Monika McDermott, “Masculinity, Femininity, and American Political Behavior” (Oxford UP, 2016)

With the 2016 presidential election in full swing and rhetoric surrounding each candidate becoming more polarized, how does gender impact the way that people behave politically? Monika McDermott in her new book Masculinity, Femininity, and American Political Behavior (Oxford University Press, 2016) seeks to answer this question. In her analysis, McDermott argues that gendered personalities are a powerful determinant of political behavior and involvement. The campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump also provide interesting insights into how the politics of gendered personalities are enacted in the contemporary political climate. Monika McDermott is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University as well as an election polling analyst for CBS News and The New York Times.