Graduation Year

2025

Date of Submission

4-2025

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Government

Reader 1

Professor Jon Shields

Abstract

This thesis explores an emergent paradox in American society: as gender equality has advanced over the past half-century, men and women have grown increasingly distant across crucial areas of life. Through a multi-dimensional analysis spanning education, politics, and interpersonal relationships, the study documents measurable divergences between the sexes. In education, women now surpass men at every level, raising questions about shifting cultural incentives and the evolving structure of opportunity. Politically, a steady gender gap has widened dramatically among younger generations, driven largely by a leftward shift among young women and a cultural realignment among young men. In interpersonal relations, mutual understanding and trust between the sexes are fraying, with data suggesting growing skepticism and misalignment about relationships, marriage, and gender roles. While not claiming a single causal explanation, this project demonstrates that the growing social distance between men and women is real, measurable, and consequential for the stability of American institutions and culture. Ultimately, the thesis warns that a society where men and women become alienated from each other is a fragile one that poses the danger of undermining both personal fulfillment and collective resilience.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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