The juxtaposition of gender and emotion creates a fascinating crucible for addressing a host of important questions. As the chapters in this volume show, these questions cover a range from biology to social construction; from internal experience to stereotypes and belief systems; from individual reactions to interactional scripts and societal norms. To some, the topic of gender and emotion might seem to define a relatively simple set of questions: for example, do women and men experience emotions differently, or do they express their emotions in different ways? Yet, as inevitably is the case when one tries to frame topics of gender in terms of easy “what are the sex differences” questions, simple formulations soon give way to more complicated, multilayered issues that demand attention.

Emotion, because it is such a complex area of study in its own right, offers a challenging partnership for students of gender. The study of emotion raises questions about the nature of the experience and the form of expression. Both gender and emotion require us to look beyond the individual to the context in which behavior occurs, and more broadly, to the norms and social representations that frame those contexts. Together, these two areas of study demand much of us. Simple, unitary process explanations do not go very far in elucidating the phenomena; complexity and multilevel analyses are imperative.