Mary Hawkesworth

Mary Hawkesworth (born June 26, 1952) is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She is a political scientist trained in feminist theory and has conducted extensive research in women and politics, gender, and contemporary feminist activism. Hawkesworth is currently Editor in Chief for Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, a journal in feminist scholarship recognized internationally.^[1]

In her article, "Engendering Political Science: An Immodest Proposal", Hawkesworth calls for feminism as a required approach for political science academia, as feminism offers different insights that are not available through mainstream political science approaches. Within feminism, Hawkesworth states that the concept of gender as an analytic category is critical in investigating the social constructs and political institutions that are normative to male dominance and hinders female progression. Through the example of legislators in democratic societies, Hawkesworth uses gender analysis to emphasize the female legislator's role in prioritizing women’s rights, education, healthcare, and commitment to securing progressive legislation. Female legislators are also less hierarchal, and encourage more participatory government. Contrasting the female role, Hawkesworth proves male legislators are often dominant, use zero-sum political tactics, and are less likely to implement legislation that empower families and equality.^[2]

Gender as an analytic category within feminism is able to shed light on the contrast between the role of female and male legislators within political institutions, commonly known as the "theory of gendered institutions".^[2] Emphasizing continually reproduced normative male dominance in politics that goes unnoticed by other mainstream political science approaches draws attention to feminism as an approach that is necessary in understanding gender inequalities. Gender used as an analytic category within feminism is a key tool in evaluating the operation of social and political institutions that are often disempowering by following normative hierarchical political structures.^[2]

Hawkesworth's proposal towards accounting feminism and supporting gender as an analytical category in political science is crucial in furthering progressive approaches.

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