Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-77f85d65b8-45ctf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-03-27T03:42:18.682Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Double Glass Ceiling

The Class Effects of Gender Representation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2026

Jeong Hyun Kim
Affiliation:
Yonsei University
Yesola Kweon
Affiliation:
Sungkyunkwan University

Summary

This Element sheds light on the intersectionality of class and gender in political representation. Although the working class is grossly underrepresented in most legislative bodies across the globe, the underrepresentation of the working class is particularly severe among female representatives. This Element examines the political significance of the shortage of working-class women in political bodies. Specifically, it argues that the link between women's descriptive and symbolic representation will appear differently across economic class, which could, in turn, have significant implications for working-class women's political attitudes and behavior. The Element first theorizes and empirically tests the class-based differences in women's policy priorities. Next, it studies how the class-based representation gap in politics might undermine a sense of political efficacy among women from underprivileged backgrounds. Taken together, the theory and findings of this Element make vital contributions to gender and politics research by uncovering the class- and gender-based dynamics in political representation.
Get access

Information

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Element purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Save element to Kindle

To save this element to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Double Glass Ceiling
Available formats
×

Save element to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Double Glass Ceiling
Available formats
×

Save element to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Double Glass Ceiling
Available formats
×