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ABSTRACTAre government policies of any real significance in shaping the pattern of development in metropolitan regions? This essay summarizes the widely‐held view that 'economic forces' determine the distribution of jobs and residences in urban areas, and argues that this conclusion involves serious conceptual difficulties. The essay then shows how the theory of political influence and related concepts can be used to clarify the issue of causation in urban development, and summarizes the authors' own substantive conclusions—that under certain specifiable conditions government activities do have a highly significant role in shaping metropolitan growth.

Are government policies of any real significance in shaping the pattern of development in metropolitan regions? The widely held view that "economic forces" determine the distribution of jobs & residences in Ur areas is presented, & it is argued that this conclusion has conceptual difficulties. The theory of political influence & related concepts is seen as useful for clarifying the issue of causation in Ur development, & it is concluded that under certain conditions government activities do have a highly significant role in shaping metropolitan growth. 3 Figures. Modified HA.

This article argues that the low levels of descriptive representation of women in local political office in Mexico and Latin America is much more than a problem of the purported patriarchal cultures of indigenous and rural communities. We claim, based on a comprehensive survey of 466 municipal governments in the indigenous state of Oaxaca, that the underrepresentation of women is a function of institutions limiting female candidates. We test this "candidate supply" hypothesis, adapted from US-based studies, against the hypothesis that culture - as measured by indigenous ethnicity - has an independent effect on women's representation. We disconfirm that patriarchal, traditionalist cultures of indigenous communities cause underrepresentation in the election of women and instead find that a particular set of local institutions, which are more prevalent in indigenous municipalities, blocks the supply of potential women candidates. We conclude by considering the normative implications for women's representation in local politics in Mexico and Latin America. (GIGA)