Date Thesis Awarded
4-2019
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only
Degree Name
Bachelors of Arts (BA)
Department
Sociology
Advisor
Thomas J. Linneman
Committee Members
Judith Hand
Michael Leruth
Abstract
Using content analysis, this thesis explores the creation and presentation of gender identity in the political campaigns of female candidates for the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of online media sources and social media content, including websites, advertisements, and Twitter feeds, I examine the ways both experienced and inexperienced Democratic and Republican women make presentations of themselves to voters, as well as how they access and approach women’s and feminist issues. A major finding of this study is that Democratic women present their gender as an integration of masculinity and femininity, whereas Republican women keep these two elements of their gender identities separate. Additionally, Democratic women utilize social media more frequently and engage with voters online in more significant ways. This thesis makes contributions to the field of sociology, specifically the subcategories of political sociology and gender studies, by offering a greater understanding of an understudied population of politicians, women, and how they operate in the understudied space of online media.
Recommended Citation
Arnold, Caroline, "A Woman's Place is in the House: A Sociological Analysis of the Political Campaigns of Newcomer and Incumbent Women in the 2018 House of Representatives Elections" (2019). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 1414.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/1414
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