Building Our Communities: Women of Color Workshops in Political Science

Building Our Communities: Women of Color Workshops in Political Science

By Jessica L. Lavariega Monforti, California Lutheran University, and Melissa R. Michelson, Menlo College

Significant numbers of women of color major in political science as undergraduates, but they persistently are less likely than other subgroups to complete graduate degrees, obtain doctorates, find faculty positions, and successfully advance through promotion and tenure. The number of job candidates from underrepresented backgrounds is much smaller than the number of white non-Latinx candidates (Jackson and Super 2018). Women of color face barriers including lack of sponsorship and mentorship, financial resources, and significant familial responsibilities in their pursuit of higher education and subsequent careers in political science—one of the most male- and Anglo-dominated fields of study in the social sciences.

• Read the full article.
• PS: Political Science & Politics, Volume 52, Issue 4, October 2019, pp. 5-7