Gender in nonprofit organizations: A critical review and research agenda

Abstract

In this paper, we suggest a research agenda based on a review of literature exploring gender in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) published in key field-specific journals in nonprofit studies. The literature review shows that gender is often included as an unproblematized variable and that few studies focus on organizational processes that (re)produce gender inequalities and promote gender equality in NPOs. There is thus a need to expand our knowledge concerning gender in NPOs. The purpose of this paper is therefore to contribute to the development of empirical and theoretical work concerning organizational processes that (re)produce gender in NPOs. In order to inspire such endeavors, we outline a research agenda that proposes an understanding of gender informed by gender theory, an acknowledgement of NPOs as arenas where gender is (re)produced, and a development of theories on NPOs as gendered organizations.