Maria Luiza Gatto

Maria Luiza Gatto is a postdoctoral researcher (Oberassistentin) at the Department of Political Science of the University of Zurich and a member of the Latin American Center. Previously, Gatto was at the Department of Politics and International Relations of the University of Oxford, where she completed her PhD (DPhil). 

Gatto’s current book project tackles the puzzle of why male-dominated legislatures adopt gender quotas and offers the first theory and analysis of gender quota adoptions centered around the behavior of male legislators.

More generally, Gatto’s work explores questions about the gendered dynamics of political behavior, representation, and policy-making with a regional focus in Latin America, especially Brazil. For instance, she is currently developing projects on the impact of Dilma Rousseff's impeachment to the perception of women in politics in Brazil; the ways in informal recruitment and appointment practices affect women's political presence; and, the gendered consequences of political dynasties.