2025/01/30 by Komal Preet Kaur, Andrew Philips · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Gender Politics and Representation #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Social Policy and Reform Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/21565503.2025.2455140
openalex publication_date 2025/01/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Do electoral quotas promote or impede candidates moving up the political ladder? While quotas facilitate initial entry into politics, their impact on subsequent career advancement remains understudied. We experimentally examine voters' preferences toward upward mobility of candidates who previously held quota-based positions in the Indian context. Our results demonstrate a clear pro-women bias. However, this positive disposition does not extend to all quota beneficiaries – we find significant negative bias against candidates from traditionally marginalized groups, especially men who accessed political office through caste quotas. These findings suggest that the “pipeline effect” of quotas operates differentially across identity categories, with gender quotas potentially facilitating upward mobility while caste quotas may inadvertently create additional barriers. More broadly, our findings contribute to understanding how different types of quotas – gender and caste – intersect to shape sustainable political representation and career advancement in democratic systems.