Is Knowledge Power? Women’s Education and Political Empowerment in Latin America and the Caribbean

Author(s)

Zoe SwaimFollow

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Keywords

Gender Equality, Latin America, Political Empowerment, Education, Gender Quotas, Feminism

Department

Political Science

Major

Political Science

Abstract

This project explores the relationship between women’s educational attainment and political empowerment in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Using Lieberman’s Nested Analysis (LNA), this project employs mixed methods to uncover the contextual nuances between the two variables. The quantitative analysis draws data from the “Educational Attainment” and “Political Empowerment” subindices of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) across twenty-six countries in LAC over ten years. Despite the widespread idea that increasing women’s education can facilitate political empowerment, there was no statistically significant relationship between the two. The combination of regression analysis with qualitative case studies of Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil reveals that education is a necessary, but not sufficient determinant of women’s political empowerment in LAC. Gender quotas with placement mandates and enforcement mechanisms are found to be effective in increasing political empowerment. This study reveals the complex nature of combating the gender gap, especially within the diverse context of LAC.

Faculty Mentor

Karie Riddle

Funding Source or Research Program

Not Identified

Location

Black Family Plaza Classroom 189

Start Date

22-3-2024 3:45 PM

End Date

22-3-2024 4:00 PM

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Mar 22nd, 3:45 PM Mar 22nd, 4:00 PM

Is Knowledge Power? Women’s Education and Political Empowerment in Latin America and the Caribbean

Black Family Plaza Classroom 189

This project explores the relationship between women’s educational attainment and political empowerment in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Using Lieberman’s Nested Analysis (LNA), this project employs mixed methods to uncover the contextual nuances between the two variables. The quantitative analysis draws data from the “Educational Attainment” and “Political Empowerment” subindices of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) across twenty-six countries in LAC over ten years. Despite the widespread idea that increasing women’s education can facilitate political empowerment, there was no statistically significant relationship between the two. The combination of regression analysis with qualitative case studies of Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil reveals that education is a necessary, but not sufficient determinant of women’s political empowerment in LAC. Gender quotas with placement mandates and enforcement mechanisms are found to be effective in increasing political empowerment. This study reveals the complex nature of combating the gender gap, especially within the diverse context of LAC.