Occupation through a practice theory lens

ABSTRACT

Although occupational scientists have studied many aspects of occupation over the past 3 decades, there remain areas that are poorly understood and under-theorised, which creates a weakness in understanding occupation. In this paper, everyday life is offered as an example of one of these areas. We present practice theory as a tool to support the generation of alternative ways of theorising occupation. Practice theory is a collection of approaches that seek to understand the social world through patterns of activity. These approaches foreground activity and performance in the creation and perpetuation of all aspects of social life, providing a basic understanding that individuals create and re-create the means and conditions of their lives through actively engaging in and interacting with the environment. Practice theory can inform understandings of the person and their everyday occupations, embedded in social contexts. This approach offers a view of person and participation that is radically different from a structuralist perspective. The paper begins with a historical overview of how theories of occupation were developed within particular epistemologies. This is followed by an introduction to practice theory and discussion of what it can offer to the study of occupation. The paper finishes with a real-life case story that illustrates how practice theory can contribute to understanding occupation within the context of everyday life.

KEYWORDS:

• Occupational science
• Theory
• Everyday life
• Social structure
• Participation