The Power of SELF: Women's Motivation and Potential in National Political Roles

Abstract

Women’s political participation is essential for sustaining democratic governance. While Thai women have made significant strides in education and professional careers, their representation in the legislature remains below 20 percent. Most existing scholarship focuses on political structures and policy measures, overlooking the dimension of “Self” within the “Three Forces for Sustainability: Self–Structure–Situation (3S)” framework, which has not yet been systematically examined.

This article aims to deepen the understanding of the “Self” dimension, one of the three components of the 3S framework. It analyzes selfhood through two key perspectives: (1) psychological factors, using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-determination theory, and vocational psychology; (2) leadership capacity factors, informed by intersectionality theory, human capital theory, and voter behavior theory. These perspectives provide insights into the factors that influence women’s decisions to enter politics.

The study emphasizes that “Self” forms the foundation of women’s empowerment in political role, encompassing both the cultivation of personal motivation and the development of leadership capacity. These aspects can be fostered and enhanced through systematic processes and appropriate tools. The article proposes a multidimensional model of self, which includes five dimensions (SELF-5D): motivation, confidence, resilience, leadership capacity, and continuous development. Findings support the idea that empowering women in politics must start with strengthening the “Self” dimension, which can then lead to broader transformation through institutional structures and situational contexts.