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Farida Jalalzai

Farida Jalalzai, Associate Dean for Global Initiatives and Engagement, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and Professor of Political Science

Farida Jalalzai
Farida Jalalzai, Associate Dean for Global Initiatives and Engagement, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and Professor of Political Science

Department of Political Science and Office of the Dean
212 Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Building (0426)
200 Stanger Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-3114 | fjalalzai@vt.edu

Farida Jalalzai joined the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences as its first associate dean for global initiatives and engagement on July 1, 2020. In this newly created position, she seeks to enhance the college’s already robust international profile.

Jalalzai has also been appointed a professor in the Department of Political Science. Her research focuses heavily on the representation and behavior of women and minorities in politics and the role of gender in the political arena.


She is the author of three books — Shattered, Cracked or Firmly Intact? Women and the Executive Glass Ceiling Worldwide (Oxford University Press), Women Presidents of Latin America: Beyond Family Ties (Routledge); Women’s Empowerment and Disempowerment in Brazil: The Rise and Fall of President Dilma Rousseff (with Pedro A.G. dos Santos, Temple University Press) and co-editor of Measuring Women’s Political Empowerment Worldwide across the Globe: Strategies, Challenges and Future Research (Palgrave).

She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and African and Afro-American studies from SUNY College at Brockport, and she earned both her master’s degree and her doctorate in political science from the University of Buffalo.

  • Representation and Behavior of Women in Politics
  • Representation and Behavior of Minorities in Politics
  • Role of Gender in Politics
  • Executive Studies
  • Comparative Politics
  • Ph.D. in Political Science, University of Buffalo
  • M.A. in Political Science, University of Buffalo
  • B.A. in Political Science and African and Afro-American Studies, SUNY College at Brockport
  • Member, American Political Science Association
  • Member, Asian Studies Association
  • Member, Women and Politics Organized Section, American Political Science Association
  • Member, International Political Science Association
  • Member, Latin American Studies Association
  • Member, Midwest Political Science Association
  • Member, Northeastern Political Science Association
  • Member, Brazilian Studies Association
  • Outstanding Research in Political Science, Oklahoma State University, 2016, 2017
  • Outstanding Service in Political Science, Oklahoma State University, 2017
  • Women’s Caucus Prize, The Best Paper on Women in Politics, Northeastern Political Science Association for “The Symbolic Representation of Women Executive” (with Amy C. Alexander), 2015
  • Women’s Trailblazer Award, University of Missouri - St. Louis, 2015
  • The Best Paper by Faculty Award, Northeastern Political Science Association, for “The Links Between Women Executives,” 2011
  • Women’s Caucus Prize, The Best Paper on Women in Politics, Northeastern Political Science Association for “Beyond Hillary and Benazir: Women’s Leadership Worldwide” (with Mona Lena Krook), 2009
  • Meritorious Service Award, Office of Disability Access Services. University of Missouri - St. Louis, 2006

Books

Women's Empowerment and Disempowerment in Brazil: The Rise and Fall of President Dilma Rousseff (with Pedro A.G. dos Santos). Temple University Press, 2021.

Women Presidents of Latin America: Beyond Family Ties. New York: Routledge Press, 2016.

Shattered, Cracked or Firmly Intact? Women and the Executive Glass Ceiling Worldwide. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Edited Books

Measuring Women’s Political Empowerment Worldwide across the Globe: Strategies, Challenges and Future Research (with Amy C. Alexander and Catherine Bolzendahl). Gender and Politics Series. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.

Journal Articles

"The “Accidental Candidate” Versus Europe’s Longest Dictator: Belarus’s Unfinished Revolution for Women" (with Steven Jurek). 2023. Politics & Governance. Open access first view: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandgovernance/article/view/6167


“Crisis, Gender Role Congruency and Perceptions of Executive Leadership” (with Malliga Och and Louise Davidson-Schmich). 2023. Politics & Gender 19 (1): 1-8. Open Access: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/politics-and-gender/article/crisis-gender-role-congruency-and-perceptions-of-executive-leadership/72D968ED001D18962F38E8E17CE307D1

“Women on the Chopping Block? Gender Dynamics on the Popular Food Network Show” (with Venkat Sethuraman and Maya Sethuraman). 2022. Studies in Popular Culture. 44 (1) 1-18.

