Selin Dilli

The gender gap in political participation in Muslim-majority countries

This study offers a comprehensive investigation of the gender gap in political participation among 13 Muslim-majority nations using World Values Survey data and applying multilevel analyses. It reveals a substantial gender gap, with men being significantly more likely to be politically active compared to women. As suggested in studies on advanced Western democracies, this gap can be partly explained by gender differences in socioeconomic characteristics and political attitudes. Furthermore, our analysis shows major cross-national differences in the extent of the gender gap among Muslim-majority nations. In contrast to what we had expected, these cross-national differences cannot be explained by levels of state Islamisation, modernisation or societal gender equality. Implications of these findings and suggestion for further research are discussed.

Family systems and the historical roots of global gaps in democracy

ABSTRACT The current study investigates the role of ‘family systems’ as a historical institution in explaining why some countries have enduring democracy while others remained authoritarian despite the repeated global waves of democratization. To do so, empirical data including information on 127 countries between 1849 and 2009 has been gathered. The results of cross sectional and panel data analyses show that countries characterized by a nuclear household structure in the past also have higher levels of democracy in the long run (at the national level). Thus, the current study provides evidence for Todds hypothesis on the origins of political systems. Moreover, family systems that determine the position of women are also found to be relevant for democratic development. The persistent effect of family systems on democracy can be attributed to their link with norms and values that are conducive to democracy, gender equality and local democracy practices. Overall, these findings emphasize family organization as an important historical factor in understanding the long-term global patterns of democratic development.

Introducing the Historical Gender Equality Index

ABSTRACT Despite recent progress, women are still disadvantaged by their greater domestic labor commitments and impaired access to well-paid jobs; and, in extreme cases, denied the right to live. This has consequences for the well-being of individuals and economic development. Although tools to evaluate country performance in gender equality, especially composite indicators, have been developed since the 1990s, a historical perspective is lacking. This study introduces a composite index of gender equality covering 129 countries from 1950 to 2003. This index measures gender equality in four dimensions (socioeconomic, health, household, and politics). The index shows substantial progress in gender equality, though there is little evidence that less gender-equal countries are catching up. Goldins “quiet revolution” hypothesis is tested as an explanation for this observation, but fails to provide a good explanation. Rather, the long-term institutional and historical characteristics of countries are the main obstacles to convergence.