Introduction to FGSS Reference Titles
Note that the following extensive list of reference sources includes many titles from before 2000. Use with care as the terminology/vocabulary and the scholarship on feminism, gender, and sexuality has changed markedly since them.
Handbooks are not listed here. Though not reference books, per se, their introductions and the essays and articles gathered in one place are very useful for background information on specific topics. Locate them by searching, for instance, oxford handbooks gender as title in our catalog.
Where to Start
- International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral SciencesThis interdisciplinary, scholarly encyclopedia is an excellent starting point for research on any aspect of women's studies, feminism, gender roles, and sexuality.
More Online [or online and print] Encyclopedias and Background Sources
- American Masculinities: A Historical EncyclopediaThousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2003.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 1090.3 .A453x 2003.
"[R]eference guide and an introduction to the many ways in which men have defined, imagined, and experienced male identity in the social, cultural, and political contexts of the United States." -- Introduction
- The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of SexualityOxford, 2010.
Print version, entitled International Encyclopedia of Sexuality: 4 volumes. New York: Continuum, 1997-2002.
Olin Reference HQ 21 .I68x 1997.
An extensive source of information on comparative issues in sexuality. The country-by-country entries cover standard topics including "Homoerotic, Homosexual, and Ambisexual Behaviors" and "Cross-Gendered Persons".
- Dictionary of Gender StudiesOxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.
Online only.
"...clear and accessible definitions of a range of terms from within the fast-developing field of gender studies. It covers terms such as cyber feminism, the double burden, and the male gaze, and gender-focused definitions of more general terms, such as housework, intersectionality, and trolling. " [Publisher] - Encyclopedia of Feminist TheoriesAvailable as an eBook from ProQuest.
New York: Routledge, 2000.
Print copy: Olin Reference HQ 1190 .E63x 2000.
Succinct entries on major individuals, theories, developments, and terms in feminist history and thought. Bibliographies. - Encyclopedia of Gender and Society2 volumes. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2009.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 1115 .E54 2009.
"Gender is so significant in the ways it shapes individuals and societies that it isn't possible to cover every aspect of gender scholarship in a single venue. Our intent with this encyclopedia is to provide users with a "gender lens" on society by focusing on significant gender scholarship within commonly recognized areas of social research. Accordingly, the material in this encyclopedia focuses on basic aspects of social life from the most individual (self and identity) to the most global (transnational economics and politics)." [Introduction] - Encyclopedia of Human Relationships3 volumes. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2009.
Print version: Olin Reference HM 1106 .E53 2009.
Includes numerous articles on gender and sexuality in human relationships. "When we refer to relationships, we mean the full gamut of human associations in which behavior is influenced by the real or imagined presence of another person with whom one has interacted in the past and expects to interact in the future. This definition includes many different types of associations—-friends, lovers, spouses, roommates, teammates, parents and their children, cousins, siblings, acquaintances, neighbors, mates, coworkers, and business associates." [Introduction]
- Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality: Understanding Biology, Psychology, and CultureSanta Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2021.
Online only.
"... more than 450 entries on the subject, offering a comprehensive overview of major sexuality issues in American and global culture.Themes that run throughout the volumes include sexual health and reproduction, sexual identity and orientation, sexual behaviors and expression, the history of sex and sexology, and sex and society." --Introduction
- Encyclopedia of Sexual Behavior and the LawWashington: CQ Press, 2006.
Print version: Law Reference KF 9325 .A68 M33x 2006.
"...a single comprehensive volume, written specifically for the non-lawyer, that addresses sexual policy in the United States, as shaped by federal laws, state laws, and court cases." [Abstract] - Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures6 volumes plus supplements (online only). Leiden: Brill, 2003-2007.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 1170 .E53 2003.
Volume 1. (2003): Methodologies, paradigms and sources; v. 2. (2005): Family, law and politics; v. 3. (2006): Family, body, sexuality and health; v. 4. Economics, education, mobility, and space; v. 5. Practices, interpretations and representations; v. 6. Index. A long-term, interdisciplinary project to bring together "upwards of 1,000 scholars to write critical essays on women, Muslim and non-Muslim, and Islamic cultures in every region where there have been significant Muslim populations." [Introduction] - Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North AmericaBloomington: Indiana University Press, 2006.
Print version: Olin Reference BL 458 .E539 2006.
Extensive articles on women's experiences with a wide variety of religions represented in North America--African traditions, Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox, Judaism, Asian religions, and new religious movements. Covers ordination, social reform, women-centered theology, religious education and other contemporary issues. Substantial bibliographies. - Encyclopedia of Women in the American WestThousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2003.
Print Version: Olin Reference HQ 1438 .W45 E53x 2003.
