Professor Melissa Tyler
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Email
mjtyler@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 874112
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Location
EBS.3.81, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
You can find details of Academic Support hours on the EBS UG and PG information page on Moodle or by calling EBS Student Services on 01206873911
Profile
Biography
My research focuses largely on gender, feminist theory and the body in work and organisational settings; emotion, aesthetics and sexuality in the workplace, and organisational space, place and materiality, and on precarious work in the creative and cultural sector. I am chair of the Judith Butler research network - please get in touch if you are interested in joining. I welcome inquiries from potential PhD students and research collaborators on a variety of topics, including: * Gender and LGBT inequality in the workplace * Feminist thinking and critical theories of work and organization * Space, place and workplace settings * Embodied experiences and perceptions of work, particularly relating to emotion, aesthetics and/or sexuality at work * Freelance/self-employed work in the creative and cultural sector
Qualifications
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B Soc Sci (Hons) Cultural Studies
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PG Dip (Research Methods)
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PhD (Sociology)
Appointments
糖心Vlog
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Professor of Work and Organization Studies, 糖心Vlog Business School, 糖心Vlog (1/1/2011 - present)
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Co-Director of the Centre for Work, Organisation and Society, 糖心Vlog Business School, 糖心Vlog (1/1/2019 - present)
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Associate Director of Research and Impact, OS/HRM group, 糖心Vlog (1/2011 - present)
Other academic
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Associate Editor, Organization (3/9/2022 - present)
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Member of the Distinguished Advisory Board, Gender, Work and Organization (9/2007 - present)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Feminist perspectives on work and organization
Gender, sexuality and embodiment at work
Organizational space, place, aesthetics and materiality
Emotional, aesthetic and sexualized forms of labour
Sales-service work and consumer culture
Gender, sexuality and the body in work organizations
Any work drawing on and developing feminist theory
The organization, management and lived experience of organizational space, place and setting
Emotional, aesthetic and sexualized labour in sales-service work
Current research
An ethnographic study of sales-service work in licensed and unlicensed sex shops in Soho, London
Lived experiences of gender, sexuality and ageing at work (with Kat Riach and Nick Rumens)
Gender and commemoration in work organizations (with Karen Dale and Leanne Cutcher)
Discrimination and disrespect in the workplace (with Philip Hancock)
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Organisational Behaviour (BE410)
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Philosophies of Research and Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (BE968)
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Professional and Academic Development (Management and Marketing) (BE909)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Management Studies
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 28/2/2025
Degree subject: Human Resource Management and Organisation Studies
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 15/3/2024
Degree subject: Management Studies
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 3/10/2023
Publications
Journal articles (48)
Tyler, M. and Pianezzi, D., . Business Ethics Quarterly
Pianezzi, D. and Tyler, M., (2025). Breast. Organization
Tyler, M. and Riach, K., (2024). . Human Relations. 77 (2), 172-199
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2024). . Work, Employment and Society. 38 (6), 1569-1590
Tyler, M., Butler, J., Cutcher, L., Milroy, T., Lloyd, M., Riach, K., Kenny, K., Al鈥怉moudi, I., Guschke, BL., Harding, N. and Smolovi膰鈥怞ones, N., (2024). Strangers in conversation: Judith Butler with gender, work and organization. Gender, Work & Organization. 31 (4), 1444-1462
Cutcher, L., Lloyd, M., Riach, K. and Tyler, M., (2024). Troubling/transforming working lives: Editorial introduction. Gender, Work & Organization. 31 (4), 1336-1341
Cutcher, L., Riach, K. and Tyler, M., (2022). . Organization Studies. 43 (6), 973-992
