Heroes, Victims, and Resisters: Agentic Vulnerability and Techniques of Identity Talk in Digitalized Job Centers

Alexandrina Schmidt*, Susie Scott

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

This article explores vulnerable clients' techniques of identity talk, drawing on interviews with clients in Danish job centers. We combine the theoretical perspective of symbolic interactionism with the sociology of nothing to explore techniques of disidentification from the nonworker identity. The study demonstrates how the actors perform agentic vulnerability to resolve their identity dilemmas. We identify three techniques of identity talk: (1) hero-talk to reassert their hard worker identity, (2) victim-talk to excuse their current positions, and (3) resister-talk through commissive and omissive responses to digital demands and requirements. The latter involves different forms of negational action: doing something, nondoing, and doing nothing.
Original languageEnglish
JournalSymbolic Interaction
Number of pages21
ISSN0195-6086
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 May 2024

Bibliographical note

Epub ahead of print. Published online: 22 May 2024.

Keywords

  • Agentic vulnerability
  • Digitalization
  • Identity work
  • Sociology of nothing
  • Unemployed
  • Vulnerable clients

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