Women & Politics Institute
Encyclopedia
Overview
The Women & Politics Institute (WPI) is a research institute located in the School of Public AffairsAmerican University School of Public Affairs
The American University School of Public Affairs houses three academic departments - Public Administration & Policy, Government, Justice, Law, & Society - as well as the , a research unit jointly sponsored with the School of International Service....
at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The mission of the Women & Politics Institute is to close the gender gap in political leadership. The institute provides young women with academic and practical training that encourages them to become involved in the political process. It also facilitate research to enhance the understanding of the challenges women face in the political arena.
Founded in 2000 by Karen O'Connor
Karen O'Connor (professor)
Karen O'Connor is a political science professor at American University in Washington, D.C., where she is also the Founder and Director Emerita of the Women & Politics Institute.O'Connor earned her B.A., J.D., and Ph. D. degrees from SUNY-Buffalo...
, the institute offers Graduate, Undergraduate and Non-Degree Certificates in "Women, Policy, and Political Leadership" (WPPL) http://www.american.edu/spa/wpi/certificate.cfm. Currently, this is the only certificate program of its kind in the nation. Undergraduate students are able to apply to the program as early as their sophomore year of college. Certificates are awarded on the completion of 15 course credits. Six of these credits must be earned in WPI core classes, and students must also take at least two 1-credit special topic weekend courses.
In addition to certificate programs, WPI also offers two training programs: Campaign College and WeLEAD. The Campaign College program provides college women with the skills and training needed to run for and win positions in student government. It also encourages students in the program to consider a candidacy after their graduation http://www.american.edu/spa/wpi/campaign_college.cfm. The bipartisan WeLEAD program is a nine-month-long, intensive series of workshops and seminars. It prepares women to seek, obtain, and succeed in political positions in the White House, administrative agencies, congressional offices, campaign consulting firms, and lobbying firms. WPI's special events also bring together well-known politicians, media personalities, policy experts, diplomats, authors, and academics to discuss the status of women in politics and how to increase women’s political involvement.
Jennifer L. Lawless
Jennifer L. Lawless
Jennifer L. Lawless serves as the current director of the Women & Politics Institute, as well as an Associate Professor of Government at American University. She received her Ph.D. from Stanford University in 2003 and her B.A. in from Union College in 1997; both degrees were in political science....
serves as the current director of the Women & Politics Institute, as well as an Associate Professor of Government at American University. http://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/lawless.cfm In 2006, Lawless was a congressional candidate in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
's second district http://www.lawlessforcongress.com/pages/about/ .
Lawless and the Institute are regularly contacted to discuss views on women candidates in the political arena and the realities that women face when running for office. Lawless recently published her second book, It Still Takes A Candidate: Why Women Don't Run for Office and has also published policy reports and numerous articles in political science journals.
As of July 2010, Lawless is the editor of Politics & Gender, a political science journal that will be housed at the Women & Politics Institute.