Captures the lives of more than 150 women who made their mark from the mid-1800s to the present, contextualizing their experiences and contributions to American society, including many women profiled for the first time. - glbtq Archives. Articles from the glbtq Encyclopedia ProjectChicago: glbtq, Inc., 2003-2015.
Online only.
An extensive collection of signed articles on the arts and literature. Biographical and topical entries. Articles include bibliographies. - The Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) HistoryFarmington Hills, MI: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2019.
Online only.
This extensive encyclopedia includes 450 entries, both topical articles and articles on the state of LGBTQ issues in nearly 70 countries. - The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality3 volumes. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2015.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 21 .I677 2015.
"A comprehensive A-Z reference with over 500 entries that define sexuality from a broad biocultural perspective and show the diversity of human sexual behavior and belief systems." [About this Book] - lgbt: Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender History in America3 volumes. New York: Scribner, 2004.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 76.3 .U5 E53x 2004.
An up-to-date encyclopedia of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history. "[T]he entries... offer a bracing, engaging, provocative tour of U.S. history and culture from multiple, overlapping, sometimes conflicting, but always informative perspectives." [Historical Introduction]. - The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today's WorldThousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2011.
Online only.
Purpose: "[W]hether those who consult this work are simply casual readers looking for some reliable information on a particular subject, or students or scholars commencing research for some specific project, we intend that the entries here
will not simply provide reliable information, but will also spur further reflection and provide the essential guidance as to where to look next for more specialized or refined information." [Editorial introduction]
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality in EducationOxford University Press, 2022.
Online only.
"...brings together researchers from around the globe to explore how gender and sexuality shape the experiences of a wide range of educational levels." [Introduction] - Oxford Encyclopedia of LGBT Politics and PolicyOxford University Press, 2021.
Online only.
"This encyclopedia reviews and interprets a broad array of social science and humanities research on LGBT people, politics, and public policy around the world. The articles are organized around six major themes of the study of identity politics, with a focus on movement politics, public attitudes, political institutions, elections, and the broader context of political theory. " -- Publisher's introduction
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender StudiesOxford University Press, 2014.
Print version: Olin Reference BS 680 .W7 O94 2014.
Extends the work of feminist scholarship and queer studies, by systematically exploring the ways in which gender is constructed in the diverse texts, cultures, and readers that constitute the world of the Bible.
- The Queer Encyclopedia of Film & TelevisionSan Francisco: Cleis Press, 2005.
Online as a ProQuest eBook.
Print version: Olin Library Stacks PN 1590.G39 Q44 2005.
Entries represent "glbtq individuals not only as actors, directors, screenwriters, television performers, and producers, but also as subjects, objects, and consumers of the popular arts." --Introduction
Includes bibliographies.
- The Sage Encyclopedia of LGBTQ StudiesThousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2016.
Online only.
Focuses on LGBTQ issues and identity primarily through the lenses of psychology, human development and sociology, emphasizing queer, feminist, and ecological perspectives on the topic in 400 signed entries from fields such as: Psychology, Human Development, Gender/Queer Studies, Sexuality Studies, Social Work, and Sociology. - The Sage Encyclopedia of Psychology and GenderThousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2017.
4 volumes.
Print version: Olin Reference BF 692.2 .S234 2017.
"One of the main motivations for creating The SAGE Encyclopedia of Psychology and Gender is the lack of comprehensive texts that outline the psychological study of gender. While there have been many attempts to outline the history of feminist psychology, as well as many texts that endeavor to understand sex differences or gender roles, there are no known resources that comprehensively examine issues related to psychology and gender while using an intersectional, culturally integrated, queer affirming, and trans inclusive approach." -- Introduction
- Sage Encyclopedia of Trans StudiesLos Angeles: Sage Reference, 2021.
Online only.
"Entries focus on diverse lives, identities, and contexts, including the experiences of trans people in different racial, religious, and sexual communities in the United States and the variety of ways that gender is expressed in other countries." --Publisher's summary
- The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality StudiesWiley-Blackwell, 2016.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 1180 .W55 2016.
"The goal we set for the Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies was to reflect the wide range of topics, debates, and approaches to this exciting interdisciplinary, and increasingly, global field, while yet being forced to work with the unequal power relations that have historically marked the relations between "the West" and "the rest." While the 719 entries included in this encyclopedia may not be able to cover the entire field of gender and sexuality studies as it continues to develop in virtually all parts of the world, we hope we have captured both its complexity and its international scope." [Introduction] - Women and Gender in Medieval Europe: An EncyclopediaRoutledge, 2006.
Print version: Olin Reference HQ 1147 .E85 W66 2006.
