Lancaster Region

When we wake up the first morning after retiring, we realize that we are no longer defined by the work we do. We ask ourselves, “Who are we now?” We need to find another identity and outlets that give us purpose. It is time to reflect on our skills and interests and search for how that can be expressed in new ways. We can find meaning in deeper friendships, volunteering, service projects, continued learning, hobbies, or even part-time work. Any of these can bring us a purposeful identity. If we missed this opportunity in pre-retirement, the time to start is now.

The year 2020 marks the hundredth anniversary of women’s right to vote in the United States. This course explores the march toward greater gender equality in the political arena by examining trends in women’s political representation and influence over the course of the past century. We will focus on women’s voting behavior—whether women form a bloc in the electorate; on trends in women’s access to various public offices; on whether women’s presence makes a difference in the way decisions are made and in the policies government produces; and on the barriers women face in running for public office. Recent efforts by women candidates to run for the presidency especially highlight gender stereotypes that impact the issue of when we will see the first woman president.