dr Agata Krasowska mgr Aleksandra Drabina-Różewicz Instytut Socjologii Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego

1. „SocialBoundariesof Work”Katowice 28-29.10.2017Genderedforms of precarityin the narrations of the youngprecariousworkers dr Agata Krasowska mgr Aleksandra Drabina-Różewicz Instytut Socjologii Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego Projekt PREWORK

2. Overview • Problems • Theoreticalbackground • Methodology • Themesections • Examples • Findings

3. Thekey problem • The key problem is the deconstruction of the category of masculinity and femininity contained in the biographical narratives of young people inearlyadulthood, trying to face the difficulties ofthe entry into the labor market in Poland • The subject of ourresearch that is a reference to the PREWORK project, which we realize as members of the Wrocław research team • This is a new analytical thread initiated by reflection on the collected biographical data in the PREWORK project

4. Theoreticalbackground • Thereis no doubts, that there are fundamental differences between the male and female precarity (Standing, 2014) – we want to show thedimensionsin a newlight • Stillthereis the problem of the division of reproductive and paid work and lack of public debate on these issues (Mcdowell, 1991) – we want to get a voice to thisdiscourse • In the reflections of the leading theorists of precariousness, the precariat, just as the proletariat once,actually do not have gender (Majewska, 2015) – we want to show, thatithas • We want to pay special attention to the problem of neglecting the field of reproductive work and the need to redefineandactualize the gender division of labor (Majewska, 2015) • We aregoing to show the problem of gender and workrelations ofyoung precariousworkersin the context of anearlyadulthood, paying specialattention to its particular role as a key stage in the biography (Rek-Woźniak, 2016; Wysocka 2013, Slany 2006)

5. Methodology • qualitative method - narrative biographical interview • ourmaintool - dispositions for narrative biographical interview • a key part - the lifestory, wholenarration from the first part of the interview • tradition of analysis by Fritz Schuetze • methodology of groundedtheory • theoreticalsample • 55 biographicalinterviews

6. Idea oftheanalysis • to show the effects of the first analytical attempts to look at the accumulated material – show the orientation of the analysis • to emphasize gender relations and precarization of work as an important dimension of biographiesoftheyoungprecariousworkers • to show a fewanalyticaltracksusing the interview material • to show a few analyzed casesandseparetedthematicsectionsbased on firstanalyticalremarks

7. Themesections • Transistion to stability– showingtheneedofstability, thedifferentways to achivestabilityof men andwoman • Groundedinstability– showinginstability (precarity) as theinherentlifefeature; even as a conditionoflife/qualityoflifeof men andwoman • Woman’swork– showingtheimportanceofthedifferencebetweenthepaidandunpaid (reproductivework) andtheimportanceofwoman’s role inthebiographies • In searchofmasculinity – showingthe problem ofdefiningmasculinityandoftheexcessandlackofmasculinity

8. Transition to stability FAMILY BACKGROUND IMPORTANCE I lived in three-generationalapartment, yes, with my grandparentsyet. Also, I think my grandmataught me a lot, yes, sheraised me, because my parentswereatwork and told me how to live. The basicthingslikecooking, cleaning, laundry, whichnowcame in handy and it was useful to me earlier. And thanks to that, I think, thatwhen I lookat the society in which I live now, itis with whatpeople and children I have to deal with, but because I work in school. It seems to me thatgrowingup in the countrysidehelps me now to live normally and havesomedistance to whatisgoing on and what the worldislike, yes. Asia, 26 DREAM ABOUT INDEPENDENCE IN THE FAMILY NESTNo, I'm glad I live with my family, because, everybody knows,you’rebettersticked to yourfamily, but slowly, slowly I think about renting my ownapartment, moving out somewhere. Patryk, 24

9. Groundedinstability A WAY TO KEEP UP Not total, total sense of, inbalancein general. And I am furious, that the whole system looks like that so it looks so low, such a weak trust for non governmentalorganizations, (…),I do not think about whether I should do or not, I do not have any security, sometimes I don’thaveanyinsurance, and I can write four applications within a week, for which, of course,they do not pay me, but I know this is mystep to keep up. Alicja, 29 LIFE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE MOMENT (...) I noticed that many things,lots of crazy things I do under the influence of the moment ... for example this journeyto Wroclaw ... for examplechange of work, it was also a day afterday, break with my girlfriend ... trip to somewhere Radek, 29

10. Redefiningwomen’swork POWERLESS MOTHER Me, as a youngwoman, theydid not listen at all (...) And even the very fact that she[Boss] can offend employers ... employee in the presence of the otherpeople. Or for example, when I was selling the meat, well, and she used to be able tocome to me, on Friday, where thereis a shop full of people, she was come to me, insult me and get out. And it was as if it made her happy, that she has the power over people. (...) I'm on, for the time, on maternity leave, later I'm going to take a parental leave, because I do not haveanyoneto leave my daughter with. And in Międzylesie there are no nurseryor anything like that. Julita, 22 WOMEN TAKING THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES My mother is a teacher of Polish, my grandmother is a teacher of Polish, my great-grandmother was not a teacher od Polish, but she loved the literature and she was also trying somehow to instill this love in their children Adam, 25 I live with my mother and aunt. My dad is dead. He died when I was two years old. Mom is a teacher, she works in school, teaches history and social studies. Patryk, 24

11. In search of masculinity GIRL WITH A MUSTACHE IN THE MEN’S WORLD it is known that as a woman on a Polytechnicisatfirstassociatedexactlywith a girl with a mustache. I'm not sureif I'm a tomboy, but I think I am. Halina, 23 THE ABSENT ROLE MODEL My father is irritating me ... yes ... my mom too but not so much (laugh) I can get along with my mom, but I cannot scream at my dad... my father, when I was a little boy, he beat me, so to speak, my father's father ... is ... kind of a shameless man (...) he does not want to keep in touch with my father and I with him [father] too because ... he does not treat me well Radek, 29

12. Firstfindings – part I • genderandworkidentitycan be expressed (andinterpreted) as a processcompatiblewithbiographicalprocesses • theanalysisinourthematicsections show us not onlythecloserelationbetweenbeingwomanandmanandbeingworker, but leadus to readingeverybiography step by step as a complex, groundedprocessofconstructingtheidentity • transision to stabilitylead to searchourtopicinfamilybackgroundanditsbiographicalverificationsandinthedreamsorprojectionsofthefuture, that show thedifferencesinthelifeprojectsof men andwomen • groundedinstabilitycontaintheinformationaboutthedifferencesbetweenofmen’sandwomen’scopingstrategies(men – lifewithoutrealplans, actionunderthe influence ofthe moment; women – totalawareness, problem solving by immediateactivity)

13. Firstfindings – part II • redefiningwomen’sworklead to searchwomen’sidentity by lookingdeepinto the women’s and men’sbiographies (everydaycoping with problems, experiences from family background, relations with womenas the SignificantOthers) and search the relations betweengender and workidentity by analyticalopenness, the basisis the thinkingaboutproductive and reproductivework • theanalysisshows, thattheprocessofsearchingmasculinityshouldincludedeeplookintotheidentificationof men andwomen as well; itshowshowimportantis to lookintothe past inthebiographyandsearchtheidentitybasisissues – ex. problem withtheabsenceofthefather’s role model • theresultsofthefirstanalysistoldus a lot aboutspacesofsearchingrelationsbetweengenderandworkidentityandtheyclearlyrevealstrongreferences to biographicalworkandlifetrajectiores

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