Climbing the Hill: Gender Conflict in Congress

by Herbert N. Foerstel, Karen P. Foerstel

Overview

Climbing the Hill explores the history and current status of women members and staff on Capitol Hill. It traces the difficult history of women in Congress, their slow and painful path to political power and their hopes and fears of today. It presents a comprehensive analysis of women's success at the polls and within the congressional hierarchy—legislatively, politically, and socially. Through in-depth research and extensive personal interviews, the authors reveal the deep-rooted sexual divisions within the U.S. Congress and the continuing struggle of women to break into the old boy network. The book's comprehensive coverage is unique and up-to-date and will be of interest to scholars, students, and interested layreaders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275949143
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/16/1996
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)
Lexile:	1320L (what's this?)

About the Author

KAREN FOERSTEL is a senior reporter with Congressional Quarterly, specializing in political and legislative issues in the House of Representatives. Previously, she served as a staff writer with the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

HERBERT N. FOERSTEL is head of Branch Libraries at the University of Maryland. He is the author of Surveillance in the Stacks: The FBI's Library Awareness Program (Greenwood, 1991), Secret Science: Federal Control of American Science and Technology (Praeger, 1993), and Banned in the USA: A Reference Guide to Book Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries (Greenwood, 1994).

Table of Contents

A History of Struggle
Humble Beginnings
A Promise Denied
Beyond a Single Term
New Deal Women
Women's Rights
Public Health, Consumer Affairs, and the Environment
A Losing Cause?
A Second Wind
The Emerging Female Leadership
The Decade of the Woman
Building the Foundation
The Losers
The Legacy of 1992
Fundraising: Changes Over the Years
Changing Attitudes
Women versus Women
The New Congressional Woman
Aspiring to Power
Committee Power
Congressional Leadership
The Women's Caucus
Joining the Team
Family Problems
Women's Legislation
The Modern Legislative Agenda
Congressional Staff
Background
Springboard to Election
The Power of Staff
A New Era: Less Government, Less Staff
Problems in the Workplace
Sexual Harassment
Conclusion
Prognosis
Selected Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

A history of women on Capitol Hill documenting the struggle to power beginning with Elizabeth Cady Stanton through today's Congress. The authors dispel myths about the women elected to office, surveying their politics, ambitions, and the particular challenges to women in American politics. Well researched and thought provoking, the volume both portrays the lives of women in Congress and also exposes "the old boy network" and the legislative hierarchy. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

The Foerstels open this study with an overview of the history of women elected to Congress, providing a context for the myriad challenges and obstacles faced by women in the political arena. Reviewing the current situation, the authors go on to trace election highs and consequent defeats during the 1992 and 1994 election years. With keen insights, they illuminate the process of party politics and offer a critique of the committee system. This analysis touches on those issues most pertinent to women. The Foerstels also assess the gender quotient among congressional staff, following the path from employee to elected official and examining examples of discrimination. In essence, they indicate there is little cause for optimism while the male-dominant power structure is still in control.

Alice Joyce