Much has been made of the potential of a future "Madame President" in 2016 in the United States. Will this shift in gender power make a difference in the shape of electoral politics, the tenor of executive leadership, and the model of governance within and outside the U.S.? How have women "on the edge" of political systems harnessed and transformed these institutions and their relationship with their constituents? As historians bring attention to the divergent political interests of women of varied ideological persuasions, continue to complicate the notions of global feminism, and broaden analysis of coalition and conflict born of intersectional, multi-issue gender justice organizing, we must consider anew the historical implications of gender parity in electoral politics and the classic equality versus difference dichotomy. This panel will reassess women's position and role in politics through fresh attention to individuals, organizations, and campaigns that sought to redirect focus in policymaking because of, in spite of, and/or regardless of gender.

My contribution to this panel will be a paper featuring New York Representative Bella Abzug's role in leading a period of Left Democratic policy experimentation and congressional reform in the early 1970s. I seek diverse papers that complement this focus. Please send me a paragraph description of your proposed paper and a one-page cv by January 1 to: lzarnow@stanford.edu. Thank you!