Women & Politics Institute

Women & Politics Institute

The Women & Politics Institute provides practical and academic training that encourages women to become involved in the political process and facilitates research by faculty and students that enhances our understanding of the challenges and opportunities women face in the political arena.

To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Voices of Change: Women Leading Peace Through Education, Advocacy, and Justice Tue. Mar 18 at 10am ET | Kerwin 301

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Commemorating the 11th anniversary of the Declaration of Peace Cessation of War (DPCW), Mayor Alyia Gaskins of Alexandria, Virginia, and State Sen. Barbara Favola of Virgina, will discuss advancing peace through education, advocacy, and legal action. The panel will be moderated by WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin. Details and registration here.
*Co-Sponsored with the International Women's Peace Group (IWPG) and SIS’s Department of Peace, Human Rights, & Cultural Relations

WeLead Campaign Training Program

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2025 marks the 20th anniversary of WeLead's non-partisan campaign training program, and your support allows us to continue to offer the training at no cost to admitted applicants. Thank you for believing in our mission to close the gender gap in political leadership!
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Gender on the Ballot

Gender on the Ballot is a nonpartisan project of AU’s Women & Politics Institute that examines and contextualizes gender dynamics in American politics. Originally co-founded by WPI and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation in 2019, Gender on the Ballot contributes to the dialogue on gender and politics through accessible content from experts and practitioners.

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Don’t Take Shortcuts to Connect with an Audience: Amber Macdonald, Managing Director & Co-Head of Executive Communications at SKDK, discusses the importance of authentic communication in political speeches, arguing that, instead of relying on shared identities or buzzwords, candidates should share personal stories and specific actions to convey their values and experiences, showing voters that they understands their struggles and cares about meaningful change.

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The SAVE Act Won’t Save Us: Lily Carver, a dual MA/BA candidate at American University, critiques the reintroduced SAVE Act. While the act aims to prevent voter fraud, Carver argues it creates barriers for women, transgender, and marginalized groups by eliminating online/mail-in registration and rejecting common IDs.

Spring 2024 WPPL Courses

Spring 2025

These core courses are being offered in Spring 2024 for the Women, Policy and Political Leadership (WPPL) Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate Programs. View all WPPL courses here and learn more about the certificate program here.

WPI 'Women on Wednesdays' Recaps

Check out all event recaps here, or visit our Crowdcast channel here to watch full replays of previous events.

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Oct 16: Following a screening of Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter, co-producers/co-directors Christy Carpenter WCL/’95 and Abby Ginzberg discussed the impact and legacy of this influential feminist leader with Washington Post Political Columnist Karen Tumulty and Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO of the ERA Coalition and Fund for Women's Equality. Watch full replay.

 

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Oct 23: Nancy LeaMond, EVP and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer at AARP, Margie Omero, Principal at the polling firm GBAO, and Kristen Soltis Anderson,  Founding Partner at Echelon Insights, discussed findings from their latest She’s the Difference poll on issues of importance to women voters 50+ leading up to the 2024 elections with WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin. Watch full replay.

 

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Oct 9: Amanda Hunter, Lindsay Vermeyen, and Betsy Fischer Martin presented findings from our new Gender on the Ballot poll “She Votes: From Issues to Impact,” conducted by BSG, that explored the issues shaping women voters and their political opinions. POLITICO’s National Political Reporter Elena Schneider shared reporting on the campaign. Watch full replay.

Student Blog Submission (Twitter Post) (1)

This is a chance for undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students to share their knowledge and insight with others committed to closing the gender gap in political leadership. Review the guidelines here.

2024 WoW website

Wed, April 16, 6pm
See Jane Run

David E. Campbell and Christina Wolbrecht

Upcoming Events

Tue. Mar 18 at 10am ET
Voices of Change

Mayor Alyia Gaskins and State Sen. Barbara Favola

View All Events

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Gender on the Ballot and the BSG explored the issues shaping women voters and their political opinions leading up to the 2024 election. To learn more about this new research, check out our Gender on the Ballot website where you will find key takeaways, memo, and our press release.

Gender on the Ballot Poll: She Votes 2024

She Votes: From Issues to Impact-Women's Voices Shaping the 2024 Agenda brings women's concerns and priorities into sharp view. Nearly half of all women said this will be the most important election of their lifetime - a 29% increase over 2023. 

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Gender on the Ballot: Weekly Media Round Up

Stay up-to-date on all the latest news + gender analysis in politics.

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WPI Newsletter

Sign up for the WPI Newsletter to view recent highlights and learn about upcoming opportunities and events.

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Contact Us

202-885-2903

Fax: 202-885-2967

wpi@american.edu

Kerwin Hall, Room 109E on a map

Women & Politics Institute 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 United States