“Crisis Confidence: How Women Leaders Tackled Covid-19” (with Katie Tyner). 2022. Politics & Policy. 50 (6): 1067-1095.  Open Access: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/polp.12511

“ ‘I am a Tough Woman Surrounded by Tender Men’: Dilma Rousseff Leadership Traits, and Sexist Backlash.”(with Pedro A.G. dos Santos, Brianna Kreft, Lizbet  Martinez-Port and Brigid Smith). 2022. Frontiers in Political Science 4.  Open Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2022.926579/full

“Gender Tensions in Dilma Rousseff’s Impeachment: An Analysis of the Character Dilma Bolada” (with Adriana Carneiro). 2022. International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics. 17(3): 263-289.

"The Importance of Gender Quotas in Patriarchal and Clientelistic Polities: The Case of Pakistan" (with Mariam Mufti). 2021. Journal of Women, Politics & Policy. 42(2): 107-123. DOI: 10.1080/1554477X.2021.1882826

“Women Leaders in National Politics.” 2019. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies.

“Women Executives: Empowering Women through Selection in Germany and Brazil.” 2019. Comparative Social Research 34: 157–184. Published simultaneously in Elites and People: Challenges to Democracy. 2019. Edited by Engelstad, Gulbrandsen, Mangset and Teigen, M. Emerald Publishers.

“Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Ties to Political Power Worldwide” (with Meg Rincker). Historical Social Research. December 2018. 43 (4): 54–72.

“The Symbolic Effects of Female Heads of States and Governments” (with Amy C. Alexander). Politics Groups and Identities. February 2018.

“Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Bid: A Gendered and Comparative Perspective.” Socius 4. March 2018: 1–11.

“A Woman President without Women? President Park of South Korea” (with Young-Im Lee). Politics & Gender. December 2017 13 (4):597–617.

“Shattered, Not Cracked, The Effect of Women’s Executive Leadership.” Journal of Women, Politics & Policy. 37:4. November 2016: 1–25.

“Defining Women’s Global Political Empowerment: Theories and Evidence” (with Amy C. Alexander and Catherine Bolzendahl). Sociology Compass 10:6. June 2016: 432–441.

“The Dilma Effect? Women’s Representation under Dilma Rousseff’s Presidency” (with Pedro Dos Santos). Politics & Gender 11:1. March 2015: 117–145.

“Gender, Presidencies, and Premierships in Europe: Are Women Gaining Ground?” International Political Science Review 35:5. November 2014: 577–594.

“A Duration Analysis of Political Widows Careers” (with Brian J. Fogarty and Chad A. Hankinson). Social Science Journal 50. August 2013: 299–305.

“Executive Representation Worldwide: Indistinguishable Elites, Multifarious Masses” (with Steven J. Jurek). International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations 11 (4). April 2012: 71–84.

“A Critical Departure for Women Executives or More of the Same? The Powers of Chancellor Merkel.” German Politics 20 (2). September 2011: 428–448.

“Anxious and Active-Muslim Perceptions of Discrimination and Treatment and its Political Consequences in the Post 9-11 United States.” Politics and Religion 4 (1) April 2011: 71–107.

“Madam President-Gender, Power, and the Comparative Presidency.” Journal of Women, Politics & Policy 31 (2) April 2010: 132–165.

“Beyond Hillary and Benazir: Women’s Leadership Worldwide.” (with Mona Lena Krook). International Political Science Review 31 (1) January 2010: 5–23. Selected as IPSR’s Editor’s Choice, “Gender and Political Institutions.” February 2014. Reprinted in Current Controversies: Women in Politics: Cengage Learning. September, 2012: 71–83. Reprinted in Political Leadership. Edited by David S. Bell. London: Sage Press. April 2011:375–385.

“The Politics of Muslims in America.” Politics and Religion 2 (2). August 2009: 163–199.

