It's a Boy! the Birth of Public Administration and Its Implications for Today

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The birth of public administration, like that of any profession, was very much a product of its time and place in history. It emerged during a period dominated by masculine rhetoric and even today continues to embrace many of those values such as efficiency and rationality. This begs the question: how do women fit into this picture? Though women have made great strides over the past several decades, few would argue that they hold the same presence as men in public administration, perhaps making one wonder whether the historical culture of public administration has hampered such efforts. Though it is not possible to prove a direct causal relationship, this article seeks to offer an early cultural perspective on the profession as well as a contemporary description of women in public administration today.

In a political world that remains largely dominated by men, the importance of having women as professional public administrators cannot be overstated. Though elected officials do not reflect the country's demographics, a representative bureaucracy can help compensate for this in both symbolic and practical ways. Furthermore, research indicates that female administrators may approach issues differently than men, such as being more citizen-oriented. Public policy can only benefit from a greater variety in perspectives.

Women in public administration do not necessarily face barriers that are significantly different from those facing women in any profession, and in fact data exists that women do not necessarily feel unwelcome in public administration. However, one has to consider whether its pronounced history of masculine rhetoric might be an additional hurdle for women to achieve parity in public administration. The recognition of this possibility might encourage dialogue not only about making public administration a more inviting …