This Workshop brings together political researchers employing quantitative, computational and mixed methods to examine how gender and sexuality shape democratic representation, political participation, and power structures. We aim to attract dedicated gender scholars and researchers from parliaments, parties, European politics, political communication, and elections subfields who are interested in studying gender effects but may not typically engage with gender-focused panels and sections. Our objective is to foster cross-subfield dialogue and methodological innovation, demonstrating how rigorous empirical approaches can advance our understanding of gendered political processes while building connections among scholars interested in empirical gender research across traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Gender and politics research has traditionally been fragmented across subfields and siloed from broader debates, limiting theoretical integration and methodological dialogue. While quantitative and computational methods are increasingly used in political science, their application to gender research remains scattered. This Workshop addresses a critical gap by providing a dedicated forum for scholars using state-of-the-art empirical approaches to study gender in democratic politics.
Recent groundbreaking work demonstrates the potential for methodological innovation in gender research. Sophisticated empirical approaches to studying representation now include comprehensive analyses of gender quotas and their effects (Aldrich and Daniel 2025; Clayton et al. 2025), quantitative studies of candidate selection (Folke 2021; Däubler et al. 2025; Luhiste 2015) and women's leadership performance (Aldrich and Lotito 2020). Advanced methods are also being applied to examine gender effects across diverse policy domains, from trade policy (Betz et al. 2023) to the welfare state (Burlacu and Lühiste 2021).
Simultaneously, researchers from other subfields increasingly recognise the importance of gender. Legislative and electoral scholars are incorporating gender dimensions through computational analysis of political speech in parliaments and the media (Wäckerle and Castanho Silva 2023) and studies of voter preferences for gender representation (Wäckerle 2023). Political communication researchers examine the politicisation of gender issues (Abou-Chadi et al. 2021), while Evans and Reher (2023) explore intersectional approaches to understanding disabled women's political experiences.
This Workshop builds on this increasing body of research while fostering dialogue between dedicated gender scholars and subfield specialists, creating synergies that advance both methodological innovation and theoretical understanding.
Abou-Chadi, Tarik, Magdalena Breyer, and Theresa Gessler. 2021. 'The (re) politicisation of gender in Western Europe.' European Journal of Politics and Gender, 4 (2): 311–314.
Aldrich, Andrea S., and Nicholas J. Lotito. 2020. 'Pandemic performance: women leaders in the Covid-19 crisis.' Politics & Gender, 16 (4): 960–967.
Aldrich, Andrea S., and William T. Daniel. 2025. Gender Quotas as Game Changers for the Recruitment, Selection, and Performance of Elected Politicians. Oxford University Press.
Betz, Timm, David Fortunato, and Diana Z. O’Brien. 'Do women make more protectionist trade policy?' American Political Science Review, 117 (4): 1522-1530.
Burlacu, Diana, and Maarja Lühiste. 2021. "Parenthood and social policy preferences: A gender and time sensitive examination." European Journal of Political Research, 60 (2): 255-274.
Clayton, Amanda, Diana Z. O’Briend, and Jennifer M. Piscopo. 2025. "Electoral Gender Quotas and Democratic Legitimacy." American Political Science Review: 1-18.
Däubler, Thomas, Maarja Lühiste, and Mihail Chiru. 2025. "Do public attitudes on gender equality affect candidate selection in proportional representation systems? Evidence from European Parliament elections." European Union Politics, 26 (1): 45-65.
Evans, Elizabeth, and Stefanie Reher. 2023. "Gender, disability and political representation: understanding the experiences of disabled women." European Journal of Politics and Gender: 1-18.
Folke, Olle, Johanna Rickne, and Daniel M. Smith. 2021. "Gender and dynastic political selection." Comparative Political Studies, 54 (2): 339-371.
Luhiste, Maarja. 2015. "Party gatekeepers' support for viable female candidacy in PR-list systems." Politics & Gender, 11 (1): 89-116.
Wäckerle, Jens, and Bruno Castanho Silva. 2023. "Distinctive voices: Political speech, rhetoric, and the substantive representation of women in European Parliaments." Legislative Studies Quarterly, 48 (4): 797-831.
Wäckerle, Jens. 2023. "The end of the all-male party? Voter preferences for gender representation in political parties." Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, 33 (4): 726-745.
1: How can various methods advance understanding of causes and consequences of gendered political outcomes?
2: How can institutionalists and behaviouralists collaborate to better explain gender differences in legislatures?
3: How can machine learning and text analysis identify factors shaping gendered political outcomes?
4: What methods best capture how individual and institutional factors affect women's representation?
5: How can network analysis reveal structural factors in gendered power differences?
1: Gender quotas, party rules, and electoral systems: causes, consequences, and cross-national variation
2: Computational analysis of gendered political speech in (European) parliaments and media
3: Women's leadership, legislative performance and decision-making in (multi-level) political institutions
4: Candidate selection processes and gender representation across (European) party systems
5: Digital political engagement: social media, online campaigning, and gender differences
6: Intersectional approaches to political representation: gender, age, disability, and minorities
7: Gender effects in 'mainstream' policy domains: trade, welfare, security, and EU governance
8: Network analysis of gendered power structures in legislatures and beyond
