Gendered obstacles and opportunities for women seeking positions of prime minister and president: the case of Yulia Tymoshenko of Ukraine, 1999-2010

Abstract

This thesis is a case study of Yulia Tymoshenko, who was twice prime minister of Ukraine in 2005 and from 2007-2010 yet failed to achieve the position of president in 2010. Due to her political achievements and her inability to reach the highest position of power in Ukraine, Tymoshenko presents an interesting case study. I begin with Nirmal Puwar’s (2004) discussion of women politicians as "space invaders" and analyze how societal understandings of gender intertwine with assumptions about spatial barriers. By analyzing Tymoshenko's biographical information, including her personal details and political background as well as media representations of Tymoshenko in the English-language press, I seek to understand the gendered aspects of Tymoshenko's political career and how gender has affected her access to the prime ministership and the presidency. The conclusions offer insight into strategies women leaders use to access positions of leadership, while also performing their gender normativity.