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Don't blame women if we ignore what passes for politics Don't blame women if we ignore what passes for politics
(2 months later)
Why are so many women so detached from politics? It is a mystery and one that only deepens with the publication of Gender Matters Globally, a study that compared the gender gap in political knowledge in 10 different nations and now, having concluded its research, uses the word "grim" to describe the prospects for female awareness in developing countries.Why are so many women so detached from politics? It is a mystery and one that only deepens with the publication of Gender Matters Globally, a study that compared the gender gap in political knowledge in 10 different nations and now, having concluded its research, uses the word "grim" to describe the prospects for female awareness in developing countries.
Increased gender equality in the advanced industrial nations does not, according to the new Economic and Social Research Council-funded research, mean that its female beneficiaries are any more likely than the women from less equal countries to be knowledgeable about politics, relative to men. On the contrary, they may be more poorly informed. The political knowledge gender gap in Norway, for instance, was greater than that in South Korea. Britain's is bigger than Colombia's. Locally, women seem to have let ourselves down (this was in 2010) on questions about President Sarkozy's job and the precise reasons for Jacqui Smith's resignation (putting pornography on her parliamentary expenses is the correct answer). One of the authors, James Curran, a media professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, describes the findings as "really very surprising".Increased gender equality in the advanced industrial nations does not, according to the new Economic and Social Research Council-funded research, mean that its female beneficiaries are any more likely than the women from less equal countries to be knowledgeable about politics, relative to men. On the contrary, they may be more poorly informed. The political knowledge gender gap in Norway, for instance, was greater than that in South Korea. Britain's is bigger than Colombia's. Locally, women seem to have let ourselves down (this was in 2010) on questions about President Sarkozy's job and the precise reasons for Jacqui Smith's resignation (putting pornography on her parliamentary expenses is the correct answer). One of the authors, James Curran, a media professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, describes the findings as "really very surprising".
Various explanations have duly been advanced for women's unaccountable reluctance to concentrate on stories, to take a more current example, such as education secretary Michael Gove's recent four-page letter to Stephen Twigg. How many British women remain unaware of his description of Labour's schools policy as "a confusing, uncertain and incoherent assemblage of sops to the trades unions and local authorities which reflects poorly on the intellectual rigour and moral courage of the Labour frontbench ... confirms the risible weakness ... all those great teachers" etc etc? How many thousands of British women may therefore be at risk next time Mr Gove advocates concision and warns staff against exercises in "self-regarding pomposity" of giving him a respectful hearing?Various explanations have duly been advanced for women's unaccountable reluctance to concentrate on stories, to take a more current example, such as education secretary Michael Gove's recent four-page letter to Stephen Twigg. How many British women remain unaware of his description of Labour's schools policy as "a confusing, uncertain and incoherent assemblage of sops to the trades unions and local authorities which reflects poorly on the intellectual rigour and moral courage of the Labour frontbench ... confirms the risible weakness ... all those great teachers" etc etc? How many thousands of British women may therefore be at risk next time Mr Gove advocates concision and warns staff against exercises in "self-regarding pomposity" of giving him a respectful hearing?
It is a grim prospect, indeed, that women are, again, less likely than men to discuss the discovery of Ed Miliband's briefing notes in a Westminster urinal, where they were left last week by his PPS, Jonathan Reynolds. The forgotten papers confirmed that both of Mr Miliband's more effective jibes at PMQs had been prepared well in advance, just as his opponent, Mr Cameron, had been practising the perhaps easier to memorise barb, "Len McCluskey".It is a grim prospect, indeed, that women are, again, less likely than men to discuss the discovery of Ed Miliband's briefing notes in a Westminster urinal, where they were left last week by his PPS, Jonathan Reynolds. The forgotten papers confirmed that both of Mr Miliband's more effective jibes at PMQs had been prepared well in advance, just as his opponent, Mr Cameron, had been practising the perhaps easier to memorise barb, "Len McCluskey".
On the other hand, you might argue, the less attention that British women pay to political developments, from the composition of the current cabinet to the ugly conventions of PMQs and the rise and rise of lap-dancing fan, Nigel Farage , the less tarnished will be Britain's democratic ideals and, along with them, the reputations of party leaders. There must still be a few British women, to extrapolate from the current study, who, never having heard about Mr Cameron's "calm down, dear", his culling of women in the cabinet or the disinclination of his deputy, Mr Clegg, to deal with allegations of sexual harassment against a party notable, continue to believe in an equal-opportunities parliament.On the other hand, you might argue, the less attention that British women pay to political developments, from the composition of the current cabinet to the ugly conventions of PMQs and the rise and rise of lap-dancing fan, Nigel Farage , the less tarnished will be Britain's democratic ideals and, along with them, the reputations of party leaders. There must still be a few British women, to extrapolate from the current study, who, never having heard about Mr Cameron's "calm down, dear", his culling of women in the cabinet or the disinclination of his deputy, Mr Clegg, to deal with allegations of sexual harassment against a party notable, continue to believe in an equal-opportunities parliament.
