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Abstracts
Thompson,
Eric A. "An Orderly Mess: The Use of
Mess Areas in Identity Shaping of Cruise Ship
Workers,"
Sociological
Imagination,
2004, 40:1, 15-29
Drawing from
an 11-week participant
observation
on a cruise ship of a well-known cruise
line, I
describe how management's creation of a convergent role structure
(where race,
status, & occupation converge) directs & defines cruise
workers' social identity to their group. Particularly, I focus on the
divided
mess areas as the most potent mechanism in displaying & reinforcing
the
convergent role structure, & influencing the cognitive &
emotional
components of cruise workers' social identification to
their
group.
Thompson,
Eric. "Engineered
Corporate Culture on a Cruise Ship," Sociological
Focus,
2002, 35:4 (Nov), 331-344
Drawing from an 11-week participant observation
aboard a cruise ship, I use the concept of "engineered
corporate culture" as described by Ezzy to illustrate how crew culture
is
engineered for normative control. In particular, I focus on how a
convergent
role structure (based on race, occupation, & status) is used in the
segregation of eating areas into the officer's, staff, & general
crew
messes, reflecting three classes of crew. I show that such segregation
allows
management to control crew subjectivity, leading to normative control.
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