Is any job better than no job? Utilising Jahoda's latent deprivation theory to reconceptualise underemployment

Beck, Vanessa; Warren, Tracey; Lyonette, Clare

Abstract

Underemployment is a widely discussed but complex concept. This article progresses discussions and provides a new sociological conceptualization. It builds on a classic theory of unemployment, Jahoda et al's 'latent deprivation theory' (LDT), that identified five 'latent functions' provided by jobs, beside a wage: time structure, social relations, sense of purpose/achievement, personal identity and regular activity. LDT was groundbreaking in illuminating previously hidden injuries of joblessness. This paper proposes that LDT can be similarly groundbreaking for reconceptualising underemployment: it demonstrates conceptually the multiple ways in which the mere existence of a job is insufficient in protecting individuals from socially and psychologically negative impacts associated with unemployment. A sociology of underemployment can help better understand complex, shifting and precarious work and expose inherent forms of suffering and injustice.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 22, 2024
• Deposit Date: Apr 26, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 26, 2024
• Journal: Work, Employment and Society
• Print ISSN: 0950-0170
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-8722
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: latent deprivation; Jahoda; job quality; unemployment; underemployment; precarious work; skills; sociology of work and employment; time; wages
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/34109060