Dr Christine Cheng collaborates on study showing gender bias in selecting Canadian political candidates

A study by Christine Cheng and Margit Tavits of Washington University In St Louis (WUSTL) has been quoted in an article reproduced in various Canadian media, including The Ottowa Citizen, The Vancouver Sun and Canada.com. The study identifies a gender bias in the selection of political candidates, in that the party gatekeepers responsible for the selection tend to choose candidates of the same gender.

The effect is not very large, quite likely because there are other factors, note Christine and Margit. Nonetheless, the effect is significant, indicating that even if the bias is small, it is systematic.

Life isnt just about rules. Life is also about social interactions and the way in which men and women interact with each other, says Christine. These interactions have an effect on our political institutions, and if you only deal with whats formal, then you miss so much of whats going on beneath the surface in terms of power.

The study, entitled Informal Influences in Selecting Female Political Candidates, is available to read here for a short time only.