Gender affinity effects between female voters and women leaders in parliamentary elections: Cross-national evidence (1996-2016)

Party Politics, Ahead of Print.
An increasing amount of literature has demonstrated that party leaders affect voting behavior in parliamentary elections. However, the electoral impact of female leadership of political parties has been under-researched. The gender affinity hypothesis suggests that when women run for presidential or prime ministerial office, women are more likely than men to vote for them. Using data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems project, we tested gender affinity effects between female voters and female party leaders in mixed-sex legislative elections, that is, elections involving at least one female party candidate for prime minister, in parliamentary and semi-presidential systems. We analyzed 50 elections held from 1996 to 2016 in 24 countries. The results showed that female leaders were better evaluated by women and that women were more likely than men to vote for them. However, the gender affinity effects were small and not largely conditioned or not conditioned at all by other factors, such as some voters’ characteristics and electoral setting.

The Gandhamardan Movement of Western Odisha and Its Contemporary Relevance

Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
In the modern world, the demand for mineral products is significantly increasing, which attracts many investors to invest in mineral extraction. Most of the mineral deposits are in tribal-dominated areas that are being affected by resource extraction activities. Odisha, a mineral-rich state, has become a favourite destination for investors. Most of the local livings are tribals who depend on the hill’s natural resources as their traditional livelihood. The local tribals protested for their rights in religious places near the mine to protect traditional livelihood and to save the natural environment. This article attempts to understand how the local indigenous groups and others are motivated to join the resistance movement and also examines the present status of pushing factors. It also focuses on how the indigenous groups, activists and other organizations made the movement successful. Eventually, the state government had to withdraw the project because of the strong leadership, selfless dedication and sacrifice of local tribals, well-planned strategies of the activists and global–national–local supports to save the environment.

Age and Party Choice: Generational Shift in India

Studies in Indian Politics, Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 208-224, December 2023.
India is in the throes of a massive demographic turn. People born and brought up after 1986 constitute the bulk of the population. Studies elsewhere show that generational replacement transforms societies and can play a key role in changing the political attitudes and behaviour of the electorate. Over the last few general elections the Indian National Congress has witnessed a steady decline in support, while the Bharatiya Janata Party has seen a surge in support. This article examines whether the decline of the Congress party is linked to a demographic shift that is taking place. The study demonstrates that generations as socio-historical space helps us nuance party-choice explanations.