Sociological explanations for failure to seek sexual harassment remedies

Abstract

Abstract Public and private debate over whether Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas sexually harassed former employee Anita Hill—and, if he did, why Hill would wait ten years to reveal his behavior publicly—has centered on psychological explanations of the state of mind of Thomas and Hill. This article provides an alternative sociological explanation, emphasizing the effects of gender and race in the social organization of work, and the links between workplace dispute resolution and employment inequality.