A Cross-National Analysis of Gender and Minority Inclusion in FP Making

• In Event: The Effects of Leaders' Gender on Foreign Policy Decision-making

Abstract

Is the foreign policymaking process inclusive of women and minorities? This question has largely eluded researchers despite its significance. This paper tries to address this problem by conducting a cross-national analysis of foreign policymaking process, by focusing on the inclusion of women and minorities, both figuratively and substantively. The study analyzes legislative and consultative bodies in 30 states in the period between 1988 to 2018, focusing on both the composition and outcome of policymaking processes. Furthermore, it scans the dichotomy between democracies and authoritarian regimes viz. a viz. their inclusion or exclusion of women and minorities. Preliminary results indicate there is significant improvement in some states, including in the Global South, but others remain largely dominated by majority ethnic groups and males. Some cases in the developed world also suggest a decline in representation in recent years. The paper can help understand the dynamics between inclusion and its impact on a state’s international conduct, which has become increasingly important in recent years.

Author

• Saad Ullah Khan, Georgia State University