"[L]ess about medieval women and more about gender issues than the title suggests or readers might initially anticipate.""[Choice, May 2007] "Female patronage of the arts and the church, female mysticism and devotional practices, women's medicine and understandings of the female body, and women's roles in politics and diplomacy are among the activities discussed in the 563 signed articles, each with cross-references to other articles and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources." [Reference & Research Book News, Feb. 2007]
Print Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and Timelines
- Chronology of Women's HistoryCall Number: Olin Library Reference + HQ 1121 .O47x 1994Westport: Greenwood, 1994.
Retrospective source.
Landmarks in women's history from 20,000 B.C. to 1993. Most chapters are divided into ten categories: General Status and Daily Life; Government, the Military, and the Law; Literature and the Visual Arts; Performing Arts and Entertainment; Athletics and Exploration; Activism; Business and Industry; Science and Medicine; Education and Scholarship; and Religion. - A Concise Glossary of Feminist TheoriesCall Number: Olin Library Reference HQ 1115 .A543 1997New York: Arnold, 1997.
"The main aim of the glossary is to identify the concepts that have structured feminist theory in the period of the second wave, from about 1968, indicating their provenance in traveling theory from this time.... The glossary aims to trace the variety of ways in which these concepts have been transformed as they were critiqued and appropriated." [Introduction] Liberally cross-referenced. Extensive bibliography of works cited. - Dictionary of Feminist TheologiesCall Number: Olin Library Reference BT 83.55 .D53x 1996Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.
"The Dictionary covers standard topics of Christian theological studies, as well as topics of other religions that are important for the continuing feminist dialogue among many different religious, cultural, and racial groups [e.g., see Islam]. There are also entries on topics of particular interest to those engaged in feminist studies. There are no entries on persons...." [Preface] The Bibliography of Works Cited is comprehensive for English-language publications on feminist theologies in the U.S. context. - Dictionary of Feminist TheoryCall Number: Olin Library Stacks HQ 1115 .H86 1995Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1995.
An academic resource that is now somewhat dated. Focuses on the written word rather than grassroots movements or the arts. Includes a useful bibliography. - Encyclopedia of Feminist Literary TheoriesCall Number: Olin Library Reference PN 98 .W64 E53x 2009New York: Garland, 2009.
"The mission of this encyclopedia is to map out the vast intellectual territory that has arisen mostly since the 1970s, due to the efforts of feminist literary scholars and critics in the United States and Great Britain." [Preface] Definitions of important terms, summaries of critical ideas, and essays on theoretical movements and ideas in feminist literary scholarship and thought. - Encyclopedia of Prostitution and Sex Work2 volumes. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2006.
Olin Library Reference HQ 115 .E53 2006
Contains 341 articles on the social, geographical, and medical aspects of these sensitive and controversial topics. - Encyclopedia of Women and Gender: Sex Similarities and Differences and the Impact of Society on Gender2 volumes. San Diego: Academic Press, 2001.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1115 .E539x 2001
A timely and thorough review of gender issues and research. Articles are written by prominent scholars and arranged by topic (e.g., Affirmative Action, Power, Social Identity). Includes bibliographies. - Gay Histories and Cultures: An EncyclopediaNew York: Garland, 2000.
Olin Library Reference HQ 75.13 .G37 2000
Volume 2 of The Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures. Like the companion volume, an exceptionally useful and thorough review of the topic. Biographical entries included. - The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Women's Issues Worldwide6 volumes. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1726 .G74x 2003 +; also in Kroch Asia Reference
"[S]hould serve as a starting point for anyone doing research in the area of women and the developing world." [Guide to Reference].
"[A]uthoritative, comprehensive, and current data on ... women's issues in more than 130 countries...." [Foreword]
Essays cover education, employment and the economy, family and sexuality, health, politics and law, religion and spirituality, and violence. Volumes cover Asia & Oceania, Central and South America, Europe, North America & the Caribbean, the Middle East & North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Useful resource guides for each country list books, journal articles, and Web sites. - Handbook of American Women's HistoryCall Number: Olin Library Reference HQ 1410 .H36x 20002nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2000.
"New edition of a reference that presents articles on events, ideas, and key people (from historical icons to modern-day achievers) that have shaped the history of women in the U.S. Drawing on the research and expertise of about 300 contributors, about 1,000 alphabetically-arranged entries cover the wide spectrum of fields in which women have made a critical difference, i.e. civil rights, arts, athletics, education, science, industry, and others." [Reference & Research Book News] - Jewish Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia2 volumes. New York: Routledge, 1997.
