Attitudes Toward Political Authoritarianism in Economically Advanced - The Role of Gender Values and Norms

This Element focuses on how individuals' gender values and populations' gender norms influence their attitudes toward political authoritarianism in economically advanced democracies. First, it theorizes that individuals' higher support for gender equality and freedom of sexuality (GEFS) decreases their support of political authoritarianism. This operates directly through the development of a belief system that is incompatible with political authoritarianism as a system rooted in and sustained through conformity to hegemonic masculine dominance. Additionally, this operates indirectly by strengthening support for pluralism, strengthening support for democratic socialization in households, and increasing rejection of the use of violence to control household social relations. Second, it theorizes how GEFS norms and political authoritarian norms are mutually reinforcing in shaping political culture at the country-level. The Element shows evidence consistent with these theories through analysis of data on OECD countries from 1995 to 2022 based on waves 3-7 of the World Values Surveys.

List of contents

1. A theory of individuals' GEFS values and their attitudes toward political authoritarianism; 2. An analysis of how individuals' support of GE and FS decreases their support of political authoritarianism; 3. A theory of how countries develop a culture of GEFS and political (anti)-authoritarianism as mutually reinforcing cultural processes; 4. An analysis of GEFS norms and political (anti-)authoritarian norms as mutually reinforcing; 5. Conclusion; References.

Product details

• Authors: Amy C. Alexander, Amy C. (University of Gothenburg) Off Alexander, Gefjon Off
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 31.07.2025
• EAN: 9781009539371
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0953937-1
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in Gender and Politics
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, Political structures: democracy, Gender studies, gender groups, Gay & Lesbian studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / General, LGBTQ+ Studies / topics, Political structures / systems: democracy, LGBTQIA+ Studies / topics