Tufts for Hillary hosts panel discussion on women in politics

On Wednesday, March 11, Tufts for Hillary hosted a panel discussion entitled “Breaking the Glass Ceiling: An Analysis of Women in American Politics.” Speakers included Deborah Schildkraut, a professor of political science; Virginia Drachman, a professor of history; and Ronna Johnson, lecturer in English. The discussion took place from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the Terrace Room of Paige Hall.

Co-director and Co-founder of Tufts for Hillary Peter Estes, a senior, explained that the event gave attendees the chance to participate in a conversation about women's political involvement.

"This event is going to be an opportunity for students to hear the perspectives of three outstanding Tufts professors on the current and historical trends of women's involvement in politics, and to discuss this topic with the professors and each other," he said.

Estes further explained that Tufts for Hillary aimed to increase campus discussion about gender and politics.

"This discussion of the role of gender in politics should be applicable and engaging across the ideological spectrum," he told the Daily in an email.

Although the group is focused on raising awareness and support for Clinton, Estes noted that the group also focuses on the wider issue of women in politics.

“Secretary Clinton's status as the front runner represents a significant moment for women's involvement in politics, but when women represent less than 20 percent of our Congress -- and even if we were at 50 percent that would hardly imply gender equality -- there is clearly much work to be done," he said.

Co-director and Co-founder of Tufts for Hillary Caroline Kimball-Katz took the lead in creating the panel, working closely with the professors to establish the best format for the event. By hosting a panel discussion that easily lends itself to a question-and-answer session, Kimball-Katz, a senior, hoped to address three different perspectives from the three panelists.

“[These] three professors ... study the position of women in America from three different perspectives: the political, the feminist and the historical," she told the Daily in an e-mail.

Before the event, Kimball-Katz noted that the panel discussion would cover a wide range of subjects related to women in politics.

"The discussion on this topic will be generated by women from different fields of study [that] will make for an interesting and extraordinary discussion for many students who may have approached this topic from one view-point," she said. "This discussion will expose students to feminist theories, the history of the women's movement, the political research on the success of female political candidates and much more.”

Furthermore, Estes hoped that the panel would create an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by Clinton and other female politicians.

According to senior and Tufts for Hillary member Sarah Perlman, Tufts for Hillary is seeking to engage with more students on campus by sharing knowledge, raising awareness and initiating dialogue.

"A bipartisan, interdisciplinary panel seems like the logical way to accomplish that,” she said.

Tufts for Hillary is also planning on hosting more events in the future, with a goal of creating a core of committed members, Estes said.

“[Our] principle goal is to establish a strong base of involved members that will be ready to engage if and when a Hillary Clinton campaign goes live," he said. "In doing that, we also feel that it's important to engage the wider campus in dialogue about elections and politics in general."