W10: Social Power Relations Shaping Occupation

Question 1

How does social power and occupations relate?

Answer 1

more social power → more opportunities for occupations

• certain occupations are more likely to be practiced by those with more wealth or social power (ie. skiing as a ‘rich person sport’)

Question 2

What can alter social power?

Answer 2

setting/place/environment

• dynamics can change
• power is not really based on what is needed – ie. ‘essential workers’ during COVID-19 were needed and relied on, but in a hierarchy, the people at home working are higher up

Question 3

Describe the power of language.

Answer 3

language brings with it an identity and a culture, or at least the perception of it

• a shared language says, ‘we are the same’
• a language barrier says, ‘we are different’

Question 4

Describe the impact of language on occupations.

Answer 4

• hard to raise level in a social dynamic
• language may not be the necessary skill to engage in occupation
• without language, may need to rely on others to get things done – could be considered a disabling factor in society

Question 5

Why does language matter?

Answer 5

being able to speak English is beneficial – considered linguistic capital that leads to easier social integration and access to resources

Question 6

(Huot et al., 2020) The power of language: Exploring the relationship between linguistic capital and occupation for immigrants to Canada

What did the study focus on?

Answer 6

authors focused on exploring how language could act as a barrier or facilitator to engaging in occupations for immigrants

Question 7

(Huot et al., 2020) The power of language: Exploring the relationship between linguistic capital and occupation for immigrants to Canada

What are the key themes? (5)

Answer 7

• learning English – overarching theme
• accessing resources during settlement
• economic integration
• social and cultural integration in isolation
• family

Question 8

What is the core concept of occupation?

Answer 8

“Currently our professional literature and evidence-base has a dominant focus on those occupations that can restore or maintain good health, development, growth, social interaction, productivity and that promote a state of wellbeing.” (Rebecca Twinley, 2013)

Question 9

What does it mean to ‘other’ occupations?

Answer 9

OTs need to embrace a wide range of occupations, some being non-sanctioned, or socially unacceptable

• “How can occupational therapy—very much a discipline that sees therapists working with a diverse population of individuals with such an equally diverse range of occupational performance, participation, engagement, and justice issues—have come this far without truly considering the whole picture in terms of what occupational therapy is?” (Rebecca Twinley, 2013)

Question 10

What are non-sanctioned occupations?

Answer 10

tasks, activities, routines, or acts that are considered antisocial, criminal, illegal, violent, disruptive, harmful, unhealthy, addictive, and politically, socially, religiously, or culturally extreme (Twinley, 2013)

• what if these acts, to the individual/group/community performing them, are meaningful, purposeful, creative, engaging, relaxing, enjoyable, entertaining, provide a sense of well-being, sense of belonging, etc.
• ie. shoplifting, sex work, cultural acts in public spaces, panhandling

Question 11

Are sanctioned and non-sanctioned occupations a binary?

Answer 11

not binary – not strictly sanctioned or not sanctioned, but instead a spectrum

Question 12

What are the 3 key concepts of non-sanctioned occupations?

Answer 12

• dynamic and fluid – historically, socially, and culturally
• different meanings for individuals and/or groups
• influenced by values, preconceptions, and ideologies

Question 13

Non-sanctioned Occupations

Dynamic and Fluid – Historically, Socially, and Culturally

Answer 13

• occupations that were socially acceptable in the past are no longer sanctioned
• occupations that are acceptable by some social groups are not accepted by others

examples:

• gender and women’s right to vote
• men and women do not have to be treated exactly equally because they are different
• slavery used to be a socially sanctioned occupation compared to live-in nannies
• littering in Singapore got you caned
• free-range parenting

Question 14

Non-sanctioned Occupations

Different Meanings for Individuals and/or Groups

Answer 14

• occupations have different meanings for different people

examples:

• prescription drugs
• genital mutilation, circumcision
• airports – ie. people drink at all hours of the day at the airport
• hospital
• university, high school, learning institutions

Question 15

EXAM Q: What are some ways we can address the inequities and injustices that arise from making assumptions about non-sanctioned occupations?

Answer 15

in your answer:

• consider macro, meso, and micro levels
• put yourself in someone else’s shoes and try to understand their contexts
• understand cultural perspectives of yourself and of the people participating in the occupations, normalize occupations
• empathy
• explore their value and impacts in research

Question 16

Marginalized or Vulnerable Populations

What happens when non-sanctioned occupations are only related to certain marginalized social groups?

Answer 16

“Examining non-sanctioned occupations only in relation to certain marginalized social groups can unintentionally problematize both the occupation and the group, lending support to the construction of deviance” (Kiepek et al., 2019)

• occupations can become non-sanctioned because of the commonality among marginalized populations
• once you start labelling people as deviant, the occupations they do also become deviant

Question 17

Marginalized or Vulnerable Populations

What are some examples of marginalized groups?

Answer 17

• homelessness
• HIV/AIDS
• low income youth
• incarcerated populations
• older adults
• mental health

Question 18

Marginalized or Vulnerable Populations

What are some stereotypes of unemployed people?

Answer 18

• homeless
• mental health problems

Question 19

Marginalized or Vulnerable Populations

Why is it complicated to get more research?

Answer 19

• context-based: time, location, activity
• varied levels: can lead to harm and incarceration, or scorn and gossip
• choice within constraint: actions are not predetermined by circumstances
• sexual activity – ie. setting (long-term care facility, airplane, private home)

Question 20

Marginalized or Vulnerable Populations

How are these groups largely neglected?

Answer 20

• largely unexamined in the literature – hard to get funding, hard to get participants (stigmatized), requires you to take risks against the status quo and cause controversy
• labeled unhealthy or deviant
• not discussed or openly seen – might be done if it is discussed, reinforces non-sanctioned occupations

Question 21

Marginalized or Vulnerable Populations

How can this be corrective?

Answer 21

• reducing harm
• encouraging normativity
• shifting perspectives – ie. relying on food bank instead of buying groceries can be seen as resourceful

Question 22

What are some implications of opening up the dynamic world of occupation?

Answer 22

• consider the diversity and complexity of human occupation from multiple perspectives (Hammell, 2019)
• recognize that sanctioned and non-sanctioned occupations are social and political (Kiepek et al., 2019)
• practice critical reflexivity regarding our own assumptions and consider how they impact our research and practices
• resist problematizing occupations that fall outside acceptable, healthy, or normative