The political consequences of motherhood / Jill S. Greenlee.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Greenlee, Jill S.

Series:

CAWP series in gender and American politics

The CAWP series in gender and American politics

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women--Political activity--United States.

Women.

Women--Political activity.

Feminism.

History.

Motherhood--Political aspects.

Motherhood.

United States.

Motherhood--Political aspects--United States.

Feminism--United States--History.

Physical Description:

x, 290 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, [2014]

Summary:

" From civically and politically engaged women linking their identity as "mothers" to their fight for prohibition, public sanitation, and protective labor laws to the general call to arms of "mama grizzlies" issued by Sarah Palin in 2010, American political activists and candidates have used motherhood to rally women's interest, support, and participation throughout American history. Politicized motherhood persists, and motherhood continues to inspire women's participation and direct their concerns. In The Political Consequences of Motherhood, Jill S. Greenlee investigates the complex relationship between motherhood and women's political attitudes. Combining a historical overview of the ways motherhood has been used for political purposes with recent political opinion surveys and individual-level analysis, she explains how and when motherhood shapes women's thoughts and preferences. Greenlee argues that two mechanisms account for the durability of motherhood politics. First, women experience attitudinal shifts when they become mothers. Second, "mother" is a broad-based identity, widely shared and ideologically unconstrained, that lends itself to appeals across the political spectrum to build support for candidates and policy issues"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Motherhood and Politics

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle: 1920-1976

Soccer Moms, Hocky Moms, and Waitress Mons: 1980-2008

Distinctions: Political Perspectives of Mothers and Nonmothers

The "Transformative" Effect of Motherhood

Talking about Motherhood: Common Shifts in Political Thinking

Reasons for Change: How Motherhood Alters Political Attitudes

Consequences

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780472119295

047211929X

OCLC:

869346314