A growing body of literature on women participation in diplomacy suggests that women remain underrepresented in leadership roles despite significant growth in the intake of female diplomats. The total share of women ambassadors worldwidestandsat 15% for 2018. It begsa question about theconditionsat thecountry level, especially in developing and non-Western countries? Using Indonesia as a case study, this research aims to unpack the distribution ofmen and women ambassadors. The analyses are based on a unique data set containing more than 900 Indonesian ambassadors appointed between 1945 and 2021. Drawing on theories of gender and positionalstatus, we seek to examine whether ambassadorial appointments are gendered with men more likely to occupy higher military and economic status than women. We are also interested in looking for discernible patterns that might help us to understand why certain countries have been assigned female ambassadors whilst other countries have never had any. The preliminary findings suggest that more women are being assigned as ambassadors. Women tend to get less-prestige posts as countries like the United States, Japan, China, and Germany all have men ambassadors. Our study will serve as one of its kind to explore the politics of ambassadorial appointments from a gender perspective.

Women Participation, Diplomacy, Leadership

• Prof. Dr. Tirta Nugraha Mursitama, S.Sos., M.M., Ph.D.

• Ella Syafputri Prihatini, S.I.P., MDP, Ph.D.