A Feminized Field? Gender Disparities in Sociology Doctoral Career Trajectories, 1980–2019

• In Event: Organizations, Occupations, and Work Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 9: Women in Academia

Abstract

Despite increasing female representation in academia, gender gaps persist even in feminizing fields. We examine whether rising female PhD representation translates into equitable faculty outcomes in sociology. We construct an original dataset linking the American Sociological Association’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Sociology with graduates’ publication records, research areas, methodological approaches to track gender differences in faculty placements in the U.S. sociology from 1980 to 2019. We find that women face disadvantages in securing faculty positions, even after accounting for graduate program ranking, research productivity, research areas, and methodological approach. These disparities have remained largely stable over time, declining briefly in the 1990s before widening again in the 2000s. Moreover, observable productivity and training characteristics do not fully account for the gender gap. The findings suggest that gender inequality in academic placement persists beyond differences in measurable qualifications.

Authors

• Eehyun Kim, Indiana University-Bloomington

• Hyo Joo Lee, Cornell University