Gender and Strategic Communication: A Systematic Review of Gender Research in Strategic Communication and Future Directions

Since the 1980s, strategic communication research has focused on gender research. Despite the growing body of research on gender in strategic communication and related fields, and the increasing call for diversity and alternative conceptualizations of gender, previous studies in this area appear to lack sufficient diversity. This paper aims to advance strategic communication research on gender and issues related to gender by conducting a systematic review of previous gender research in strategic communication published in 11 journals in the field of strategic communication from 1983 until 2022. 175 journal articles were systematically reviewed across various categories. Results show that gender research in strategic communication increased over time and points to multiple theories and methods used. However, previous gender research has mainly been conducted at the individual, industry, and organizational levels, while research on the media and societal levels is lacking. Furthermore, gender conceptions and measurement in previous scholarship often remain binary, negating the role of social norms, culture, religion, and ideologies in gender constructions and identities. By systematically reviewing past research on gender and gender-related topics, this study identifies significant trends and gaps in gender research in strategic communication and offers future research directions.