IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/woemps/v31y2017i1p106-122.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Beyond the symbolic: a relational approach to dirty work through a study of refuse collectors and street cleaners

Author

Listed:
  • Jason Hughes

    (University of Leicester, UK)

  • Ruth Simpson

    (Brunel University, UK)

  • Natasha Slutskaya

    (Brunel University, UK)

  • Alex Simpson

    (University of Brighton, UK)

  • Kahryn Hughes

    (University of Leeds, UK)

Abstract

Drawing on a relational approach and based on an ethnographic study of street cleaners and refuse collectors, we redress a tendency towards an overemphasis on the discursive by exploring the co-constitution of the material and symbolic dynamics of dirt. We show how esteem-enhancing strategies that draw on the symbolic can be both supported and undermined by the physicality of dirt, and how relations of power are rooted in subordinating material conditions. Through employing Hardy and Thomas’s taxonomy of objects, practice, bodies and space, we develop a fuller understanding of how the symbolic and material are fundamentally entwined within dirty work, and suggest that a neglect of the latter might foster a false optimism regarding worker experiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason Hughes & Ruth Simpson & Natasha Slutskaya & Alex Simpson & Kahryn Hughes, 2017. "Beyond the symbolic: a relational approach to dirty work through a study of refuse collectors and street cleaners," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 31(1), pages 106-122, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:31:y:2017:i:1:p:106-122
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017016658438
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0950017016658438
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0950017016658438?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cynthia Hardy & Robyn Thomas, 2015. "Discourse in a Material World," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 680-696, July.
    2. Ashforth, Blake E. & Kreiner, Glen E., 2014. "Dirty Work and Dirtier Work: Differences in Countering Physical, Social, and Moral Stigma," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 81-108, March.
    3. Natasha Slutskaya & Ruth Simpson & Jason Hughes & Alexander Simpson & Selçuk Uygur, 2016. "Masculinity and Class in the Context of Dirty Work," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(2), pages 165-182, March.
    4. Ruth Simpson & Jason Hughes & Natasha Slutskaya, 2016. "Gender, Class and Occupation," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-43969-7, December.
    5. Blake E. Ashforth & Glen E. Kreiner, 2014. "Dirty Work and Dirtier Work: Differences in Countering Physical, Social, and Moral Stigma. 脏活与更脏的工作：在对抗身体、社会和道德污名上的差异," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 10(1), pages 81-108, March.
    6. Carol Wolkowitz, 2002. "The Social Relations of body Work," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 16(3), pages 497-510, September.
    7. Glen E. Kreiner & Blake E. Ashforth & David M. Sluss, 2006. "Identity Dynamics in Occupational Dirty Work: Integrating Social Identity and System Justification Perspectives," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(5), pages 619-636, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Peter Hamilton & Tom Redman & Robert McMurray, 2019. "‘Lower than a Snake’s Belly’: Discursive Constructions of Dignity and Heroism in Low-Status Garbage Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 889-901, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Peter Hamilton & Tom Redman & Robert McMurray, 2019. "‘Lower than a Snake’s Belly’: Discursive Constructions of Dignity and Heroism in Low-Status Garbage Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 889-901, June.
    2. Onno Bouwmeester & Tessa Elisabeth Kok, 2018. "Moral or Dirty Leadership: A Qualitative Study on How Juniors Are Managed in Dutch Consultancies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Kam Phung & Sean Buchanan & Madeline Toubiana & Trish Ruebottom & Luciana Turchick‐Hakak, 2021. "When Stigma Doesn’t Transfer: Stigma Deflection and Occupational Stratification in the Sharing Economy," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 1107-1139, June.
    4. Torin Monahan & Jill A Fisher, 2020. "Sacrificial Labour: Social Inequality, Identity Work, and the Damaging Pursuit of Elusive Futures," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(3), pages 441-456, June.
    5. Zhang, Guanglei & Wang, Huaying & Li, Mingze, 2023. "“A Little Thanks Changes My World”: When and why dirty work employees feel meaningfulness at work," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Jeremy W. Bohonos, 2021. "Critical race theory and working‐class White men: Exploring race privilege and lower‐class work‐life," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 54-66, January.
    7. Alcalde-González, Verna & Gálvez Mozo, Ana & Valenzuela Bustos, Alan, 2021. "No clean rooms, no hotel business: Subversion tactics in Las Kellys’ struggle for dignity in hotel housekeeping," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    8. Gill Kirton & Cécile Guillaume, 2019. "When Welfare Professionals Encounter Restructuring and Privatization: The Inside Story of the Probation Service of England and Wales," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(6), pages 929-947, December.
    9. Endo, Takahiro & Tsuboyama, Yuki & Hara, Yoritoshi, 2016. "Beyond taxation: Discourse around energy policy in Japan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 412-419.
    10. Maria Terskova & Elena Agadullina, 2018. "Perceived Intelligence And Long-Term Stigmatization Of Dirty Workers," HSE Working papers WP BRP 95/PSY/2018, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    11. Dawn Yi Lin Chow & Thomas Calvard, 2021. "Constrained Morality in the Professional Work of Corporate Lawyers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(2), pages 213-228, May.
    12. Cecilia Benoit & Michaela Smith & Mikael Jansson & Priscilla Healey & Douglas Magnuson, 2021. "The Relative Quality of Sex Work," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 35(2), pages 239-255, April.
    13. Kurtz LAW & Jacqueline MUJAYA & Saddam IQBAL & Takatomo ITOI & Keita SUGIYAMA, 2022. "Investigating Occupational-Stress for Workers in Financial Institutions; a Reclassification of Work Stigma through Japanese and Western Values," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(2), pages 302-313, May.
    14. Diego Coletto & Davide Carbonai, 2023. "What Does It Mean to Have a Dirty and Informal Job? The Case of Waste Pickers in the Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-16, January.
    15. David Courpasson & Vanessa Monties, 2017. "“I Am My Body”. Physical Selves of Police Officers in a Changing Institution," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 32-57, January.
    16. Linda L. Putnam, 2015. "Unpacking the Dialectic: Alternative Views on the Discourse–Materiality Relationship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 706-716, July.
    17. Gavin Melles, 2021. "Figuring the Transition from Circular Economy to Circular Society in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    18. Laurence Romani & Patrizia Zanoni & Lotte Holck, 2021. "Radicalizing diversity (research): Time to resume talking about class," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 8-23, January.
    19. Natasha Slutskaya & Ruth Simpson & Jason Hughes & Alexander Simpson & Selçuk Uygur, 2016. "Masculinity and Class in the Context of Dirty Work," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(2), pages 165-182, March.
    20. Maya Christiane Flensborg Jensen, 2017. "Gender Stereotypes and the Reshaping of Stigma in Rehabilitative Eldercare," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 656-674, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:31:y:2017:i:1:p:106-122. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.britsoc.co.uk/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.