This innovative textbook provides students with a lively and
wide-ranging introduction to the roles and achievements of women in
contemporary politics. Accessibly written for an undergraduate
readership, the book addresses both theoretical and empirical
approaches to understanding women's participation in politics as
candidates, party members, elected representatives, cabinet
ministers and leaders. It focuses on the presence of women in
formal political institutions across a broad range of countries,
including the UK, France, Norway, Germany, Russia, the United
States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India, to demonstrate
that women are, at last, beginning to exert pressure on political
affairs by behaving differently from men.

The book is divided into sections, each of which focuses on a
different area of political activity - for example, the
development of women's political activism and feminist engagement
with political theory; voting and elections; political parties and
the specifics of women's partisanship; parliaments; local and
international government. Each chapter contains a concise
introduction outlining the core issues for discussion, a concluding
summary of key points and an annotated guide to further
reading.

Women in Contemporary Politics will be an invaluable resource
for all students of politics and international relations. It is the
only book of its kind to offer such a comprehensive and up-to-date
exploration of the theory and practice of politics from the female
perspective.