This study explores how the state genders citizens' attitudes
toward women by examining differences between East and West Germany in
gender role attitudes since unification. Compared to the Federal Republic
of Germany (FRG), the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was a stronger
supporter of women's employment, although the two countries did not
differ greatly in their policies on women's roles within the family.
Using four waves of the German Social Survey, I examine whether
East–West differences in gender role attitudes are explained by: 1)
institutional learning (socialization under a particular regime) or 2)
compositional effects (variation in the distribution of causal factors,
specifically women's employment or religious affiliation). Analyses
suggest that both types of factors influenced East–West differences
in gender role attitudes. Even when other characteristics are included in
the model, East and West Germans continue to differ in their gender role
attitudes. Women's employment and religiosity—both heavily
influenced by GDR policies—continue to play a large role in
determining gender role attitudes even 15 years after unification. The
results suggest that gendered state policies are reflected in
citizens' gender role attitudes both directly and through changes in
the social characteristics of the population.The early stages of this research were supported in part by
the Alexander von Humboldt Bundeskanzler Fellowship Program. I would like
to thank Sarah Poggione, Maria Inclan, and Jonah Victor for their
assistance in data management and analysis, and Marie Pierson for help in
preparation of the final manuscript. I am also grateful to Eric Plutzer,
Robert Rohrschneider, and the reviewers and editors of Politics &
Gender for their suggestions and comments.