Performing Collectivization Mobile Work and Resistance

Abstract

Collectivization in workers has been studied through the theoretical lens of newlineLabour Process, Post Structuralism but mostly through the Industrial Relations newlinelens with its frames of references, subsystems of society and the actor trade newlineunion . With the declining influence of trade unions, the interests of the workers newlinehave been creatively supported by resistance- with or without unions. This study newlineprivileges a Performativity lens to the collectivization of employees and the newlinesubjectivities by which they resist the normalizing discourses of the newlineorganization. It is argued that the Workers collective is formed not as a form of newlinereaction to repressive managerial action or as a mere resistance through a set of newlineactions and behaviours, but as a struggle for workers to transform meanings. newlineIn order to access this enactment, performed collectivization and resistance as newlinesocially constructed concepts, are explored in this thesis with a post structuralist newlineapproach. This approach provides the theoretical resources to engage with newlinesubjectivity, embodiment and space in the performance of Mobile Workers newlinemicro-politics of resistance. The mobile worker has been impacted with the newlinenarratives of globalization along with the contradictions of safety, hospitality newlineand efficiency have impelled the operating crew of airlines to recreate newlinemeanings as they engage with their environment. Methodologically from an interpretive theoretical framework, this is attained through the analysis of narrative and drawing of themes from data gathered through observation and unstructured interviews of operating employees of newlineAirlines. The data shows the manipulation of identities, imposition of dominant newlinediscourses, militant approach of the employer when faced with resisting employees and the embodiment of these discursive practices.The study is also newlinedirected towards the covert and overt practices of resistance of the employees newlinein the struggle to rediscover meanings in their mobile lived experiences. newline