Abstract

VAZQUEZ GARCIA, Verónica. Women and municipal governments in Mexico: What do we know? What do we still need to know?. Gest. polít. pública [online]. 2010, vol.19, n.1, pp.111-154. ISSN 1405-1079.

The percentage of women heading a municipal government has only increased a point (from 2.9 to 3.8%) over a decade (1986-2006), as opposed to women in other areas, for example the legislative sphere. This paradox has called the attention of several scholars. This paper reviews the literature on female municipal presidents produced in Mexico. The main debates, approaches and findings on the topic are identified. The paper concludes by pointing out some important research needs: state and regional case studies; the socioeconomic characterization of both male and female municipal presidents at the national level and from a comparative perspective; the analysis of the meanings and costs of political participation for women, and the construction of more sophisticated theoretical approaches, capable of explaining the social determinants at play when women make life choices.

Keywords : women; politics; local and municipal governments.