Hierarchies of Representation: The Re-distributive Effects ofGender and Youth Quotas

Abstract

This article investigates how paired electoral quotas re-distribute parliamentary seats between majority and minority groups. Focusing on gender and youth quotas, we use the concept of Hierarchies of Representation to analyse the political inclusion of intersectional groups. We use a dataset of 146 countries and two case studies to explore quotas’ effects on HoR under different quota constellations. We find that paired quotas tend to re-distribute power among women and youth rather than challenge middle-aged men’s parliamentary dominance.