Diana O'Brien

Diana O'Brien

@dzobrien.bsky.social

Professor at @washu.edu‬ researching gender and politics and women’s political representation. More info at: www.dianaobrien.com

691 followers601 following67 posts

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

📢 Free book alert! What happens to the gender gap in political ambition in local government—the “best case” for women? Men STILL report more ambition. Using 3 datasets, this book unpacks why & shows that 🚺 are also much more likely to have “local-only” ambition. Free download + author 🧵 below!

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Diana O'Brien reposted

The WhoGov Project
@whogov.bsky.social

We are so grateful to everyone who participated in the 2026 WhoGov Mini-Conference on Political Elites and made it such an enjoyable and enriching experience. The tentative dates for the next edition are 19–20 August 2027, and the call will come out in early 2027. We already can't wait!

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

20 years ago today, I started the PhD program at @washupolisci.bsky.social .😮😎 Perfect way to celebrate: with the 10(!) amazing PhD students in my Identity, Power & Politics workshop—asking big questions about who gets political power, why, and with what consequences. Full circle. ❤️

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Back from the 3rd annual @whogov.bsky.social conference at @uio.no ! A terrific few days with scholars of political elites and Oslo’s excellent grad students. Very grateful to give the keynote--Who Governs and Why it Matters: Lessons from Cabinet Appointments--alongside @tiffanydbarnes.bsky.social.

The WhoGov Project@whogov.bsky.social

We are excited for the keynote at next week's mini-conference on political elites: @dzobrien.bsky.social and @tiffanydbarnes.bsky.social will present "Who Governs and Why It Matters: Lessons from Cabinet Appointments" on Thursday the 20th, 13–14. If you are in Oslo and want to attend, let us know

whogov.netConference — WhoGovWhoGov workshops, conference panels, and data clinics for the research community.
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

This @bjpols.bsky.social paper on women's support for left-wing parties by @gdilandro.bsky.social just won the 2026 GESIS Klingemann Prize! Congratulations Gonzalo! So proud of you! 🎉

Gonzalo Di Landro@gdilandro.bsky.social

In my new @bjpols.bsky.social, I show that the longstanding association between female labor force participation and ♀️ support for left-wing parties is conditional on their advocacy for gender equality in labor markets. Western Europe (1990-2019) Party behavior matters for the gender voting gap!

cambridge.orgParty Behaviour and the Gender Voting Gap | British Journal of Political Science | Cambridge CoreParty Behaviour and the Gender Voting Gap - Volume 55
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Terrific new work from my PhD student Alexis Jang, now out in @jpeaceresearch.bsky.social! Using social media analysis + survey experiments, Alexis examines how portrayals of women’s wartime victimization shape perceptions of their leadership potential. Check it out: doi.org/10.1093/jopr...

doi.orgHow portraying women's wartime victimization shapes perceptions of their leadership potentialAbstract. Does portraying women as wartime victims shape citizens’ perceptions of their leadership potential? Conflict-related media coverage disproportion

Diana O'Brien reposted

EPSS
@epssnet.bsky.social

1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣ A particularly warm welcome to all those participants that are attending #EPSS for the very first time. We are so happy you are here! A huge thanks to Queens University for sponsoring the first-time attendee reception tonight! 🙏

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

It’s the very best time of year: commencement! So delighted to hood Dr. Annie Jarman, 14 years after my own commencement at @washu.edu I’m especially excited to help keep our WashU gender and politics community going strong. Congratulations again to Annie and to all of our amazing PhD graduates!

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Happy to learn that Farida Jalalzai received the Midwest Women’s Caucus Outstanding Professional Achievement Award at this year's @mpsa.bsky.social conference! Farida is a pathbreaking scholar of 🚺 presidents and prime ministers and a generous leader and colleague. This honor is richly deserved!

