Women's Empowerment and Disempowerment in Brazil

In 2010, Dilma Rousseff was the first woman to be elected President in Brazil. She was re-elected in 2014 before being impeached in 2016 for breaking budget laws. Her popularity and controversy both energized and polarized the country. In Womens Empowerment and Disempowerment in Brazil, dos Santos and Jalalzai examine Rousseffs presidency and what it means for a woman to hold (and lose) the countrys highest power. The authors examine the ways Rousseff exercised dominant authority and enhanced womens political empowerment. They also investigate the extent her gender played a role in the events of her presidency, including the political and economic crises and her ensuing impeachment. Emphasizing womens political empowerment rather than representation, the authors assess the effects of women executives to more directly impact female constituencieshow they can empower women by appointing them to government positions; make policies that advance womens equality; and, through visibility, create greater support for female politicians despite rampant sexism. Womens Empowerment and Disempowerment in Brazil uses Rousseffs presidency as a case study to focus on the ways she succeeded and failed in using her authority to empower women. The authors findings have implications throughout the world.