As part of our “Women on Wednesdays” series, please join American University's Women & Politics Institute and the School of Communication for a special screening of Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter, followed by a panel discussion with co-producers/co-directors AU Alumna Christy Carpenter WCL/’95 and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Abby Ginzberg, Washington Post Political Columnist Karen Tumulty, and Zakiya Thomas, President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women's Equality. WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin will moderate the discussion.

Pioneering Texan journalist and influential feminist leader Liz Carpenter takes center stage in this documentary co-directed by her daughter Christy Carpenter and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Abby Ginzberg. Over her 89 years, Liz Carpenter was often front and center where history was unfolding, leaving her own indelible mark on some of the most vivid moments and movements that shaped the twentieth century. Journalist, vice-presidential advisor, White House official, author, humorist, political activist, and feminist leader—hers is the story of blazing professional trails while pushing forward an agenda for women’s rights, political engagement, and the environment that remains highly relevant today. This documentary film tells Liz’s story using archival film and still images, interviews from those who knew her, journalists who covered the history as it was made, and scholars who study this remarkable past. VIEW TRAILER

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Washington, D.C. (August 22, 2024) – The Women & Politics Institute (WPI) at American University’s School of Public Affairs (SPA) announced that it will now exclusively operate the non-partisan project, Gender on the Ballot, and house the Foundation’s governor’s research archives, supported with a $500,000 from the Barbara Lee Family Foundation (BLFF). Originally co-founded by WPI and BLFF in 2019, Gender on the Ballot, explores and contextualizes gender dynamics in U.S. elections.

“We are delighted to have Gender on the Ballot and BLFF’s invaluable gubernatorial research as part of our institute,” said WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin. “We are grateful to Barbara Lee and her Foundation for the generous support and longstanding partnership in fostering a national dialogue on gender and politics. Barbara Lee’s personal dedication to the advancement of women in politics has left a lasting impact on countless women leaders across the country. We look forward to making this critical research available to our students and other scholars studying the importance of women’s representation in our political system.” Read the full press release here.

As the 2024 election comes into focus, Gender on the Ballot and the Benenson Strategy Group investigate whether women across the country are more interested in political issues and more motivated to get involved in politics at a local, state, or federal level.

The study reveals that women are engaged in politics, supportive of women elected officials, and tuned into conversations about hot-button issues such as reproductive rights and inflation. However, women are also burnt out, financially strained, and increasingly concerned about extremism in politics.

To learn more about this new research, check out our Gender on the Ballot website where you will find key takeaways, memo, and our press release.

Those poo-pooing celebrity endorsements might want to sing another tune: WPI Instructor Lucy Gettman examines how Taylor Swift’s recent endorsement of Kamala Harris is an example of the notion that “increasing representation of women anywhere, increases women’s representation everywhere.”

What I am looking for from now until Election Day: The Barbara Lee Family Foundation’s Executive Director Amanda Hunter writes about the change in conversation surrounding this year’s women candidates and election compared to 2016. “With high numbers of female candidates, it could be a record breaking year for women in office.”

The following core courses will be offered in Fall 2024 for the Women, Policy and Political Leadership (WPPL) Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate Programs. View all WPPL courses here and learn more about the certificate program here.

Check out all event recaps here, or visit our Crowdcast channel here to watch full replays of previous events.

April 10: New York Times best-selling author Liza Mundy discussed her new book, The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA, a “vivid, compelling, and important book” that offers a “riveting new perspective on history, revealing how women at the CIA ushered in the modern intelligence age, and how their silencing made the world more dangerous.” Watch the full replay here

Nov 29: Dr. Diana Carlin and Anita McBride discussed their new textbook, U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies, which examines how “first ladies are uniquely positioned to influence American society, public policy, politics, diplomacy, and life in the White House.” Watch the full replay here

Nov. 1: Katherine Spillar, Exec. Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation and Exec. Editor of Ms. Magazine, discussed the anthology, 50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution, and the evolution and future of women's rights with WPI Instructor Lucy Gettman. Watch the full replay here

Oct 18: AARP’s Nancy LeaMond and Susan Reinhard discussed critical issues in family caregiving and the pressures facing women of every generation with Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA), congressional co-chairs of the bi-partisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus. Watch the full replay here

September 6: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) discussed her new book, The Joy of Politics: Surviving Cancer, a Campaign, a Pandemic, an Insurrection, and Life's Other Unexpected Curveballs, which reveals the political turmoil and personal challenges she has dealt with while in Congress. Watch the full replay here