The Contextually Situated Nature of Occupational Choice: Marginalised Young Adolescents' Experiences in South Africa

Abstract

Occupational scientists' appreciation of occupational choice has not extended into theorizing the complexities of its situated nature. This paper presents a critical ethnographic study investigating the factors shaping the occupational choices of marginalized young adolescents in a community in South Africa. Drawing on Bourdieu's theories of action, the transactional nature of occupational choice influenced by habitus and doxa and operating through practical consciousness is illustrated. Through network sampling, seven young adolescents, their peer groups and a significant adult in their lives were recruited into the study. Data were generated using photo-voice methods and photo-elicitation interviews, observation and a semi-structured interview with the adult. The analysis yielded the theme, “It's just like that”, illustrating the way in which practical consciousness, habitus and doxa contributed to maintaining patterns of engaging in occupations reflecting the hegemonic discourse of the community of Lavender Hill. The discussion explains the nature of occupational choices, emphasing how the social environment together with collective and contextual histories influences the manner and types of occupational choices made. This shifts the perspective of occupational choice from being an individual construct to understanding how it contributes to occupational injustice.

Keywords:

• Occupational choice
• Context
• Practical consciousness
• Doxa
• Habitus
• Occupational injustice

Acknowledgements

This study was completed as part of the requirements of the PhD program in Occupational Therapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Appreciation is extended to the dissertation supervisors, Professor Seyi Ladele Amosun and Associate Professor Lana van Niekerk, both from the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town at the time of the study. Funding support was received from the Thuthuka Program of the South African National Research Foundation.