Networking to Nowhere: How Gender Inequality Persists in Tech

Why does gender inequality persist in tech—even in workplaces that invest in fixing it? In Networking to Nowhere, sociologist Ethel Mickey uncovers the paradox at the heart of modern tech culture: Networking is hailed as the key to opportunity, yet it systematically works against women. Drawing on ethnographic research inside a top tech firm, Mickey reveals how “ideal” networking practices like informal referrals, after-hours schmoozing, and bro-bonding over sports reinforce old boys’ clubs...