Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Is there a gendered pattern to the qualifications needed for cabinet appointments? Are female cabinet ministers appointed to portfolios in which they have credibility? We explore whether cabinet recruitment is gendered by comparing across portfolio assignments and across countries. We utilize data from five presidential democracies – Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and the United States - in current and recent presidential administrations to explore the qualifications needed for different types of cabinet portfolios and then whether female appointees are held to the same standards of experience and qualifications as their male colleagues. This paper thus contributes to the comparative literature on executives and to the study of women in politics and gendered institutions.