What if there were more women in Congress? Providing the first comprehensive study of the policy activity of male and female legislators at the federal level, Michele L. Swers persuasively demonstrates that, even though representatives often vote a party line, their gender is politicallly significant and does indeed influence policy making. Swers combines quantitative analyses of bills with interviews with legislators and their staff to compare legislative activity on women's issues by male and female members of the House of Representatives during the 103rd (1993-94) and 104th (1995-96) Congresses. Tracking representatives' commitment to women's issues throughout the legislative process, from the introduction of bills through committee consideration to final floor votes, Swers examines how the prevailing political context and members' positions within Congress affect whether and how aggressively they pursue women's issues. Anyone studying congressional behaviour, the role of women or the reperesentation of social identities in Congress should benefit from Swers's balanced and nuanced analysis.

About the Author
Michele L. Swers is assistant professor of government at Georgetown University.

Reviews
"In the first systematic, quantitative examination of the impact of women in the House of Representatives, Michele Swers provides a basis for evaluating the potential impact women might have were they in more influential positions. The Difference Women Make is an important contribution to the literature on women in politics and on Congress." - Barbara Sinclair, author of Unorthodox Lawmaking: New Legislative Processes in the U.S. Congress



Book Information
ISBN 9780226786490
Author Michele L. Swers
Format Paperback
Page Count 201
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 312g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 17mm * 1mm