Nonelite Women's Participation in Politics

The study of nonelite women's political participation has received renewed focus, especially in the Global South. A focus on nonelite women reveals distinct models and understandings of the gendered constraints to political participation and power. Yet a lack of clarity in the conceptualization of nonelite women and their distinctions from elite women inhibits our understanding of the causes and consequences of women's political inclusion and its subsequent implications for democratic accountability and resilience. This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding nonelite women, their distinct political preferences from elite women, and their available political strategies. We review the literature on the constraints to nonelite women's political participation, highlighting the roles of resources, political institutions, and patriarchal social norms. We conclude by theorizing how patriarchal norms and their global variants shape the political behavior and strategies of nonelite women and their implications for the sustenance of political gender gaps.