Roman Gibel, University of Zürich

Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger, Vienna University of Business and Economics

Anett Hermann, Vienna University of Business and Economics

Georgios Tsourvakas, National and Kapodistrian University Athens

Natasha Winkler-Titus, Stellenbosch Business School

This special issue examines how gender shapes professional sports organizations and the experiences of those within them. It draws on feminist and intersectional frameworks to understand how power dynamics, organizational structures, and institutional policies create gendered hierarchies that affect athletes, coaches, and administrators. The issue also considers how race, class, sexuality, and other identities compound gender-based inequalities in sports.

The special issue welcomes interdisciplinary research that connects gender and sports to broader questions in work, organization, and management. Submissions should employ diverse methodologies and advance both theoretical and empirical knowledge, exploring themes such as career trajectories, leadership, economic structures, media representation, policy effects, and the specific challenges faced by transgender and non-binary athletes seeking inclusion in sports spaces.

Appel publié par Gender Work and Organization. Voir l'appel sur le site de l'éditeur. Fiche de l'appel sur kerostig.

Potential topics

• Gendered Labor and Career Trajectories in Professional Sports: In what ways are career paths, working conditions, and opportunities in professional sports shaped by gender, and how do these dynamics intersect with broader organizational and societal structures?
• Organizational Dynamics and Gender: How do sports organizations reproduce or challenge gender norms? What are the implications of gendered leadership, policies, and practices within sports institutions?
• Economic and Organizational Power Structures in Sports: How do economic and organizational power relations in professional sports reproduce or challenge gendered hierarchies, and what implications do they have for inclusion, leadership, and equity within sport institutions?
• Intersectionality in Sports: How do race, class, sexuality, disability, and other social categories intersect with gender to shape experiences and inequalities in sports?
• Gendered Experiences in Sports: How do gender identities influence participation, performance, and recognition in various sports? What are the lived experiences of athletes, coaches, and administrators across the gender spectrum?
• Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion: How are trans and non-binary athletes navigating sports spaces? What challenges and opportunities exist for inclusive practices?
• Media Representations and Gender: How are athletes and sports events gendered in media coverage? What impact do these representations have on public perceptions and gender norms?
• Policy and Governance: What are the effects of policies related to gender equity, inclusion, and diversity in sports at local, national, and international levels?
• International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives: How can international and interdisciplinary collaborations advance research on gender and sports, fostering more inclusive, diverse, and globally informed understandings of work and organization in sporting contexts?

Timeline

• May 1, 2026: Paper Preparatory Workshop (online)
• August 1, 2026: Open for Submissions
• February 1, 2027: Submission Deadline