The Amicus Curiae series presents “Why Women Don’t Run for Office and What Happens When They Do” 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Foundation Hall of the Erickson Alumni Center.

Jennifer Lawless, director of Women and Politics Institute at the American University School of Public Affairs, will give the lecture.

Patricia Proctor, prelaw advisor, said because the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination is Hilary Clinton and there are currently very prominent women getting a lot of attention in both parties, this is a very timely lecture.

“Study after study finds that when women run for office they perform as well as men, both in terms of the amount of money they raise and the votes they receive,” Lawless said. “Yet women remain severely under-represented in U.S. politics.”

Lawless is expected to discuss why running for public office remains less appealing and attainable for women than men, despite cultural evolution and society’s changing attitude toward women in office.

“If you look at the whole world of politics many countries have had women in their highest offices for many years,” Proctor said. “It’s a very odd thing that we are such a progressive country, yet women have been under-represented in politics.”

Lawless’ commentary on issues related to women in politics has appeared in publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the New Yorker.

Lawless earned her B.A. in political science from Union College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University. She is a professor of government, faculty affiliate for the Center of Congressional and Presidential Studies at the American University School of Public Affairs and editor of Politics and Gender.

Lucas Morel’s lecture in the Amicus Curiae series has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. April 16 in the Foundation Hall of the Erickson Alumni Center.

Hannah Harman can be contacted at [email protected].