Political Recruitment

Gender, Race and Class in the British Parliament

Pippa Norris author Joni Lovenduski author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:24th Nov '94

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Political Recruitment cover

This book examines the relative dearth of women, black and working-class Members of Parliament, and whether this evident social bias matters for political representation.

In this compelling book Pippa Norris and Joni Lovenduski provide the first full account of legislative recruitment in Britain for twenty-five years. Their central concern is how and why some politicians succeed in moving into the highest offices of state, while others fail. The book examines the relative dearth of women, black and working-class Members of Parliament, and whether the evident social bias in the British political élite matters for political representation. Legislative recruitment concerns the critical step from lower levels (activists, local counsellors) to a parliamentary career. The authors draw evidence from the first systematic surveys of parliamentary candidates, Members of Parliament and party selectors, as well as detailed personal interviews. The study explores how and why people become politicians, and the consequences for parties, legislatures and representative government.

'Political Recruitment is likely to become the standard work of its kind, and it certainly deserves to be, for the depth of its scholarship, the comprehensive scope of its research, and the logic with which its case is reasoned.' Talking Politics

ISBN: 9780521469616

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 19mm

Weight: 500g

336 pages