An Illusion of Empowerment: "Autocratic Genderwashing" and the Complexities of Women’s Political Participation

Author: Samantha Palmese

Field of Study: Undeclared

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Matthew Cole

Easel: 93

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: In recent years, authoritarianism has shifted from high-surveillance, repressive regimes to democratic-pretending autocracies in which classical democratic characteristics, such as women’s rights and increased political participation, are used to promote authoritarian ideals. This idea has taken to fruition under the name of “autocratic genderwashing,” in which authoritarian leaders selectively promote gender-equality reforms to enhance regime legitimacy while preserving core structures of autocracy. This study analyzes how this phenomenon affects the daily lives of the women who live under its control and compares data from scholarly case studies in Africa and the Middle East of this phenomenon across the globe. The findings provide insight into the complex trade-offs of “autocratic genderwashing,” highlighting both its immediate constraints and its potential to produce limited, longer-term shifts in women’s political participation.