Measuring in sociology: rethinking quantification for a sex-gender epistemic justice. Presentation
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Published
14-10-2025
Aina Faus-Bertomeu
Arantxa Grau i Muñoz
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4421-744X
Arantxa Grau i Muñoz
Abstract
This text introduces the special issue “Why Quantitative Sociology Needs to Come Out of the Closets?”, proposing a critical review of the epistemic and methodological foundations of quantitative sociology from a sex-gender justice perspective. It argues that measurement is not a neutral operation but a situated practice that shapes what is visible and intelligible within sociological knowledge. The collected works show how statistical production reproduces a notion of the “average subject” and propose inclusive methodological approaches and conceptual tools. The issue features contributions from Celia Fernández-Carro; Laura Casado Luna, Laia Folguera Cots, and Oscar Guasch Andreu; Natalia Romero Marchesini; Marcela Schenck, Cecilia Rocha, Diego Sempol, and Andrea Macari; and, Paula García-Muñoz and Aarón Hocasar de Blas. Two critical papes written by Luis Robledo and Josune Delgado complete the issue.
How to Cite
Faus-Bertomeu, A., & Grau i Muñoz , A. . (2025). Measuring in sociology: rethinking quantification for a sex-gender epistemic justice. Presentation. Papeles De Identidad, 2025(2), presentación. https://doi.org/10.1387/pceic.27679
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Keywords
quantitative sociology, sex-gender dissidences, measurement, epistemic justice, critical quantitative literacy
References
Bain, R. (1935). Measurement in sociology. American Journal of Sociology, 40(4), 481-488.
Bauer, G., Braimoh, J., Scheim, A., y Dharma, Ch. (2017). Transgender-inclusive measures of sex/gender for population surveys: Mixedmethods evaluation and recommendations. PLoS ONE, 12(5), e0178043.
Berman, E., y Hirschman, D. (2018). The sociology of quantification: Where are we now? American Sociological Association, 47(3), 257-266.
Blidon, M., y Chetcuti, N. (2010). Penser la sexualité et les rapports sociaux de sexe perspectivas critiques. Dialogue entre deux disciplines. Carnets de recherches, 1. Recuperado de: http://journals.openedition.org/cdg/1805
Bourdieu, P. (2001). La ciencia de la ciencia y la reflexividad. Anagrama.
Caltabiano, M., y Dalla-Zuanna, G. (2013). A Comparison of Survey Techniques on Sensitive Sexual Behavior in Italy. Journal of Sex Research, 50(6), 537-547.
Cicourel, A. (2011/1964). Método y medida en sociología. CIS
Denier, N., y Waite, S. (2019). Sexual orientation at work: Documenting and understanding wage inequality. Sociology Compass, 13, e12667.
Estefanell, A., y Santos Alarcón, D. (2013). Construyendo un sistema de indicadores interseccionales. Procesos de armonización en instituciones de educación superior de América Latina. FLACSO.
Espeland, W., y Stevens, M. (2008). A sociology of quantification. European Journal of Sociology, 49(3), 401-436.
Frisby, M. (2024). Critical Quantitative Literacy: An Educational Foundation for Critical Quantitative Research. AERA Open, 10(1), 1-13.
Gane, N. (2011). Measure, value and the current crises of sociology. The Sociological Review, 151-173.
Garvey, J., Hart, J., Scott Metcalfe, A., y Fellabaum-Toston, J. (2019). Methodological Troubles with Gender and Sex in Higher Education Survey Research. The Review of Higher Education, 43(1), 1-24.
Hart, Ch., Saperstein, A., Magliozzi, D., y Westbrook, L. (2019). Gender and Health: Beyond Binary Categorical Measurement. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 60(1), 101-118.
House, F. (1934). Measurement in sociology. American Journal of Sociology, 40(1), 1-11.
Irvine, J. (2015). The Other Sex Work: Stigma in Sexuality Research. Social Current, 2(2), 116-125.
Latour, B. (1987). Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers Through Society. Harvard University Press.
Michael, S. (2013). Sexual Behavior and Practices: Data and Measurement. En J. DeLamater y R. F. Plante (Eds.), Handbook of the sociology of sexualities (pp. 11-20). Springer.
