Lauren Bari

Lauren’s research examines how gendered divisions of labour shape work–care arrangements and women’s labour market decisions, particularly in the context of motherhood. Her work focuses on flexible forms of employment, including freelance and solo self-employment, exploring how flexibility is shaped by gender and reflects both individual choices and structural constraints. She is also interested in how parenthood shapes labour market outcomes -including pay, progression and working conditions. More broadly, her research engages with issues of non-standard work, the valuation of care, and worker voice and representation.

Lauren has extensive experience teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate levels in management, leadership, organisational behaviour, employment relations, and employment law. She has delivered teaching in both in-person and online formats, using interactive and student-centred approaches including case-based learning, podcast development, group discussion, and applied assessment design, and has been involved in the design and ongoing improvement of programmes at both levels. Her teaching also focuses on the development of transversal skills, including communication, critical thinking and applied problem-solving, informed by her work on curriculum design and industry engagement. Her teaching is supported by formal training in higher education pedagogy (Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education).

Dr Lauren Bari is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the area of employment relations at the Department of Work and Employment Studies, University of Limerick. Her research focuses on gender, work and care, with particular attention to maternal self-employment, flexible forms of work, and labour market inequality.

She previously held a lecturing position at University College Cork and has also taught at University College Dublin and the University of Limerick. She has extensive experience supervising postgraduate research, having supervised over 45 master’s students across institutions including University College Cork and Queen’s University Belfast, and is currently a PhD co-supervisor. She has also contributed to programme design and development across a number of programmes in the areas of management, leadership and organisational behaviour.

Prior to entering academia, Lauren worked in research, policy and programme management roles across the legal, human rights and public sectors. Her experience spans roles with Pobal, Irish Aid and the Department of Justice, with a focus on social inclusion, labour market participation, international development and legal research. This background continues to inform her research and engagement with policy and practice.