The Effects of Descriptive Associational Leadership on Civic Engagement: The Case of Clergy and Gender in Protestant Denominations
Given the attention that has been paid to the presence of women in leadership positions throughout the economy and society as well as the role that associations play in shaping citizen political participation, it is surprising that their confluence has not been systematically studied. What effect does men's versus women's associational leadership have on the political engagement of women and men members? Using a set of surveys drawn from Protestant denominations that ordain women as part of the 2001 U.S. Congregational Life Study, I investigate clergy gender effects on church leadership and political participation conditional on member gender using hierarchical models. Across four denominations, I find descriptive evidence but little systematic evidence supporting an effect due to clergy gender, though somewhat more evidence on church leadership than on political activity.