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About Michele L. Swers:
Michele Swers is a Professor of American Government in the Department of Government. She earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr. Swers' research and teaching interests encompass Congress, Congressional elections, and Women and Politics. She has written two books on women and representation in Congress. Her book, The Difference Women Make: The Policy Impact of Women in Congress (University of Chicago Press 2002) explores gender differences in policy making activity on issues related to women, children, and families. Women in the Club: Gender and Policy Making in the Senate (University of Chicago Press 2013) examines the impact of gender on senators' policy activities in the areas of women's issues, national security, and judicial nominations. Swers focuses on party differences to demonstrate how party reputations for issue ownership interact with perceptions of women’s policy expertise to create opportunities and obstacles for women senators. She analyzes women’s activities as members of partisan teams leveraging their gender to promote party messages to groups of women voters and to advance their own policy goals.
Dr. Swers has written numerous articles and book chapters on women in Congress and women in elections as candidates and voters. Recent articles examine the evolution of partisan voting on abortion-related issues in Congress (Politics & Gender 2021) with Kelly Rolfes-Haase and the state legislatures (Political Research Quarterly 2020) with Beth Reingold, Rebecca Kreitzer, and Tracy Osborn. Swers also analyzes how fundraising practices have contributed to the party gap in women's representation and the underrepresentation of women in the Republican party (Political Research Quarterly 2017) with Danielle Thomsen and (Politics & Gender 2016) with Karin Kitchens. She co-authors the textbook, Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Political Influence (Rowman & Littlefield Updated 4th edition 2021) with Julie Dolan and Melissa Deckman. Dr. Swers has provided expertise on Congressional policymaking and elections and the role of women in politics to media outlets including The News Hour, Washington Post, CQ Weekly, Politico, and numerous national and state newspapers. She is currently working on a project that examines differences in the policy views and support coalitions of Republican men and women in Congress.
The Sunwater Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit institute founded to foster the creation, discussion, and implementation of fundamental ideas that advance liberty, knowledge, opportunity, and power for individuals and society. Sunwater’s vision is a society, founded on the principles of individual liberty, striving toward its maximum potential. For more information, visit https://www.sunwater.org.