Women in Transition: The Revolution Effect on Gender (In)equality

Dissertation project.

What explains the variation in gender inequality exhibited across countries that experienced a social revolution? Political science scholars have said little about why some groups are favored over others—or about the durability of inclusionary projects and reforms—in revolutionary contexts. My research explores why and when women are included or excluded from revolutionary projects by tracing revolutionary leaders’ decision-making process around women’s political, economic, and physical integrity rights. My dissertation presents the first empirical test of the relationship between social revolutions and women’s incorporation. I demonstrate that not all revolutions lead to improved outcomes for women, but those with socialist aims account for much of the positive effect. By delving into socialist cases through a comparative historical analysis of two pairs of social revolutions and using Cuba as the primary theory-building case, I identify three conditions conducive to women’s enfranchisement. I argue that understanding the initial commitments of revolutionary elites is vital to comprehending the path-dependent trajectory of gender inequality across post-revolutionary societies.