Rebecca Taylor

I am a sociologist of work, employment and organisations with broad interests that span conceptual debates about paid and unpaid work; the nature of careers occupations and professions; and employment policies and programmes.

My research interests include understanding various forms of unpaid work in the public domain (internships, working for free, open source software development and voluntary work); new and emerging occupations and industries; new institutionalism and field theory and the relationships between the third sector the market and the state. Recent research has explored the delivery of employment services by providers from different sectors, and a longitudinal study examining change in third sector organisations.

Recent publications have included an article on the experiences of providers in the field of employment services and a chapter on volunteering for the Sage Handbook of the Sociology of Work and Employment. My doctoral research at the University of Essex sought to conceptualise paid and unpaid work and explored the classed and gendered divisions of labour structuring voluntary work.