Abstract
European fisher folk often constitute close-knit occupational communities. Fishing is not merely a job, it is also a way of life. Fishers consider themselves to be engaged in the same kind of work which they view positively. On the basis of their ‘work worlds’, fishers at local level fraternise and identify with one another. The cultural forces that facilitate such group identity include: esoteric knowledge, skills and expertise; extreme or unusual work demands; consciousness of kind; pervasiveness whereby social relationships meld the realms of work and leisure; ideologies or norms, values and perspectives that apply to, but extend beyond, work routines and that bestow positive self-images and social value on the tasks; standards for proper and improper behaviour; work codes surrounding relatively routine practices; mental maps giving primacy to the occupational group as a reference group; consistent cultural forms — including a special language or argot, shared rituals and taboos, occupationally unique symbols, myths, stories and jokes; and compelling accounts attesting to the logic and value of these cultural forms (van Maanen and Barley, 1984; Trice, 1993).
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van Ginkel, R. (2001). Inshore Fishermen: Cultural Dimensions of a Maritime Occupation. In: Symes, D., Phillipson, J. (eds) Inshore Fisheries Management. Reviews: Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1892-9_10
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