Although the 2018 midterm elections have not yet been held, it is already clear that one of the biggest stories that will be in the headlines on November 7th will have to do with women’s engagement with the political process. Voter turnout is expected to be unusually high among women, and the “gender gap” in party preferences—with women being much more likely than men to favor Democratic candidates—seems to be wider than it has ever been. What’s more, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of women running for office. In fact, more than 40 percent of Democratic nominees for seats in the House of Representatives are women (compared to about 10 percent of Republican nominees). The essays in this dialogue offer insight into some aspects of women’s increasing involvement in the political process. What factors led so many women into politics (drawing them to the voting booth as well as leading them to run for office)? How may women’s increasing representation in political office reshape relationships between social movements and institutionalized politics in the years to come?
This month, we have a great assortment of essays and videos from scholars, activists, and scholar-activists.
Thanks to our wonderful group of contributors on this topic:
- Dé Bryant, Indiana University-South Bend, Social Action Project (SOCACT) (video)
- Jorden Giger – South Bend, IN activist (essay)
- April Lidinski, Indiana University-South Bend (essay)
- Deana A. Rohlinger, Florida State University (essay)
- Zakiya Luna, University of California, Santa Barbara (essay)
Editors in Chief,
Grace Yukich, David Ortiz, Rory McVeigh, Guillermo Trejo
Mobilizing Ideas 