The Measurement Of Womens Interests

Author : Barbara A. Barnett
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 129 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (781 download)

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Download or read book The Politics of Women's Interests written by Barbara A. Barnett and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interest groups play a central role in a Democrcy. This study is an investigation of the nature and dynamics of women's interest groups and their impact on the legislative process in the 1980's. It evaluates the political activities of women's organizations as they relate to the public policy agenda promoting economic equity. the focus is on the role of women's political organizations as agents of change in employment policy, i.e., the Economic Equity Acts of the 1980's developed to implement the Equal Rights Amendment. These issues were selected because they were representative of major legislation which could change the lives of women in increased pay, job opportunities and job protection. This study utilized survey research and multiple case study methods. Data was gathered by surveying national women's organizations, conducting personal interviews, and multiple case studies by examining existing information through document study and consultation. the research question concerned the politics of women's interests, i.e., the factors that determine access with respect to the legislative process. What strategic choices do women's interest groups make when seeking political involvement and effectiveness? the method tested assumptions regarding the relative utility of political resources within the national legislative arena. the hypothesis suggests linkages between political resources and access to public policy development. Ninety-three organizations representing women have maintained offices in Washington D.C. and requested a listing in the index of the Washington Representatives 1992 directory. Questionnaires and interviews with a representative sample of the interest groups revealed: (1) Women's interest groups that are national in scope have increased in number, diversity, fragmentation and conflict, yet unite on issues in pursuit of political change. (2) Membership and coalition building are the political activities that determine access with respect to legislation. (3) From 1980 to 1990 the factors contributing to access to public policymaking benefiting women have translated into legislative incrementalism due to the influence of the special interest groups. Controlling factions may be the basis of democracy, but the pluralist model in which the diversity of interests prevents the domination of any one interest did not prevail in the 1980's. the proliferation of interest groups was assumed to open up the political process and the plethora of new issues, however, it did not curb the influence of the special interests. Patriarchy, ideology and a lack of resources in a quantity equal to the opposition acted as major barriers to equal opportunity for women.