Women's studies is an academic field that draws on feminist and interdisciplinary methods to place women's lives and experiences at the center of study, while examining social and cultural constructs of gender; systems of privilege and oppression; and the relationships between power and gender as they intersect with other identities and social locations such as race, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, and disability.

Gender studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to analysing gender identity and gendered representation. Gender studies originated in the field of women's studies, concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics. The field now overlaps with queer studies and men's studies. Its rise to prominence, especially in Western universities after 1990, coincided with the rise of deconstruction.

Albania Eglantina Gjermeni (born 1968), Albanian politician promoting gender equality

Argentina

Ana Amado (1946–2016), Argentine political scientist and feminist, headed the women and society department at the Latin American Institute for Transnational Studies Judith Astelarra (born 1943), Argentine sociologist active in women's studies in Spain Nora Domínguez (born 1951), Argentine academic, co-founder of the Interdisciplinary Institute of Gender Studies at the University of Buenos Aires Hilda Habichayn (1934–2021), Argentine sociologist and feminist, founder of the Center for Historical Studies on Women at the National University of Rosario Mirta Zaida Lobato (born 1948), Argentine historian, specializing in societal history and gender relations in LAtin America

Armenia Arlene Voski Avakian (born 1939), Armenian academic based in the United States, specializing in women's studies and food history

Australia

Sara Ahmed (born 1969), British-Australian writer and scholar specializing in feminist theory, lesbian feminism and queer theory Marian Baird (fl. 2001), Australian academic researcher, professor of gender and employment relations at the University of Sydney Chilla Bulbeck (born 1951), Australian sociologist and former professor of women's studies at Adelaide University Catharine Lumby (fl. 1999), Australian academic and writer advising and publishing on gender issues Elspeth Probyn (1958–2025), Australian academic, professor of gender and cultural studies at the University of Sydney Kane Race, professor of gender and cultural studies at the University of Sydney

Austria

Hertha Firnberg (1909–1994), Austrian politician and statistician Daniela Hammer-Tugendhat (born 1946), feminist Austrian art historian and pioneer of women's studies courses at the University of Vienna Elisabeth Holzleithner (born 1970), Austrian academic specializing in legal philosophy and gender studies at the University of Vienna Utta Isop (born 1974), Austrian philosopher and gender researcher focusing on gender democracy and social movements Ilse Korotin (born 1957), Austrian philosopher and sociologists focusing of feminist biographical research Maria Mesner (born 1960), Austrian modern historian heading the University of Vienna gender studies program Edith Saurer (1942–2011), Austrian historian, cofounder of feminist historiography Sabine Strasser (born 1962), Austrian social anthropologist specializing in migration and gender studies Erika Weinzierl (1925–2014), Austrian historian and gender researcher

Bahamas Angelique Nixon (fl. 2010s), Bahamian academic based in Trinidad, lecturer at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at the University of the West Indies

Belgium

Rita Mulier (born 1934), Belgian feminist and economist, founder of the Women's Consultation Committee and specializing in mother's rights in the workplace Monika Triest (born 1941), founder of women's studies programs at the University of Cincinnati and University of Amsterdam

Brazil Neuma Aguiar (1938-2023), pioneering sociologist who helped lay the foundations for women's studies in Brazil Dodi Leal (born 1984), Brazilian academic and trans rights activist, active in performance and gender studies in Brazil Suzana Prates (1940–1988), Brazilian feminist and sociologist active in Uruguay, founder of the Study Group on the Condition of Women in Uruguay

Bulgaria Krassimira Daskalova (born 1957), Bulgarian academic and pioneer in gender studies Yvanka B. Raynova (born 1959), Bulgarian philosopher and feminist, professor of contemporary philosophy at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Canada

Maija Blaubergs (1947–2010), Latvian-Canadian feminist scholar, coordinator of the University of Georgia's women's studies program Sheila Cavanagh (fl. 2000s), Canadian academic, former chair of the sexuality studies program at York University covering gender studies, feminist theory and queer theory Yolande Cohen (born 1960), Moroccan-born Canadian historian focusing on the history of women Huguette Dagenais (born 1943), French-Canadian anthropologist, ran the first women's studies program at Université Laval Francine Descarries (born 1942), Canadian sociologist and leading figure in feminist studies in Quebec Margaret Gillett (1930–2019), Australian-Canadian pedagogue, who was the founding director of the women's studies program at McGill University Grace Jantzen (1948–2006), Canadian feminist philosopher and theologian, former professor of religion, culture and gender at Manchester University Anne Klinck (1943–2023), Canadian academic, authority on the female voice in lyric poetry Hilary M. Lips (born 1940), Canadian academic and writer, founder of the Center for Gender Studies at Radford University, Virginia Katherine McKittrick (born 1970), Canadian academic, professor of gender studies at Queen's University, specializing in Black feminist geography Wendy Mitchinson (1947–2021), Canadian historian at the University of Waterloo, researching gender and medical history Viviane Namaste (fl. 2001), Canadian feminist academic at Concordia University, Montreal, focusing on sexual health and sex work Jane L. Parpart (1940-), American social historian who was the first coordinator for the women's studies program at Dalhousie University, after it gained degree status in 1988. Veronica Strong-Boag, (born 1947) founding Director of the Centre for Women's and Gender Studies at the University of British Columbia Evangelia Tastsoglou (born 1968), Greek-Canadian sociologist, researching issues of gender, international migration and gender-based violence Barbara Taylor (born 1950), Canadian historian based in the United Kingdom, specializing in the Enlightenment and gender studies at Queen Mary, University of London Rebecca Tiessen (born 1970), Canadian sociologist who specializes in studying gender and international development. Leah Vosko (born 1971), Canadian academic focusing on political economy, labour rights, gender studies, migration, and citizenship

