Jane Mansbridge

Jane Jebb Mansbridge (born November 19, 1939) is an American political scientist. She is the Charles F. Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Mansbridge has made contributions to democratic theory, feminist scholarship, and the empirical study of social movements and direct democracy.

Career Mansbridge previously taught at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.

Mansbridge is particularly known for the distinction between unitary and adversary democracy (based on common and conflicting interests respectively), and for her concepts of gyroscopic representation (based on inner motivation), the selection model of representation, and surrogate representation (representation of others outside one's district). She was married to sociologist Christopher Jencks from 1976 to his death in 2025.

Prizes, awards and honors 1971–1972: National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow. 1982–1983: Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Fellow. 1985–1986: Institute for Advanced Study, Member. 1987: Co-recipient, APSA Kammerer Award. 1988: Co-recipient, APSA Schuck Award. 1991–1992: Russell Sage Foundation, visiting scholar. 1994: Elected member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 1997–1998, 2001–2002: Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Fellow. 1998: Jane Mansbridge Scholar-Activist Award created, Northwestern University. 2004: Radcliffe Graduate Society Medal. 2005: Jane Mansbridge Research Paper Award (annual) created, Women and Public Policy Program, Kennedy School, Harvard University. 2004–2005: Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Fellow 2004–2005. 2010: Midwest Women's Caucus for Political Science Outstanding Professional Achievement Award. 2011: APSA James Madison Award. 2012–2013: American Political Science Association President. 2014: elected a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy.