Women and Politics

Asian women are underrepresented in politics and governance despite notable gains exemplified by the rise of prominent women leaders. A prevailing perception regards Asian women – especially those highly educated or from powerful families – as socio-politically as well or even better than their male counterparts. Yet there is little understanding of the history, nature, and challenge of Asian women’s struggle to exercise their political agency. This course offers students a rigorous and comparative historical exploration of women and politics in Asia and to explore the significance of gender in politics of the past, present, and future. The course also examines various factors, trajectories and outcomes of women’s political advancement in contemporary Asia. This course aims to familiarize students with a broad range of issues involving women and politics in Asia – the political participation of women; the history of women’s movements; political divisions among women; and what we mean when we refer to “women’s issues” at home, at work, and in political institutions. Because women’s involvement in the political arena is informed by their roles and status at home and in society at large, the course will also examine sociological, anthropological, and feminist research on such topics as inequality, power, discrimination, and social norms. By designing and conducting a research project, students will be trained to be able to extend theories to issues concerning women in Vietnam and Asia.