Relation Between Governmental System and Gender Equality Polity Strength? Variation of Institutional Coherence as Predictor of Institutional Tensions and Limited Mission Achievement
33 Pages Posted: 5 Aug 2014
Date Written: 2014
Abstract
This paper studies the relation between governmental system and gender equality polity of 81 countries (2010). In particular the institutional coherence of gender equality polities with the governmental system they work in may matter for achieving gender equality in society. Governmental systems such as presidentialism and parlamentarism may account for some of the variation of gender equality polity strength. The gender equality polity of a state comprises all administrative state entities designated to promote women's empowerment or gender equality in one country. Based on two theoretically derived hypotheses I developed predictions for gender equality polity patterns in the primary branches of government. My empirical hypotheses test shows that the governmental system makes a difference for gender equality polity strength. Only presidential countries display an institutional coherence. For the other governmental systems a considerable level of institutional tensions may account for poor performance of gender equality polities.
Keywords: Governmental system, women's policy agency, coherence, institutional tension
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation