Gender and Emotions

The sociology of gender and the sociology of emotions have developed considerably over the past 30 years. Yet work in the two fields generally advanced independently from each other despite Hochschild’s early influence on both. In this chapter, we review research in three primary areas of scholarship—socialization, intimate relationships, and organizational life—with an eye towards linking insights from gender scholars and emotions scholars. Although we draw from various perspectives on emotions and gender, our approach resonates most broadly with a critical interactionist perspective that incorporates identity and culture, process and consequences, domination and subordination, and sensitivity to intersectional inequalities.