Evolution and Gender

Rosemary L. Hopcroft is Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has published widely in the areas of comparative and historical sociology and evolution, biology, and society in journals that include the American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, and Social Forces. She is the author of Sociology: A Bio-Social Introduction (Paradigm 2010).

"A timely and important book. In an age of political correctness, this work represents a bold challenge to comfortable prejudices with a systematic and comprehensive review of the scientific evidence on the extent to which aspects of gender have a biological basis. Even the fiercest of critics will have difficulty ignoring this rich, compelling, and balanced analysis of what underlies the differences between males and females."Alexandra Maryanski, Professor of Sociology, University of California at Riverside "Evolution and Gender is a breath of fresh air in a field all too inclined to obfuscation and sterile incantations of 'patriarchy'. Rosemary Hopcroft actually explains, without excusing it, the ubiquitous tendency toward control and oppression of women in human societies. With this book she provides a scientific basis and necessary corrective for any serious understanding of gender differences and gender relations."François Nielsen, Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill"In a down-to-earth way, Hopcroft's book walks readers through a dazzling variety of both old and especially new scientific evidence of how males and females behave in different ways (on average, of course). Her book pushes scientific understanding of the sexes, especially regarding behavior, to new heights."Lee Ellis, Professor of Sociology, University of Malaya"The sociologist Rosemary Hopcroft has compiled and analyzed an expansive body of thought and evidence about gender differences, their origins, how they affect our lives. The skill with which she weaves together social scientific and biological knowledge about female-male differences and presents it in a highly accessible manner makes this book the envy of any serious scholar who is committed to advancing our understanding of one of the most important suite of traits that makes us human. In fact, this kind of knowledge might even help guide us in constructing more just and equitable societies in which all humans deserve to live."Richard Machalek, Professor of Sociology, University of Wyoming

• Part I: IntroductionChapter 1: Evolutionary theory and the Sociology of Gender- A bad beginningPart II: Sex Differences in Evolved Mating StrategiesChapter 2: Gender and evolution Chapter 3: Women's evolved long term mating strategiesChapter 4: Men's evolved long term mating strategies Chapter 5: What is beauty? Why do we want it?Chapter 6: Sex differences in short term sexual strategiesPart III. Women and MenChapter 7: Evolutionary origins of patriarchy: Societal control of women through the agesChapter 8: Physiological differences between the sexesChapter 9: Cognitive differences between the sexesChapter 10: An evolutionary view of the reproductive lifecourse of women Chapter 11: Sex differences in aggression and criminalityChapter 12: Sex differences in status strivingChapter 13: Gender and emotion Part IV. Implications of Sex DifferencesChapter 14: Parental strategies: Differences by child's gender Chapter 15: Boys and girls in schoolChapter 16: Conflict between the sexesChapter 17: But can they talk it out? Problems of communicationChapter 18: Conclusion