Gender Change in the Canon of Social Theory: Sociology's Greatest Hits in 1998 Versus 2024

For several decades, many introductory sociology courses and classical sociology textbooks have emphasized the works of the so-called “fathers”, Max Weber, Émile Durkheim, and Karl Marx, while the contributions of other important sociologists, including women and non-Western scholars, have often received less attention (Giddens, 1973; McDonald, 2019; Ritzer and Stepnisky, 2020). Most sociology students have, therefore, studied this discipline through male voices (Isaksson, 2020). This means that the perspectives, theories, and examples they encounter are often shaped by men’s experiences and interpretations, potentially overlooking or marginalizing the contributions of women and other underrepresented groups. As a result, students may develop a limited understanding of social phenomena, missing out diverse viewpoints that could enrich their analysis of society. Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to sociological education.

Previous research suggests that this invisibilization stems from a sexist bias, which reflects the broader sexism present in society and is reproduced within Sociology (Oakley, 2018). This bias has been particularly evident in social theory (McDonald, 2019). Other biases also exist in science and sociology, such as those related to race or the origin of contributions, which tend to favor Western, male, and white authors. By limiting the recognition and participation of female research, sexism bias not only perpetuates inequality but also hinders the advancement of scientific knowledge (Kourany and Pinto, 2018). However, this article focuses specifically on sexist bias and on the steps sociology is taking to address and overcome it.

A substantial body of literature has documented the sexist bias in Sociology that has historically rendered the contributions of female sociologists invisible. Recent research has increasingly sought to identify and highlight the pioneering work of women in the discipline, bringing their key contributions to broader recognition (Vaitkienė, 2024). Other studies have examined the differing emphases in the work of male and female classical sociologists, showing that women’s contributions often focused more on issues such as women’s experiences, childhood, immigration and poverty, compared to the topics prioritized by men (Grant et al., 2002).

Building on this recognition, contemporary sociology has begun to align its research priorities with broader societal concerns, particularly the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (Bellavista et al., 2022). Adopted in 2015, these 17 interconnected goals aim to end poverty, reduce inequality, promote gender equality, ensure quality education and foster sustainable communities worldwide. Female classical sociologists’ topics reflect the current focus of sociology much more closely than the works of the so-called “fathers”. Moreover, research has shown that including female sociologists in classical sociology syllabi is key, as it allows students and scholars to gain a broader and more inclusive understanding of the discipline (Isaksson, 2020). Overcoming sexism is therefore both a matter of social justice and a necessary step to ensure sociological progress. Dismissing key contributions based on a sexist bias, on the contrary, means losing scientific advancement.

Furthermore, research indicates that the invisibilization of female sociologists is not merely a historical phenomenon. For many years, the contributions of women in sociology—regardless of their department’s prestige—have been less frequently published and cited compared to those of their male counterparts (Dion et al., 2018; Akbaritabar & Squazzoni, 2021). Nonetheless, other studies suggest that this sexist bias in sociology is gradually diminishing, reflecting a changing trend in the discipline (Bucior & Sica, 2019).

One indication of sociology’s historical focus on male contributions is the list of most influential books of the twentieth century, compiled by the International Sociological Association (ISA) in 1998 in Montreal (International Sociological Association, 1998). The survey asked ISA members to identify the book that had been the most significant in shaping their development as social science professionals. Notably, the authors of the ten most frequently selected books were all men, and it was necessary to go down to the 45th position to find the first female author: Rosabeth M. Kanter (1943), American sociologist, and her book “Men and Women of the Corporation” (1977). This list has been widely cited in various articles and media and has likely influenced sociological syllabi around the world.

However, this article discusses a significant milestone that was reached in 2024. At the 16th European Sociological Association (ESA) Conference in August 2024, participants were asked the same question as in the 1998 ISA survey: “Which books have had the greatest influence on your work as a sociologist?” In the updated survey results, four of the ten most influential books were authored by women. This demonstrates that, 26 years later, the perception of influential works in sociology has shifted considerably. Female sociologists are now recognized not as parallel or supplementary theorists to be studied separately, but on the same level as the so-called “fathers” of sociology.

In parallel with this symbolic shift, the demographic composition of the discipline has also transformed. According to Bucior & Sica’s research in the United States (2019), most graduate students, as well as assistant and associate professors at the most prestigious doctoral-granting institutions, are now female. With this demographic shift, researchers note a significant transformation in the substantive focus of sociology, as reflected in revised graduate curricula that increasingly emphasize topics and research areas traditionally associated with female scholars rather than male ones. According to a study examining the trajectory of women in academic sociology, despite their significant achievements in the field, the research warned of women’s limited access to the most prestigious positions, suggesting the persistence of discriminatory barriers within the sociological labor market (Roos & Jones, 1993).

