His work has developed an alternative theory of practice, influenced by Martin Heidegger and Ludwig Wittgenstein, that people do what makes sense for them to do.
He has held various academic positions, including senior associate dean in the College of Arts & Sciences, chair of the Department of Philosophy, and co-founder and former co-director of the University of Kentucky's Committee on Social Theory.
Schatzki's research focuses on theorizing social life, particularly within the field of practice theory.
He has written several books, co-edited multiple volumes, and authored numerous articles on topics such as flat ontology, social space, institutional theory, and materiality.
He has been a research fellow of the Fulbright Commission and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and has been a visiting professor at various universities around the world.