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Mothers and Others

Mothers and Others

The Role of Parenthood in Politics

Edited by Melanee Thomas and Amanda Bittner

Published by: University of British Columbia Press

Imprint: UBC Press

372 Pages, 152.00 × 229.00 mm, 13 charts, 30 tables

Paperback
9780774834599
Published: April 2018

£28.99

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Hardcover
9780774834582
Published: September 2017

£76.00

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Description
Contents
Authors
Praise

When women in politics interact with reporters, opponents, and constituents, they are forced to confront their parental status. If they have children, they are questioned about their competence in both their public and private lives. If they don't, they face criticism for not understanding or relating to key policy domains. This "damned if you do, damned if you don't" conundrum raises difficult questions about the intersection of gender, parental status, and politics.

Mothers and Others examines key areas of citizen engagement with the political system – political careers, the media, and political behaviour – to argue that being a parent is a gendered political identity that influences how, why, and to what extent women (and men) engage with politics. The first major comparative analysis of the role of parenthood in politics, Mothers and Others makes important observations about what we know and what we still need to find out.

Introduction

1 The "Mommy Problem"? Gender, Parental Status, and Politics / Melanee Thomas and Amanda Bittner

Part 1: Parental Status and Political Careers

2 The (M)otherhood Trap: Reconsidering Sex, Gender, and Legislative Recruitment / Rosie Campbell and Sarah Childs

3 Lactating Mothers in Parliament: Beyond Accommodation / Barbara Arneil

4 Motherhood and Politics in Latin America: Continuity and Change / Susan Franceschet, Jennifer M. Piscopo, and Gwynn Thomas

5 "Society Is Balanced, So Local Boards Should Be Balanced Too": Gatekeeper Attitudes toward the Gender Balance Law in Iowa / Rebecca J. Hannagan and Christopher W. Larimer

6 Conservative Mothers in Politics: Pushing and Reinforcing Ideological Boundaries / Ronnee Schreiber

Part 2: Communications and Campaign Strategy

7 Private Mom versus Political Dad? Communications of Parental Status in the 41st Canadian Parliament / Melanee Thomas and Lisa Lambert

8 Mothers and the Media on the Campaign Trail / Melissa K. Miller

9 Identity and Activism in an Era of Politicized Motherhood / Carrie A. Langner, Jill S. Greenlee, and Grace Deason

Part 3: Parenthood and Opinion, Participation and Behaviour

10 The Parent Gap in Political Attitudes: Mothers versus Others / Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant and Amanda Bittner

11 Context, Motherhood, and the Gender Gap in Political Knowledge / Janine Giles

12 Attitudes toward Work, Motherhood, and Parental Leave in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom / Allison Harell, Stuart Soroka, Shanto Iyengar, and Valérie Lapointe

13 Motherhood's Role in Shaping Political and Civic Participation / Brenda O'Neill and Elisabeth Gidengil

14 Toying Around with the Future: Sustainability within Families / Michele Micheletti and Dietlind Stolle

15 Gender, Parenthood, and Politics: What Do We Still Need to Know? / Amanda Bittner and Melanee Thomas

Conclusion

Index

Melanee Thomas is an associate professor of political science at the University of Calgary. Amanda Bittner is an associate professor of political science at Memorial University. Contributors: Barbara Arnei, Rosie Campbell, Sarah Childs, Grace Deason, Susan Franceschet, Elisabeth Gidengil, Janine Giles, Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant, Jill S. Greenlee, Rebecca J. Hannagan, Allison Harell, Shanto Iyengar, Lisa Lambert, Valérie Lapointe , Carrie A. Langner, Christopher W. Larimer, Michele Micheletti, Melissa K. Miller, Brenda O'Neil, Jennifer M. Piscopo, Ronnee Schreiber, Stuart Soroka, Dietlind Stolle, and Gwynn Thomas

Melanee Thomas and Amanda Bittner have assembled a fascinating and important exploration of the role, understanding, and perceptions of mothers and motherhood within the realm of politics. - Lilly Goren, Political Science, Carroll University (New Books Network)