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Political Science Canadian

Ms. Prime Minister

Gender, Media, and Leadership

by (author) Linda Trimble

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Jan 2018
Category
Canadian, Comparative Politics, Media Studies, Women's Studies
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781442613638
    Publish Date
    Dec 2017
    List Price
    $45.95
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781442645509
    Publish Date
    Dec 2017
    List Price
    $85.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442662971
    Publish Date
    Jan 2018
    List Price
    $45.95

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Description

Ms. Prime Minister offers both solace and words of caution for women politicians. After closely analyzing the media coverage of former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell; two former Prime Ministers of New Zealand, Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark; and Australia’s 27th Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, Linda Trimble concludes that reporting both reinforces and contests unfair gender norms. News about female leaders gives undue attention to their gender identities, bodies and family lives. Yet equivalent men are also treated to evaluations of their gendered personas. And, as Trimble finds, some media accounts expose sexism and authenticate women's performances of leadership.

 

Ms. Prime Minister provides important insight into the news frameworks that work to deny or confer political legitimacy. It concludes with advice designed to inform the gender strategies of women who aspire to political leadership roles and the reporting techniques of the journalists who cover them.

About the author

Linda Trimble is a professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Alberta. She is the co-editor of two collections on women and political representation in Canada as well as a volume on the changing nature of Canadian politics in the twenty-first century.

Linda Trimble's profile page

Awards

  • Short-listed, 2018 Donald Smiley Prize

Editorial Reviews

"This volume examines news coverage of women prime ministers at crucial stages in their political careers (selection as party leaders, governance, election, and departure from their leadership roles.) Research was conducted about women politicians, mass media, political leadership, and sexism in political culture."

Feminist Caucus, July 2018

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