There has been a growing body of research aimed at addressing the historical invisibilization of female sociologists. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study and publication to examine the newly identified stage in the shift of the most influential books among sociologists. One cannot assume the mistaken idea that women were absent from the origins of sociological thought, as this has direct consequences for the way we teach, interpret, and practice sociology today.

This research aims to gain insight into the significant shift seen in the most influential books in Sociology in the past 26 years, specifically regarding overcoming sexism. Data for this study were obtained from adult participants through a brief questionnaire. Participants were asked: “What are the books that have had the greatest influence on your work as a sociologist?”

In addition to the primary data, secondary sources were consulted to complement and deepen the analysis. Specifically, secondary statistical data concerning the representation of women at the presidency of ISA and ESA were used to provide contextual grounding and to facilitate a comparative perspective on the visibility and influence of women sociologists within the discipline.

Data collection took place between 27 and 30 August 2024, during the 16th Conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA), held in Porto, Portugal. The conference, organized under the theme “Tension, Trust and Transformation,” brought together more than 4,000 sociologists from across Europe, providing a rich and diverse environment for engaging participants in the study.

Throughout the conference, a small informational stand was installed at one of the venues — specifically, within the registration area, a high-traffic location ensuring visibility among attendees. The stand was conceived as both a research site and a space for public engagement, aiming to highlight the contributions of women sociologists and to promote reflection on their role in shaping the discipline. All the conditions of the 2024 survey were the same as the 1998 survey, except for one difference. On this occasion, the survey was made only for members attending the conference, and for that reason they had to fill in the survey with a numeral code they obtained in person in the stand dedicated to the survey within the conference, to ensure that only attendees filled it in and no one made more than one response.

Participation in the survey was entirely voluntary. The confidentiality and anonymity of all participants were rigorously maintained throughout the study. No identifying information was requested, and all responses were handled and analyzed exclusively for academic and research purposes.

The stand integrated research and dissemination components, offering materials and activities designed to attract attention and stimulate participation:On 29 August 2024, a special session entitled “Making Women Visible in Sociology” was held. The event honored the intellectual and social legacy of Jane Addams, beginning with a two-minute clarinet tribute to Benny Goodman, who received musical instruction at Addams’s Hull House. The session featured distinguished speakers whose contributions reflected on the historical and contemporary significance of women in the discipline: Lígia Ferro, then President of the ESA; Marta Soler, former ESA President and Vice President of the ISA, among others.Together, their reflections underscored the need for continued efforts toward visibility, recognition, and gender equality in sociological scholarship and institutional life.

The comparison between the ISA 1998 and ESA 2024 surveys highlights a significant shift in the sociological canon, reflecting demographic changes in the field, particularly the infusion of women into sociology. In 1998, as it can be observed in Table 1, the top ten books were overwhelmingly authored by men, focusing on classical theories of social structure, social action, and the sociology of knowledge, with figures like Max Weber, Charles Wright Mills, Robert K. Merton, and Peter L. Berger dominating the list.

In contrast, the 2024 ESA survey evidences a significant broadening of sociological perspectives. While canonical texts by Weber, Mills, and Bourdieu remain influential, there is a substantial inclusion of works by women scholars, such as Jane Addams’ Twenty Years at Hull House, Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, and feminist theorists like Judith Butler, Lidia Puigvert and Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim. This shift not only signals the increasing presence and recognition of women in sociology but also reflects an expansion of the discipline’s thematic focus, incorporating gender, feminism, social transformation, and participatory approaches alongside classical theory.

Additionally, the changing composition of the sociological canon must also be understood in relation to transformations within academia itself. One particularly relevant aspect concerns the increasing presence and recognition of women sociologists in academic and institutional leadership roles. In the case of the European Sociological Association, this trend is especially noticeable, as it can be seen in Table 2: since its foundation in 1994–1995, approximately 66% of its presidents have been women.

This table suggests not only a significant shift towards gender balance within European sociology but also reflects the broader feminization of the discipline across the continent.

In contrast, the International Sociological Association (ISA) presents a different trajectory. Since its establishment in 1949, as it can be seen in Table 3, only two women have held the position of president —Margaret Archer (1986–1990) and Margaret Abraham (2014–2018)—, accounting for a 10% of its leadership history.

This disparity between the ESA and the ISA may be read as indicative of different institutional cultures and regional dynamics within the field of sociology. European contexts appear to have been more receptive to gender equality in academic governance and incorporation of women at power positions.

In essence, the ESA 2024 survey illustrates more than a change in reading preferences—it signals an epistemic transformation. The growing recognition of women’s intellectual labor has enriched sociology’s theoretical landscape and redefined its canon, making it more inclusive, plural, and responsive to the complexities of contemporary social life.

