Tracey Adams specializes in the sociology of work, occupations and professions, and social inequality. Within this broad area, she has two primary areas of research. The first explores work and social inequality, with a focus on gender, in intersection with class and race. This research explores men's and women's experiences in male-dominated and female-dominated work environments, and the way in which work (especially professional and high-status
work) is gendered. The second research area is professional work in Canada. This research focuses on processes of professionalization in the past and present, inter-professional conflict, inter-professional teamwork, and professional regulation. Professor Adams' current research project examines professional regulation
in five Canadian provinces from Confederation to the present day. As part of this project, she is currently comparing the regulation of several alternate health professions that have historically been regulated differently across
provinces (chiropody/podiatry, naturopathy, osteopathy). This research also explores state-profession relations more broadly.