Dr. Farida Jalalzai is an Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Dr. Jalalzai's research analyzes the representation and behavior of women and minorities in politics and the role of gender in the political arena. Her work focuses on women national leaders (Women and Politics 2004; Politics & Gender 2008; International Political Science Review 2010, Journal of Women, Politics, & Policy 2010; German Politics 2010 ) gender and campaign coverage (Politics & Policy 2006), and the behavior of political widows compared to the husbands they replaced in Congress (Journal of Women, Politics, & Policy 2008; Social Science Journal 2014). Her first book Shattered, Cracked and Firmly Intact: Women and the Executive Glass Ceiling Worldwide (Oxford University Press 2013) offers a comprehensive analysis of women, gender, and national leadership positions. Currently, she is writing a second book examining several case studies of the behavior of women national leaders including presidents Laura Chinchilla (Costa Rica), President Dilma Rousseff (Brazil), Cristina Fernández Argentina (Beyond Family Ties-Women Presidents of Latin America, forthcoming Routledge Press ). She also researches Muslim American political behavior and discrimination since 9/11(Politics & Religion 2009; 2011).
Some of her other activities include chairing the Race, Gender, and Ethnicity section of the Northeastern Political Science Association and serving as a board member and Secretary for the St. Louis based organization, Interfaith Legal Services for Immigrants (ILSI). She is also the Advisor for the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life’s Leadership Academy-a week long residential week long Leadership Academy for college students from nine public university and college campuses in Missouri (part of the NEW Leadership Programs).