Miller, L., y Grollman, E. (2015). The social costs of gender nonconformity for transgender adults: Implications for discrimination and health. Sociological Forum, 30(3), 809-831.
Myanna, T. (2023). Strategies for LGBTQIA Inclusive Data Collection and Reporting. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication, 17(6), 1005-1008.
Nowakowski, A., Sumerau, J. E., y Mathers, L. (2016). None of the above: Strategies for Inclusive Teaching with «Representative» Data. Teaching Sociology, 44(2) 96-105.
Paik, A. (2015). Surveying Sexualities: Minimizing Survey Error in Study of Sexuality. En J. DeLamater y R. F. Plante (Eds.), Handbook of the sociology of sexualities (pp. 93-108). Springer.
Pawson, R. (2004/1989). A measure for measures: a manifesto for empirical sociology. Routledge.
Régnier-Loilier, A (2018). Are the Generations and Gender Surveys Well Suited for Studying Same-Sex Couples? Eur J Population, 34, 567-578.
Rodríguez Mena, J. A. (2015). Familias homoparentales en la escuela pública: estudio de caso de la intervención escolar sobre la diversidad familiar (tesis doctoral inedita). Universidad de Huelva.
Smith, R., y Atkinson, P. (2016). Method and Measurement in Sociology, fifty years on. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 19(1), 99-110.
Savage, M., y Burrows, R. (2007). The coming crisis of empirical sociology. Sociology, 41(5), 885-899.
Saltelli, A., y Di Fiore, M. (2020). From sociology of quantification to ethics of quantification. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7(1), 1-8.
Simpfenderfer, A. D., Jackson, R., Aguilar, D., Dolan, C. V., y Garvey, J. (2024). Using Queer Framings and Positionalities to Unsettle Statistical Assumptions of Generalizability and Representativeness. Educational Studies, 60(1) 19-40.
Suárez, M. (2024). Problematizing the Measurement of Gender Identity in K-12 Education Survey Research: A Systematic Review. Educational Studies, 60(1), 68-88.
Sumerau, J. E., Mathers, L., Nowakowski, A, y Cragun, R. (2017). Helping quantitative sociology come out of the closet. Sexualities, 20(5-6), 644-656.
West, C., y Zimmerman, C. H. (1987). Doing gender. Gender & society, 1(2), 125-151.
Westbrook, L., y Saperstein, A. (2015). New categories are not enough: Rethinking the measurement of sex and gender in social surveys. Gender & Society, 29(4), 534-560.
Westbrook, L., Budnick, J., y Saperstein, A. (2022). Dangerous data: Seeing social surveys through the sexuality prism. Sexualities, 25(5-6) 717-749.
Wright Mills, Ch. (2006/1959). La imaginación sociológica. Alcaná.
Bauer, G., Braimoh, J., Scheim, A., y Dharma, Ch. (2017). Transgender-inclusive measures of sex/gender for population surveys: Mixedmethods evaluation and recommendations. PLoS ONE, 12(5), e0178043.
Berman, E., y Hirschman, D. (2018). The sociology of quantification: Where are we now? American Sociological Association, 47(3), 257-266.
Blidon, M., y Chetcuti, N. (2010). Penser la sexualité et les rapports sociaux de sexe perspectivas critiques. Dialogue entre deux disciplines. Carnets de recherches, 1. Recuperado de: http://journals.openedition.org/cdg/1805
Bourdieu, P. (2001). La ciencia de la ciencia y la reflexividad. Anagrama.
Caltabiano, M., y Dalla-Zuanna, G. (2013). A Comparison of Survey Techniques on Sensitive Sexual Behavior in Italy. Journal of Sex Research, 50(6), 537-547.
Cicourel, A. (2011/1964). Método y medida en sociología. CIS
Denier, N., y Waite, S. (2019). Sexual orientation at work: Documenting and understanding wage inequality. Sociology Compass, 13, e12667.
Estefanell, A., y Santos Alarcón, D. (2013). Construyendo un sistema de indicadores interseccionales. Procesos de armonización en instituciones de educación superior de América Latina. FLACSO.
