This Doctoral Dissertation project addresses an important, yet little researched, question on the policy impact of women in legislative bodies. The project explores the extent to which female state legislators contribute toward distinctive policy outcomes, and the conditions under which such impact is strongest. The underlying assumption is that women are now similar to men in representational style, but that they are having an impact on outcomes which reflects their special needs and life experiences. The researcher employs a multiple methods research design consisting of mail surveys, in.person interviews, and archival data from eight states. The research is unique in its focus on the legislature as the primary unit of analysis in investigating the impact of varying proportions of men and women's legislative activity on legislative outcomes. The research from this study promises to provide a baseline for further investigations of the role of women in politics.