Chile Olga Grau (born 1945), Chilean academic specializing in gender, sexuality, philosophy, education and literature Virginia Guzmán Barcos (born 1943), Chilean psychologist, deputy director of the Center for Women's Studies in Santiago

China Liang Jun (born 1945), Chinese activist, campaigner for women's right to education in China Li Xiaojiang (born 1951), introduced women's studies to China and wrote Progress of Mankind and Liberation of Womanhood (1983), the first work on women published in the country since 1949.

Colombia

Magdalena León de Leal (born 1939), Colombian feminist sociologist, specializing in women's studies Florence Thomas (born 1943), French-Colombian social psychologist. founder of the women's studies progra, at the National University of Colombia

Croatia Rada Borić (born 1951), Croatian scholar, feminist and women's rights activist, cofounder of the first Croatian gender studies program

Cuba Norma Vasallo Barrueta (fl. 1990s), Cuban feminist research, head of the Women's Department at the University of Havana

Curaçao

Joceline Clemencia (1952–2011), Afro-Curaçaoan writer, linguist and feminist

Czech Republic Věra Sokolová (born 1970), Czech academic specializing in gender studies

Denmark Signe Arnfred (born 1944), Danish sociologist and feminist, organized meetings and seminars leading to gender studies Ann-Dorte Christensen (born 1954), Danish social scientist, professor of sociology of gender at Aalborg University Eva Hemmer Hansen (1913–1983), Danish writer and feminist, chair of the Danish Women's Society Lene Koch (born 1947), Danish feminist and historian. active in establishing the Centre for Women's Research at the University of Copenhagen Nynne Koch (1915–2001), Danish feminist, pioneering researcher in gender studies, active in the establishment of Kvinfo, the Danish Centre for Research on Women and Gender Nina Lykke (born 1939), Danish academic active in Sweden, recognized for her work on feminist theory, former professor of gender studies at Linköping University Harriet Bjerrum Nielsen (born 1948), Danish philologist and gender studies scholar at the University of Oslo, specializing in gender and identity and gender socialization Tania Ørum (born 1945), Danish feminist and literary historian specializing in women's and gender studies Birgitte Possing (born 1952), Danish historian specializing in historical biography in connection with the Danish women's biographical dictionary Dansk kvindebiografisk leksikon

Dominican Republic Ochy Curiel (born 1963), Afro-Dominican feminist, academic and social anthropologist, known for helping to establish the Afro-Caribbean women's movement

Ethiopia Zenebework Tadesse (fl. 1976), Ethiopian sociologist and researcher on democracy, gender and women's rights in Africa

Finland

Solveig Bergman (born 1955), Finnish sociologist, former director of the Nordic Gender Institute in Olso Elina Haavio-Mannila (born 1933), Finnish social scientist and former professor of sociology Aili Nenola (born 1942), Finnish academic active in folklore and the development of women's studies at the University of Tartu and at the Kristina Institute Liisa Rantalaiho (born 1933), Finnish sociologist active in gender studies Päivi Setälä (1943–2014), Finnish historian advocating women's research Harriet Silius (born 1948), Finnish professor of women's studies at Åbp Akademi University, editor of the Nordic Journal of Women's Studies Ulla Vuorela (1945–2011), Finnish social anthropologist active in women's and gender studies

France

Sophie Bessis (born 1947), Tunisian-French historian and feminist writer Anne-Marie Devreux (born 1952), French sociologist specializing in feminism and the sociology of gender relations Jane Freedman (born 1968), British-French sociologist researching gender violence, conflict and migration Camille Froidevaux-Metterie (born 1968), French philosopher focusing on changes affecting the status of women Delphine Gardey (born 1967), French historian and sociologist, director of the Institute of Gender Studies at the University of Geneva Nahema Hanafi (born 1983), French historian, researching history of medicine, women's place in history and directing master's degree in gender studies Gabrielle Houbre (fl. 1996), French historian researching gender and history of sexuality at the University of Paris VII Danièle Kergoat (born 1942), French academic focusing on gender and social relations of sex, work and social movements Margaret Maruani (1954–2022), Tunisian-French sociologist researching labor market and gender Nicole-Claude Mathieu (1937–2014), French anthropologist and feminist Juliette Rennes (fl. 1990s), French sociologist and academic, researching topics related to the history and sociology of gender, work and discrimination Michelle Zancarini-Fournel (born 1947), French historian, specializing in the history of women and gender as well as May 68

Germany

Monika Barz (born 1953), German academic, former professor of women and gender studies the Evangelical University in Ludwigsburg