Espeland, W., y Stevens, M. (2008). A sociology of quantification. European Journal of Sociology, 49(3), 401-436.
Frisby, M. (2024). Critical Quantitative Literacy: An Educational Foundation for Critical Quantitative Research. AERA Open, 10(1), 1-13.
Gane, N. (2011). Measure, value and the current crises of sociology. The Sociological Review, 151-173.
Garvey, J., Hart, J., Scott Metcalfe, A., y Fellabaum-Toston, J. (2019). Methodological Troubles with Gender and Sex in Higher Education Survey Research. The Review of Higher Education, 43(1), 1-24.
Hart, Ch., Saperstein, A., Magliozzi, D., y Westbrook, L. (2019). Gender and Health: Beyond Binary Categorical Measurement. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 60(1), 101-118.
House, F. (1934). Measurement in sociology. American Journal of Sociology, 40(1), 1-11.
Irvine, J. (2015). The Other Sex Work: Stigma in Sexuality Research. Social Current, 2(2), 116-125.
Latour, B. (1987). Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers Through Society. Harvard University Press.
Michael, S. (2013). Sexual Behavior and Practices: Data and Measurement. En J. DeLamater y R. F. Plante (Eds.), Handbook of the sociology of sexualities (pp. 11-20). Springer.
Miller, L., y Grollman, E. (2015). The social costs of gender nonconformity for transgender adults: Implications for discrimination and health. Sociological Forum, 30(3), 809-831.
Myanna, T. (2023). Strategies for LGBTQIA Inclusive Data Collection and Reporting. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication, 17(6), 1005-1008.
Nowakowski, A., Sumerau, J. E., y Mathers, L. (2016). None of the above: Strategies for Inclusive Teaching with «Representative» Data. Teaching Sociology, 44(2) 96-105.
Paik, A. (2015). Surveying Sexualities: Minimizing Survey Error in Study of Sexuality. En J. DeLamater y R. F. Plante (Eds.), Handbook of the sociology of sexualities (pp. 93-108). Springer.
Pawson, R. (2004/1989). A measure for measures: a manifesto for empirical sociology. Routledge.
Régnier-Loilier, A (2018). Are the Generations and Gender Surveys Well Suited for Studying Same-Sex Couples? Eur J Population, 34, 567-578.
Rodríguez Mena, J. A. (2015). Familias homoparentales en la escuela pública: estudio de caso de la intervención escolar sobre la diversidad familiar (tesis doctoral inedita). Universidad de Huelva.
Smith, R., y Atkinson, P. (2016). Method and Measurement in Sociology, fifty years on. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 19(1), 99-110.
Savage, M., y Burrows, R. (2007). The coming crisis of empirical sociology. Sociology, 41(5), 885-899.
Saltelli, A., y Di Fiore, M. (2020). From sociology of quantification to ethics of quantification. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7(1), 1-8.
Simpfenderfer, A. D., Jackson, R., Aguilar, D., Dolan, C. V., y Garvey, J. (2024). Using Queer Framings and Positionalities to Unsettle Statistical Assumptions of Generalizability and Representativeness. Educational Studies, 60(1) 19-40.
Suárez, M. (2024). Problematizing the Measurement of Gender Identity in K-12 Education Survey Research: A Systematic Review. Educational Studies, 60(1), 68-88.
Sumerau, J. E., Mathers, L., Nowakowski, A, y Cragun, R. (2017). Helping quantitative sociology come out of the closet. Sexualities, 20(5-6), 644-656.
West, C., y Zimmerman, C. H. (1987). Doing gender. Gender & society, 1(2), 125-151.
Westbrook, L., y Saperstein, A. (2015). New categories are not enough: Rethinking the measurement of sex and gender in social surveys. Gender & Society, 29(4), 534-560.
Westbrook, L., Budnick, J., y Saperstein, A. (2022). Dangerous data: Seeing social surveys through the sexuality prism. Sexualities, 25(5-6) 717-749.
Wright Mills, Ch. (2006/1959). La imaginación sociológica. Alcaná.
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Presentation
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