Though widely seen as a bastion of male representation, states increasingly appoint women to defense minister roles post-Cold War.
This study explores why men remain dominant in these positions by analyzing three sets of hypotheses using comprehensive cross-national data. Women face exclusion when the portfolio reinforces traditional masculinity expectations—particularly evident in states engaged in fatal disputes, governed by military dictators, and large military spenders.
Female representation emerges when political norms evolve: specifically in countries with female chief executives or parliamentarians. Additionally, shifts occur when the role's traditional conceptions diverge from modern realities—observed especially in peacekeeping-focused nations and former military states transitioning to left-wing governance.
Military, Defense Minister, Peacekeeping
| Defending the Realm: The Appointment of Female Defense Ministers Worldwide was authored by Tiffany D. Barnes and Diana Z. O'Brien. It was published by Wiley in AJPS in 2018. |
