Former Visiting Fellow Amy Erica Smith coauthored a recent article in International Political Science Review that explores the determinants of support for women’s representation in the Arab world.
“As Arab monarchies increasingly adopt and empower consultative assemblies, women’s representation varies markedly across countries,” the authors write. “What leads citizens in these new electoral systems to vote for women? This study investigates the determinants of support for women’s representation using the first electoral survey ever conducted in Oman.”
"Increasing women’s representation requires not only increasing citizen demand for female leaders, but also changing informal tribal and formal electoral institutions," the authors conclude.
Al Subhi, Ahlam K. and Amy Erica Smith, "Electing Women to New Arab Assemblies: The Roles of Gender Ideology, Islam, and Tribalism in Oman," International Political Science Review (2017)