Member Login
Search

SWS Organizational Profile (2026) 

Overview: Vision, Purpose, Values 

Founded in 1971, Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) consists of members working in academia, education, nonprofits, and in other applied settings. As an organization, SWS is guided by the following vision, purpose/mission, and values. 

Vision: To ensure all feminist sociologists can confidently contribute to building just and inclusive societies everywhere. 

Purpose/Mission: SWS is an intergenerational, international, and racially/ethnically diverse community of feminist sociologists, inclusive of all genders and sexualities. Acknowledging that professional and societal challenges are often structural and cultural, we are committed to transforming sociology and society by promoting our members’ feminist scholarship, teaching, activism, and leadership. We use our sociological expertise to challenge oppressive systems and injustices as we work to create an inclusive and equitable society. 

Values: Dignity * Belonging * Community * Empathy * Leadership * Mentoring * Advancing Feminist Scholarship * Uplifting Feminist Voices * Reciprocity * Collaboration * Academic Freedom * Cultural Humility * Equity * Justice * Intersectionality * Transnational Solidarity * Honesty * Accountability * Coalition Building * Inclusivity * Respect * Diversity 

Gender & Society 

Gender & Society, the official journal of Sociologists for Women in Society, is a top-ranked journal in sociology and women’s studies and publishes fewer than four percent of all submitted papers. Articles in Gender & Society analyze gender and gendered processes in interactions, organizations, societies, and global and transnational spaces. The journal primarily publishes empirical articles, which are theoretically engaged and methodologically rigorous, drawing on qualitative and quantitative methods. SWS members have access to Gender & Society as a member benefit. 

Governance, Internal Operations, Code of Ethics 

SWS’s member-approved Bylaws, broadly outline the structure of the Association, requirements for membership, governing powers and processes related to formal voting, and broad responsibilities of leadership. 

The SWS Operations Manual contains specific guidelines for internal processes, leadership position descriptions, committee charges, and other important information about the operations of SWS. In contrast to the Bylaws, the Operations Manual is regularly reviewed and updated in order to respond to changing knowledge, experience, and needs. 

The Code of Ethics reflects our core values, and serves as a guide to expectations of member engagement. Membership requires abiding by the Code of Ethics. 

In 2025, SWS implemented Support and Resolution Pathways (SRP), a program developed to proactively and supportively address conflicts and issues that arise amongst Association members during SWS-sponsored events, activities, and programs. SRP is designed to reduce the risk of prolonged conflicts that could affect others, disrupt the community, create ongoing stress for staff. The process emphasizes active listening conversations and restorative dialogues amongst members. The SRP Team consists of SWS members who have been professionally trained in active listening skills and to facilitate restorative dialogues. 

SWS Council, Committees, Groups, and Circles 

SWS Council, similar to a Board of Directors, is the highest level of volunteer leadership and the key voting body on decisions, policies, and other proposals impacting the association. They are elected by the membership to represent the membership for a specified term. 

Table: SWS Council and Responsibilities 

Role 

Responsibilities

President

Council Chair & Personnel Group Lead. Serves as official spokespersonof the Association, and represents the Association before the public andother professional organizations or associations.

Vice President 
(President-Elect)

Responsible for organizing the annual Winter Conference and “shadowing” the President to learn how to provide Associationleadership the following year. Provides oversight to conference planningcommittees. Sits on Council.

Treasurer

Finance Group Lead and Operating Budget Management Subgroup Chair. Partners with Treasurer-Elect and Executive Director on developing the annual budget, providing financial forecasts, and communicating financial matters to the membership. Sits on Council.

Treasurer-Elect

Partners with the Treasurer and Executive Director on developing the annual budget, providing financial forecasts, and communicating financial matters to the membership. The Treasurer-Elect is also a member of the Finance Group and of the Operating Budget Management subgroup. Sits on Council.

Secretary/Archivist

Responsible for the collection, safekeeping and distribution of the Association’s documents, reports and correspondence, including coordinating the transfer of digital files to SWS Archives housed at Harvard University with the Executive Director. Leads the Nominations, Elections, and Appointments Group. Sits on Council.

Awards Director

Leads the Awards group to administer the annual awards process. Collaborates with the Executive Director to promote the awards. Reviews public-facing awards information for accuracy prior to award period. Liaises with the Executive Office on evaluation records, the review process, communications with award winners. Sits on Council.

Parliamentarian

Serves as a resource to the Association President on general principles of organizational governance, decision making processes and procedures. Maintains working knowledge of Association governing documents. Sits on Council (ex-officio, non-voting member)

Academic and Social Justice Chair 

Chairs committee that promotes programming and initiatives that support and advance academic freedom and social justice in the academy and communities. Sits on Council.

International Chair

Chairs committee that supports the Association’s commitment to global and transnational feminist scholarship, as well as, gender justice action.

Membership Chair

Chairs committee that collaborates with Executive Office staff and Council on all membership recruitment and onboarding. Review monthlynew member engagement form submissions. Creatively connect new members to SWS programs and other opportunities including the Jeanne Hand Welcome Program coordinated by Membership Committee.

Professional Development Chair 

Chairs committee that supports the professional development of Members. Offer programs addressing needs across all career stages with attention to programming for both academic and applied professionals, as well as students.

Publications Chair

Chairs committee that oversees operations of all Association publications through committee leadership. Holds election for incoming Chair-Elect, coordinates with Gender & Society and book review editors and Sage to convene PUBS meetings. Available for consultation on issues relating to Gender & Society and brings special issue proposals to the committee for approval. Convenes PUBS settings as needed. Sitson Council.

Sister to Sister Chair 

Chairs committee that promotes inclusive programming and education in collaboration with other committees.

