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Household Role in Coping with Precarious Work. Evidence from Qualitative Research in Urban Romania and Switzerland

Author

Listed:
  • Preoteasa Ana Maria D.

    (Romanian Academy, Research Institute for Quality of Life, 13 Calea 13 Septembrie, 050711 - Bucharest, Romania)

  • Sieber Rebekka

    (University of Fribourg, Division of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Rte des Bonnesfontaines 11, CH-1700 Freiburg, Switzerland Switzerland)

  • Budowski Monica

    (University of Fribourg, Division of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Rte des Bonnesfontaines 11, CH-1700 Freiburg, Switzerland)

  • Suter Christian

    (University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Sociology, Faubourg de l'Hôpital 27, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a qualitative comparative study that looked at the meaning of ‘precarious work’ in households situated in the position of ‘precarious prosperity’ in Switzerland and Romania in 2013. The aim of this research is to explore the experiences of individuals with precarious work and to embed them into their household and national structural contexts. Employment patterns in the two countries are similar in terms of uncertainty and instability, yet vary in many other aspects. While in Romania insecurity is due mainly to the very low incomes, in Switzerland it stems from nonstandard contracts. The research shows that for households of precarious prosperity, precarious work is both a strategy to cope with uncertainty and instability and a circumstance leading to precariousness. The analysis explores qualitatively the meaning that individuals living in households of precarious prosperity attribute to their employment situation as contextualized by the interplay between household and individual situation.

Suggested Citation

  • Preoteasa Ana Maria D. & Sieber Rebekka & Budowski Monica & Suter Christian, 2016. "Household Role in Coping with Precarious Work. Evidence from Qualitative Research in Urban Romania and Switzerland," Social Change Review, Sciendo, vol. 14(2), pages 177-201, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:socchr:v:14:y:2016:i:2:p:177-201:n:5
    DOI: 10.1515/scr-2016-0027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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