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  5. Internal Versus Institutional Barriers to Gender Equality: Evidence From British Politics

American Economic Review

ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)

Internal Versus Institutional Barriers to Gender Equality: Evidence From British Politics

  • Noor Kumar
  • Uyseok Lee
  • Matt Lowe
  • Olaitan Ogunnote
American Economic Review (Forthcoming)

Abstract

Weekly lotteries determine which politicians ask the UK Prime Minister a question in front of a male-dominated, noisy chamber. Lottery winners receive 4% higher vote margin in the next election, but women are 12% less likely to submit questions than samecohort men. The gender gap does not close with lottery-induced experience asking a question, but it closes after a format change, with questions asked to a smaller, quieter audience. The switch differentially draws in women with quieter voices. Our findings support institutional change, rather than experience, as a response to gender gaps in adversarial settings like the UK Parliament.

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