Being the villains - minor revisions - 1a.pdf (497.76 kB)
‘There’s always got to be a villain’: the police as ‘dirty’ key workers and the effects on occupational prestige
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-10, 04:36 authored by Camilla De Camargo, Lilith WhileyLilith WhileyThe COVID-19 pandemic has afforded the opportunity for key workers in some traditionally ‘dirty’ occupations to experience elevated levels of prestige. Although public perceptions of certain key workers have evolved in this way not all occupations have benefitted from comparable narratives. Using data from 18 police officer interviews, we theorise that the police are constructed as the ‘villains’ of the pandemic, tasked with the ‘dirtier’ responsibilities of enforcing rules that transgress societal order (as opposed to ‘heroes’ performing the more prestigious functions such as saving lives). For this reason, they have not benefitted from the same esteem markers awarded to other key workers, which in turn has had a detrimental effect on their morale. Gratitude, especially experienced via public markers of esteem symbolic of the pandemic, was salient in participants negotiating their ‘dirt’ and occupational prestige.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Policing and SocietyISSN
1043-9463Publisher
Taylor and Francis GroupExternal DOI
Issue
5Volume
32Page range
646-663Department affiliated with
- Management Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2022-09-05First Open Access (FOA) Date
2022-11-20First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2022-09-05Usage metrics
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