2012 Honoree

Wendy Schiller

Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Brown University

“Queen Elizabeth I, who was the Queen of England from 1558-1603. She encouraged England’s economic, political, and military growth and never married because she believed that having a husband would dilute her power to lead. She was a smart, powerful, and independent woman who navigated the highest corridors of power and never lost her devotion to her country.” (On who you’d choose to have dinner with)

What do you think of the media’s portrayal of women?

If you define the media as print, internet, and social media journalists, women are incorporated into reporting on business and politics in a far more regular and broad way than ever before. However, the media still makes it “notable” when they report on a prominent woman achieving a level of success (see Yahoo for the most recent example) or being considered for the highest office in the land (Hillary Clinton or for VP, Sarah Palin). It is still the case that the majority of people cited by the media in news articles about business and politics are men, which continues to give the impression that although women have made strong inroads, they are not yet on equal footing in terms of influence.

Have you seen any changes in the political landscape for women over the past few years? What are they?

Women are now considered viable candidates for president, governor, and U.S. Senator. It is no longer necessary to explain or justify the choice of a woman to lead in politics in either major political party.

Do you feel the extreme left and right wings of U.S. politics are destroying the United in United States, or is it just healthy debate?

I think the United States is a very strong nation and it would take far more than this to destroy it. In the 19th century and 20th century we also saw intense partisanship and vitriolic debate between the major parties; it is not new. At their core, American voters are tolerant and centrist in their views, and sooner or later, elections themselves will pull the parties back to the middle.

Do you feel the decline of religion in the rest of the Western World will have an effect on U.S. society? If so, will it be good or bad?

It is hard to say that religion has declined in the rest of the world. You may see surveys saying that people in some countries do not go to religious services as much, but that does not mean that religion has left the building, so to speak. The rise of Islam is one very important example. I think the United States will always remain a beacon for religious freedom regardless of what other nations do.

Can you tell us about one of the biggest challenges in your life that you think helped you become the person you are today?

I do not think there is no one challenge that ever determines one’s path in life. I believe challenging yourself is crucial to having a full life, and sometimes you rise to the occasion and sometimes you fail, but it’s understanding that the gift of life is being able to make that journey.

Do today’s young people face a bigger challenge than you did?

Young people today face the problem of social disconnectedness–there are just too many easy distractions leading them away from each other. Texting, twitter, Facebook, and Skype may seem efficient, but they are no substitute for the human connection that comes from a face-to-face conversation. I fear the next generation will be lonelier than mine because they will not have the capacity to connect with each other.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

One of my dearest friends, who sadly passed away in 2008, said to me once, “You have too many emotional receptor chips–you care too much.” What she meant was that while it was good to be a caring person, one has to have perspective on how much energy you can devote to things that cannot be controlled by you or anyone else. I think in life you have to figure out where and when you can do the most good, and recognize that can’t be everywhere.

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Queen Elizabeth I, who was the Queen of England from 1558-1603. She encouraged England’s economic, political, and military growth and never married because she believed that having a husband would dilute her power to lead. She was a smart, powerful, and independent woman who navigated the highest corridors of power and never lost her devotion to her country.