Conceptualizing the Impact of Gender Quotas

Abstract This chapter sets out the collective theory-building enterprise of the volume. The first section reviews quota policies around the world, as well as research on their introduction and numerical effects. The second section outlines major theories and findings regarding women’s descriptive, substantive, and symbolic representation. The third section draws these two literatures together, reviewing the preliminary evidence on how quotas influence the attributes of the women elected, the policy actions of female legislators, and constituent responses to female newcomers. The fourth section establishes definitions for theorizing and operationalizing quota impact with respect to these three facets of political representation. It concludes with an overview of the following chapters, noting how the authors develop their research agenda, as well as how they relate to one another.