Contested Transformation: Race, Gender & Political Leadership in 21st Century America

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(Cambridge University Press, 2016)

By Carol Hardy-Fanta



Contested Transformation constitutes the first comprehensive study of racial and ethnic minorities holding elective office in the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Building on data from the Gender and Multicultural Leadership (GMCL) National Database and Survey, it provides a baseline portrait of Black, Latino, Asian American, and American Indian elected officials - the women and men holding public office at national, state, and local levels of government. Analysis reveals commonalities and differences across race and gender groups on their backgrounds, paths to public office, leadership roles, and policy positions. Challenging mainstream political science theories in their applicability to elected officials of color, the book offers new understandings of the experiences of those holding public office today. Gains in political leadership and influence by people of color are transforming the American political landscape, but they have occurred within a contested political context, one where struggles for racial and gender equality continue.

  • Provides detailed findings on the backgrounds and political trajectories of elected officials of color by race and gender giving academics access to new information needed for their research

  • The book's compelling narrative of contested transformation makes it accessible to a wide audience, from students to political activists to media commentators

  • Explores topics currently under debate such as immigration policy, voting rights, and the death penalty, being relevant for the 2016 US Presidential election and beyond

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