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This book analyzes how the media covers women leaders and reinforces gendered evaluations of their candidacies and performance. It deals with current transformations in political communication that may change the nature and scope of leadership in contemporary democracies with implications for relations between female leaders, media and citizens.

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Introduction Gender and Models of Leadership Power: A Male Concept? The Female Style of Leadership Transformational Leadership The Media and Representation of Leadership The Mediatization and Personalization of Politics Popular Culture and Leadership New Media, New Leaders? Media Coverage of Women Leaders Visibility: Quantity and Quality of Coverage of Women Leaders Taking Care and Cleaning Up: Lights and Shadows of the Positive Stereotypes Viability and Horse Race: Are the Media Educating Future Female Leaders? The Double Bind The Nature of the Femininity-Competence Double Bind Iron Ladies and Mothers of the Nation When Women Leaders Are Too Feminine: The Case of Ségolène Royal When Women Leaders Are Too Strong: The Case of Hillary Clinton The Appearance of Power Women Leaders and the Personal Factor The Dress Code of Women Leaders Power and Seduction The Family Factor The Good Wife and the Good Mother Going Personal for Women Leaders Dynastic Politics: When Daughters and Wives Enter Politics Conclusion: In Search of a New Style of Political Leadership The Crisis of Traditional Democratic Leadership Time for Degendering Leadership Media as Agents of Transformation References

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DONATELLA CAMPUS is Professor of Political Science at the University of Bologna, Italy.

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