Level Playing Field for All?

Leanne Doherty

doi:10.5771/9780739148402

Summary

What makes a candidate viable in the eyes of the voters? What makes someone qualified to run for office? Why do voters tend to opt for certain types of people and not others? How much are such tendencies rooted in broad characteristics-racial or ethnic group, gender, etc.-versus more idiosyncratic traits, those tied to respective candidates' presentation of self? Whatever the broader issues, it is clear that to date, women, when compared to men, have faced greater obstacles to being seen as viable candidates for elected office. A Level Playing Field for All? examines candidates' use of sports in election campaigns as a way to understand broader issues of candidate viability and in particular, the hurdles that women must overcome to achieve political office. This book reveals the extent to which athletic participation has become a social eligibility factor in the success of candidates for elected office. Doherty examines the role participation in athletics played for women looking to run for office. She goes on to appraises the ways in which potential cutbacks and already limited opportunities for women in sports might further affect their opportunities to attain viable candidate status.

Search publication

Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2011
ISBN-Print: 978-0-7391-4838-9
ISBN-Online: 978-0-7391-4840-2
Publisher: Lexington, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 86
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Acknowledgments No access
1. Sports and Politics: The Perfect Combination? No access Pages 1 - 8
2. The Athlete as Political Elite No access Pages 9 - 20
3. The Social Eligibility Pool, Gender, and Athletic Elites No access Pages 21 - 32
4. Athletic Experience and Electoral Success No access Pages 33 - 48
5. Title IX and Access to Athletic Opportunity No access Pages 49 - 64
6. The Future of Female Athlete Politicians No access Pages 65 - 76
Bibliography No access Pages 77 - 84
Index No access Pages 85 - 86