摘要
This study will examine the ascent of two women as emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire within the context of constructivism and feminist international relations theory. Constructivism emphasizes ideas, such as the content of language and social discourse, over institutions or power. Feminism critiques international relations as a male-centered and dominated discipline. This paper addresses important issues. The first issue is a better understanding of the ascent of two women as Chief Executives of a patriarchal system. The second issue is to increase understanding of how gender is constructed and functions in social, cultural, historical, and institutional contexts, particularly as they intersect with political leadership roles. The thesis of this study is that class, political ambition, and political adroitness are more important than gender and social construction in determining the rise of women to high political office. The work implies that women at the higher end of the social stratum have a significant advantage over men and women at the lower end of the social stratum.
