Author: Simone de Beauvoir
Synopsis
De Beauvoir examines how women have historically been constructed as the 'Other' in relation to men. Drawing on philosophy, history, literature, biology, and social observation, she argues that femininity is substantially shaped by social institutions and expectations.
Why It Matters to Sociology
The book became a foundational text of modern feminism. Its analysis of gender as socially produced influenced sociology, philosophy, cultural studies, and later theories of gender identity and inequality.