When women's improved access to information about politics can only result, as in Australia or Britain, in an enhanced understanding of their dismally sexist, crushingly adversarial, big beast-obsessed parliaments, attended by an often like-minded media retinue, maybe it's unremarkable that the result should be not so much Borgen, as boredom and distaste. Even if Colombia can boast its own version of our Speaker Bercow, acting out some private superhero fantasy, and of politicians who promote only alumni of their own, all-boys schools, at least its citizens have yet to witness the kind of pornographic witticisms to which male authority figures, in their respective gender equality societies, have submitted Julia Gillard and Harriet Harman.When women's improved access to information about politics can only result, as in Australia or Britain, in an enhanced understanding of their dismally sexist, crushingly adversarial, big beast-obsessed parliaments, attended by an often like-minded media retinue, maybe it's unremarkable that the result should be not so much Borgen, as boredom and distaste. Even if Colombia can boast its own version of our Speaker Bercow, acting out some private superhero fantasy, and of politicians who promote only alumni of their own, all-boys schools, at least its citizens have yet to witness the kind of pornographic witticisms to which male authority figures, in their respective gender equality societies, have submitted Julia Gillard and Harriet Harman.
The ESRC study is more preoccupied, however, with the implications for women's political knowledge of historic, but lingering patterns of male-female behaviour, of their lack of free time, and of inadequate representation in news media in hard news stories. Of the 10 countries, the UK was typical in having women interviewed or cited in only 30% of television news stories: an unsurprising corollary of their under-representation at the highest level, you might think, but one, the authors theorise, which harms female understanding. "Such under-representation and topical bias may curb women's motivation to acquire political knowledge actively," says co-author Kaori Hayashi (not the first person to overestimate the inspirational value of Maria Miller), "and discourage them from political participation, and may even prevent women from engaging as citizens in a democratic society."The ESRC study is more preoccupied, however, with the implications for women's political knowledge of historic, but lingering patterns of male-female behaviour, of their lack of free time, and of inadequate representation in news media in hard news stories. Of the 10 countries, the UK was typical in having women interviewed or cited in only 30% of television news stories: an unsurprising corollary of their under-representation at the highest level, you might think, but one, the authors theorise, which harms female understanding. "Such under-representation and topical bias may curb women's motivation to acquire political knowledge actively," says co-author Kaori Hayashi (not the first person to overestimate the inspirational value of Maria Miller), "and discourage them from political participation, and may even prevent women from engaging as citizens in a democratic society."
Of course, political knowledge of the status quo, courtesy of adequate media coverage, is not the sole route to citizen engagement. The admirable women-led campaigns against Page 3, lad mags and "pornification" presumably meet the definition of political participation, and indicate that ignorance of George Osborne's unwise burger choice – whose lavish political coverage has just marked it out as crucial political knowledge – may not be entirely inimical to human purpose.Of course, political knowledge of the status quo, courtesy of adequate media coverage, is not the sole route to citizen engagement. The admirable women-led campaigns against Page 3, lad mags and "pornification" presumably meet the definition of political participation, and indicate that ignorance of George Osborne's unwise burger choice – whose lavish political coverage has just marked it out as crucial political knowledge – may not be entirely inimical to human purpose.
And existing research indicates that women – who turn out equally, if not more strongly at elections – continue to be engaged in campaigning, fundraising and volunteering and in boycotts, causes, petitions and protests. None of which necessarily demands knowledge, like the survey under discussion, of the political complexion of a Thai opposition party, or the location of the last world exposition, neither of them questions I could have answered with confidence in 2010.And existing research indicates that women – who turn out equally, if not more strongly at elections – continue to be engaged in campaigning, fundraising and volunteering and in boycotts, causes, petitions and protests. None of which necessarily demands knowledge, like the survey under discussion, of the political complexion of a Thai opposition party, or the location of the last world exposition, neither of them questions I could have answered with confidence in 2010.
A survey that quizzed respondents about their community – schools, charities, the NHS, MP, town council, parks, libraries, even the tax status of the local coffee shop – might produce a quite different knowledge gender gap. Not that this would get anyone much closer than the current report to overcoming the main obstacles to equal participation in national politics. If, as its authors suggest, women engage little because they know little, because of their sex's deterrently low (if possibly accurate) representation in the news media, then, unless we want to see propagandising levels of exposure of, say, Anna Soubry, women will continue to see few women in politics. And so women won't become knowledgeable, so they won't participate, so the media won't show them participating, and so womanlessly on, to the last syllable of recorded time.A survey that quizzed respondents about their community – schools, charities, the NHS, MP, town council, parks, libraries, even the tax status of the local coffee shop – might produce a quite different knowledge gender gap. Not that this would get anyone much closer than the current report to overcoming the main obstacles to equal participation in national politics. If, as its authors suggest, women engage little because they know little, because of their sex's deterrently low (if possibly accurate) representation in the news media, then, unless we want to see propagandising levels of exposure of, say, Anna Soubry, women will continue to see few women in politics. And so women won't become knowledgeable, so they won't participate, so the media won't show them participating, and so womanlessly on, to the last syllable of recorded time.
Looking on the bright side, you wonder if there is not a strategic argument for diverting much of the energy now expended in disparate women's protests into organising against, rather than obediently studying, the legislative culture that trivialises these issues in the first place. Just recently, in fact, David Cameron made it clear to Caroline Lucas, at a sniggering PMQs, that Page 3 is absolutely fine by him. It's knowing that kind of thing that's meant to get women politically all engaged.Looking on the bright side, you wonder if there is not a strategic argument for diverting much of the energy now expended in disparate women's protests into organising against, rather than obediently studying, the legislative culture that trivialises these issues in the first place. Just recently, in fact, David Cameron made it clear to Caroline Lucas, at a sniggering PMQs, that Page 3 is absolutely fine by him. It's knowing that kind of thing that's meant to get women politically all engaged.
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