A recent debate sparked by Teele and Thelen (2017) revealed a significant gender gap in political science publishing, with women and particularly all-female teams publishing much less frequently than their male counterparts. Follow-up studies confirmed these patterns but were limited to small journal samples or short time frames. This paper, analyzing a rich new data set of over 100,000 articles from more than 70 leading political science journals published between 1975 and 2024, examines whether these trends are also apparent when analyzing a broader variety of journals and how they shifted over time.

Our findings reveal three key trends. First, there is a clear decline in the dominance of solo-male authorship, with teams increasingly becoming the norm. Second, the proportion of articles authored exclusively by women doubled from 10% in the mid-1970s to 20% in the mid-2000s but has plateaued since then. Third, substantial variation in the gender composition of authorship emerges across journals and research topics.

These results underscore how shifts toward collaborative authorship and increased gender diversity have transformed the landscape of political science publishing. However, the enduring predominance of male authorship highlights the need for further investigation into structural and cultural barriers that may impede equity. This study contributes to broader conversations about diversity and inclusion in academia, offering a comprehensive foundation for future research and policy initiatives.