Tyler, M. and Hales, S., (2022). . Gender, Work and Organization. 29 (4), 1199-1218
Noury, L., Ahuja, S., Parker, M., Sturdy, A. and Tyler, M., (2022). . Organization. 29 (5), 791-805
Tyler, M. and Vachhani, SJ., (2021). . Organization. 28 (2), 247-265
Hales, S., Riach, K. and Tyler, M., (2021). . Organization Studies. 42 (4), 555-574
Hancock, P., Tyler, M. and Godiva, M., (2021). . Work, Employment and Society. 35 (6), 1155-1166
Cutcher, L., Dale, K. and Tyler, M., (2020). Emotion, aesthetics and sexuality at work: Theoretical challenges and future directions. Gender, Work & Organization. 27 (1), 1-5
Cutcher, L., Dale, K. and Tyler, M., (2019). . Organization Studies. 40 (2), 267-290
Tyler, M., (2019). . Human Relations. 72 (1), 48-68
Hales, S., Riach, K. and Tyler, M., (2019). . Organization. 26 (6), 783-801
Milroy, T., Cutcher, L. and Tyler, M., (2019). . Gender, Work and Organization. 26 (4), 393-410
Tyler, M., (2019). Queer Business: Queering Organization Sexualities by NickRumens. London: Routledge, 2018, 230 pp., ISBN: 978鈥�1鈥�138鈥�81401 (hbk), ISBN: 978鈥�1鈥�315鈥�74778鈥�1 (ebk).. Gender, Work & Organization. 26 (11), 1661-1664
Tyler, M., (2019). Seduction: Men, Masculinity and Mediated Intimacy by RachelO'Neill. Cambridge: Polity, 2018. pp. 256, Hardback 拢55.00 鈧�62.19, 978鈥�1鈥�509鈥�52155鈥�5; Paperback 拢16.99 鈧�19.21, 978鈥�1鈥�509鈥�52156鈥�2; Open eBook 拢16.99 鈧�19.21, 978鈥�1鈥�509鈥�52159鈥�3. ISBN鈥�13: 978鈥�1鈥�5095鈥�2155鈥�5 and ISBN鈥�13: 978鈥�1鈥�5095鈥�2156鈥�2. Gender, Work & Organization. 26 (1), 79-82
Duffy, K., Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2017). . Gender, Work and Organization. 24 (3), 260-273
Riach, K., Rumens, N. and Tyler, M., (2016). . Human Relations. 69 (11), 2069-2089
Pullen, A., Thanem, T., Tyler, M. and Wallenberg, L., (2016). . Gender, Work & Organization. 23 (1), 84-87
Cutcher, L., Dale, K., Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2016). . Organization. 23 (1), 3-9
Pullen, A., Thanem, T., Tyler, M. and Wallenberg, L., (2015). . Gender, Work & Organization. 23 (1), 1-6
Hancock, P., Sullivan, K. and Tyler, M., (2015). . Organization Studies. 36 (12), 1715-1739
Brewis, J., Tyler, M. and Mills, A., (2014). . Organization. 21 (3), 305-311
Riach, K., Tyler, M. and Rumens, N., (2014). . Organization Studies. 35 (11), 1677-1698
Tyler, M., (2012). . Work, Employment & Society. 26 (6), 899-917
Tyler, M., (2011). . Human Relations. 64 (11), 1477-1500
Tyler, M. and Cohen, L., (2010). . Organization Studies. 31 (2), 175-198
Tyler, M., (2009). . International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion. 3 (1), 65-71
Tyler, M., (2009). . Journal of Consumer Culture. 9 (1), 55-77
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2008). . Critical Sociology. 34 (1), 29-49
Korczynski, M. and Tyler, M., (2008). . Journal of Consumer Culture. 8 (3), 307-320
Tyler, M. and Cohen, L., (2008). Management in/as Comic Relief: Queer Theory and Gender Performativity in The Office. Gender, Work & Organization. 15 (2), 113-132
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2007). Un/doing Gender and the Aesthetics of Organizational Performance. Gender, Work & Organization. 14 (6), 512-533
Tyler, M. and Wilkinson, A., (2007). The tyranny of corporate slenderness: `corporate anorexia' as a metaphor for our age. Work, Employment and Society. 21 (3), 537-549
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2005). Gibson Burrell: Diabolical Architect. The Sociological Review. 53 (1_suppl), 46-62
Tyler, M., (2005). Women in change management. Journal of Organizational Change Management. 18 (6), 561-577
Russell, R. and Tyler, M., (2005). Branding and Bricolage. Childhood. 12 (2), 221-237
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2004). 鈥楳OT Your Life鈥�: Critical Management Studies and the Management of Everyday Life. Human Relations. 57 (5), 619-645
Cohen, L. and Tyler, M., (2004). The Office (27 November 2003鈥�18 January 2004), the Photographers鈥� Gallery, London. Work, Employment and Society. 18 (3), 621-629
Tyler, M., (2004). Managing between the Sheets: Lifestyle Magazines and the Management of Sexuality in Everyday Life. Sexualities. 7 (1), 81-106
Russell, R. and Tyler, M., (2002). Thank Heaven for Little Girls: `Girl Heaven' and the Commercial Context of Feminine Childhood. Sociology. 36 (3), 619-637
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2001). Managing Subjectivity and the Dialectic of Self-Consciousness: Hegel and Organization Theory. Organization. 8 (4), 565-585
Taylor, S. and Tyler, M., (2000). Emotional Labour and Sexual Difference in the Airline Industry. Work, Employment and Society. 14 (1), 77-95
