Work ethic and degrowth in a changing Atlantic Canada

Abstract

This article draws on interviews, observations, and surveys from two mixed-methods sociological studies of people's relationships to paid and unpaid work to argue that the concept of the work ethic is a fruitful entrypoint for exploring critical issues of work, leisure and consumption in rural places, and indeed anywhere there are efforts to realize degrowth strategies. Then, I survey some of the major themes about work in a selection of widely-cited degrowth writings and argue that the work ethic could use more attention-particularly the question of how the dominant work ethic at any place and time might constrain or enable degrowth as a political-ecological aspiration. This question is actually a hopeful one, because it suggests that in-depth studies of instances where something other than the Protestant, capitalist (i.e. expansion-oriented) work ethic dominates can (and already do!) show us the kinds of culturally-embedded relationships to work that are complimentary to a degrowth agenda. Moreover, such studies show that alternative modes of working are viable. In other words, sociological and anthropological studies can provide empirical evidence that vibrant, meaningful human life can continue in the absence of constant economic growth. Keywords: Degrowth, employment, work, work ethic, sociology, anthropology, rural RésuméCet article de revue s'appuie sur des entretiens, des observations et des sondages réalisés lors de deux études sociologiques sur les relations entre personnes à propos du travail rémunéré et non rémunéré, afin d'affirmer que le concept de l'éthique du travail est un point d'entrée fructueux pour explorer les questions essentielles sur le travail, les loisirs, et la consommation dans les zones rurales, et en effet, partout où il existe des efforts de mener des stratégies de décroissance. Celle-ci est une question optimiste, car elle suggère que ces études de cas approfondies où une autre chose que l'éthique protestante, capitaliste de travail (c.-à-d., axée sur l'expansion) peuvent (et le font déjà!) nous montrer les types de relations culturellement intégrées au travail qui sont complémentaires à un programme de décroissance. En outre, de telles études montrent que d'autres modes de travail sont viables. Mots clés: Décroissance, emploi, travail, éthique du travail, sociologie, anthropologie, rural ResumenEste artículo se basa en entrevistas, observaciones y encuestas de dos métodos mixtos de estudios sociológicos de las relaciones de las personas con el trabajo remunerado y no remunerado para argumentar que el concepto de la ética del trabajo es un punto de entrada fructífero para explorar temas críticos de trabajo, En los lugares rurales, y en cualquier lugar hay esfuerzos para realizar estrategias de decrecimiento. Esta pregunta es realmente esperanzadora, porque sugiere que los estudios en profundidad de casos en los que algo más que la ética de trabajo protestante, capitalista (es decir, orientada a la expansión) puede (y ya lo hacen!) Mostrarnos los tipos de cultura incorpora...

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