FIVE QUESTIONS
Five Questions with Minita Sanghvi
Author and Skidmore Professor Minita Sanghvi will be at Northshire Bookstore on Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. to discuss her new book “Gender and Political Marketing in the United States and the 2016 Election.”
Northshire Bookstore is located at 424 Broadway.
This event is free and open to the public.
1 Tell us a bit about the research that went into your book.
The book research started in 2011 and has continued since. As you can imagine, it is very hard to get access to politicians and even harder to get them to open up. Which is why there are very few studies that have the perspective of politicians themselves. It took a while to gain credibility, build relationships and networks. I also wanted a holistic perspective that was both deep and wide — so I spoke not just to Governors, Senators, Congresswomen, State legislators and mayors but also to political consultants, staff and aides to politicians, PAC executives, party officials and members of the media. I believe these wide ranging perspectives provide a more in-depth picture about the struggle women face in politics today. 2 You teach at Skidmore College — what is your academic specialty? I mainly teach Foundations of Marketing and MB 107 our Intro to Business class that is very popular with Skidmore students. My research however focuses on gender and intersectionality in marketing largely in the context of politics.
3 How long have you lived in Saratoga Springs, and how has your experience here been?
My wife, Megan and I moved to Saratoga Springs in August 2014. Our son Jamie was born here in December 2014. It has been a great community for raising a little kid. We love Congress park and the Saratoga National Historic Park. We’ve been lucky to find wonderful friends who have helped make Saratoga home.
4 You’re very active in local politics. Did your own political involvement inform your book?
I am not sure if I got into local politics because of my research or I chose my research because of my political involvement. But it has definitely helped me build relationships and I feel I have learned so much from all the women, women of color and other minorities that came before me.
5 What has the book’s reception been like? Has anything surprised you about the process?
I was very nervous sending out the manuscript to Glenna Matthews, the author and historian who has written the famous book “Running as a woman.” Largely because my book builds on her research and brings it to present day. But she absolutely loved the book and called it a “must read” and I was really happy to read her review. Overall, the book has received a lot of praise from senior marketing faculty and senior practitioners in the field and it has been positively thrilling.