original theoretical framework puts the visibility of elected women at its center, predicting attitudinal change not simply when women's presence in office grows, but when the public notices increases in the number of women elected. The book's sophisticated research design incorporates cross-national analysis and in-depth study of one crucial case, and the data sources include original surveys, elite interviews, and newspaper coverage. The book is essential reading not just for those interested in gender and politics but for all students of political behavior. The key take-away from the book is that visible gains in women's office-holding are integral to sustaining strong democracies. -- Susan Franceschet, Professor of Political Science, University of Calgary Combining innovative methodological approaches, Hinojosa and Kittilson demonstrate that quotas enhance women's political participation and engagement. Thoroughly and systematically researched, as well as eloquently written, their findings confirm the importance of women's presence for bolstering democracy. This book is an outstanding addition to the gender and politics literature and will be an excellent resource for years to come. -- Farida Jalalzai, Associate Dean of Global Initiatives and Engagement, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech University Seeing women in office makes citizens DL especially women DL more politically engaged. In this important book, Magda Hinojosa and Miki Kittilson use data from Latin America to show that when countries elect more women, and these women are visible, citizens' political participation increases. Their work offers an urgent and timely reminder for why breaking men's political dominance matters. Scholars and policymakers need to hear this message: increasing the visible diversity of elected officials ensures that democracy inspires and motivates all citizens. -- Jennifer M. Piscopo, Associate Professor of Politics, Occidental College