Parliamentarian

Executive Director

Executive Assistant

Ex-officio/non-voting members of Council

 

SWS Program Committees 

SWS has six (6) Program Committees, each led by a Chair and a Chair-Elect (co-chairs) on staggered terms. The Chair sits on Council. Each committee is composed of 5-6 elected and/or appointed SWS members. These committees are the following: 

● Academic & Social Justice 

● International 

● Membership 

● Professional Development 

● Publications 

● Sister to Sister

With Executive Office support, SWS Committees facilitate long-time programs that are exclusively for members. These include the Membership Committee’s new member orientation and activities to integrate new and inexperienced members at the annual Winter Conference, the International Committee's annual engagement with Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, and the Professional Development Committees various feedback and mentoring programs. 

(Operational) Groups 

SWS Groups focus on sustaining the routine internal operations of the Association under the leadership of the Executive Director or SWS President (personnel). Each Group has a Council Member who serves as Lead (ie., the Coordinator). The four Groups include: 

1. Awards: Reviews SWS Awards submissions in Spring (SWS members volunteer to serve as reviewers of our SWS awards) 

2. Nominations: Creates election slate and list of appointments in fall (SWS members volunteer to support the nominations/elections process) 

3. Personnel: Staff oversight and annual performance reviews 

4. Finance: Oversees financial stability and future of the Association

SWS Circles 

Circles are self-organized, member-formed and led groups that enable members to find community within the larger Association. There are no expectations of annual deliverables. Circles can be members who only come together during the Winter Conference or meet virtually more regularly to connect and network. Examples of Circles include writing groups, scholar-activists, retirees, public sociologists, LGBTQ+, first generation students, pedagogy, community college instructors, and more. The SWS Membership Committee provides support to members interested in forming an SWS Circle. 

SWS Awards 

SWS is committed to honoring and celebrating the work of feminist sociologists and currently offers seven (7) awards. All applications to SWS awards are due on April 1st. As stipulated in the SWS Bylaws, the Awards Director (a member of Council), in collaboration with the Nominations Group, is responsible for assembling review committees. 

1. Feminist Initiative Award supports and encourages the efforts of SWS members to make a difference in their community. 

2. Beth B. Hess Memorial Dissertation Scholarship is an award to an advanced sociology Ph.D. student who began their study in a community college or technical school. 

3. Esther Ngan-ling Chow and Mareyjoyce Green Dissertation Scholarship offers support to women and non-binary scholars of color studying concerns that women of color face domestically and/or internationally or transnationally. 

4. Barbara Rosenblum Dissertation Scholarship encourages doctoral research in sociology, anthropology, psychology and related fields on women’s experience of breast cancer and other reproductive cancers and the prevention of these cancers. 

5. Cheryl Allyn Miller Award recognizes a sociology graduate student or a recent doctorate whose research or activism constitutes an outstanding contribution to the field of women and work. 

6. Feminist Mentoring Award celebrates the power and importance of feminist mentoring. 7. Feminist Trailblazer Award recognizes a member who exemplifies “trailblazer” qualities of taking risks, changing society for the better, being a leader on campus and/or the community, showing courage, and forging new bold paths in research, activism, and in the field. 

7. Feminist Trailblazer Award recognizes a member who exemplifies “trailblazer” qualities of taking risks, changing society for the better, being a leader on campus and/or the community, showing courage, and forging new bold paths in research, activism, and in the field. 

 

SWS Association-Wide Initiatives 

With support from the Executive Office, SWS Council has oversight of two initiatives. 

1. The Natalie Allon Discrimination Defense Fund: Natalie Allon was an SWS member who won a discrimination case. The Allon fund is allocated to SWS members requesting support with discrimination case legal fees. This member benefit is exclusive to SWS members. The Allon Fund’s primary mandate is to assist in the payment of legal fees for members who are fighting sex discrimination claims. Council reviews applications once per year each Fall. The annual deadline to apply is September 1st. 

2. The Global Feminist Partner (GFP) is an annual SWS program that honors a non-US based individual or organization that embodies the values of SWS. SWS members nominate an individual or organization that they feel merits recognition by the Association for their feminist work and contributions. A review committee of 3-5 Council and Committee members review applications once per year. 

Financial Oversight 

SWS has a complex budget that includes funding from the publisher for journal operations and from journal royalties, membership dues, conference registration, and donations. The SWS Finance Group, of which the Executive Director is a non-voting member, consists of two subgroups of volunteer members: Operating Budget Management and Investments. This core group provides financial oversight and direction to the association in partnership with the Executive Director. 

Under the leadership of the Executive Director and the SWS Treasurer, the Operating Budget Management (OBM) Subgroup (comprised of the Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, President, and Vice President) is responsible for the following tasks 1) Preparing the annual Association budget; 2) Reviewing Executive Office accounts and accounting practices; 3) Responsibly allocating resources to support Association purpose and objectives; 4) Meeting with the Association accounting services as needed; 5) Reporting biannually to Finance Group on operating budget strategies. The OBM subgroup works with the Executive Director to offer Council recommendations for strategies to coordinate long-term financial planning and operating budgets. 

The Investments Subgroup (comprised of 3-5 members appointed by Council) is responsible for the following tasks: 1) Meeting with the financial advisors to assess and (re)set investment goals and strategies; 2) Overseeing work of financial advisors who manage investment funds; 3) Reviewing and critically engaging with periodic reports from financial advisors; and 4) Reporting biannually to the Council on the overall Association financial health as well as Association financial investment and operating budget strategies. The Executive Director schedules and attends the meetings with the financial advisors. 

The Finance Group meets two times per year to discuss the financial health of the Association. The Executive Director convenes and chairs this biannual meeting.