Soledad Artiz Prillaman

Soledad Artiz Prillaman is an assistant professor of political science at Stanford University. She received a PhD in government at Harvard University in 2017 and a BA in political science and economics from Texas A&M University in 2011.

Prillaman’s research lies at the intersections of comparative political economy, development, and gender, with a focus in South Asia. She investigates the political consequences of development; the political behavior and representation of minorities, specifically women; inequalities in political engagement; and the translation of voter demands. 

King Center Supported Research

2020 - 2021 Academic Year | Junior Faculty Research Grant

Gendered Networks: How Political Information Travels Through Clustered Women's Groups

Despite economic growth and political reservations, female citizens and interests remain underrepresented in political spaces in India. One intervention that has been shown to increase women’s political participation in the face of these norms is the organization of women into local Self-Help Groups. This research investigates whether creating ties between women’s groups and local elected representatives can create bottom-up pressure for and mobilize greater female political participation in local governments. To answer this question, randomized control trials involving the promotion of linkages between women’s groups and elected officials are conducted in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The core outcomes for this study are attendance at village assembly meetings, petitions made to local governments, and responses to petitions by local elected representatives, along with two surveys of self-reported measures of women’s political participation. The results of this research build on seminal evidence that female leadership can improve the representation of women’s substantive preferences.