Tyler, M. and Taylor, S., (1998). The Exchange of Aesthetics: Women's Work and 鈥楾he Gift鈥�. Gender, Work & Organization. 5 (3), 165-171
Tyler, M. and Abbott, P., (1998). Chocs Away: Weight Watching in the Contemporary Airline Industry. Sociology. 32 (3), 433-450
Books (9)
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2025). Performing Artists and Precarity. Springer Nature Switzerland. 9783031661181
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2024). . Palgrave Macmillan. 3031661184. 9783031661181
Tyler, M., (2019). Judith Butler and Organization Theory. Routledge. 1351673823. 9781351673822
Tyler, M., (2019). Soho at Work: Pleasure and Place in Contemporary London. Cambridge University Press. 1107182735. 9781107182738
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2009). . Palgrave. 9780230524798
Abbott, P., (2006). An Introduction to Sociology. Routledge
Abbott, P., Wallace, C. and Tyler, M., (2005). An Introduction to Sociology Feminist Perspectives. Routledge. 0415312590. 9780415312592
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2001). Work, Postmodernism and Organization A Critical Introduction. SAGE. 1847876463. 9781847876461
Hancock, P., (2000). The body, culture, and society an introduction. Open University Press
Book chapters (12)
Hales, S., Galbally, P. and Tyler, M., Lost for words: Difficult conversations about ethics, reflexivity and research governance. In: Difficult Conversations: A Feminist Dialogue. Editors: Ryan-Flood, R., James-Hawkins, L. and Crowhurst, I., . Routledge
Tyler, M., (2023). 鈥楢dventures through alterity鈥�: Judith Butler and methodology. In: Handbook of Feminist Research Methodologies in Management and Organization Studies. Edward Elgar Publishing. 39- 54. 9781800377028
Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., (2019). When the shoe is on the Other foot. In: Gender, Embodiment and Fluidity in Organization and Management. Routledge. 25- 41
Hancock, PG. and Tyler, M., (2018). Make Do and Mend? Working Postfeminism and Vintage. In: Postfeminism and Organization. Editors: Lewis, P., Benschop, Y. and Simpson, Y., . Routledge. 181- 196
Rumens, N. and Tyler, M., (2015). . In: The Routledge Companion to Ethics, Politics and Organizations. Editors: Pullen, A. and Rhodes, C., . Routledge. 447- 461. 9780415821261
Tyler, M., (2014). . In: The Oxford Handbook of Process Philosophy and Organization Studies. Editors: Helin, J., Hernes, T., Hjorth, D. and Holt, R., . Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-966935-6
Tyler, M., (2012). . In: Dirty Work - Concepts and Identities. Editors: Simpson, R., Slutskaya, N., Lewis, P. and Hopfl, H., . Palgrave Connect. 9780230277137
Tyler, M., (2011). . In: Handbook of Gender, Work and Organization. Editors: Jeanes, E., Knights, D. and Yancey Martin, P., . John Wiley & Sons. 9- 24. 9781444394726
Tyler, M. and Cohen, L., (2010). . In: Revealing and Concealing Gender. Editors: Lewis, P. and Simpson, R., . Palgrave Macmillan. 23- 38. 9780230212114
Tyler, M., (2009). . In: The Management of Everyday Life. Editors: Hancock, P. and Tyler, M., . Palgrave Macmillan. 23- 38. 9780230524798
Hancock, PG. and Tyler, M., (2008). . In: Contemporary Human Resource Management. Editors: Redman, T. and Wilkinson, A., . FT/Prentice Hall. 472- 491. 9780273716334
Hancock, PG. and Tyler, M., (2007). . In: The Emotional Organization: Passions and Power. Editors: Fineman, S., . Wiley-Blackwell. 202- 217. 9781405160308
Conferences (1)
Tyler, M. and Hancock, P., Performing During/After Lockdown: A Study of the Impact of Covid-19 On Live Performers in the UK
Reports and Papers (2)
Klich, R., Tyler, M., Hancock, P. and Maples, H., Cultural Freelancers Study 2024
Tyler, M., Hancock, P., Klich, R., Maples, H. and Unger, C., Cultural Freelancers Study 2024
Other (1)
Rumens, N. and Tyler, M., (2015).,Routledge
Grants and funding
2025
Crafting Creativity: An Evaluation of The Theatre Artists Fund
Theatre Artists Fund
2023
Creating an equitable and sustainable future for freelance / self-employed workers in the entertainment industry
糖心Vlog (ESRC IAA)
Evaluation ACE Freelance Study of Cultural Workforce
Arts Council England
Grave matters: An affective ethnography of cemeterial work
British Academy
Creating an equitable and sustainable future for freelance / self-employed workers in the entertainment industry - Impact Leave
糖心Vlog (QR Impact Fund)
2020
Performing during/after lockdown: A study of the impact of COVID-19 on live performers in the UK
British Academy
Contact
Academic support hours:
You can find details of Academic Support hours on the EBS UG and PG information page on Moodle or by calling EBS Student Services on 01206873911
