Strategic Choices in Retaining Political Power: Analysing the Participative Role of Women Leaders in Global South

The relationship between ‘power’ and ‘politics’ becomes increasingly complex due to the multifaceted nature of the concepts. The layered characteristics of the terms thereby makes it important to address the attributes which are being looked upon for the study. The study therefore relies on politics as a political organization. The attribute of ‘power’ is, the fluid nature of power which reflects how alternatives and choices of leaders are important for analysing how the power is experienced and exercised. The aspect which aligns these concepts together is ‘gender’. While we see the participative role of women in political administration, their decision-making qualities are either overlooked or criticized. Throughout history, there have been instances where women have relied on clothing to create a statement. Women political leaders relying on political clothing remains an arena which requires attention. Besides addressing the problem, the objective of the paper is to highlight on power being analysed not as an authoritative and dominant medium, but as a soft tool, making the population abide by the leaders not due to coercion, but by a sense of collectiveness. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the clothing strategic choices women political leaders in the Global South have relied on to retain power in politics. Based on the review of literature and Michel Foucault’s theory of power, the clothing choices of four eminent women leaders of Global South that is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia, Indira Gandhi, Former Prime Minister of India, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Former Minister of International Cooperation and Development, United Arab Emirates and Cristina Fernandex de Krischner, Former President of Argentina. Analysis of the literature and the theories reveals the possibility that political clothing holds the characteristic of power, as it creates a political discourse by being a tool of communication. However, the underrepresentation of countries, where women leaders rely on clothing to create a political statement remains a concern. Further research, both empirical and theoretical, is required to identify the rationale behind the clothing choices of political leaders in the world.