Climbing the Hill Gender Conflict in Congress

Subjects:

• Political Science » American Politics/Government
• History » American History -- 1946 to Present
• Women's Studies » Women's Issues in Politics & Law

Reviews:

• Karen Foerstel and Herbert Foerstel bring their researching skills and 'insider' information together to trace the history of women's slow, not always steady, struggle to attain election to and power in Congress. In the second half of their book, they document with interesting anecdotal examples the difficulties Congresswomen have continually faced getting respect and recognition from their male colleagues. The final section is a fascinating report of the discrimination and harassment women experience working on personal office and congressional committee staffs. Recommended for academic, law, and public libraries with strong women's studies collections.
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  Library Journal
• The Foerstels provide an excellent account of the battle of the sexes in Congress... Women are not key players on the standing committees, nor are they entrenched in the leadership of either party. Yet women are important to the success or failure of congressional members in their staff roles, as they account for about 60 percent of all staff (although they still serve disproportionately in the lower-paying jobs). The prognosis for women in this book is not overly optimistic, but it is realistic. Women are still 'climbing the hill,' and will be doing so for decades in their attempt to rival men in political power. Upper division undergraduates through faculty.
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  Choice
• Karen Foerstel and Herbert Foerstel...bring their researching skills and 'insider' information together to trace the history of women's slow, not always steady, struggle to attain election to and power in Congress. In the second half of their book, they document with interesting anecdotal examples the difficulties Congresswomen have continually faced getting respect and recognition from their male colleagues. The final section is a fascinating report of the discrimination and harassment women experience working on personal office and congressional committee staffs. Recommended for academic, law, and public libraries with strong women's studies collections.
  —Library Journal
• The Foerstels open this study with an overview of the history of women elected to Congress, providing a context for the myriad challenges and obstacles faced by women in the political arena. With keen insights, they illuminate the process of party politics and offer a critique of the committee system. This analysis touches on those issues pertinent to women. In essence, they indicate there is little cause for optimism while the male-dominant power structure is still in control.
  —Booklist
• The book is well and engagingly written and rich with reactions to the politics of Congress by the women who serve there. Undoubtedly, students will enjoy the stories of individual Congresswomen and staffers.
  —Women & Politics

Table of Contents:

• A History of Struggle
• Humble Beginnings
• A Promise Denied
• Beyond a Single Term
• New Deal Women
• Women's Rights
• Public Health, Consumer Affairs, and the Environment
• A Losing Cause?
• A Second Wind
• The Emerging Female Leadership
• The Decade of the Woman
• Building the Foundation
• The Losers
• The Legacy of 1992
• Fundraising: Changes Over the Years
• Changing Attitudes
• Women versus Women
• The New Congressional Woman
• Aspiring to Power
• Committee Power
• Congressional Leadership
• The Women's Caucus
• Joining the Team
• Family Problems
• Women's Legislation
• The Modern Legislative Agenda
• Congressional Staff
• Background
• Springboard to Election
• The Power of Staff
• A New Era: Less Government, Less Staff
• Problems in the Workplace
• Sexual Harassment
• Conclusion
• Prognosis
• Selected Bibliography
• Index