Offering a unique comparative perspective, this volume examines the history of women's legislative involvement, clearly addressing the issue of equal opportunities for women in political life on a cross-national basis. It also identifies innovative solutions to redress the power-sharing balance between women and men. '...an excellent collection that brings together an impressive group of authors...Their insightful, clear and timely observations and analyses are of interest to anyone concerned about contemporary democratic politics.' Professor Joni Lovenduski, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK 'This impressive collection...offers new insights in explaining the variations of women's representation in national legislatures and the impact of women parliamentarians on policy making. Using a common framework, the volume examines a wide range of countries, moving beyond the politics of Western Europe and North America to include the experiences of the post-Communist democracies of Eastern Europe and emerging democracies in the Global South...required reading in Comparative Politics courses...an extremely valuable resource for students and specialists in the field of Women and Politics.' Professor Diane Sainsbury, University of Stockholm, Sweden