Sociology 699F: Gender & Social Change

Ramirez, Soysal, and Shanahan 1997

Suffrage <- national social movements early, <- world culture later

Model

• DV: year of national extension of women's voting rights
• But, post 1900 women's suffrage almost = all adult suffrage; not = gender equality
• only Austria, Ireland, & Libya enacted male suffrage only in 20th C.
• IV: national mobilization
• # progressive political organizations
• 5 welfare state programs
• West
• IV: international incorporation
• Participation in 1906 Womens International Suffrage Alliance
• Regional female suffrage
• World female suffrage
• Became independent ("window of opportunity")

Literature traditions:

• Contrast between national and international determinants of change

  "Suffrage rights were forged only in part by protracted national struggles and the local social mobilization of women. From the outset, we believe, the battle for women's suffrage was an international crusade drawing on universalistic principles."

• Dominant West set the international cultural models
• A "field" of nation states pressures members to conform (isomorphism)

Results:

• 1890-1930: <- West, National organizations, Independence
• 1931-1990: <- West (neg.), welfare, regional, world, alliance, independence era

Implications:

• Need to account for interdependence among nations