Political Representation at the Individual Level to Test Intersectionality

Abstract

Electoral representation can ensure that the particular interests of different groups in society are present in governments and legislatures. Here individual representation scores are calculated to examine how well individuals are represented in left-right and four other issue domains, giving full consideration to intersectionality. Using data from the European Social Survey and the Chapel Hill Expert Survey, this paper examines whether intersectionality – as interactions of sex, age, and minority status – affects political representation, and what consequences differences in representation have on trust. Little evidence for intersectionality is found for the broad topics considered.

Keywords: intersectionality, political representation, left-right, gender, ethnicity

JEL Classification: D72, J15, J16