Work in identity creation: LT10 Flashcards
Parker
People’s occupations and the way they experience their work have an influence on their leisure actives and identities
Opposition
Physically hard and dangerous male dominated occupations
E.g. Steelworker
How does Opposition link to leisure?
Sharp contrast to work, opportunity to escape from the hardship of work
Neutrality
Boring and routine work, with little job satisfaction.
E.g. Supermarket staff
However, Parker
Criticised for putting to much importance on work and not paying attention to other factors that influence leisure patterns
Extension
Work involves high levels of personal commitment and job satisfaction
E.g. Professionals and managers
How does Neutrality link to leisure?
Nothing much to do with work, leisure for relaxing with the home and family
How does Extension link to leisure?
Leisure is work related. There is a blur between work and leisure.
How does work influence our identity?
- Self esteem
- Leisure and consumption
- Peer groups and friends
- Social status
Rojek: Postmodernist
Argues work and leisure and combined - Many people are turning hobbies into paid work
What happens when there is a lack of work and identity?
Negative effects: Anomie, feeling normlessness
Roach and Loretto
The loss of work based friends and routines leads to a personal crisis of confidence
Older people try to maintain ‘working identities’ by volunteering, showing the importance of work on self esteem
Postmodernist: Limited impact
Society is no longer based just on production, but it has become a consumer society. Therefore consuming goods has become a more important source of identity
Feminists: Limited impact
Mclntosh: Parker does not account for the way gender influences identity and leisure.
Doherty: Significance
studied different workforces:
- Part time work may play an important role in balancing family and education.
