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Articles by Sheri Kunovich

Research paper thumbnail of Gender in Politics

Annual Review of Sociology, 2007

Women's political participation and representation vary dramatically within and between countries... more Women's political participation and representation vary dramatically within and between countries. We selectively review the literature on gender in politics, focusing on women's formal political participation. We discuss both traditional explanations for women's political participation and representation, such as the supply of women and the demand for women, and newer explanations such as the role of international actors and gender quotas. We also ask whether women are distinctive-does having more women in office make a difference to public policy? Throughout the review we demonstrate that a full understanding of women's political representation requires both deep knowledge of individual cases such as the United States and broad knowledge comparing women's participation across countries. We end with four recommended directions for future research: (a) globalizing theory and research, (b) expanding data collection,

Papers by Sheri Kunovich

Research paper thumbnail of Unexpected Winners: The Significance of an Open-List System on Women’s Representation in Poland

Politics and Gender

Scholars have debated the impact of open-list systems on women's representation. While some a... more Scholars have debated the impact of open-list systems on women's representation. While some argue that open lists provide a unique opportunity for voters to overcome parties' bias against women, others argue that they create additional barriers. I examine several mechanisms that impact women's representation within Poland's open-list system. Results suggest that 1) voters shift women's original list placements positively across all parties over three elections; 2) these shifts are more pronounced when women's overall presence on the list and list placement are lower, regardless of party; and 3) positive shifts often result in the election of substantially more women than would have been expected. These findings add to our understanding of open-list systems by documenting variability in the effects of preferential voting across time and party in a postcommunist context. In addition, the unexpected positive effects of preferential voting in Poland add to a grow...

Research paper thumbnail of Structural Inequality, Dependency, and Gender Attitudes: A Cross-national Analysis

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of the Economic Transition in Poland on Vulnerable Populations

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, May 31, 2005

The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establis... more The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establish one of the strongest economies in Eastern Europe today. Not all parts of society have benefited equally from the positive economic picture however. Those who are unemployed, living on a pension, single parents, or residents of rural communities are at risk of living in poverty in Poland's new economic environment. This paper assesses the views of people in these four groups in terms of their perceived need for basic necessities (money for food, rent, and medicine) and for luxury activities (culture, relaxation, and education). The findings have implications for social welfare policies and services in Poland.

Research paper thumbnail of Representing Gender: Constructing a Feminine Identity in the House of Representatives

West and Zimmerman (1987) argue that gender is something that is accomplished and actively produc... more West and Zimmerman (1987) argue that gender is something that is accomplished and actively produced. In this paper we examine the extent to which female elected representatives choose to highlight their status as women and use gendered imagery and references to promote ...

Research paper thumbnail of Internet Autobiographies: Female Politicians' Representations of Gender

Research in Political Sociology, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Women's Political Representation: The Importance of Ideology

Social Forces, 2003

... 2,000). By aggregating individual responses to questions about women's place in politics... more ... 2,000). By aggregating individual responses to questions about women's place in politics, education, and the labor force, we can create a measure of national genderideology to help predict women's political representation. Our ...

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of the Economic Transition in Poland on Vulnerable Populations

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 2005

The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establis... more The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establish one of the strongest economies in Eastern Europe today. Not all parts of society have benefited equally from the positive economic picture however. Those who are unemployed, living on a pension, single parents, or residents of rural communities are at risk of living in poverty in Poland's new economic environment. This paper assesses the views of people in these four groups in terms of their perceived need for basic necessities (money for food, rent, and medicine) and for luxury activities (culture, relaxation, and education). The findings have implications for social welfare policies and services in Poland.

Research paper thumbnail of Gender Dependence and Attitudes toward the Distribution of Household Labor: A Comparative and Multilevel Analysis

International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 2008

ABSTRACT We use comparative and multilevel methods to examine attitudes toward the distribution o... more ABSTRACT We use comparative and multilevel methods to examine attitudes toward the distribution of household labor in 32 countries. We test hypotheses derived from Baxter and Kane's (1995) gender dependence theory, which suggests complex relationships between societal-level gender dependence, individual-level gender dependence, and gender attitudes. Country-level data are from the United Nations and survey data are from the International Social Survey Programme's 2002 Family and Changing Gender Roles III module. Our analysis is among the first to combine societal and individual indicators of gender dependence using multilevel modeling and to test for cross-level interactions between societal and individual gender dependence. Results provide mixed support for gender dependence theory and suggest several revisions — especially pertaining to men's attitudes.

