Sociology of Gender
Summary
Sociology of Gender examines how societies construct, maintain and challenge norms about masculinity, femininity and non-binary identities. It explores how these norms shape institutions—families, workplaces, legal systems and media—and generate inequalities in power, status and resources. Central themes include the socialisation of gender roles, the intersection of gender with race, class and sexuality, and the dynamics of gendered domination and resistance. Research spans global contexts, from analyses of intimate partner relations and care work to studies of online harassment and public policy. By combining qualitative inquiry with large-scale data and computational tools, sociologists reveal both enduring patterns of gender oppression and emerging transformations, informing strategies for social change and policy intervention.
Research from Nature Portfolio
One systematic review has mapped over 2,800 studies on online misogyny, showing rapid growth in computational approaches to detect abusive language, as well as in psychological and sociocultural analyses of its effects. The review exposes thematic silos—such as algorithm design, victim impact and counter-speech—and calls for more cross-disciplinary collaboration, especially on non-English content. In another large-scale study of more than 20,000 participants across 23 countries, men were found to eat more meat than women in every society, yet the gender gap widened in nations with higher gender equality and human development. This paradox suggests that contexts enabling gender parity can also intensify symbolic performances of masculinity through diet, with implications for debates on sustainable consumption and health policy.
Sociology of Gender publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sociology of gender across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Online misogyny: Hostile or demeaning discourse targeting women and girls in digital media.
Ambivalent sexism: Coexisting hostile attitudes towards women who challenge traditional roles and seemingly positive but patronising attitudes that reinforce dependency.
Hegemonic masculinity: Culturally exalted ideals of manhood that legitimise male dominance and marginalise alternative masculinities.
Intersectionality: Analytical framework recognising how overlapping identities (such as gender, race and class) produce unique modes of privilege and disadvantage.
Bargaining power: The ability of a negotiator to influence terms through access to alternatives, leverage or resources.
References
- How do we study misogyny in the digital age? A systematic literature review using a computational linguistic approach. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2024).
- Paradoxical gender effects in meat consumption across cultures. Scientific Reports (2024).
- Ambivalent Sexism and Tolerance of Violence Against Women in India. Psychological Science (2024).
- Gender Differences in Negotiation: Can Interventions Reduce the Gap?. Annual Review of Economics (2023).
- Social barriers to female migration: Theory and evidence from Bangladesh. Journal of Development Economics (2022).
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