Early Career Workshop on the Sociology of Work and Wellbeing
A BSA Early Career Regional Event
18 September 2026
Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, UK
About the Event
The event will be an Early Career Researcher (ECR) paper development workshop on the theme: ‘The Sociology of Work and Wellbeing’. Hosted at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, home of the Wellbeing Research Centre, this workshop will host up to 25 ECRs for an opportunity to present and develop their research papers on the theme and network with other ECRs in the South of England.
The workshop will explore how to revitalise sociological perspectives on work and wellbeing. The sociology of work has long been uniquely concerned with the question of wellbeing, more so than other fields of sociology. Yet in academic and policy debates on wellbeing, psychology, economics, and mainstream management studies dominate. Recent contributions (e.g. Tausig, 2013; Chamberlain et al., 2025) have gone some way to summarising the field as it stands now. However, several avenues remain either underexplored or disconnected from one another. This workshop will strive to enhance and strengthen the sociological voice on the topic by supporting empirical research and expanded theorisation.
The workshop will emphasise career development, including: a meet-the-editors session with the editors of leading British journals that publish the sociology of work; opportunities to network with other ECRs; and a panel or keynote with senior scholars to construct a longer-term view on the sociology of work and wellbeing.
Registration
Attendees will be charged £5, which will include lunch and refreshments. We have a small transport bursary available; for details please contact the co-ordinators.
Registration for this event will open in due course. For any informal enquiries please contact William Fleming.
Indicative bibliography
Abbott, A. (2018). Varieties of Normative Inquiry: Moral Alternatives to Politicization in Sociology. The American Sociologist, 49(2), 158–180.
Bailey, C., Madden, A., & Lips-Wiersma, M. (2024). Experiencing meaningful work through worthwhile contributions: A critical discourse analysis. Human Relations, 00187267241255581. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267241255581
Bolton, S. C., & Laaser, K. (2013). Work, employment and society through the lens of moral economy. Work, Employment and Society, 27(3), 508–525. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017013479828
Chamberlain, L., Hughes, E., & Donnelly, R. (2025). Bridging the Gaps in Work Quality Research: A Multi-Level Interdisciplinary Review. Work, Employment and Society, 09500170251325790. https://doi.org/10.1177/09500170251325790
Cole, M. (2007). Re-Thinking Unemployment: A Challenge to the Legacy of Jahoda et al. Sociology, 41(6), 1133–1149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038507082319
Delgaty, A., & Wilson, E. R. (2024). The Hidden Strains of ‘Cool’ Jobs. Sociology, 58(2), 351–368.
Doellgast, V., Bidwell, M., & Colvin, A. J. S. (2021). New Directions in Employment Relations Theory: Understanding Fragmentation, Identity, and Legitimacy. ILR Review, 74(3), 555–579. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793921993445
Goldthorpe, J. H., Lockwood, D., Bechhofer, F., & Platt, J. (1968). The Affluent Worker: Industrial Attitudes and Behaviour. Cambridge University Press.
Green, F. (2026). Hard at Work: Job Quality, Wellbeing, and the Global Economy. Oxford University Press.
Griesbach, K. (2025). Positioning Stories: Accounting for Insecure Work. American Sociological Review, 90(3), 493–520. https://doi.org/10.1177/00031224251328393
Halford, S., & Strangleman, T. (2009). In Search of the Sociology of Work: Past, Present and Future. Sociology, 43(5), 811–828. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038509341307
Kalleberg, A. L. (2018). Precarious Lives: Job Insecurity and Well-Being in Rich Democracies. Polity Press.
Kelly, E. L., & Moen, P. (2020). Overload: How Good Jobs Went Bad and What We Can Do About It. Princeton University Press.
Ringqvist, J. (2024). Integrating Collective Voice within Job Demands–Resources Theory—Josef Ringqvist, 2024. Work, Employent & Society. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09500170241254306
Tausig, M. (2013). The Sociology of Work and Well-Being. In C. S. Aneshensel, J. C. Phelan, & A. Bierman (Eds), Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health (Second, pp. 433–455). Springer Dordrecht.
Veenhoven, R. (2008). Sociological Theories of Subjective Wellbeing. In M. Eid & R. Larsen (Eds), The Science of Subjective Well-being: A tribute to Ed Diener (pp. 44–61). Guildford Publications.