Research paper thumbnail of Systems of Distribution and a Sense of Equity: A Multilevel Analysis of Meritocratic Attitudes in Post-industrial Societies

European Sociological Review, 2007

Meritocratic attitudes are defined as general beliefs that education and its correlates should de... more Meritocratic attitudes are defined as general beliefs that education and its correlates should determine personal economic outcomes. Using the International Social Survey Project (ISSP): Social Inequality Module (1992), we examine both individual-level and country-level determinants of pro-meritocratic attitudes. According to self-interest and rational-action theories, individuals with high educational attainment and high personal income are expected to have strong meritocratic beliefs because meritocracy is in their best interest-they would gain under such a system. At the same time, both modernization and post-industrial theories imply that persons living in countries with a high degree of societal meritocracy hold stronger meritocratic beliefs than persons living in countries with low degree of societal meritocracy. Results of the Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analysis on a data set including 7,972 persons from 14 countries indicate that the impact of individuals' education and income on meritocratic attitudes occurred as theoretically predicted. We also demonstrate that the relationship between the degree of societal meritocracy and the degree of support for such a system is statistically significant even if national wealth and educational stock (as well as individual-level variables) are controlled. In addition, we discovered that at the beginning of the 1990s a post-communist regime had a negative effect on support for meritocracy.

Research paper thumbnail of The Representation of Polish and Czech Women in National Politics: Predicting Electoral List Position

Comparative Politics, 2003

ABSTRACT Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2000. Includes bibliographical references (leaves ... more ABSTRACT Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2000. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-45). Advisor: Goldie Shabad, Dept. of Political Science.

Research paper thumbnail of Pathways to Power: The Role of Political Parties in Women’s National Political Representation

American Journal of Sociology, 2005

The authors extend previous research on women's participation in politics by examining the role o... more The authors extend previous research on women's participation in politics by examining the role of female elites in political parties in selecting and supporting women as political candidates. They hypothesize that political parties, in their role as gatekeepers, mediate the relationship between country-level factors, such as women's participation in the labor force, and political outcomes for women. The article focuses on three outcomes for women: the percentage of female political party leaders, the percentage of female candidates in a country, and the percentage of women elected. New cross-national measures of women's inclusion in political parties are developed and analyzed in a cross-national, path-analytic model of women in politics to find that (1) women's position in party elites translates into gains for women as candidates only under proportional representation systems, (2) women's position in party elites increases the likelihood that female candidates will be elected only in nonproportional representation systems, and (3) parties may be overly sensitive to the perceived liability of women as candidates, when in fact, women have success as candidates across all regions of the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Gender in Politics

Annual Review of Sociology, 2007

Women's political participation and representation vary dramatically within and between countries... more Women's political participation and representation vary dramatically within and between countries. We selectively review the literature on gender in politics, focusing on women's formal political participation. We discuss both traditional explanations for women's political participation and representation, such as the supply of women and the demand for women, and newer explanations such as the role of international actors and gender quotas. We also ask whether women are distinctive-does having more women in office make a difference to public policy? Throughout the review we demonstrate that a full understanding of women's political representation requires both deep knowledge of individual cases such as the United States and broad knowledge comparing women's participation across countries. We end with four recommended directions for future research: (a) globalizing theory and research, (b) expanding data collection,

Research paper thumbnail of Unexpected Winners: The Significance of an Open-List System on Women’s Representation in Poland

Politics and Gender

Scholars have debated the impact of open-list systems on women's representation. While some a... more Scholars have debated the impact of open-list systems on women's representation. While some argue that open lists provide a unique opportunity for voters to overcome parties' bias against women, others argue that they create additional barriers. I examine several mechanisms that impact women's representation within Poland's open-list system. Results suggest that 1) voters shift women's original list placements positively across all parties over three elections; 2) these shifts are more pronounced when women's overall presence on the list and list placement are lower, regardless of party; and 3) positive shifts often result in the election of substantially more women than would have been expected. These findings add to our understanding of open-list systems by documenting variability in the effects of preferential voting across time and party in a postcommunist context. In addition, the unexpected positive effects of preferential voting in Poland add to a grow...

Research paper thumbnail of Structural Inequality, Dependency, and Gender Attitudes: A Cross-national Analysis

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of the Economic Transition in Poland on Vulnerable Populations

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, May 31, 2005

The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establis... more The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establish one of the strongest economies in Eastern Europe today. Not all parts of society have benefited equally from the positive economic picture however. Those who are unemployed, living on a pension, single parents, or residents of rural communities are at risk of living in poverty in Poland's new economic environment. This paper assesses the views of people in these four groups in terms of their perceived need for basic necessities (money for food, rent, and medicine) and for luxury activities (culture, relaxation, and education). The findings have implications for social welfare policies and services in Poland.

