The subject of conservative women emerging in America keeps appearing over and over again in the news. It’s fascinating to watch other women get involved in politics, and it’s fascinating to observe  the media collectively explode in frustration.

I keep seeing examples of women who were inspired to enter the political debate because of Sarah Palin. Tabitha Hale and Smart Girl Politics are two well-known examples. Remember that young girl who MSNBC attacked? She’s a 17-year-old blogger who was inspired by Palin. Conservative Girl With a Voice is another example. Smart Girl Nation also profiles Patricia Sullivan who was inspired by Palin to run for congress in Florida.

Why? What is it about Sarah Palin that which resounds with so many women on the right and infuriates people on the left beyond comprehension? What has motivated women on the right to suddenly mobilize? Is Palin the link?

This is one of those trends/phenomenon that is ripe for study by academics. Has there ever been a situation when a survey wrote itself so easily? Focus group participants would be fighting to get in.  Oh wait. That can’t happen. It’s up to bloggers and those on the right to explain this one.

This is an issue with a number of levels that should be explained in much further detail. The Palin Phenomenon is a complex topic that crosses many issues — feminism, gender roles, identity politics, faith,  GOP establishment, working mothers, elites vs. provencials, sexism in politics and the media and Beltway politics vs. grassroots — the list could continue. There’s no shortage of commentary. There’s a terrible shortage of understanding and study.

The role of women on the right has intrigued me for years. Unlike many of the examples above, I’ve been mesmerized by politics since the first grade. Growing up as a conservative female has been an interesting adventure. I never quite felt at home anywhere. I knew that I didn’t fit in with liberal feminists. I was too religious and pro-life for that. Plus, I liked men and had no problem with traditional gender roles. I also didn’t feel completely at home within Republican politics. I knew that we should rise above the shallowness of identity politics, but where were the conservative women like me? A political movement should not be built on labels and stereotypes, but it would be nice to see someone who I could identify with occasionally appear. Was I alone? Did other women agree with conservatives but not feel included?

Then I ended up taking a job with an organization that had adopted many feminist beliefs in their mission, and I didn’t know what had hit me. I toyed with the concept of “conservative feminism” for a while. I’m not the only one. A number of other blogs and organizations support that niche. At CPAC last year, I decided to take a more active role. I had just seen Palin burst on the scene. My suspicions were confirmed that other women like me were out there. I ended up stopping by the Eagle Forum booth and purchasing Phyllis Schafly’s Feminist Fantasies. It was a good starting point, but it didn’t answer all of my questions. What did feminism actually teach that was so offensive? That led me down another rabbit hole that I”m currently exploring, particularly over at Fourth Wave Woman. Even among educated women working in politics, not many people know what feminism actually advocates and how successful it’s been at infiltrating our society.

Somehow Palin seems to be the catalyst behind this. Is this a short-lived moment or the beginnings of a fourth wave of feminism as Rachel Campus Duffy writes (H/T Republican Women of the North)? Will conservative women take a more prominenent role in conservative politics? At what point will feminists and women’s studies admit that something is going on and examine it?

Right now, there are too many opinions, too many knee-jerk reactions and a dismal lack of examination of what’s going on beyon the latest blog post or headline in the media. Palin is forcing society to answer questions that have been boiling below the surface for too long. When all the Tea Parties are over, and Obama is hopefully out of the White House, what will happen?