The Politics of Perception: How Beliefs About Women's Inclusion Shape Democratic Legitimacy in the US...

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Katelyn E. Stauffer (Associate Professor of Political Science, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Georgia)

The Politics of Perception

Name: The Politics of Perception
Price: 245.95 AUD
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ISBN: 9780197811023

How Beliefs About Women's Inclusion Shape Democratic Legitimacy in the US

Katelyn E. Stauffer (Associate Professor of Political Science, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Georgia)

$245.95

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
26 May 2026

Gender studies: women; Comparative politics; Political structure & processes

In 1992, Dianne Feinstein, noting the number of women in the Senate, declared that, ""two percent may be good enough for milk, but it is not good enough for the United States Senate."" At the heart of Feinstein's quote was a simple message: women's inclusion in politics matters. Despite the power of this message, scholars continue to debate whether and how women's inclusion in politics shapes public views of political institutions, but with no clear consensus. In The Politics of Perception, Katelyn E. Stauffer tackles one of the central debates in research on women and politics--to what extent does the presence of women in office shape citizens' confidence in government and their views on democratic legitimacy? Stauffer unpacks the contradictions of previous research and develops a framework that allows us to gain a better understanding of when, how, and which citizens link the concepts of women's inclusion and democratic legitimacy. Applying this framework to survey data on a variety of political attitudes collected from 2015-2022, Stauffer offers clear and compelling evidence that Americans do view women's inclusion as a component of good governance. For example, women's perceived inclusion is associated with higher levels of trust, approval, and external efficacy. Women's inclusion also leads to an increase in positive associations with the legislative process, as well as greater confidence in institutions' policy expertise and ability to produce effective outcomes across a host of issue areas. Addressing a long-debated topic in the discipline, The Politics of Perception provides critical insights into our understanding of the relationship between descriptive representation and trust in government, legitimacy, and equality.

By: Katelyn E. Stauffer (Associate Professor of Political Science Associate Professor of Political Science University of Georgia)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 21mm
Weight: 594g
ISBN: 9780197811023
ISBN 10: 0197811027
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 26 May 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowldgments List of Tables List of Figures Chapter 1: The Consequences of Women's Inclusion in Politics Chapter 2: Women's Descriptive and Symbolic Representation: A New Approach to Old Chapter 3: What Do Americans Know About Women's Inclusion in Office? And Who Knows It? Chapter 4: Perceived Inclusion and Feelings of External Efficacy, Trust, and Approval Chapter 5: How Perceived Inclusion Shapes Evaluations of Institutional Capacity Chapter 6: Does Partisanship Moderate the Relationship Between Perceived Inclusion and Attitudes Towards Government? Chapter 7: Making Misperceptions Reality Chapter 8: Conclusion Appendices Notes References Index

Katelyn E. Stauffer is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgia. Her research addresses questions related to how the public responds to the presence of women in positions of power and how women wield power in non-elected positions. Her work has been published in journals such as the American Political Science Review and American Journal of Political Science among other outlets, and her research has been the recipient of multiple awards.