"We did it, Joe," exclaimed the 49th Vice-President of the United States four years ago-the phrase becoming a war cry of sorts, coming from a half-Black, half-Indian woman, married to a Jewish-American man. This moment became a landmark in the sociopolitical history of the US. For all its celebratory moments, American democracy has a long way to go in terms of representation and inclusivity. When it comes to women, the gender schemas work as effectively in the oldest democracy of the world as it does in the emergent ones to keep women away from the high table.

Can Kamala Harris be successful in the Holy Grail pursuit of occupying the Oval Office? The odds are stacked against her, starting from the delayed announcement of her candidature. With less than a month to go for the Democratic convention to secure her name on the ticket, Harris has a mountain to climb. The funding numbers are encouraging but the money can go only thus far in attitudinal and ideological battles.

To begin with, there is a problem with the recall. Studies (J Hitchon & C Chang, 1995) have revealed that voters recall women candidates in terms of their family and appearance and their men counterparts in terms of campaign activities. Harris understands that and has made this tendency work for her by highlighting her family........

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