"Advances in gender research" is a new series aimed at presenting current methodological and theoretical research in an area of rapid change and with a subject which is interdisciplinary spanning the social sciences, humanities and natural sciences. The papers in volume 1 reflect the current state of gender research in terms of the variety of material and the approach. The authors take various positions within the configuration which include liberal, radical and material feminisms. The pieces also vary in the extent to which the authors' theoretical orientation and ideas about social change are implicit or explicit. The diversity of current gender research is shown in the subjects presented ranging from an examination of the everyday world experienced by poor women and women of colour in American society and post-colonial women on a global basis to research along the critical lines of postmodernism and queer theory. Focus is placed on 'advances' and developments in gender theory. This new series will be of interest to scholars and experts in sociology, anthropology, ethnography, political science and to those with a particular interest in gender studies and race and ethnic relations.