An academic analysis of the rise of the conservative tea party movement and its uniquely large female membership.The grass-roots political movement that would become known nationally as the tea party was formed in 2009 shortly after the inauguration of President Barack Obama in response to the 2008 financial crisis and the government's stimulus programs, which were viewed as fiscally irresponsible. As a clearinghouse for conservative ideology, namely small government, lower taxes, and social issues, the movement is unique among like-minded Republican groups due to its large share of female members and leaders. As Deckman (Public Affairs/Washington Coll.; School Board Battles: The Christian Right in Local Politics, 2004, etc.) points out, the lack of a formal structure among the many affiliate tea party groups, including the largest, the Tea Party Patriots, which boasts membership in the "tens of millions," has provided an environment open to female leadership in direct contrast to establishment groups that have traditionally been boys clubs. Following the leadership of political figures such as Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, among others, the women of the tea party have, in their minds, taken back feminism from liberals, who they believe "hijacked" the term. Relying on gendered rhetoric emphasizing self-reliance and personal responsibility, the women of the tea party primarily organize through social media and appeal to motherhood as a means of stressing the importance of conservative ideals. Deckman profiles some of the most vocal pro-women groups of the movement, including Smart Girl Politics and As a MomA Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, but there is a question about her methodology. The author admits that a vast majority of the tea party women she interviewed are from Maryland, which isolates the focus to a small survey of the American public. A sharp but limited critical analysis of how the role of women in the rise of the tea party is affecting conservative political change. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Drawing from dozens of interviews with Tea Party activists, Deckman (Washington College) examines the role of women in the Tea Party movement. She is particularly interested in examining how and why women have emerged in leadership positions within the movement. In addition to interviews, Deckman relies on public opinion data and participant observation through blogs, tweets, and Tea Party rallies. She finds that the movement's decentralized structure provides multiple points of access unavailable through traditional Republican Party channels. This has provided more opportunities to emerge as movement leaders. In addition, Deckman suggests that the Tea Party has been particularly appealing to women because it provides a means to "get their families back" from the clutches of big-government intervention. Her interviews suggest that less government interference enables women to have greater freedom in how they choose to raise their families. Though the movement has experienced a great deal of female leadership, a large majority of women across the country do not support many of the policies the Tea Party movement espouses. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers through graduate students. --Robert M. Alexander, Ohio Northern University