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Still thinking about the Spring 2026 @egenpolisci.bsky.social conference @ Stanford. Terrific papers, lightning talks and thoughtful conversations about how research can inform real-world change. Huge thanks to Solé Prillaman for organizing such a rich event. kingcenter.stanford.edu/events/confe...

kingcenter.stanford.eduExpanding Women’s Access to Politics Through Academic and Policy PartnershipsThe 2026 Empirical Gender Network (EGEN) Conference at Stanford’s King Center on Global Development will bring together students and faculty with leaders and policymakers from around the world who are...
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

New @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org Gender & Politics Element on LGBTQ politics by Daby and Rau. Focusing on Latin America, authors use survey data and interviews to identify multiple processes by which individuals move from prejudice and rejection to tolerance and acceptance towards LGBTQ+ citizens! 🏳️‍🌈

Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR@cambup-polsci.cambridge.org

New Cambridge Element, Towards Tolerance and Acceptance, by Mariela Daby and Eli G. Rau, out now! Read for free for the next 2 weeks at https://cup.org/4rpRYAo

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

The same people who claim they want to "defend women." Gender studies departments have incredibly committed instructors. They get students to read, write, and think, exposing them to interdisciplinary coursework that helps them make sense of the world. They do this with limited resources & support.

The New York Times@nytimes.com

Breaking News: Texas A&M ended its women’s studies program and changed hundreds of courses over race and gender to comply with new policies limiting how race and gender ideology may be discussed in classrooms.

nyti.msTexas A&M Ends Women’s Studies and Overhauls Hundreds of Classes on Race and GenderNew policies limiting the teaching of race and gender issues led administrators and professors to change hundreds of courses. School leaders say the rules could hurt A&M’s reputation.
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

I am a political scientist. I am also the proud chair of WashU's small but mighty women, gender, and sexuality studies department. Political scientists: it's time to stand w/ gender studies, Black studies and similar units. We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was "The Politics of Perception," sent to me by the brilliant author, @kstauffer.bsky.social. It's a must-read book about how & why Americans' (mis)perceptions of 🚺's political representation influence their efficacy, trust, approval of institutions.

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

🚨Free book alert (for 2 weeks)! In her new CUP Element, @caglayanbaser.bsky.social shows that rebel groups with♀️combatants are seen as more gender-equal, democratic and morally legitimate, even when they perpetrate violence. This increases public support for government sponsorship of rebel groups!

Caglayan Baser@caglayanbaser.bsky.social

🎉New book alert! 📢Do female combatants shape foreign support for rebel groups? My new @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org book shows that groups with women fighters receive more foreign backing because they’re seen as more democratic, gender equal and less violent. 🔓Free to read for 2 weeks👇

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Excited that "Race, Gender, and Nascent Political Ambition" is now out in @bjpols.bsky.social. W/ survey of white, Hispanic, and Black American respondents, we show primary gap in nascent political ambition is not between men and women but between white men and the majority of the polity.

British Journal of Political Science@bjpols.bsky.social

NEW - Race, Gender, and Nascent Political Ambition - https://cup.org/4s4ZzFT - Andrea Junqueira, @dzobrien.bsky.social, @mhayes.bsky.social, Jongwoo Jeong, Brian Crisp & Matthew Gabel #OpenAccess

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

I once had the privilege of teaching a women & politics courses at Texas A&M. I inherited the class from a colleague, but I made it fully my own (no one double-checked my syllabi). And the course addressed gender, sexuality, and intersectionality—b/c, obvi. I have never enjoyed teaching more! 1/

The Associated Press@apnews.com

Texas A&M University adopts a policy requiring professors to get approval from the school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.

bit.lyTexas A&M University professors now need approval for some race and gender topicsTexas A&M University has adopted a new policy requiring professors to first get approval to discuss some race and gender topics.
View full thread
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

We generated hypotheses together. We looked at data. We learned, together. My colleagues trusted me, and my students trusted me. It was one of the most rewarding teaching experiences of my career. 4/

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Anyway, this is a long thread to say how deeply sad I feel about this news. As a gender and politics scholar, I loved my time working with A&M students and faculty. I hate to think about what current and future students and colleagues are missing out on. 5/5

