Lauren Eaton

I study the ideas, theories, concepts, and stories that influence how we think about work. Work is never just about what we do. It is also about how societies imagine and value it. My research asks why we think about work the way we do, and how these ways of thinking impact the working lives we lead today.

Using historical methods, I study how ideas about work shift across time and place. This allows me to show that taken-for-granted assumptions about entrepreneurship or leadership are not natural or inevitable. They are the result of cultural choices and historical struggles. By making those assumptions visible, my work opens space for critical reflection and for imagining alternatives.

The impact of my research lies in its ability to act as social commentary:

• How cultural narratives about work influence contemporary debates.
• The historical roots of today’s workplace challenges.
• Different perspectives for students, policymakers, educators, and organisations on the nature of work.

Through teaching, writing, and public engagement, I aim to enrich conversations about the ways work structures society and influences working lives.