Identity Work and Resilience in Dirty Work

Ariana Chang ()
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Ariana Chang: Fu Jen Catholic University

Chapter Chapter 21 in The Palgrave Handbook of Change and Resilience at Work, 2025, pp 443-454 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Individuals classified as “dirty workers” have low occupational prestige and have to manage the stigma that is attached to their occupations. In the court of public opinion, dirty workers have low social worth. Drawing on a qualitative study of Uber drivers in Taiwan, this research aims to understand how identity is engaged by dirty workers. With the resentment and anxiety experienced by dirty workers, having resilience is vital because it can help them face challenges and uncertainties. In order to be socially accepted, dirty workers have to modify and constantly change their identities due to the negative judgments perceived by the public. Findings from this research suggest that identity work engagement is strengthened through cultivating self-discipline and imbuing heroic esteem. This study sheds light on providing a greater comprehensive theoretical perspective on the linkage between identity work and dirty work.

Keywords: Identity work; Dirty work; Stigma; Sharing economy; Uber (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-91493-5_21

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-91493-5_21

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