One of the most noteworthy findings in the present analysis is the inclusion of four books authored by women among the ten most influential books for sociologists. This milestone represents a significant shift in the intellectual and demographic composition of the sociological canon. Historically, the sociological field—like much of academia—was dominated by male scholars whose perspectives and theoretical frameworks shaped the discipline’s foundational paradigms (Oakley, 2018; McDonald, 2019; Isaakson, 2020).

A particularly striking case is that of Jane Addams, who is increasingly recognized by scholars as one of the true founders of sociology (Flecha, 2022). As the only sociologist to have received a Nobel Prize and a leading authority on issues as vital today as peace and social reform, her exclusion from sociology curricula reflects a pseudoscientific, sexist bias (Munté-Pascual et al., 2024). One of the reasons often cited for her omission is that she was a social worker—as if a woman could not embody more than one professional identity. In reality, Jane Addams was both a sociologist and a social worker. It is telling that male figures have not faced the same scrutiny: for instance, Max Weber, who was primarily an economist and only turned to sociology later in life, is universally acknowledged as one of the discipline’s founding fathers.

Therefore, the growing presence of women authors in the most influential works suggests an important transformation that mirrors broader cultural changes within society. As observed in the European Sociological Association, this trend can be understood as a manifestation of the steady progress toward gender equality and the increasing participation of women in academic and intellectual spheres over recent decades. This trend has also been observed in studies of leadership within American sociology, where female representation in the top fifty sociology departments has been steadily increasing (Bucior & Sica, 2019). The greater inclusion of women in higher education, research, and positions of academic leadership has facilitated a diversification of theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, and research agendas. As gender barriers have been progressively challenged and dismantled, the sociological field has opened itself to new voices that question traditional power structures and introduce novel ways of understanding social phenomena. Therefore, we can observe that in the case of European sociology, certain discriminatory barriers identified in the study by Roos and Jones (1993) regarding access to prestigious and leadership positions have been overcome.

Moreover, the recognition of works written by women within the sociological canon aligns with the broader sociocultural recognition of women’s contributions across various domains of knowledge (Torras-Gómez et al., 2019).This shift may also be linked to the growing influence and impact of feminist theory and other approaches that foreground issues of gender, race, and inequality as central topics of sociological inquiry (Walby, 2011). Thus, the emergence of these four female-authored books among the most influential suggests not only a quantitative increase in women’s visibility but also a qualitative transformation in the discipline’s epistemological landscape.

From a sociodemographic perspective, this development can be understood as part of a larger process of change in the composition of the academic workforce (Roos & Jones, 1993; Bucior & Sica, 2019). Over recent decades, the proportion of women obtaining doctoral degrees and pursuing careers in sociology has increased substantially. This demographic shift has had a cumulative effect on the production, dissemination, and evaluation of sociological knowledge. As a result, what is considered “influential” in sociology today is increasingly informed by more diverse social positions and experiences, reflecting the field’s evolving inclusivity.

In summary, the presence of four female-authored books among the ten most influential works represents more than an isolated statistic; it symbolizes a broader transformation in the social structure of academic knowledge production. This transformation is both a cause and a consequence of the ongoing processes of gender equality, cultural recognition, and the redefinition of intellectual authority in contemporary society.

The significant shift in sociological references achieved in 26 years in overcoming sexism is patent in the ESA 2024 Conference’s top ten most influential books for sociologists.The inclusion of four books written by women among the ten most influential works in sociology represents a milestone that transcends mere numerical representation. The present one is, to the best of our knowledge, the first research to be published about this new change. Until now, the work of female sociologists had not been included in most syllabi and had been presented as a parallel Sociology to that of the so-called “fathers”’. This finding demonstrates that the canon of sociology is no longer the exclusive domain of traditionally dominant voices, but rather a dynamic space that increasingly incorporates perspectives, experiences, and methodologies previously marginalized or overlooked.

This shift reflects a broader cultural and institutional reconfiguration linked to ongoing social movements advocating for gender equality and diversity in academia. The recognition of women scholars in the sociological canon highlights not only the success of individual authors but also the cumulative effects of structural change—such as improved access to education, gender mainstreaming in research policies, and the institutional visibility of feminist frameworks.

From a sociodemographic perspective, this transformation aligns with measurable shifts in the composition of the academic workforce. The increasing participation of women in graduate programs, research networks, and leadership roles has altered the knowledge production, promoting greater diversity. This demographic diversification expands the interpretive range of the discipline and challenges established hierarchies of prestige and recognition.

The milestone of women’s growing influence in sociological thought thus illustrates the reciprocal relationship between social change and intellectual recognition. As social structures evolve toward greater equality and pluralism, academic knowledge both mirrors and amplifies those transformations. In this sense, sociology becomes not only a tool for understanding social change but also an active participant in shaping it.