Research paper thumbnail of Representing Gender: Constructing a Feminine Identity in the House of Representatives

West and Zimmerman (1987) argue that gender is something that is accomplished and actively produc... more West and Zimmerman (1987) argue that gender is something that is accomplished and actively produced. In this paper we examine the extent to which female elected representatives choose to highlight their status as women and use gendered imagery and references to promote ...

Research paper thumbnail of Internet Autobiographies: Female Politicians' Representations of Gender

Research in Political Sociology, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Women's Political Representation: The Importance of Ideology

Social Forces, 2003

... 2,000). By aggregating individual responses to questions about women's place in politics... more ... 2,000). By aggregating individual responses to questions about women's place in politics, education, and the labor force, we can create a measure of national genderideology to help predict women's political representation. Our ...

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of the Economic Transition in Poland on Vulnerable Populations

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 2005

The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establis... more The economic changes that began with the fall of communism in 1989 have helped Poland to establish one of the strongest economies in Eastern Europe today. Not all parts of society have benefited equally from the positive economic picture however. Those who are unemployed, living on a pension, single parents, or residents of rural communities are at risk of living in poverty in Poland's new economic environment. This paper assesses the views of people in these four groups in terms of their perceived need for basic necessities (money for food, rent, and medicine) and for luxury activities (culture, relaxation, and education). The findings have implications for social welfare policies and services in Poland.

Research paper thumbnail of Gender Dependence and Attitudes toward the Distribution of Household Labor: A Comparative and Multilevel Analysis

International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 2008

ABSTRACT We use comparative and multilevel methods to examine attitudes toward the distribution o... more ABSTRACT We use comparative and multilevel methods to examine attitudes toward the distribution of household labor in 32 countries. We test hypotheses derived from Baxter and Kane's (1995) gender dependence theory, which suggests complex relationships between societal-level gender dependence, individual-level gender dependence, and gender attitudes. Country-level data are from the United Nations and survey data are from the International Social Survey Programme's 2002 Family and Changing Gender Roles III module. Our analysis is among the first to combine societal and individual indicators of gender dependence using multilevel modeling and to test for cross-level interactions between societal and individual gender dependence. Results provide mixed support for gender dependence theory and suggest several revisions — especially pertaining to men's attitudes.

Research paper thumbnail of Systems of Distribution and a Sense of Equity: A Multilevel Analysis of Meritocratic Attitudes in Post-industrial Societies

European Sociological Review, 2007

Meritocratic attitudes are defined as general beliefs that education and its correlates should de... more Meritocratic attitudes are defined as general beliefs that education and its correlates should determine personal economic outcomes. Using the International Social Survey Project (ISSP): Social Inequality Module (1992), we examine both individual-level and country-level determinants of pro-meritocratic attitudes. According to self-interest and rational-action theories, individuals with high educational attainment and high personal income are expected to have strong meritocratic beliefs because meritocracy is in their best interest-they would gain under such a system. At the same time, both modernization and post-industrial theories imply that persons living in countries with a high degree of societal meritocracy hold stronger meritocratic beliefs than persons living in countries with low degree of societal meritocracy. Results of the Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analysis on a data set including 7,972 persons from 14 countries indicate that the impact of individuals' education and income on meritocratic attitudes occurred as theoretically predicted. We also demonstrate that the relationship between the degree of societal meritocracy and the degree of support for such a system is statistically significant even if national wealth and educational stock (as well as individual-level variables) are controlled. In addition, we discovered that at the beginning of the 1990s a post-communist regime had a negative effect on support for meritocracy.

Research paper thumbnail of The Representation of Polish and Czech Women in National Politics: Predicting Electoral List Position

Comparative Politics, 2003

ABSTRACT Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2000. Includes bibliographical references (leaves ... more ABSTRACT Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2000. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-45). Advisor: Goldie Shabad, Dept. of Political Science.

Research paper thumbnail of Pathways to Power: The Role of Political Parties in Women’s National Political Representation

American Journal of Sociology, 2005

The authors extend previous research on women's participation in politics by examining the role o... more The authors extend previous research on women's participation in politics by examining the role of female elites in political parties in selecting and supporting women as political candidates. They hypothesize that political parties, in their role as gatekeepers, mediate the relationship between country-level factors, such as women's participation in the labor force, and political outcomes for women. The article focuses on three outcomes for women: the percentage of female political party leaders, the percentage of female candidates in a country, and the percentage of women elected. New cross-national measures of women's inclusion in political parties are developed and analyzed in a cross-national, path-analytic model of women in politics to find that (1) women's position in party elites translates into gains for women as candidates only under proportional representation systems, (2) women's position in party elites increases the likelihood that female candidates will be elected only in nonproportional representation systems, and (3) parties may be overly sensitive to the perceived liability of women as candidates, when in fact, women have success as candidates across all regions of the world.