“Political Widowhood in the United States: An Empirical Assessment of Underlying Assumptions of Representation” (with Chad A. Hankinson). Journal of Women, Politics & Policy 29 (3). August 2008: 395–426.

“Women Rule-Shattering the Executive Glass Ceiling.” Politics &Gender 4 (2). June 2008: 1–27.

“Women Candidates and the Media: 1992-2000 Elections.” Politics & Policy 34: 3. September 2006: 606–633.

“Forecasting the Presidential Vote in the States, 1948-2004: An Update, Revision and Extension of a State-Level Presidential Voting Model” (with James E. Campbell and Syed Ali). Journal of Political Marketing 5: 1/2. July 2006: 33–57. Reprinted in Campaigns and Political Marketing. Edited by Wayne P. Steger, Sean Q. Kelly, and J. Mark Wrighton. Haworth Press. 2006: 33–57 (peer-reviewed).

“Women Political Leaders: Past and Present.” Women & Politics 26:3/4. December 2004: 85–108.

Peer-Refereed Book Chapters

“Introduction to Measuring Women’s Political Empowerment across the Globe: Strategies, Challenges and Future Research.” 2018. In Measuring Women’s Political Empowerment across the Globe: Strategies, Challenges and Future Research (with Amy C. Alexander and Catherine Bolzendahl). London: Palgrave Macmillan. 1–25.

“Women Heads of State and Government.” 2018. In Measuring Women’s Political Empowerment across the Globe: Strategies, Challenges and Future Research (with Amy C. Alexander and Catherine Bolzendahl). London: Palgrave Macmillan. 257–282.

“Conclusions and Future Directions.” In Measuring Women’s Political Empowerment across the Globe- Strategies, Challenges and Future Research (with Amy C. Alexander and Catherine Bolzendahl). London: Palgrave Macmillan. 283–291.

“Global Trends in Women’s Executive Leadership.” 2017. In Women Presidents and Prime Ministers in Post-Transition Democracies. Edited by Verónica Montecinos. Palgrave Studies in Political Leadership Series. New York: Palgrave. 59–79.

“The Symbolic Effects of Female Heads of States and Government” 2016. (with Amy Alexander) In The Gendered Executive. Edited by MaryAnne Borrelli and Janet M. Martin. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. 24–43.

Invited Book Chapters

“Women in Political Office in North America.” 2015. In Women, Policy and Political Leadership: Regional Perspectives in Today’s World. Edited by Wilhelm Hofmeister, Megha Sarmah and Dilpreet Kaur. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Singapore. 45-50.

“Arab and Muslim Americans and Politics.” 2015. In American Political Culture. Edited by Ted G. Jelen, Mark J. Rozell, and Michael Shally-Jensen. New York: ABCCLIO.

“A Woman’s Place is in the Presidency: Dilma, Marina and Women’s Representation in Brazil” (with Pedro dos Santos. 2014. In The Drama of Brazilian Politics: From Dom João to Marina Silva. Edited by Ted Goertzel and Paulo Roberto de Almeida. Kindle ebooks.

“Pakistan and India: Parallel Pasts, Divergent Futures.” 2011. Routledge Handbook of Democratization. Edited by Jeffrey Haynes. Oxford: Routledge Press. 106–128.

“A Woman in Charge of the Country? Women Prime Ministers and Presidents—a (Not Quite) Global Phenomenon.” 2010. In Women in Politics: Outsiders or Insiders? 5th Edition. Edited by Lois Duke Whitaker. Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 188–205.

“Political Development and Women’s Status around the World.” 2009. In Women of the World: A Comparative History and Survey. Edited by Joyce Gelb and Marian Lief Palley. ABC CLIO. 29–52.

  •  Visiting Scholar, The Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, May — June 2022.
  • Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award, 2020.
  • Visiting Faculty Scholar, Department of Political Science and Quality of Government Institute, Gothenburg, University, Gothenburg Sweden, June 2017 — July 2017.
  • Research Fellow, International Studies and Programs, University of Missouri – St. Louis, August 2010 — August 2015.