(iPoster) Gendered Informational Inequality in Elite Networks: Evidence from Tunisia

• In Event: Poster Session: Elections, Campaigns and Voting Behavior & International Perspectives on Networks and Political Engagement
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: International Perspectives on Networks and Political Engagement

Abstract

This project introduces a novel theory of gendered informational inequality in elite networks, examining how women are persistently disadvantaged in informal power structures despite formal progress in gender equality. The analysis of over 13,000 Tunisian elites reveals that women consistently occupy less central positions in elite information networks, potentially limiting their access to critical information and ability to act as information brokers. Notably, their disadvantage is comparable to that of European men embedded in these networks.

Recognizing information as a critical resource for power and decision-making, I hypothesize that women in elite circles face structural disadvantages in accessing quality information, despite their formal inclusion. I employ betweenness centrality to capture information access by quantifying individuals' bridging roles within the network. I argue that gendered exclusionary social microdynamics persist despite a gender regime change in formal representation.

To illustrate these dynamics historically, I present a case study of Wassila Ben Ammar, demonstrating how women have strategically positioned themselves in Tunisian politics despite structural barriers. The gender gap in network centrality is statistically significant across multiple modeling approaches. The findings highlight the limitations of focusing solely on formal institutional changes and underscore the need for more nuanced approaches to promoting substantive gender equality in political and economic spheres. This study contributes to broader debates on gender and politics in transitional contexts, offering new insights into the mechanisms perpetuating gender inequalities in de facto political power.

Author

• Mohamed-Dhia Hammami, Maxwell School, Syracuse University