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

I once had the privilege of teaching a women & politics courses at Texas A&M. I inherited the class from a colleague, but I made it fully my own (no one double-checked my syllabi). And the course addressed gender, sexuality, and intersectionality—b/c, obvi. I have never enjoyed teaching more! 1/

The Associated Press@apnews.com

Texas A&M University adopts a policy requiring professors to get approval from the school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.

bit.lyTexas A&M University professors now need approval for some race and gender topicsTexas A&M University has adopted a new policy requiring professors to first get approval to discuss some race and gender topics.
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

I taught my A&M women and politics class several times, and each instance was a joy. A minority of my students arrived already interested in gender equality in politics. It was a delight to connect with them. 2/

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

But the overwhelming majority came in indifferent, and a non-trivial share were skeptical. And honestly? I welcomed it. I’m an empirical social scientist. I’m always asking (and asking my students): How would you know if you were right? And, more importantly, how would you know if you were wrong? 3/

Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Feeling grateful to @jennpiscopo.bsky.social for including our co-authored @apsrjournal.bsky.social article on gender quotas in this piece for @policyoptions.irpp.org. Despite pundits' fears, we find that 🚹's overrepresentation is much more corrosive to democratic legitimacy than gender quotas.

Jennifer Piscopo@jennpiscopo.bsky.social

For @policyoptions.irpp.org, I wrote about how Canada lags its European and Anglo peers in electing women to parliament, how that harms their reputation, and, drawing on research w/ @dzobrien.bsky.social & Amanda Clayton, why voters prefer gender parity. policyoptions.irpp.org/2025/10/gend...

policyoptions.irpp.orgCanada ranks 71st for women in politicsCanada ranks 71st in the world for women in parliament. Voters support gender quotas to make politics more representative.
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

I’m really proud of (and grateful to) my colleagues for writing this op-ed. As a @washu.edu alumna and faculty member, I forcefully echo their statement. Faculty excellence and student success should be our lodestar. Signing the compact moves us further from those aims.

Jacob Montgomery@jacobmontgomery.bsky.social

New editorial from me and @keithschnak.bsky.social. “Why Washington University must not sign Trump's 'compact'”

stltoday.comOpinion: Why Washington University must not sign Trump's 'compact'Washington University in St. Louis has built its reputation on a simple ideal: excellence wins. For decades, our researchers have competed for and won federal grants based on the quality
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

Are you attending #APSA2025 and (thinking of) writing a book on the topic of gender and politics?! Come meet the editors of the @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org Cambridge Studies in Gender & Politics! Friday at 2:30pm at the Sutton Place Hotel (Salon Cezanne). We want to talk w/ you!

Ana Catalano Weeks@anacweeks.bsky.social

📢 Meet the Editors: Cambridge Studies in Gender and Politics 📅 APSA Annual Meeting, Fri 12, 2:30–3:30pm 📍 Salon Cezanne, Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver Join the editors for an informal gathering to learn about the series & share your research on gender and politics www.cambridge.org/core/series/...

cambridge.orgCambridge Studies in Gender and PoliticsWelcome to Cambridge Core
Diana O'Brien
@dzobrien.bsky.social

📘 New from Cambridge & free to download for the next two weeks! "Attitudes toward Political Authoritarianism in Economically Advanced Democracies: The Role of Gender Values and Norms" by Amy C. Alexander & @gefjonoff.bsky.social! Check out the 🧵 below for a great summary!

Gefjon Off@gefjonoff.bsky.social

Our Element is out! 🎉 Why do authoritarian-leaning leaders target women’s and LGBTQ+ rights? Is there a systematic pattern that reaches beyond individual country cases, and how is this reflected in people’s attitudes and societal norms? www.cambridge.org/core/element...

cambridge.orgAttitudes toward Political Authoritarianism in Economically Advanced DemocraciesCambridge Core - Politics: General Interest - Attitudes toward Political Authoritarianism in Economically Advanced Democracies