'A Job in Politics is not for Woman': Analysing Barriers to Women's Political Representation in CEE

This article discusses women’s political representation in Central and Eastern Europe in the fifteen years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the adoption of liberal democratic political systems in the region. It highlights the deepseated gender stereotypes that define women primarily as wives and mothers, with electoral politics seen as an appropriate activity for men, but less so for women. The article explores the ways in which conservative attitudes on gender roles hinders the supply of, and demand for, women in the politics of Central and Eastern Europe. It also discusses the manner in which the internalisation of traditional gender norms affects women’s parliamentary behaviour, as few champion women’s rights in the legislatures of the region. The article also finds that links between women MPs and women’s organisations are weak and fragmented, making coalition-building around agendas for women’s rights problematic.

Attitudes towards women in politics: Gender, generation and party identification in Ireland

This article analyzes the effects of gender, generation and party support towards a greater inclusion of women in politics in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It explores attitudes on this issue using the same question in the Irish National Election Study (INES) and the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT). The article documents a consistent gender gap in both polities that persists across the generations, despite controls for socio-demographic factors. It also reveals an unexpected generational effect that we explain as the enduring legacy of politicization to women’s rights during the 1970s. Support among party identifiers for more women in politics follows predictable lines, yet gender and generational patterns persist. The gender gap and generational patterns found in the two polities on the island provide reason for concern among those committed to gender equality in representation.

Women in Politics

this chapter provides a comprehensive discussion of the descriptive and substantive representation of women in Irish politics

Effects of Local Anesthetic on the Time Between Analgesic Boluses and the Duration of Labor in Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia: Prospective Study of Two Ultra-Low Dose Regimens of Ropivacaine and Sufentanil

BACKGROUND: Patient-controlled epidural analgesia with low concentrations of anesthetics is effective in reducing labor pain. The aim of this study was to assess and compare two ultra-low dose regimens of ropivacaine and sufentanil (0.1% ropivacaine plus 0.5 μg.ml-1 sufentanil vs. 0.06% ropivacaine plus 0.5 μg.ml-1 sufentanil) on the intervals between boluses and the duration of labor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this non-randomized prospective study, conducted between January and July 2010, two groups of parturients received patient-controlled epidural analgesia: Group I (n = 58; 1 mg.ml-1 ropivacaine + 0.5 μg.ml-1 sufentanil) and Group II (n = 57; 0.6 mg.ml-1 ropivacaine + 0.5 μg.ml-1 sufentanil). Rescue doses of ropivacaine at the concentration of the assigned group without sufentanil were administered as necessary. Pain, local anesthetic requirements, neuraxial blockade characteristics, labor and neonatal outcomes, and maternal satisfaction were recorded. RESULTS: The ropivacaine dose was greater in Group I (9.5 [7.7-12.7] mg.h-1 vs. 6.1 [5.1-9.8 mg.h-1], p < 0.001). A time increase between each bolus was observed in Group I (beta = 32.61 min, 95% CI [25.39; 39.82], p < 0.001), whereas a time decrease was observed in Group II (beta = -1.40 min, 95% CI [-2.44; -0.36], p = 0.009). The duration of the second stage of labor in Group I was significantly longer than that in Group II (78 min vs. 65 min, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Parturients receiving 0.06% ropivacaine exhibited less evidence of cumulative effects and exhibited faster second stage progression than those who received 0.1% ropivacaine.

Family hardship and cultural values: child labor in Malian artisanal gold mining communities

This paper contributes to the debate on child labor in small-scale mining communities, focusing specifically on the situation in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that the child labor now widespread in many of the region’s small-scale mining communities is a product of a combination of cultural issues, household-level poverty and rural livelihood diversification. Experiences from Komana West, a subsistence gold panning area in Southern Mali, are drawn upon to make this case. The findings suggest that the sector’s child labor “problem” is far more nuanced than international organizations and policymakers have diagnosed.

Gender stereotypes in politics: what changes when a woman becomes the local political leader?

This study documents how the presence of a woman in an executive political role affects the gender stereotype of women in politics. We use Brazilian electoral data and restrict our focus to close mayoral races (using an RDD design) in which the top two candidates are of opposite sexes. Our most important result was a reduction in the number of candidates and votes for female mayoral candidates after a woman is elected, regardless of her eligibility status for reelection. This negative result is linked only to the position of mayor and not to other political positions (councilor, state or federal deputy). In addition, our results may be interpreted as evidence that voters do not use their update on women as local leaders to change their beliefs on women’s ability to run for other political positions. Finally, female mayors do not appear to have a role model effect on younger cohorts of women. We also note that our results are not influenced by differences in mayoral policies (generally and specifically for women), which could influence voters’ gender stereotypes.

Division of labor in Ectatomma edentatum (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

The behavioral division of labor between queens and workers of E. edentatum was investigated under laboratory conditions. Each behavioral category of both castes was described by direct observation of the ants in the colonies. The spatial position and the behavior of each individual were recorded. A colony ethogram was constructed to determine comparatively the behavioral repertory of the 2 castes. Most of the members of the colonies, including the queens, occupied the 2nd chamber, which also contained the immature stages. Forty-two behavioral categories were recorded for the workers, and 28 for the queens. The comparison of the behavioral repertory of the 2 castes revealed that ovipositing a fecundated egg is an exclusive behavior of the queens, while the workers showed 15 exclusive behaviors. Queens were never seen foraging out of the nest. Twelve behaviors were common for both castes. Polygynic colonies have only 1 female with full-developed ovaries, which is the main egg layer of the group, a feature defining the social organization of colonies of E. edentatum as a functional monogyny.

Division of labor in pachycondyla striata Fr. Smith, 1858 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae)

Four colonies of the ant Pachycondyla striata were used to analyze the specie behavioral repertoire. Forty-six behavioral acts were recorded in laboratory. Here, we present the record the division of labor between the castes and the temporal polyethism of monomorphic workers. The queens carried out many of the behavioral traits recorded in this work however; they performed them less frequently compared to the worker. The workers activity involved chasing and feeding on fresh insects and usingthem to nourish larvae besides laying eggs in the C-posture, an activity also performed by queens, which is similar to that of wasps of the subfamily Stenogastrinae. The young workers were involved in activities of brood care, sexuate care, and nest maintenance, and the older workers were involved in defense, exploration, and foraging. © 2012 Adolfo da Silva-Melo and Edilberto Giannotti.

Division of labor in stable social hierarchy of the independent-founding wasp Mischocyttarus (Monocyttarus) cassununga, von Ihering (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Democratic theory and women's participation in politics: the Chilean case

Includes bibliography