Gatekeeping and Group Representation

Abstract

I argue that ``gatekeeping" is not only a process that excludes marginalized groups from elected office. Instead, I present an alternative theory of gatekeeping. I take gatekeeping as an institutional process that typically disadvantages members of marginalized groups but can be turned to make changes in representation for margainalized groups. I identify three varieties of gatekeeping with regard to marginalized groups -- \emph{accountability gatekeeping} (excluding members of dominant groups for violating norms of respect for marginalized groups), \emph{affirmative gatekeeping} (excluding members of dominant groups to ``make room" for members of marginalized groups as group members), and \emph{discriminatory gatekeeping} (excluding members of marginalized groups intentionally or unintentionally through gatekeeping). When party actors who are able to engage in gatekeeping see that adopting accountability or affirmative gatekeeping practices will fit their pre-existing goals, they change their gatekeeping practices.

I support this argument with an in-depth historical and field study of gatekeeping, candidate selection, and group representation in New Brunswick, Canada. New Brunswick is a microcosm of Canada for the purposes of party politics, since it is the only province whose party system developed under similar dynamics of conflict over language and religion as the Canadian federal party system.

I draw on a wide range of materials to make this argument. I conducted months of documentary research, 93 elite interviews, and participant-observation of 25 nominating conventions. I constructed two original datasets. The first covers all candidates for the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly from 1870 to 2018. The second covers nomination contests for the two major parties for the 2018 New Brunswick election.

This dissertation makes three main contributions. First, it is the first systematic study of both formal and informal institutions of candidate selection in Canadian politics. Second, it contributes to the growing bodies of Canadian, American and comparative scholarship on candidate selection and the representation of marginalized groups by identifying cases in which party actors change gatekeeping practices in ways that aim to benefit marginalized groups. Third, I identify mechanisms through which party actors decide to adopt different gatekeeping practices that enhance the representation of marginalized groups.