Working through the allotment

Abigail Mary Schoneboom, Julian May (Illustrator)

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Abstract
Using photography and critical reflection, this article explores the relationship between contemporary allotments and paid employment in the UK, making connections to contemporary debates about the future of work. Via interview data and portraits of plot-holders in Newcastle Upon Tyne it considers how allotments fit into working lives and the challenges and satisfactions they represent. The project critically reflects on the social theory surrounding work and leisure, looking at the interplay between emancipation and submission that epitomises modern leisure time. It argues that allotments represent a complex discourse on rebellion against and accommodation of an intensified labour process, which can inform discussion about how best to spend our time.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEphemera: Theory and Politics in Organizations
Volume13
Issue number1
Publication statusAccepted/In press - Feb 2013

Keywords

  • allotment, work-life balance, photography, visual methods, work

Cite this