The Higher Research Seminar: Aksel Sundström, University of Gothenburg ‘Thirsting for women leaders? Droughts and public opinion in South Africa’

The Higher Research Seminar is the main collective seminar of the Department. The research staff and invited national and international leading scholars present ongoing research and analyses of a broad range of exciting topics of relevance for Political Science.

Title: Thirsting for Women Leaders? Drought Shocks and Public Opinion in South Africa

Abstract:

This article presents a framework of how climate-related shocks, such as droughts, may shift people’s preferences towards demanding women leaders in politics. It theorizes how preferences for communal-feminine (rather than agentic-masculine) traits in leaders increase in the aftermath of environmental crises. Specifically, for high-corrupt contexts, we argue that while male local leaders are seen as more efficient in accessing relief aid through corrupt contacts, women officeholders are believed to distribute aid more fairly. We test this theory through three studies, focusing on droughts in South Africa. First, we connect exogenous climate data to nation-wide opinion surveys (2005-2018), to show that droughts increase demand for female leaders. Second, in-depth interviews with rural residents recently experiencing droughts explore processes: Respondents voice how they perceive women leaders as more equitable in allocating emergency relief and less prone to steal such assets. Finally, a survey experiment tests mechanisms,  supporting expectations about views of women leaders in handling relief funds. These findings thus contribute with insights on how events that will be more frequent may affect public opinion.  

Bio:

Aksel Sundström is an Associate Professor in political science at the University of Gothenburg and the PI for the Quality of Government (QoG) Data. His research deals broadly with environmental politics and with political representation, see www.akselsundstrom.com The paper in progress he is presenting is an output from of his recent ERC Starting Grant project, where he is interested in how environmental shocks affects women in African politics. 

The Higher Research Seminar is held on Wednesdays 13.15 to 14.30 in Eden 367, unless otherwise indicated. PhD Mid-term seminars 13:15 to 14:45. 

Convenors: Professor Annika Björkdahl and Professor Fariborz Zelli. 

The seminars are open to the public. Welcome to join us!

See the program for Spring 2025: The Department’s Higher Research Seminar Series | Department of Political Science