9409843 Peters In 1992, record numbers of women successfully won seats in the U.S. Congress and in state legislatures, making these institutions more descriptively representative of society. Previous research points to policy differences between female and male officeholders. Largely unexplored, however are questions about the institutional impact and political leadership styles of women. The steady rise in number and the increasing tenure of women in state legislatures now make these questions accessible. This Doctoral Dissertation research project seeks to explore the experiences of women committee chairs in the 50 state legislatures. The objectives revolve around three questions: First, do female committee chairs differ in background, leadership behavior , and outlook from their male counterparts? Second, how are gender-related leadership styles expressed in different settings? Third, as women increase their representation, do gender styles transform institutions? The 343 women chairing state legislative committees represent an important and sizeable leadership cohort to study. This investigation will contribute not only to gender insights but also to knowledge of leadership behavior in legislative committees and cross-jurisdictional generalizations. The research consists of three complementary elements: 1) a survey of male and female committee chairs, 2) focused peer group interviews with women committee chairs, and, 3) participant observation in three state legislatures. The support provided by the National Science Foundation will allow the student to undertake the second and third components. This will greatly enhance the ability to generalize findings from the survey and to explore cross-jurisdictional implications.