Olin Library Reference DS 115.2 .J49x 1997; ILR Kheel Center DS 115.2 .J59 1997
"Studies of Jewish women in America gain a necessary reference with the publication of these two volumes ... mainly composed of biographical entries of figures both living and dead (800 in all) and 110 topical entries.... The kinds of women found in the encyclopedia are mainly drawn from national politics, popular letters, music, and film.... In penetrating [topical] entries such as Advertising and Consumer Culture (by Andrew R. Heinze), Leisure and Recreation (by Jenna Weissman Joselit), and Peace Movement (by Sherry Gorelick), users gain an accessible set of interpretations to place the biographical entries in historical and sociological contexts." [ARBA 1999--Simon J. Bronner] - Lesbian Histories and Cultures: An EncyclopediaNew York: Garland, 2000.
Olin Library Reference + HQ 75.13 .L47 2000
Volume 1 of The Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures. Like the companion volume, an exceptionally useful and thorough review of the topic. Biographical entries included. - Men and Masculinities: A Social, Cultural, and Historical Encyclopedia2 volumes. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2004.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1090.3 .M436x 2004
An encyclopedia on the study of masculinity from the gender studies perspective. Individual entries on the longer side with citations to titles for further reading with each entry. - The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance & Musical TheaterSan Francisco: Cleis Press, 2004.
Music Library Reference ML 100 .Q44 2004 - The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual ArtsCall Number: Fine Arts Stacks N 72 .H64 Q44 2004San Francisco: Cleis Press, 2004.
- Routledge International Encyclopedia of Queer CultureOlin Library Reference HQ 76.96 .R68 2006
"The aim of this Encyclopedia is to emphasize international queer cultural production... the people ans issues that generate queer culture as an international phenomenon in the post-World War II era." [Introduction] - The Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women4 volumes. New York: Routledge, 2000.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1115 .R69x 2000; also in Mann Library Stacks
Topic entries, no entries on individual women." We also agreed not to have overall entries on specific counties, but rather to cover certain topic areas region by region." [Introduction] Great range of topics. Thorough and substantial bibliographies. - The St. James Press Gay & Lesbian AlmanacDetroit: St. James, 1998.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1115 .R69x 2000; also in Mann Library Stacks
Retrospective source.
"[P]rovides a broad, multifaceted overview of lesbian and gay history, culture, and communities in the United States." [Foreword] Extensive bibliography. - The Timetables of Women's History: A Chronology of the Most Important People and Events in Women's HistoryNew York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1121 .G74x 1994
Retrospective source.
Presents "the achievements of women in cultures all over the world, from ancient times to present." Information and events are listed in the familiar columnar format in chronological order in the following categories: General/Context, Daily Life/Customs/Practices, Humanities/Fine Arts, Occupations, Performing Arts/Entertainment/Sports, Religion/Philosophy, Science/Technology/Discovery, and Statecraft/Military. - Women's Studies EncyclopediaRevised edition. 3 volumes. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1115 .W875 1999
"The entries ... are meant to convey information to an educated audience without expertise in the subject under discussion.... The focus, as in the first edition, is on the American experience." [Introduction] Signed articles with brief bibliographies. - Women during the Civil War: An EncyclopediaNew York: Routledge, 2004.
Olin Library Reference E 628 .H37x 2004
"The impact of the Civil War on American women, including those who neither participated nor were directly affected, is the focus of this outstanding reference work. Its 128 entries of varying length examine the Civil War experiences of specific women like Clara Barton and Belle Boyd, as well as general groups like African American women and refugees. Other articles explore the roles of women in organizations like the US Christian and Sanitary Commission and such events as the New York City draft riot of 1863 or Sherman's march to the sea. Still other articles (e.g., Family Life, Girlhood and Adolescence) discuss the personal lives of women." [Choice, 1 May 2004] - Women Filmmakers & Their FilmsRevised edition. Detroit: St. James Press, 1998.
Olin Library Reference PN 1998.2 .W66x 1998
Over 250 essays on women filmmakers, "a category that encompasses not only directors but also women in many important behind-the-camera vocations, including producers, animators, art directors, editors, writers, and costume designers." [Editor's Note] Filmographies and bibliographies of articles complete each entry. - Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia17 volumes. Waterford, CT: Yorkin Publications, 1999-2002.
Olin Library Reference HQ 1115 .W6x 1999
Entries on over 10,000 individual women from all historical eras. Extensive genealogical charts and an index. - Youth, Education, and Sexualities: An Encyclopedia2 volumes. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2005.
Olin Library Reference LC 192.6 .Y68 2005
This encyclopedia "queers the singular understanding of sexuality as heterosexual by detailing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) sexualities as it relates to youth and education." [Preface] The 242 topical, signed entries are of medium length and include bibliographies of web sites, court cases, books, and articles for further research and information. Volume 2 includes a general bibliography of print and electronic resources and a detailed index.