Amanda Bittner

Incorporates data from thirty-five election studies across seven countries with varying institutional environments, and takes both a broad and in-depth look at the role of leaders. Argues that personality plays an important role in elections, and that in a healthy democracy, it should. 

Assesses a measure of gender identity salience and finds that original survey data clarifies our understanding of gender's impact on political attitudes.

Finds that both social group identity and public knowledge/information influence the nature of vote choice and public opinion in Canada. Finds that in some cases, voters' level of information reduces the role of social group identity in explaining attitudes and vote choices; information acts to bridge the differences between different social groups, while in other cases, voters' level of information acts to amplify the importance of social group identity in predicting attitudes.

Compares a new measure of genuine gender identification with a conventional measure of biological sex to determine whether the practice of using sex as a proxy for gender is sound. Argues that this is simply the start to an important conversation and that more research is needed to ascertain how we might best measure "gender" in the future.

Assesses how Canadian political parties have evolved in response to new challenges, how Canadian elections are fought on different terms than those of the past, and how these developments and challenges have changed the way voters view political parties and elections. Contributes to our understanding of Canadian politics in the wake of a one of the most tumultuous periods in the country's history.

Looks at the main three areas of citizen engagement with the political system— parenthood and political careers, parenthood in the media, and parenthood and political behavior— to argue that being a parent is a gendered political identity that influences how, why, and to what extent women (and men) engage with politics. Makes important observations about what we know and what we still need to find out.